《I Will Seduce The Northern Duke》 Chapter 1 - The Devils Contract Chapter 1: The Devil¡¯s Contract A maniac in beauty. A five-dimensional upgraded being. With a selfish gene that captures both beauty and acting ability. A winner of trophies. Selena, the protagonist of all these descriptions, looked down at the bottom of the cliff, breathing hard. ¡°Or, we can skip this scene.¡± The manager whined in his voice, looking down from the side at the bottom of the cliff simultaneously. Selena shook her head with a smile. She felt like she was burning with tension, but she did not want to show it. ¡°I have to work hard to win the trophies this year.¡± Trophies for acting worldwide are not given for free. ¡°Oh. But, sister. They say there were a lot of accidents here, and they have not found a single missing person.¡± ¡°Where did you hear those strange rumors?¡± ¡°Oh, come on. It¡¯s real. The Director got stuck in such a strange place for no reason!¡± ¡°On the contrary, it will be a big hit if the shoot ends well.¡± ¡°But, we should not have any accident!¡± ¡°I know, I know. But don¡¯t you smoke often?¡± The manager seemed as if he would start crying. It was difficult to understand who was comforting whom. ¡°Let¡¯s start filming!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Selena relaxed with a deep breath and rearranged her expression. She has done a couple of tests with all the safeguards before. But this was scary. And she was tense. ¡°Start!¡± And when she is tense, accidents always happen. ¡°Miss Selena!¡± ¡°Hold!¡± It happened in a flash. There was a gust of wind. Very unexpected. A safety device was pulled out of the rapid wind. The body of Selena, which lost its balance, flew into the air. There was no time for her to scream. Her body from the cliff began to fall sharply down the cliff. Selena fainted at the moment. It was rather fortunate. *** ¡°Hah¡­¡­¡± Selena¡¯s whole body felt sore, twisted, and cold. ¡®Of course, diving into the sea from the cliff would be painful and cold. Selena opened her eyes slowly, thoughtlessly. She could feel the touch of the hard stone behind her back. ¡®Did I not die¡­.?¡¯ She blinked her eyes while laying down, trying to focus on the blurry sight before her. Trees with a heap of snow on them came into view. ¡­Mountain? Forest?¡¯ She was confused. A forest should not have been here since she jumped into the sea from a cliff with no tree. Moreover, the raw and biting wind dug into her thin clothes when it must have been summer¡­ ¡®Have I been hurt so badly that I can¡¯t even recognize my surroundings?¡¯ However, the location was never suitable. She forced herself to raise her body. She was in better shape than she thought. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s this good?¡± She could sit up easily. As she sat up and looked around, she could see a scene that was more incomprehensible. All she could see was just trees, leaves, stones, and mountains. There was no other way. She was just lying on a pile of snowy leaves. ¡°¡­..What? Where? Why? Hidden camera?¡± If there was a hidden camera, she would have known beforehand. Now that she was a skilled actor, she could tell what happened just by depicting the atmosphere in the set. But today, there was a serious shooting scene. Furthermore, there could not be such suspicious hidden cameras planned because they were illegal for a great actress like her. ¡°Then¡­.am I dreaming?¡± However, it was too realistic to be a dream. The cold wind that was hitting her skin, the coldness of the snow that was permeating her shoes, and some monster that was running towards her. ¡­ Monster?¡¯ It was a monster. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be coming here to greet me, right?¡¯ But a monster was a monster. It was as tall as a five-story building. It had a structure like that of a crocodile with split skin all over its body. ¡°Grrrrrr!¡± The sharp claws on the hoofed feet raised by the monster flew towards Selena. Of course, it didn¡¯t warn me by saying, ¡°I¡¯m attacking now¡±. Boong-! ¡°Wha-what is this!¡± She rolled her body instinctively. The job of an actor is, after all, a fight between mental and etiquette. All kinds of martial arts and sports that have been mastered for physical strength have been shown. Boom! Just before the sharp claws fell, she managed to roll herself away. However, the monster was not someone who wanted to stop. ¡°Ha!¡± Although she was trained for some physical activity, she had a different sense from the actual performance. A second attack was unavoidable. Selena closed her eyes tightly. Suddenly, there was a gust of wind. Instead of the splitting pain, the terrifying sound of leather tearing penetrated her ears. ¡°-?!¡± Selena opened her eyes, surprised. She could see the night sky with three moons gleaming. The dark blue sky was divided into a sharp silver. ¡°Garrrrrr!¡± The grotesque screams of the monster resounded. It was so loud and terrible to the point where one¡¯s shoulders would cringe by themselves. She could not get up as she had sprained herself when she tried to roll away on the hillside a little while ago. Selena raised her head, looking back at the monster. It was struggling, with traces of thick green blood everywhere. Then, she noticed, in front of her was a man with his cloak fluttering in the wind. The arm swinging the sword at the monster was not the only one. The mixture of swords that cut through the air reflected the moonlight as they sparkled silver. Every time the swords glittered, the monster was dismembered. Eventually, it collapsed. The man swung the sword silently, shaking off the foreign substance and turning around. A mysterious man who carved a monster into a meatball. He can¡¯t be an actor. That feeling never comes with acting. That was a real monster, and this man really seemed powerful. The man, who smashed the being, approached Selena bit by bit. She could not say anything as she was intimidated by an unbelievable situation a while ago. Selena struggled to pull up her sedentary body. Her legs were shaking with shock. The man who was slowly approaching her opened his mouth. ¡± ******?¡± She could not understand any of the man¡¯s words. ¡°¡­.Pardon?¡± She had a bad feeling. There were all kinds of stories in the world. Many of them were about a dimensional shift. Chills ran down through her spine. A place and weather that does not add up, a monster that¡¯s still unbelievable, and the man in front of her eyes. ¡­No way! Dimensional shift?¡¯ No way, all these do not explain anything. Moreover, there is no one in the world who looked like him. White skin like the moon and grayish hair and eyes. It was a mysterious color that could not be produced with dyeing and lenses. Clothes worn by the man, who was neither Korean nor foreign, were likely to appear in a medieval fantasy. ¡°! **** ¡° More importantly, Selena has been to every corner of the world because of her career. But the language, in which the man spoke, wasn¡¯t of any country she knew. This confirmed the doubt. This was a different world. She got goosebumps all over her forearms and neck. ¡®Dimensional shift was a real thing?!¡¯ She thought this was only possible in novels and films. ¡®In fiction, language patches were automatic when dimensionally shifted¡­¡­¡¯ Since it wasn¡¯t like that, this was not a fiction. She really was transferred to a world completely separated from hers. ¡°Oh my, this is crazy¡­.¡± She clasped her hands around her flustered head. What was she going to do? Now that she has moved to another dimension, should she shatter all her aspirations? The man quietly watched Selena, lifting his hand towards her. ¡­.Does he want to hold my hand?¡¯ He saved her life, but still, she was suspicious of his intentions. It was better to just listen to him quietly because she did not know how many more monsters were still lurking in the shadows. Selena hesitated to reach out to him. The man took a metal ring out of his pocket and put it on the wrist of Selena. A slender metal bracelet was tightened to fit a slender forearm. ¡°What the hell¡­..¡± Selena looked down at her wrist and muttered casually. ¡°¡­.. Eh?!!¡± She uttered out awkwardly. ¡°Wha-what is this?!¡± Every word she uttered popped out into a strange language. As she looked up at the man reflexively, he lifted his head in a flimsy way. ¡°It is working.¡± ¡°Uhh!¡± She could hear all the words of the man. Selena pointed at him, only repeating, ¡°Uhh!¡± like a mute woman. The man shook his head lightly. ¡°Is the connoisseur not working?¡± ¡°No, ha, uhh!¡± ¡°No, it is not working anymore.¡± ¡°Uhh, ha, wake up!¡± ¡°I have confirmed that it works properly, so you don¡¯t have to repeat the same thing twice.¡± Only then did she come to her senses after hearing the man¡¯s cold voice. Now that she has moved to another dimension, there might be tools that can help in the interpretations. She asked with a straight face. ¡°Where are we? Who am I?¡± The man shifted his gaze at Selena and asked instead of answering ¡°Do you know where this is?¡± ¡°¡­..No. I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I think you can answer your second question.¡± ¡°¡­.. That¡¯s true.¡± The man kept his mouth shut, watching her. The arrogance of skipping even a single question made her laugh. ¡°Based on the circumstances, I guess you are a human being from a different world.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± The man was not very surprised at the dimensional shift. The fact that he calmly fitted an interpreter on her wrist showed that he was familiar with this situation. ¡°By any chance, are there a lot of people who crossover between worlds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.. It¡¯s the first time I have ever.¡± She still could not believe that she was talking about a dimensional shift with the nuance of ¡°A good harvest of strawberries every year¡± with a person from some other world. ¡°Every few years, we find a body or some skeleton, but it¡¯s the first time that someone is alive.¡± ¡°Ha-haha¡­..¡± ¡°That was a very creepy explanation.¡¯ Selena laughed nervously. The man might have finished the beast, but he started cleaning up the mess by wiping the dirt away from the monster, with an air of indifference as if one had forgotten that Selena was present. She wondered if there was any other beast like this, but she had to stay close to the man until she assured her safety. Selena approached him in a gentle manner, wearing an ¡°actress¡± smile that he can¡¯t refuse even if he wants to. ¡°So, do you¡­ fight monsters here?¡± The man giggled. But this dropped the ambient temperature further. ¡®He looks scary when he laughs.¡¯ The man revealed his identity with a sneer as if he was being sarcastic. ¡°I am the master of the North, the leader of the Renbird family, and the Duke of the Arkline Kingdom, the Kalcion Renbird.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¡°¡­.Wow.¡± ¡­.. He was actually the Duke of the North. She had been told that her intuition was sharp, but she did not know it would be this accurate. Seolina looked at the face of the Northern Duke, Kalcion, again while admiring her own senses. It turns out that she has entered the Kingdom of a cold Duke. Even his name, Kalcion, had a killing intent itself. ¡°Ah¡­.yes. Nice to meet you. I am Seol¡­No, Selena.¡± Instead of her real name, she used a foreign name. She thought her real name would stand out too much and that they may have difficulty in pronouncing it. [T/N: Please forgive us for making a mistake in the previous chapter. We have mistaken the FL¡¯s name to be Selena. Her real name was Seolina. But we are going to use ¡®Selena¡¯ from now on.] ¡°Selena.¡± Fortunately, Kalcion did not have any difficulty in pronouncing it. Also, there was no particular reaction when he heard my name, which is why I didn¡¯t know if it was a strange name or not. ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you.¡± She wondered if she should be polite to him as he was a duke, but she did not know what this world¡¯s etiquette was like, and most of all, she was not his subordinate. She smiled and stretched out her hand as if she was dealing with someone she met for the first time. ¡°What is this for?¡± Kalcion looked down at Selena¡¯s hand in a crooked way. ¡°This is a form of greeting.¡± ¡®Do I have to explain this?¡¯ Selena shook her head in dismay. ¡®Nevermind.¡¯ As she was about to withdraw her hand, Kalcion grasped it. His hand was big and rough enough to make her heart dangle. ¡°Now we have to shake our¡­..¡± ¡®Wait.¡¯ But Kalcion¡¯s shapely lips were already touching Selena¡¯s hand. She was so surprised that she could not say anything. Her mouth became stiff. This should not have been surprising to her as this act was quite common in the world she used to live. It was occasional for her as she had to greet foreigners at an award ceremony or at a similar event. However, it was surprising when a person like the Northern Duke, who seemed to be good only at cutting things, did this naturally. The greeting was short and concise. ¡®Just a formality, if you tell me.¡¯ Kalcion raised his head and smiled curiously. ¡°It seems that you are a commoner, but what you showed was a noble spirit.¡± The clothes Selena was wearing now were the same clothes she wore on set. The role she was playing was a tragic heroine who collapsed in poverty. Again, it looked even shabbier as she tried to roll on the dusty path to save herself from the monster. ¡°There was no distinction between nobles and commoners in the place where I lived. We are all equal.¡± ¡°¡­..I see.¡± Kalcion seemed disappointed and lost for words. ¡°By any chance, did you want me to be an aristocrat?¡± ¡°That way, you will be more useful to me.¡± ¡®Useful?¡¯ Somehow, an ominous foreboding flashed through her. She was going to find out the reason why she was rescued. ¡°Am I useless if I am not an aristocrat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you, but in my opinion, you will be less useful.¡± ¡°What happens if I am useless?¡± This question deepened Kalcion¡¯s smile, but she felt goosebumps. Suddenly, she felt an instinctive fear towards his smile. She did not have a chance of appreciating it. ¡°If you want to go down the mountain alive, you will have to be useful. If not, you can go by yourself.¡± This was a deep mountain where monsters lived. She could understand this was a danger zone where people could not know when, where, and how they would die if Kalcion isn¡¯t present. Selena did not have any other choice. ¡°Ah, yes, I am really useful! I was very useful in the world where I came from. I¡¯m sure I can maintain my dignity here too.¡± Selena rushed to promote herself. It was like the moment when she had to do her best to appeal to the public. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± However, Kalcion seemed unconvinced. Her charm might not be useful in this world. If he left her like this, she would not be able to survive alone in this monstrous place. ¡°That¡¯s it. They will have no problem throwing away another foreign being anyway.¡¯ Moreover, his cold words and actions towards her confirmed that he did not care if she died.¡¯ When he was about to turn around, Selena pleaded. ¡°I would do anything you want! Just give me a few days!¡± ¡°Of course, you have to give me something if you want to live in my land.¡± Hearing this, Selena¡¯s face began to turn white. Was he asking her to devote herself to him completely? ¡°Well then, I will get another person and¡­.¡± ¡°Cut the crap. I was asking if you can provide your knowledge or skills from your world for the development of the Renbirds.¡± ¡­¡­.huh?¡¯ It was surprisingly a common proposal. Fortunately, he must have been a capable Northern Duke, not a bloody killer-type Northern Duke. Selena was quick to think. She thought that the latest technology would work better than art and weaponry. ¡°I have a wireless communication device called a mobile phone¡­¡­.¡± Since she was filming, she did not have anything else other than her cellphone, which was in her pocket. ¡°Can you reproduce this technology?¡± ¡°¡­..No.¡± Selena did not know anything about engineering, neither was she from a large corporation. Kalcion quickly denied. ¡°Then quit.¡± ¡®Oh no. I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ In fiction, people could cheat on their own partners through their mobile phones, but here, her opponent was the Northern Duke. She could not give up now of all times when she just slipped into an unknown world. Selena changed her course and proposed frankly. ¡°I still¡­.may be able to contribute to the development of your culture and art.¡± Culture was mostly treated better than anything else. Will it work in a fantasy world where you can beat monsters with a sword? She was puzzled. ¡°Culture and art? What are you good at?¡± Unexpectedly, Kalcion reacted positively. ¡°I¡¯m good at almost all things with my body.¡± To become a world-class top actress, the combination of physical strength, muscularity, and talent was important. There was no skill that she did not learn. But, she could not tell what was expected in this strange world. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do it with your body.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s good either.¡¯ In the end, Selena revealed her main job in a pensive manner. ¡°I am a good actress.¡± ¡°Acting? Hmm¡­.¡± Somehow, Kalcion was interested. For the first time, instead of a cold smile, Selena received a look of interest from him. ¡­.Huh? Is that it?¡¯ She never thought the Duke would be interested in acting. Good for her. It was an opportunity to increase the chances of her living. ¡°Yes. I was a famous actress in the world where I used to live. I was a proud actress who was among the best, combining both beauty and acting.¡± ¡°Hmm. Go ahead.¡± ¡°So whatever the role is¡­.pardon? What?¡± Kalcion snapped his finger. ¡°Let me see your act.¡± ¡°Ah, a-ah, yes¡­¡­he-here?¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you?¡± ¡®Why did it sound like ¡°Or do you want to die?¡± ?¡¯ ¡°I can do it.¡± In the first place, she had no other choice but to do as he says. Kalcion folded his arms and stared at Selena with his serious and earnest eyes. ¡®What the hell is going on¡­..¡¯ Next to her was the dead corpse of the monster. Its sticky green blood is all over the place covered with snow. There was nothing she could not do. She was shooting for a tearful romantic scene before. ¡°What act should I perform?¡± ¡°Anythi-¡­.hmm, the role of a wicked woman?¡± ¡°A wicked woman?¡± She expected a further explanation, but the Duke kept quiet. Only his eyes threatened her to choose between ¡®acting¡¯ or ¡®dying here¡¯. ¡°¡­..Do it as you feel like.¡± Selena breathed calmly, without panicking. In entertainment programs, a situational play was given to test the actors. Even the top actors from all over the world were not an exception. Selena took a deep breath and started. ¡°Hey.¡± His desperate expression, which he had just built, disappeared in an instant. With his mouth and his eyes wide open, Kalcion turned his head sharply. ¡°¡­..What?¡± It seemed as if Kalcion had been smacked across his face for the first time in his life. The Northern Duke, who cut the monster with a single strike, had that look on his face. It makes it seem like a sword stabbed his neck. Her heart shrank to the point of being as small as a walnut. Fortunately, her heart was not visible. Selena¡¯s face was as charming as an actress. If her skin was removed from her face, her skull would be as big as a tangerine. Anyway, this reaction of his indicated that she was half successful. ¡°Who are you to order me around? You will let me live? That¡¯s it? Is acting that easy? Even if you are the Northern Duke, I will not listen to a single word you say.¡± Something pricked her stomach. The question was whether Kalcion would accept it with a smile¡­ ¡°Uh, ah¡­ that was all I could perform.¡± Fortunately, he was not disappointed. Now that her heart regained its original size, her mouth wasn¡¯t as stiff as it was earlier. ¡°But, don¡¯t just come to any conclusion. I promise I can do better next time. You can also ask other nobles if you still¡­¡± ¡°Okay, you pass.¡± Unlike the monster, who came running towards them, Kalcion walked leisurely towards it. The beast was not far from where they stood. When Kalcion swung his sword at the spot where the beast was, it gradually turned into a lump of meat. ¡®Ah¡­.¡¯ Suddenly, Selena felt dizzy at the sight of the blood dripping on the floor from the monster¡¯s wound. No matter how many monsters or how much blood she had seen while filming, it was completely different from reality. The monster alone was unbelievably scary, but it seemed like Kalcion was just playing with it. Her mind could not accept any more levels of this horridness. Selena¡¯s consciousness gradually faded. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up now, I will leave you.¡± Even when her mind was going insane, she knew what to do in order to live. Her instinct for survival was sharp. Selena opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. Kalcion, who finished dismantling the monsters, is now wiping away the blood from the blade he used. Selena noticed that the number of infernal beasts that had been dismantled earlier increased. ¡°Are you done with your work?¡± ¡°I think this should be enough. I don¡¯t feel any disturbances around us anymore.¡± ¡°¡­Ye-Yes. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Kalcion found himself dumbfounded at such an unfamiliar remark that he had never heard in his life before. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to hear that I had a hard time working for a change of mood.¡± Although it bothered her that the results of such exercise were quite cruel and horrifying, Selena stopped herself from even visualizing the details. It would become more difficult for her if she thought about it harder. ¡°So now, are we going back?¡± Seeing Kalcion raising up his head, Selena also directed her eyes towards the sky. It was so cloudy that she even had difficulty in spotting the moon. ¡®Come to think of it, the air is somewhat humid.¡¯ ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to rain on our way down the mountain, so let¡¯s find a cave. In this way, we can talk more.¡± As soon as Kalcion had finished his sentence, he began to walk off. Selena hurried after him. Kalcion drifted away quickly. He was not someone who would kindly wait for her to follow him. Even if he had found someone ¡®useful¡¯, he wouldn¡¯t take any trouble for her. ¡°Oh, wa-wait! Wait for me!¡± However, he was too fast. ¡°This mountain has no proper roads!¡¯ Kalcion seemed to be walking but his legs were so long that Selena had to run to keep up with his pace. He was much taller and had longer legs than any normal person. Even deers would feel very upset if they stood next to giraffes. Now, it was her opportunity to feel the sorrow of being a short person. Of course, she was not grateful. Selena started to climb the steep hillside. She had always been so proud all her life, but her physical strength was not very cooperative at the right moment. Furthermore, the mountain was being too rough on her. The mountain was so steep that it seemed as if she was rock climbing. She had to climb up a tall rock using both her arms and legs. Moreover, at some places, she had to jump up a tree. There was no other way. Kalcion strode at a steady pace as if this was all natural to him. ¡®Would I be wrong if I call him a monster?!¡¯ She thought as she followed him. Indeed, the stamina of this monster was endless. She was starting to feel exhausted. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die this way.¡¯ No matter how much strength she puts on her legs, she couldn¡¯t be fast enough to catch up to Kalcion. Thanks to the limit of a human¡¯s vigor. ¡®He is not doing that on purpose, is he?¡¯ At last, Kalcion crept into a cave that was located between the cliffs. Getting into the cave was no ordinary job for her. If she slips, she would fall into the depths of the trench. The place was again covered with fog, so she couldn¡¯t even see where the floor was. Selena gulped and managed to throw herself into the cave. ¡°Ahhh!¡± How many times has she found herself between life and death in this short period of time? Entering the cave, she saw Kalcion polishing the blade of his sword while leaning his back against the cave wall. Some wood had been placed at the center of the cave that was now burning. ¡°You are pretty good. I thought you wouldn¡¯t catch up.¡± ¡°¡­You did not even wait for me!¡± ¡°Why do I need to wait for you?¡± ¡®Hah, what a bunch of beautiful words!¡¯ Anger surged up in her. She was attacked by a monster and was nearly killed by a mountain trench. She almost died twice already. When she heard his cold words, which stung like needles, harsh words came out of her mouth. ¡°Ha! You foolish Northern Duke¡­..¡± It was the most ¡®cursed¡¯ word Selena could have said to him. As soon as she entered the cave, it began to rain heavily. ¡®It¡¯s going to take a while for the sky to clear up.¡¯ Selena shook her head and went to sit at the opposite of Kalcion, leaning against the wall. Kalcion opened his mouth as he lit the sword blade with a strike of a rock, blankly. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep talking.¡± ¡°About what? My role?¡± Kalcion did not look at her. He went straight to the point. ¡°No big deal. You just have to pretend to be my lover in social gatherings or die.¡± ¡­. Turns out he actually had a different motive. ¡­ ¡° Selena kept her mouth shut. She did not know where to begin with. Not a big deal? Pretending to be his lover? His girlfriend? But, the threat of murder was the biggest problem. ¡°¡­.Pardon?¡± After all, she was out of ideas. ¡°I don¡¯t think there was anything wrong with the interpretation device. You have to pretend to be my lover¡­.¡± ¡°Um, wait, I think this is broken.¡± Selena hurriedly interrupted Kalcion from speaking and hit the bracelet quite hard. If it had the ability to speak, it would have cried out, ¡°You¡¯re beating me up since you cannot hit the Duke!¡± ¡°Or I could just kill you.¡± ¡°Wa-wait. I think it¡¯s definitely broken¡­..¡± ¡°Your reaction shows that you heard the right thing.¡± But she desperately continued to act like she did not understand a single word he¡¯s saying. ¡°From what I heard, I think you just told me to die.¡± ¡°I did not tell you to die. I just said that you will be killed if you do not follow what I say.¡± ¡°What if I die?¡± ¡°I will be very sorry.¡± ¡°So it didn¡¯t matter to him whether or not I was dead.¡¯ ¡°Wow, I.really.appreciate.it.¡± She blurted those words out rather roughly even if she has never said anything in that manner. But, that was also interpreted for him. How dare she behave arrogantly in front of the Duke? Kalcion frowned. Selena kept her mouth shut, pretending she didn¡¯t see it. ¡°I am already struggling to live here.¡± ¡°I did not tell you to die. All I want to do is to find the criminal.¡± Selena cocked her head to the side. ¡°Criminal?¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes became heavier and sharper at her question. ¡°My soon-to-be fianc¨¦e is dead.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± She should have known that Kalcion would push her to risk her life. It was also the basic option around the Northern Duke. ¡°Ah¡­ I pray for the peace of her soul. You must be very sad.¡± ¡°I was rather angry.¡± ¡°Of course. You are mad as the one who was supposed to become your fianc¨¦e was killed. That¡¯s why you want to find him.¡± Kalcion furrowed his eyebrows, turning his head. ¡°I think you misunderstood.¡± ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you angry because you lost your beloved fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°We were not in love. She was just chosen by me.¡± ¡°¡­What?! Oh, so was it a political marriage?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t much of a mutual exchange for it to be a political marriage.¡± ¡°Then, was it like a blind date?¡± ¡°It was more like selection than a blind date.¡± ¡­. It was more humane for them to marry like that than a political marriage. ¡°So you just chose someone to be your wife right after seeing her?¡± ¡°Qualifications of a spouse can be fully understood by documents and thorough investigation.¡± Selena¡¯s mouth fell wide open in shock. She realized that here, in this world, people got married in a different way. Whether they were married or engaged, there was no emotion in it. And even Kalcion¡¯s attitude to take it for granted was impressive. ¡°¡­Wow. You are a real Northern Duke.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think saying that I¡¯m a real ¡®Northern Duke¡¯ is a compliment. What did she mean by that?¡± He muttered to himself in astonishment, but when Selena heard, she replied back. ¡°It means you are handsome.¡± She answered proudly without hesitating. She didn¡¯t even blink. The point was to be confident when lying. ¡°You answered so abruptly that I doubt it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I have been thinking about it, and it just popped out of my mouth.¡± That kind of a lie did not make the other feel bad even though it seemed obvious that it was a lie. The evidence was Kalcion smirking briefly. ¡°And.¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°Would all men be handsome if they were Northern Dukes?¡± ¡­He must be very curious.¡¯] She was not the top actress for nothing. ¡°Oh, not just handsome. They would all have the strength of beating monsters with a single strike and have that kind of charisma in their eyes. They would also have that mysterious gray hair, those deep-seated blue eyes and white skin like jade. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Are you the only one, or do all the people in your world live with that kind of gibberish?¡± Kalcion smiled again. But it was brighter than before. Selena smiled inwardly, but all she could see was the truth. ¡°I just stated the fact.¡± ¡°I have never seen anyone be so brazen in front of me.¡± ¡°¡­Really? How would you feel if you were the Duke ?¡± ¡°Well¡­first of all, I could never act like¡­¡± Selena tried to say more, but she couldn¡¯t. She bowed her head gently and carefully. ¡°Hmm? go on.¡± ¡°¡­..No, nothing.¡± ¡°It was fun talking to you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± Selena replied, gazing at the fire. Kalcion shrugged, returning to his business. ¡°Also, the North was probably out of interest because it was far from the capital.¡± ¡°Was?¡± ¡°A gold mine was found in this region a few days ago.¡± Selena couldn¡¯t stop her eyes from twinkling. ¡°Yes, that was usually the reaction of the marriage candidates. Think about how much desire their families have to acquire it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they have¡­..¡± A young, handsome Northern Duke and a bunch of gold. They had to try their best at least once. ¡°So I picked one of the most influential and easiest barons to deal with.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes shone menacingly. ¡°Dead.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°On the night before the wedding. How do you think was I able to take this?¡± Although he was overwhelmed by the mention of a man who was dead, his eyes were getting dangerously excited. Kalcion meant he would kill anyone if they got caught. If anyone can kill a person with his eyes, it would be this person. She understood at once why no one dared to mess around with him. Kalcion grinned, showing his pearl white teeth. Selena felt chills running down her spine. ¡°I took this as a challenge as the Duke of Renbird to threaten to kill anyone who could not pass.¡± ¡°Go-got it¡­.¡± ¡°Since I have threatened you too, I believe you are prepared to get onto your act?¡± Selena kept her mouth shut. It seemed like she was freezing to death. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Kalcion continued. ¡°It looked like a suicide, but it couldn¡¯t have been a suicide under the circumstances.¡± ¡°How are you¡­.so sure?¡± ¡°The wound was very sharp.¡± ¡°How can you be sure of that either?¡± ¡°How many people can cut bodies so keenly? The Baron was a man who had never held a sword except a table knife in his entire life.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that someone killed him and made the scene look like he committed suicide, right?¡± It was like a mysterious situation. All the evidences pointed to suicide, but Kalcion was sure that it was a murder. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Did the Duke investigate it alone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you tried questioning around?¡± ¡°The investigation is already over. The Baroness did not want me to continue, so I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Whether it was a suicide or a murder, the soon-to-be Duchess¡¯ marriage was already abolished. Some truths were more painful to pester. Selena understood what position the Baroness was in. ¡°In that case, the one who usually insists on suicide is the criminal.¡± ¡°Still, there are so many straws.¡± As expected, he had a lot of enemies since he was the Duke of the North. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you find the straws by prying them out?¡± ¡°The problem is that the majority of them are from the society and I am not very good at socializing.¡± Selena was not expecting for this to be the reply of the scout. ¡°So that¡¯s why you needed someone to get into the society and find out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you will be better at pretending than me.¡± He was behind the case. There was no way he could have been easily seen by anyone who wanted to know. ¡°The problem is that people don¡¯t meet an unknown person that easily.¡± There was no way the Duke¡¯s subordinates would show their true colors in front of her. ¡°In my world, they used to do a background check on me and used to test my skills before they let me become an actress.¡± ¡°So I am the perfect person for this job. I fell from the sky, so there must be no background. I excel in acting, too.¡± Kalcion nodded satisfactorily. ¡°And your convincing exotic beauty. It would be a perfect excuse for a sudden lover.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh? What?¡± ¡°Your exotic beauty. Wouldn¡¯t it?¡± It seemed as if his words had stamped a pink dot on the black world. A word that is completely opposite of the harsh words he had laid out so far. Selena¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would say that.¡± Kalcion frowned. ¡°Is that because I am the Northern Duke again? Do the Northern Dukes not have eyes?¡± ¡°In my world, the word ¡®Northern Duke¡¯ is for those who are very selfish.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡®Or I could have just stayed silent.¡¯ The Northern Duke turned his eyes away as if he did not know, but it was already clear to him that it was the truth. ¡®He knows about it too.¡¯ Fortunately, he was classified as one of the most selfish dukes in the Empire. ¡°In that case, you¡¯re qualified. So I hope you can help me without dying here.¡± Kalcion clearly threatened her. But, Selena couldn¡¯t just decline him when the situation was like this. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± However, there was a remaining important procedure that must be addressed. ¡°What will be my reward if I can complete the task?¡± No matter how scared you are, no matter how bad your position is, don¡¯t work for free. This was one of the mottos of her life. Kalcion answered. ¡°Your life.¡± Was this a joke of the Northern Duke or was he serious? Selena¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but isn¡¯t my life already mine?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t take you to the castle safely, you are no better than a simple life, right?¡± It was deplorable for Selena that this ¡®deal¡¯ could not be denied. ¡°No¡­.. I mean there must be a motive. I have to gain something to work hard.¡± It made sense even to Kalcion. It was too much to ask for loyalty without a reward until they could find the culprit. ¡°You have to pretend to be my lover while I will be working. So, I will provide not only food, clothing, and shelter, but also extra cost for maintaining your dignity. I will also be providing you with enough money to settle down after the task.¡± ¡°And how much will it be?¡± Kalcion chuckled at the daring question which he had never heard in his life before. ¡°It¡¯s all right to ask, but it¡¯s strange that you directly asked me.¡± ¡°I am sorry to make you uncomfortable, but you have to clarify.¡± There was no compromise for Selena when it came to the matter of payment. She clenched her teeth and desperately waited for his response. Kalcion raised his eyebrows, noticing her nervousness. She was fearless as an actress. Even though she was tense, she did not want to back down. This was the best deal she had ever encountered in such an unexpected place. ¡°A lifelong expenditure of a house with more than two rooms and two maids, which is twice the average cost of living.¡± This was a general reward for an informant who had jumped into a dangerous job. However, Kalcion was also aware that this task could be dangerous for her more than once. ¡°And let me give you some hope that you may be able to return back to where you lived.¡± ¡°¡­..huh?¡± The last remuneration by Kalcion was a surprise to Selena. She had never thought it was possible. ¡°Ca-can I¡­. really go back?¡± ¡°I am not sure.¡± Kalcion began to explain. The Renbird Territory was located at the North of the continent. But at the further north, the land was inhabited by monstrous beasts. Between the land of the beast and the Land of Renbird stands a mountain range. A snow-covered mountain range that could not be crossed by humans. It was also tough for a monster to cross it. However, in winter, when the land became scarce for food, sometimes there were beasts that came down the mountain range. So, in winter, the Dukes and the knights inspected the range once in a while to clear up the ¡®monsterity¡¯ that had crossed the mountain. It was not an easy task. Only some particularly talented people could deal with it. That¡¯s why the Duke himself came to look down through the forest carrying a sword. So, this time, he met someone alive who had crossed over from another dimension. As he had mentioned before, they used to find people in a dead state. However, he always carried an interpretation device with him in case of emergencies. ¡°I never thought that I would really use it.¡± The interpretation device, like Selena¡¯s, was a legacy of a great sorcerer. About two hundred years ago, the great sorcerer, who crossed the dimension, brought much prosperity to Renbird. However, she was also a great sorcerer even where she lived. She found a way back to her world and it was in the land of the monsters beyond the mountains. The entrance and the exit were different. But when the time came for her to return, the sorcerer and the Duke of Renbird fell in love. So, she began to live with the Duke and did not return to her own world. ¡°There is certainly a way back. But the problem is that the exit exists in the land of the monsters. I can¡¯t even go there. The sorcerer was the only one who had ever been able to cross between the worlds more than once.¡± In other words, Kalcion was not sure if one could go back if he/she was not a sorcerer. ¡°If you finish your work safely, I will take the risk to escort you to the land of the beast. However, I¡¯m not sure if you can go back there, so it¡¯s just a hope. But that would be a great motivation for you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Selena couldn¡¯t say anything because her heart was pounding. Most of the dimensional objects seem to have well adapted for her until now. She never imagined that such a concrete way to return would be proposed. She had no work, no past, no memories, no friends, no family, nothing here. It was literally just a strange land. As a celebrity who knew no one in this world, of course, she would want to go back if she could. And for that she had to take some risks. ¡°I will do my best!¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Yes! Then shall we begin the operation tomorrow?¡± ¡°..What?¡± Kalcion, who was also motivated at Selena¡¯s agreement, raised his head in a daze. He was a capable man, but basically he was in a position to give orders to someone. He wasn¡¯t always deeply involved in how his subordinates specifically carried out their orders. However, this was a two-man operation. It was a very rare situation in which he went into the operation by himself earnestly. ¡°The operation begins the moment I enter the castle with the Duke, right? Then, I will have to decide my personality, my relationship and everything beforehand. I have to set up the whole situation.¡± From acting in simple theaters to superhit movies, Selena always wanted to be the perfect. Getting into the character was the basic thing she could master. ¡°Well, first of all, what role should I play?¡± By the mention of ¡®work¡¯, Selena became so excited that she forgot that she was intimidated by the cruelty of Kalcion. It seemed as if she crumpled like a bean worm and swelled up like a pillow of feathers. Kalcion, who was gazing at Selena¡¯s sparkling black eyes, was slightly dazed. Such eyes that he had never seen before. ¡°¡­.. Then, you will be evil.¡± ¡°Well, I am evil. By the way, there are a variety of evil women.¡± Kalcion tilted his head. ¡°Is there any other kind of evil woman? Can¡¯t you just do what you did earlier?¡± ¡°Well, it would be a temporary expedient, and it would be a poor thing to call me ¡®evil woman¡¯. Evil women are human too, you know. We need to decide what kind of an evil woman I can be.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can help you with that.¡± ¡°Well, for example, there are simple villains who offend others as they please, ambitious villains who do whatever they want, and there are the ones who can slander the world around them.¡± Selena¡¯s concrete example shocked the concept of Kalcion, who just had a vague idea about ¡°evil woman¡±. ¡°¡­.Oh. I see.¡± ¡°Yes, so if I have to act as an evil woman, I have to know why she would be evil, how evil she¡¯s gonna be, and so on.¡± ¡°¡­.Hmm.¡± Kalcion nodded. However, she was far from being creative. It was very difficult to create a plausible villain character so fast. Selena wondered why there was no immediate answer. She thought he might have had a reason for this specific role. However, when she asked, he couldn¡¯t answer properly. ¡°But, why did you think of the role of an evil woman?¡± ¡°We have received information that my dead fianc¨¦e was evil, who was well-known in the kingdom.¡± ¡®As expected.¡¯ There was a reason. Selena asked more seriously. ¡°What did she do to be known as an evil woman?¡± ¡°The problem is that she was not properly investigated. It was a rumor, so I don¡¯t know exactly what she used to do.¡± Had it been easy to know, there was no need for him to offer Selena a deal. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it seems like she was a well-known rascal¡­¡­what was her personality like?¡± ¡°She was gentle in front of me. According to our survey, she couldn¡¯t get angry no matter how much she heard bad insults. She couldn¡¯t say a word of hate to others. She always smiled, and so on.¡± ¡°So, she was rumored to be evil only in social circles, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She was an innocent girl on the outside but she was actually evil inside. No one knew what wrongdoings she had done in the past. ¡°Well, I guess I should aim to be an evil woman in the kingdom.¡± That way, they would be able to figure out what exactly happened to that woman. ¡°Yes, is that possible for you?¡± Selena snorted, fluttering her eyebrows. Kalcion looked dumbfounded. ¡°The easiest thing in the world is to be blamed. You can blame me for being pretty, for being nice, for lending money.¡± She could use this as an excuse to swear at someone. If she wanted to become a villain, she didn¡¯t need to be ugly. Just breathing could make her a malicious woman. Selena grinned keenly. ¡°Instead, I will be the greatest evil woman in the history of your world.¡± Kalcion directed his look towards her. ¡°In order to achieve that, there is something else you need to do.¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°What else should I do?¡± ¡°An evil woman who suddenly appears one day as the Duke¡¯s lover, she has to have a good background for it to be convincing enough.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He could not just push her like a subordinate or a friend. He would have to treat Selena as a lover in order to bring her to the world. ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s getting more troublesome.¡± Kalcion sighed. ¡°The easiest thing to say is that you just saved a damsel in distress and couldn¡¯t let go of her because of her beauty. It¡¯s convincing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Selena asserted, pointing to her face. Kalcion answered without even looking at her face. ¡°I like that.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was very obvious that he answered without even thinking about it twice. But it would not be that simple. Selena scratched her chin and glanced at Kalcion¡¯s hard face. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you take a look at me? You might develop feelings for me that way.¡± The silence lengthened until he spoke up. ¡°What kind of eyes are those?¡± This time, it was followed by Selena¡¯s silence. But he needed her to explain it. His chest was starting to feel stuffy. No matter what, Kalcion had to pull off his act. ¡°They are much more beautiful than anything else in this world¡­ The more you look at them, the more difficult it becomes to shift away your¡­.eyes, right?¡± Way von at them. th. Whing else ¡°In this world?¡± Kalcion asked, wrinkling his eyebrows. Selena frowned, feeling agony again. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no way the Duke has ever been in love, is there?¡± Kalcion¡¯s silence confirmed it. This time again, she omitted the phrase, ¡°The Northern Duke¡±. She thought if she had mentioned it one more time, she would have been chopped down by the Duke¡¯s sword. ¡°Now then¡­. What is the Duke¡¯s favorite thing in the world?¡± ¡°Well¡­it is this guy.¡± Kalcion lifted up the sword that he was holding. ¡°It was made by hammering the finest iron around the horns of the beast for over thirty days.¡± He could easily feel the energy that was pulsating from the sword. However, the way he looked at the sword was like the way one would want to swing it right away and see the blood splattering from the monster¡¯s body. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ ¡°Then¡­.how would you feel if the sword was broken or lost?¡± If he could not be lovable, he would at least stare at it with pain in his eyes. Kalcion shrugged after pondering for a while. ¡°Well, I would feel the need to make a new one.¡± But Selena just wanted to get rid of it all. She managed to assuage her patience, which had run out in an instant. ¡°You want to make me act like your lover, don¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you at least try it yourself?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Recalling his original intentions, Kalcion looked at Selena in a rather serious manner. Perhaps, in his own way. Selena made eye contact with him for a moment but soon she shifted her gaze. She could not keep her eyes on him because she was scared. ¡°¡­.. This was not what I asked for.¡± ¡°I tried my best to look at you as forcibly as I could.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not all about intensity.¡± ¡°Then, it is difficult.¡± Since then, he attempted the same process dozens of times, but repeatedly failed. She even noticed his every attempt of forcing himself to laugh. However, there were only two kinds of laughter that could be seen in Kalcion. A mocking laughter saying, ¡°You?¡± or a cold blooded evil laughter saying, ¡°I¡¯m excited to kill you soon.¡± Besides that, it was just awkward for him to smile since it was an expression he was not used to. Selena could understand it all. She moved her head silently to look at the burning wood. It seemed that it was better if he could show his evil laughter all the time. Eventually, Selena decided to give up. ¡°¡­. Let¡¯s change our strategy.¡± ¡°How?¡± It was clear that Kalcion was tired too. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ He has never faced something like this in his life before. He had never felt this tired even when he went out hunting alone, wielding his sword for three hours, and even when he was surrounded by fifteen beasts. It seemed like making a romantic facial expression was more exhausting than fighting with fifteen beasts. ¡°A sudden act would be terrible, so let¡¯s start with the background.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The woman went to the forest to seduce the Duke, and then he accepted it without thinking about it twice because she was stuck to him like a leech. That¡¯s what it is all about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to lose credibility in accepting it thoughtlessly.¡± ¡°Of course, I suppose. But I think this situation will be more reliable than having the Duke to fall in love with someone just by looking at her beauty.¡± It was also very rare that someone could make Kalcion this speechless. ¡°Think of it as a background for the Duke to act.¡± ¡°¡­.I¡¯m beginning to wonder if I have to work very hard.¡± ¡°So, are you going to give up?¡± Kalcion inadvertently choked up. ¡°Going to give up? If only I could.¡¯ She was not that important to him. He could have easily found other people to spy on the criminal. But, putting Selena in this was the best and the only solution he could come across, in order to eliminate suspicions. But, the word ¡®giving up¡¯ was not in his vocabulary. Kalcion¡¯s spirit was blazing with fire. ¡°¡­.Who said that I would give up?¡± Kalcion growled. Selena burst into laughter. But it would have been a disaster if she didn¡¯t fix her face quickly. ¡°I will seduce you.¡± Selena declared solemnly. ¡°¡­..What?¡± Surprised at the word that popped out, Kalcion asked back. Selena shook her hand with a frown on her face. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean to seduce you in reality. I just need a background for acting. It¡¯s about keeping up with the atmosphere.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If you are not giving up, then start stacking up the background. First of all, there is something you can see in your behavior that doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°So, what am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°No matter what I do or say, just say okay. I will take care of the pace.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°On top of that, you have to listen to everything I say. Especially in front of outsiders. No matter what crazy thing I ask for.¡± ¡°¡­..What crazy thing are you going to ask for?¡± ¡°Love is a crazy thing. You have to make it look crazy, so that the people can understand that it is true love.¡± Kalcion rubbed his temple. It became difficult for him to understand again¡­.. ¡°Oh, but when you first meet someone, you¡¯re going to have to say something that you wouldn¡¯t like. Even if the Duke himself doesn¡¯t understand, he must have a certain heart to take me to the castle.¡± ¡°So what do I do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­..¡± Selena also needed to think for a moment because she had to pull out the lines. In the meantime, Kalcion was terrified for the first time in his life. He did not know how he could handle a fear that was so unfamiliar to him. ¡± ¡®This woman is mine.¡¯ How is it?¡± ¡°Like a slave?¡± ¡°Ah, no, not that.¡± Selena agonized again. ¡°How about ¡®I don¡¯t want to leave you in someone else¡¯s hands.¡¯?¡± ¡°Someone else¡¯s hands¡­. Ha, you can just hit their hand away.¡± ¡°Okay, I will think of a different line.¡± She thought to make it a little cheesy. ¡°What about ¡®Nobody is allowed to touch this woman.''¡±? ¡°Why would they?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just to¡­¡­forget it. I will think of something else.¡± ¡°Think of something that would not give me goosebumps.¡± Kalcion protested furiously. Selena agonized over and over again. After a few more trials and errors, it eventually came down to a very mild taste. To describe it, it was as gentle as a spoonful of salt and a glass of water. By Selena¡¯s standards, it was also a sentence that could be said often. However, it might not be easy for him to say it out loud. ¡°No, let¡¯s forget about the situation. Talk comfortably as usual. Just like the sword on your waist.''¡± ¡°My¡­..d-dear.¡± At last, there it was. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Selena almost cursed him. She was enduring this place as much as she could, she would have exploded if her life was not at stake. Selena could pull out any act that she had never done before. So far, it was not even clear how many actors had been awarded for their talent in acting skills. Kalcion did not require much acting. Of course, she thought she could teach him with all her heart, but he would not be at that level. He had to think about giving up. ¡°Why isn¡¯t this working!¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who excels in acting here. Do you think I¡¯m the Duke?¡± There was no end to his hostility. Was this the nature of every Northern Duke? It had been a long time since she felt as if her head was going blank. ¡®Kalcion, you bastard.¡¯ There was no answer. ¡°Ha¡­.Now, let¡¯s return to the castle carefully.¡± Even if there was no reply, Selena held her patience. It seemed as if Kalcion was in a bad-temper even though there was no word from him to give up. But at least, she was thankful. By the time she came down from the mountain after barely finishing a temporary acting session with Kalcion, the sun was rising up. *** ¡°Your Excellency!¡± A group of knights, who were waiting in front of a huge wall, froze and stood close to Kalcion, who was approaching. Kalcion returned in the same manner as he had when he went to hunt into the mountains alone. The knights were on guard at the wall, asking if they would go in first in order to get rid of the irritating incident in the capital. ¡°Welcome. Are you¡­..injured?¡± One of the knights widened his eyes when he noticed Kalcion holding a short woman. ¡°No injuries. I found her being attacked by a beast in the woods and rescued her. It has been a long time since she was lost.¡± ¡°In the woods? How the hell did she get there¡­.¡± The walls that were built to prevent the beasts of the mountain range were not enough for humans to jump over. The knights also checked thoroughly if any mana was penetrating from any rat hole. There could never have been anyone who could cross the wall and escape the eyes of the outer wall scouts. ¡°She sneaked out when we went out the last time.¡± ¡®Maybe she escaped when the knights left the castle to hunt the beast.¡¯ ¡°Guts? Huh, really¡­.¡± It was not at all uncommon for many plants to grow in the forest of the beast. ¡°Even if she was not born in Renbird, it was not that she was not scared. Since there is no place for her to go, I decided to keep her under Renbird¡¯s protection for the time being. That¡¯s what I have to say.¡± She was not meant to be protected by the Duke, but to be put in the prison. But since Kalcion was the Duke, the knights had to follow his orders without any long discussion. ¡°Okay. I will escort her to the guest house. You might be tired, your Exce-¡° ¡°No, Dion.¡± The gray-haired knight, who was called Dion, stared at Kalcion with his enlarged eyes. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°My¡­.woman.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Kalcion tightened his arm around Selena. Immediately, she felt a shiver running down her hand, covered by his cape. The time had finally come for the results of the special training to show. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Kalcion stiffened, looking straight at Dion. Dion felt like he could not meet his serious eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡­Ah¡­Yes¡­Pardon?¡± Dion asked again because it was suspicious for him to hear such a word. Dion, who usually followed Kalcion as silently as a shadow, was surprised. Kalcion did not repeat what he said. Actually, he could not. His arm was already beginning to harden in the hem of the cloak wrapped around Selena. The cloak was mainly to protect him from dangers, but it seemed that it was now being used to hold Selena tightly to keep her from being taken away. ¡°¡­.?!¡± Dion hurriedly followed Kalcion, who had already passed by him. His mind swirled around with numerous hypotheses. Their Duke went to hunt and came back with a stranger for the first time. He always felt uncomfortable with sitting face to face with a woman. But was he just going to keep escorting the lady? Besides that, Dion had never seen this possessiveness of the Duke! The tittle-tattle also spread through the other Knights. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a transformation, is it?¡± Kalcion tried to ignore it, but his internal agitation was visible. He climbed up the horse just as he had pulled Selena. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the castle.¡± The soldiers, waiting for the Duke¡¯s return, stood in a line at the gate leading into the city. The horse clattered along. The Knights also climbed up on their respective horses and began to follow Kalcion. Encased in his cloak, her face was burning with embarrassment. She looked around, focusing her eyes everywhere. Especially Dion¡¯s eyes. ¡®Either he is possessed by the lady, or I am possessed by the illusion made by her!¡¯ Dion thought. After some time, Selena got the opportunity to whisper to Kalcion. ¡°¡­You did good.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Kalcion kept riding his horse silently. No matter how much he was praised, he could not be relaxed. It felt like his heart was burning on fire when he forced himself to say something he had not said before. It felt awkward and embarrassing. It was even more lively because he was not good at it. However, there were still many more things to be done by Kalcion. Even when Selena praised him, it did not seem to be much of a consolation to him. Although the act was terrible, it worked. Regardless of his acting skills, he had succeeded in shocking people. This was not a bad start. A little more of his effort would lead to a natural performance. Selena was satisfied to that point. The party continued to enter an underground road that was connected by the wall. ¡°Is the castle located underground?¡± ¡°This is a straight passage to the castle.¡± The road was quite long. Soon, the road began to ascend and a bright light flashed over her eyes. The end of the passage was connected to the entrance of the castle that was situated at the top of a hill. *** Act 2. Entrance ¡°Wow¡­..!¡± At last, her patience was rewarded. She was very surprised to see how the castle was built. There was a spacious square in front of the castle gate. She could see all over the city around the hill. ¡°The capital city of Renbird, Silenza.¡± Silenza was a huge city far beyond her expectations. She predicted that she would be living a simple life here, acting her part while the others would ride horses and fight with swords. Anyway, it was as big as the most famous city in the other world. She continued to express admiration. Silenza was nestled inside a long outer wall between the mountains and the city. The city streets were unfolded endlessly with colorful buildings. She was not only surprised by Silenza. The scale of life of the Duke was enormous as the size of the city. The gate was as high as the outer wall. Ten people clung together to open the iron door, which opened with a heavy sound. The municipal people showed up beyond the door. It looked like servants and knights were working inside. They hurried to stand in unison at both of the sides of the entrance to welcome the Duke. It was a magnificent sight. This sense of severity could not be emitted even from the scenes that were made at the filming site. Selena, unwittingly shrugging her shoulders, caught Kalcion¡¯s arm. Kalcion held her shoulder tightly in his hand, perhaps telling her to stay still. ¡°Welcome, Duke.¡± An elderly woman stepped forward to greet the crowd. Kalcion greeted her lightly, jumping off the horse with Selena in his arms. ¡°Mrs. Jannet.¡± ¡°Is everything all right? I heard the Duke went in to hunt alone this time.¡± ¡°It was as usual.¡± Kalcion trudged through the clear path between the servants who bowed their heads in unison. Dion, some knights, and Mrs. Jannet followed him. ¡°I will have a bath and a meal prepared in your bedroom, Duke. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°Another thing.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be waiting for instructions, Duke.¡± ¡°You may go now.¡± ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Mrs. Jannet bowed politely and withdrew. There was no ¡°please¡± in Kalcion¡¯s words. In this castle, everything must have been done as the Duke wished. He was the sole law of this place. ¡®He really is powerful.¡¯ Selena looked up at Kalcion, while he continued to move expressionlessly. Upon entering the castle, she saw the large floor covered with marble tiles. Corridors were connected to each other around the square. And finally, the main fortress building rose from the centre of the corridors. There were several rooms. Kalcion penetrated the first room to enter the second. As he entered the room, Selena could see a long line of windows and colorful doors. Among them, she spotted the biggest and most colorful door. At the door, stood two maids and two servants, each of whom seemed to be guards. They stood upright at the sight of Kalcion. ¡°Your Excellency, Mrs. Jannet has been contacted. We will let you know as soon as we have additional resources.¡± They hurriedly delivered their words, but Kalcion kept his movements steady. They opened the door for him as he continued his pace. It was faster and more accurate than any automatic door. As soon as he entered the room, the rest of the personnel folded up nicely to bow to Kalcion. Thud The door closed with a heavy sound. ¡°Phew.¡± Selena sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, but I¡¯m nervous. You¡¯re a man of greater magnitude than I thought.¡± ¡°And it is already becoming a problem.¡± Kalcion put Selena down. No matter how light Selena was, she was an adult. When she kept hugging him from the mountain, there was no sign of hardship for her. But now, as Selena¡¯s legs lost their strength, she staggered. Kalcion was unwinding his cloak without even looking at her. Selena shook her head. ¡°How are you going to act like a lover when you¡¯re just being daunted like that?¡± At the mention of the word ¡°act¡±, Kalcion¡¯s expression became grim. ¡°You want me to act even when no one¡¯s around?¡± ¡°You need to get soaked in the role to improve your acting.¡± He did not have to do this if he had good skills. Selena knew it was a waste of her life. So she left out the backbiting. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve come to the castle avoiding any problems, do whatever you want next.¡± Selena sat on a chair and slowly crossed her legs. ¡°I need that kind of power from you which can make things look more obvious.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°The power should come not from a word, but from your eyes and your attitude towards me. It¡¯s harder to do, but it¡¯s easier to get noticed by the people. ¡± Selena¡¯s lips drew into a fascinating curve. ¡°So please try to be a bit more natural, okay Duke?¡± Kalcion did not answer back. However, Selena was sure that he would follow. In a short period of time, the pride and triumph of Kalcion have already been grasped. He couldn¡¯t have just given up. Selena smiled inwardly, pushing the acting class curriculum towards Kalcion. One of the servants knocked on the door. ¡°Your Excellency, the bath is ready. May we wait for you?¡± At that moment, Selena and Kalcion exchanged their glances. ¡°Just a minute.¡± Kalcion hurriedly threw the cloak over Selena. The shape and texture of the clothes Selena was wearing were unfamiliar to this world. The fabric was too neat to insist on because it was made in a way that was easy to wear. It did not make any sense that ordinary people in this world could make fine clothes out of this fabric. She had left her cellphone in the cave. So, she could not help but pull the cloak around her body and wait for the time to begin her act. Now that she thought about it, she was successful in entering the castle safely, and all she had to do now was to hone up her skills. But she never thought of taking a bath. She hurriedly shook her head at Kalcion. ¡°Now, just take off your clothes and go into the bathroom¡­..¡± ¡°But, I can¡¯t just be naked in front of them.¡± ¡°¡­.Oh.¡± Kalcion pressed his fingers against his forehead. He had never sought a great deal out of these little details. He did not know what or for whom to care about. There were too many things to care about than he thought. But the good news was that he picked up someone who was a natural. ¡°Then go with your clothes on¡­.¡± Kalcion hurried to state his opinion. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s weaker than that¡­.Ah!¡± Suddenly, an idea flashed over her mind. An opportunity. She could make a good use of this opportunity in this situation. ¡°I have a better idea.¡± ¡°Do what you want.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised.¡± Narrowing her eyelids, she said. ¡°Let me show you what is called a proper act.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± The atmosphere inside the room, where there was a sense of crisis a little while ago, had changed. Kalcion concentrated on Selena, who slowly rose from her seat after taking a deep breath. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± The voice inquired once again. The servant¡¯s voice was hoarse depicting that the door was quite thick and almost soundproof. Selena simply cleared up her throat and straightened her back, before shouting out. ¡°No!¡± The voice outside the door stopped abruptly. At the same time, Kalcion seemed like he was stunned. ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Selena had begun her acting career like a performer in a theatre. She was even capable of captivating an entire audience by herself. In theatrical plays, even though the spotlight was often withdrawn, the play still continued as it could be covered with the enthusiasm of a single actor. For Selena, the top actress who dominated the entertainment world, taking control of the stage was nothing. A loud voice was heard through the thick door. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to be involved! Please, tell them to go away!¡± ¡°It¡¯s their service¡­.¡± Although he knew it was just an act, he replied casually. ¡°No! Tell them not to wait, Duke! I don¡¯t want anyone touching my body!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Kalcion was awfully silent. She knew it would be embarrassing. However, she couldn¡¯t just back down. ¡°Hurry Duke, please tell everyone to go away.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Please!¡± ¡°¡­..I don¡¯t need the bath. Leave.¡± Kalcion spoke, as if he had a sword held near his throat. ¡°Pardon? Ah, yes¡­.Your Excellency.¡± The servant outside the door was embarrassed, but he followed Kalcion¡¯s orders faithfully. Selena could hear him running away from the door. As soon as the sound of the footsteps faded away, Selena, who had her ears pricked up towards the door, stretched her arms. ¡°Okay. Now ask them to bring me some clothes to wear. Oh, I need to tear off this one.¡± ¡°Tear it off? Can¡¯t you just hide it somewhere?¡± Selena shrugged. ¡°We can¡¯t leave a shred of single evidence behind. It¡¯s better to just tear it into pieces so that it becomes unrecognizable.¡± ¡°It would be strange to just rip off your clothes.¡± Selena grinned. ¡°The Duke was taking a bath with a woman who was trying to seduce him, so it wouldn¡¯t be so weird to have my clothes ripped off.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡­Oh? Ah.¡± Kalcion¡¯s expression changed three times. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ = What are you talking about? ¡®¡­Oh?¡¯ = Oh, do you mean that! ¡®Ah.¡¯ = I understand. It was a 180 degrees change. Selena¡¯s stratagem was pretty good. It might be questionable that he was captivated at once, but it would fit the situation perfectly. It was possible to replace the horrible acting skills of the Duke with a ripped off garment. Even though it was impulsive, there was no greater idea than this. It might be suspicious that it was not what Kalcion would usually do, but on the contrary, it was better than what he¡¯d do. Acting wasn¡¯t just about words. ¡°Well then, go wash up first. Do I have to hold you again?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Kalcion opened a smaller door to the bathroom that was attached to the room. Selena widened her eyes when she stepped in. Inside the bathroom, another door used by the servants came into sight. So that¡¯s how it was possible for them to prepare a bath quietly. This was also an unexpected luxury. There was a fairly large bathtub in the middle of the room tiled with antique patterns all around. The bathtub, full of smoke-filled water, was big enough to accommodate five people at once. Next to it were the bathing accessories, soap, and sponges that seemed to be used to serve. There was also a luxurious spa bed in one corner. ¡®I don¡¯t even have these in my private house.¡¯ As expected of a Duke. ¡®Ah, It¡¯s not the time to be amazed!¡¯ Selena hurriedly came to her senses. She noticed a bathrobe was also prepared on one side of the bathroom. ¡°Stay out for a moment.¡± Selena, after sending Kalcion out, took off her clothes and put on the robe. She opened the door again, now calling him in. ¡°Now, you can tear this off.¡± Kalcion glanced behind his back and turned around when he saw Selena in his bathrobe. ¡®I have to be careful too.¡¯ She knew he was not looking at her, but still, she felt insecure. She hugged herself, trying to cover up her sensitive parts. Even when he entered the bathroom, he kept his eyes as far from her body as he could and grasped the garment with both of his hands. Jakk¡ª The garment ripped with a sound. It was not of a material that could be torn with bare hands, but in the hands of Kalcion, it was like a sheet of paper. ¡°You¡¯re good at cutting things.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one outside, so it¡¯ll be easier for me. I¡¯ll take a piece of it and soak it in the water, and when they come in later to clean it up, they¡¯ll imagine it, right?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll imagine it very roughly.¡± Kalcion¡¯s hand, which was holding the piece of the cloth, hesitated again. ¡°Why, isn¡¯t this enough?¡± ¡°Not entirely.¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes grew as fierce as though they were aiming for the beast in the mountains. His eyes turned towards the door connected to that corridor. Selena, too, followed him nervously. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Someone might be hiding.¡± Selena did not hear anything, but she had no other choice but to believe Kalcion. ¡°A spy? Outside the door?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Since Kalcion was here, she had nothing to be afraid about. ¡°Does this happen on a daily basis?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been especially frequent these days.¡± ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± ¡°Let me think about it.¡± But, he didn¡¯t seem to be much concerned. ¡°What do you usually do?¡± ¡°I kill them.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.killing them or saving them?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m thinking of a way of killing them.¡± He was not lying, given that it was not much different from his usual tone. ¡°¡­.Wait a minute.¡± Selena was used to it now. But, she was reluctant to witness any more deaths. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we use him for now?¡± His eyes turned towards her. ¡°That will be the other way around. Wouldn¡¯t it be a more plausible situation?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more efficient than a hundred acts.¡± Kalcion agreed with Selena¡¯s opinion. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it still require acting skills to make the situation decent?¡± Kalcion neatly acknowledged his atrocious acting skills. ¡°Or do you really want to do something?¡± Selena frowned, pushing his chest. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you like that, Duke. You¡¯re a jerk.¡± ¡°¡­.what¡­?¡± He felt his back hitting the wall. It was the first time that he had such a poor assessment. ¡°You¡¯re the first woman who had the guts to call me that, you know.¡± Kalcion was surprised but Selena was calm. She had done this act once or twice. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Don¡¯t fall for it.¡± Selena replied in a professional manner. While there was a spy, she had to finish setting up the situation quickly before getting back to the main room. ¡°I should be the only one to act. The Duke will stand next to me¡­..No, just tear off the clothes.¡± A tremendous thing to bind ¡°incompetence¡± and ¡°uselessness¡± at the same time, which had never been woven together in his life. There was no more shocking moment than this. ¡°Oh, it will be better if you can laugh at me sometimes by calling my name. But, if you think it¡¯s going to be awkward, then be quiet.¡± Kalcion was bewildered. A cold-blooded Northern Duke. As cold as an ice wall. As cold as a glacier. The numerous cold titles that were addressed to him became ¡®idiots¡¯ in a moment. ¡°Haha¡­..ha¡± He laughed weakly. While he was picking up the scattered pieces, Selena took a deep breath¡­ ¡°Ahhh!¡± The beginning was intense enough to catch everyone¡¯s attention. Outside the door, she could feel a sudden surprise. Even Kalcion, who was with her, was surprised. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± The play had already begun. She could not just say that it was a scene where she would scream pleasantly. ¡°Ohh, Duke, don¡¯t touch me there. Ah! Mhn!¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Fortunately, Kalcion had no acting skills and was not tactful. He shut his mouth when he couldn¡¯t protest. ¡°Haha¡­.ha.¡± Instead, the atmosphere was filled with embarrassment and absurdity once again. Selena was able to step up in her acting career because she had the ability to be real. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, ah!¡± She entered the bathtub that made a sound of splashing water, as if she had been tangled up with an invisible man. ¡°Ohh, n-no¡­..!¡± Selena¡¯s performance was overwhelming. She kept shouting such words sweetly. At the same time, she pointed towards the torn pieces of the clothes. Kalcion hurriedly tore the remaining once again without a second thought. ¡°Ah, you shouldn¡¯t tear my dress like this! H-ha, can you buy me a pretty dress later?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kalcion, who was not confident enough to fit into that performance, tore the pieces repeatedly instead. From outside, they would sound like a grumbling charming woman, and a violent Duke, coveting her body silently. ¡°Uh? Huh? More pretty than anyone else¡¯s! Can you buy it for me?¡± Boom. That¡¯s enough. Selena signaled for him to stop. As instructed, Kalcion dipped the pieces in the bathtub before returning to his room. So, it was Selena¡¯s solo stage act. The things that could happen between a man and a woman were realistically enacted only by a voice and the sound of water. Excluding the specific descriptions. In Selena¡¯s performance, Kalcion became a cold-blooded beast, who pushed as hard as he pleased, but not as harsh as her breath. While waiting in the room, Kalcion covered his face with his hand. His face was burning up. *** After Selena was done, Kalcion went in and took a bath. His flushed face still didn¡¯t subside. This was due to the fact that he was now washing up in the warm water, which was just used in the act. He knew that the spy had run away in the middle of the play. But, he did not know if the reason was that he was sick of it or he had nothing more to hear. He wanted to stop her, but he couldn¡¯t when she was so intoxicated with the act that she was running wild. As a result, she succeeded. ¡°Hurry up and call the maid before I catch a cold.¡± Selena was also quite satisfied with the results. The maids came running as soon as Kalcion pulled the leash. ¡°Ah!¡± The person who opened the door was startled upon seeing the inside of the room. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°Did you call for me, Your Excellency?¡± However, Kalcion was not surprised. He did his best to keep his face expressionless. It was also his first time to do so. Did His Excellency ever bring a woman? No, it¡¯s the first time. Did His Excellency ever come with a woman? No, this is also the first time. Has His Excellency ever been in the same room with a woman? This is his first time as well. And, has His Excellency ever done strange things with a woman? It¡¯s the first time. It was all for the first time ever. Though it was just an act, Kalcion was very embarrassed inside. Acting like nothing had happened also required desperate efforts. Selena hid when they arrived. ¡®They¡¯ll have a hard time¡­¡¯ They really were professionals. Selena tried to sound as formal as she could. ¡°I¡¯d like you to take me this way.¡± Kalcion moved to his room, while Selena went into the bathroom. Even if it seemed that they had seen everything they could see in each other, it was not polite to dress up in the same room. Upon arriving in the bathroom, three maids sprung up together at the same time. ¡°Let me dry your hair.¡± ¡°I will fix your nails.¡± ¡°I will put some perfume on your body.¡± It felt like she was in a spa. ¡®Well, yeah, I have the right to enjoy this.¡¯ Selena was very pleased to her heart¡¯s content. It took a while drying her hair, putting on perfume, and fixing her nails. Normally, it would not have taken this long if she hadn¡¯t been on the mountain where she had to roll on the dirty field to save herself from the monstrous beast. When the dirt from her fingernails was finally removed, her original sparkle of beauty came into life. ¡°Oh my¡­!¡± The maids¡¯ eyes shone with pride. It seemed that they had discovered the beauty that was hidden in their own hands. ¡®Of course, the Duke wouldn¡¯t just bring anyone!¡¯ The same Duke who had been away from women all his life. But if it was this way, it was a far better consideration. The fact that this shiny gemstone could change his mind was very surprising to the maids. More so that their Duke did not have any physical abnormalities. The master¡¯s authority was often considered as the pride of his servants. Selena was included within the scope of not hurting their pride. Now that she has been recognized, she had to do her best to keep the authority of the Duke. ¡°Do you have any dress prepared for me yet?¡± The maids began to whisper among themselves, as if they hadn¡¯t chosen a dress for her yet. Just then, the bathroom door opened. Two maids that held dresses and ornaments in their hands came in. It seemed as though both the maids and Selena were blinded by the glittering objects that were just brought in. ¡°I-Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Ah¡­uh¡­ Mrs. Jannet has chosen this one herself.¡± Mrs. Jannet was the old lady whom she saw briefly at the gate earlier. Judging from the conversation, it seemed as if she was in charge of the overall household affairs of the castle. As soon as Kalcion got off his horse, she was the only one who approached him first. Selena couldn¡¯t believe that someone like her could choose a dress for her. ¡®Was it under Kalcion¡¯s orders?¡¯ The dress seemed to be an important one as it was chosen by Mrs. Jannet. ¡°Wow, am I going to wear this? It¡¯s pretty.¡± As Selena muttered while peeping over her shoulder, the maids quickly lifted the dress. ¡°This dress was kept as a treasure as there was no one who could wear it¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, treasure?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss. The Duke gave us a very elaborate order. This dress is made up of a fine fabric that was imported from the south. There were more than 20 different samples of fabric. Furthermore, many famous designers, who were also invited from the capital, worked on this masterpiece for a whole year.¡± One of the maids explained excitedly. ¡°This embroidered gold necklace is a real one. On top of that, all of these sparkling gems are real.¡± It was not just a dress, but a cultural asset. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± She admired it. She was even more confident than anyone else in this room. She had been exposed to all kinds of costumes and designer dresses. She also once wore a national treasure-grade costume to promote the country. The dress was so substantial that it was considered as a treasure. It was much more beautiful compared to all those numerous dresses she had worn so far. She had never seen a dress that was completely made out of human hands. She stared at the dress for a long time before she replied. ¡°Well, let¡¯s try it on then.¡± Selena rose from her seat and went towards the dress, supported by the maids from both sides. At the same time, the other maid took her measurements just in case they needed to modify the dress. The dress fitted her body perfectly, as if it was made for her to wear it someday. ¡°This bracelet is¡­.¡± The ornaments brought were a set with the dress. Selena¡¯s translator bracelet was luxurious enough, but it was not meant to fit with the dress. Selena hurriedly straightened her face, covering the bracelet with her other hand. She would be in big trouble if she took it out. As long as she was still living in this world, it would act as a respiratory system to her. ¡°I can¡¯t take this out. The Duke gifted it to me.¡± ¡°I see, I will not touch it.¡± Ordinary people would not have any idea about it as it had been handed down only to the Dukes for generations. It wasn¡¯t just too luxurious for the commoners to have. It was something they couldn¡¯t even see for the rest of their lives, so it would be better for them to just stay away from it. Instead, the maids helped her to put on the lace gloves, the other bracelets, the necklace, and finally the earrings, one after the other. It was not until the headpiece was placed on her head that the Lady¡¯s appearance was complete. The maids took a step back and watched Selena, as if they were appreciating an art they had just completed. ¡°Oh my¡­.¡± A common response that she always used to get from her makeup artists when they were done with their work. ¡°Is it done?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, mi-mirror¡­..¡± There was no mirror in the bathroom. They got flustered as it was their first time decorating a Lady in the bathroom. ¡°Isn¡¯t the mirror in the Duke¡¯s room?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, it is, but¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go there then.¡± The maids were not allowed in the Duke¡¯s room. However, the woman, who was brought by him, obviously could. She also would not have to keep her manners. Moreover, she decided to play the role of a self-indulgent person and a wicked woman. She had the right to act like that. Thud She slammed the door open without knocking and entered the room. Kalcion was already dressed in his new clothes and was sitting on the sofa while reading through documents. But he was not alone. The knight, who was called Dion, was standing next to him. Dion was now dressed in a noble uniform. Unlike when he was in armor, dressing in a suit made him look neat. However, it was Kalcion who looked much better. As he was dressed properly now, he looked like a movie character. ¡®Ah, he¡¯d be worth it.¡¯ Selena smiled with slight admiration. She slightly lifted the hem of her dress, gently bending her knees, as if pretending to be a princess. ¡°How is it?¡± He should have smiled brightly and said, ¡°You¡¯re the prettiest person in the world.¡± ¡­..But, his eyes were ice cold. ¡®Ha! That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m daunted.¡¯ She could feel the maids fidgeting behind her. ¡°Mrs¡­.Mrs. Jannet¡­..¡± Unlike Selena, the shriveled maids, who thought they were on the verge of extinction, uttered. It was not their fault that Mrs. Jannet had chosen it. They were just here to deliver it. ¡°It¡¯s no use¡­..right now¡ª¡± Selena ran to Kalcion and hugged him by his neck before he could finish his sentence. The body trapped in her arms suddenly stiffened. This was the best way she could think of to shut his mouth. Honestly, Selena was tired and just wanted to eat and rest. She understood that Mrs. Jannet used her power. She also noticed that Kalcion was not satisfied with the dress. However, she did not want him to punish any of his servants now. ¡°Is it useless for me to wear this?¡± Selena tilted her head and faced him, her arms still around his neck. On the other hand, Kalcion was confused where he would look when her face was much closer than needed. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it pretty? Doesn¡¯t it look good on me?¡± When Selena put her nails on his back, Kalcion hurriedly nodded his head. ¡°Can I just eat and rest for some time? Duke? I look pretty, right? Please say something.¡± She could imagine Dion and the maids standing with their mouths wide open. While she asked him sweetly, Kalcion could not answer her easily. ¡®Yeah, you¡¯ll have some trouble in the beginning.¡¯ But, at this moment, he would have to say ¡®yes¡¯. Kalcion was as stiff as a stone. Selena grinned as she made eye contact with Kalcion with her arms around his neck. ¡°So? How do I look? Pretty? Or not?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡®Please just say it¡¯s pretty, would you?¡¯ It seemed the Duke was not taught the techniques of treating a woman who was in his arms. As Kalcion was still silent, Selena decided to raise it to a further level. ¡°If you don¡¯t say I look pretty, it will be meaningless for me.¡± ¡°¡­.Pretty.¡± At least, he succeeded in drawing out a word anyway. That was a tough one. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± She thought she had only Kalcion calmed down, but upon the familiar voice, she looked back. Mrs. Jannet was standing among the maids. ¡°I chose that because I thought it was the only unaccustomed dress in the castle.¡± Selena turned around without loosening her arms. There was no need to pretend to be gentle in the presence of Mrs. Jannet. This man was hers. And, everyone including her, should know about it. Kalcion replied. ¡°There¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t recognize it if you weren¡¯t familiar with it.¡± ¡°It was my fault. I didn¡¯t know what I was thinking. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Is there any extra dress in the castle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Excellency. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no other dress but the maids¡¯ clothing. I didn¡¯t think the maids¡¯ clothes would suit the one you brought with you.¡± Selena didn¡¯t miss a word of Mrs. Jannet. It was an indirect evaluation of the woman who was brought by Kalcion. A courteous but impolite remark. Selena held her breath unknowingly. How would Kalcion react? She eagerly waited for his next reply. Kalcion, who had been staring at Mrs. Jannet for a long time, soon opened his mouth heavily. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°You worry too much, Mrs. Jannet. I respect your hard work of faithfully carrying out the daily work of the castle that even I am not aware of.¡± ¡®Uh¡­?¡¯ Surprisingly, Kalcion spoke calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just devoted to my role, Your Excellency.¡± Mrs. Jannet bowed her head and condescended without further confrontation. His growing tension was released momentarily. ¡°It¡¯s late. Send the dinner here in my room so that I can rest early.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Mrs. Janet and her maids bowed before withdrawing through the door of the bathroom. The door closed with a thud, and the room became silent again. However, Dion was still standing beside the sofa. Feeling his gaze on her, as soon as Selena glanced at him, he retorted his eyes silently. It wasn¡¯t wrong that those eyes of his were beautiful. ¡°I think that would be fine now.¡± Kalcion said, looking at Selena. She suddenly realized that his face was very close to hers. ¡°It could have been more of a hassle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that they¡¯ll step down after they¡¯re done digging deeper.¡± Instead of explaining to Dion, Kalcion introduced Dion to Selena. ¡°This is Dion, the head of the Knights. He¡¯s my closest ally. He is helping me with the ¡®operation¡¯.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She immediately figured out why he was talking about ¡®hassle¡¯. It struck her mind when she heard the word ¡®operation¡¯. As Selena¡¯s acting skills were outstanding, she must have looked sincere to others. It¡¯s true that the strategy of pretending to be Kalcion¡¯s lover or whatever was known to the world was itself an opportunity that was hard for the commoners to grasp. If it weren¡¯t for the operation, Dion would have suspected that she was really looking for a seat next to Kalcion. Selena didn¡¯t care whether Dion doubted it or not. She was safe since she had signed a contract with Kalcion himself. However, she realized that she didn¡¯t have to act in front of Dion. She immediately removed her arm, that was wrapped around Kalcion¡¯s neck. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± His eyes, which seemed to drip honey1, dried up. That little aegyo2, which had been rising a little while ago, disappeared elsewhere. Instead of a sweet expression, the usual indifferent and nonchalant look settled on his face. [T/N : awwieee!! ¡°Eyes dripping honey¡± is a Korean saying for when someone¡¯s eyes are so sweetly full of love/affection. This is done by the group, mystical merries. Check novelupdates for faster updates because you might be reading at the wrong site. ¡°Aegyo¡± in Korean refers to a cute display of affection often expressed including but not limited to through a cute/baby voice, facial expressions, and gestures.] ¡°The name is Selena. I look forward to working with you.¡± Selena briefly greeted Dion in a chirping voice. ¡°¡­..¡± She could see that Dion was surprised. But she didn¡¯t try to hide her ridicule. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that it isn¡¯t anything other than acting.¡± The more she was staring at Dion, the more his face stiffened. ¡®Should I act here, too?¡¯ She didn¡¯t mean to disrespect her allies, but she had to frown when Dion didn¡¯t utter a single word, as if he was engulfed in an unknown fear. ¡°May I know the reason why you¡¯re acting like that when you just have to say hello calmly?¡± ¡°I was just surprised to hear that a mere commoner got the opportunity to work with the Duke.¡± Dion was the only one who believed that Selena really had her heart for Kalcion. Henceforth, he suspected her acting to be so real. However, Selena was just a being from another dimension who wanted to return to her world. They could easily clarify her situation, but it was better to not let the other people know. They were human beings after all. Nobody could tell when and how one could turn against his own allies. An unknown being in a world could be wrapped upon in a saintly way or burned to death as a witch. First of all, they¡¯d have to persuade Dion in hiding his identity. ¡°There could be many people who didn¡¯t get it. But there¡¯s one right in front of you.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t necessary for you to believe.¡± ¡°What I meant was being a commoner, are you not swayed by all the riches, power, and honor? Simply put, that dress you¡¯re wearing now doesn¡¯t even belong to you.¡± Without him even glancing at her, she stared at Dion. ¡°I do not want to argue about that matter now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know what will happen to you if you¡¯re caught lying?¡± ¡°No, but the Duke wouldn¡¯t argue if the dress becomes one of my possessions by then.¡± ¡°How come?¡± Dion asked insincerely. Selena could feel Kalcion standing behind her, twisting his arm. He was seemingly wondering what he would say next. There was no way that another tension would begin. But, Selena couldn¡¯t stop herself from being cautious. ¡°He¡¯s the type I hate the most.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Dion¡¯s shoulders flinched. As far as he could imagine, the sentence just popped out of her mouth. ¡°External factors such as money and face are important, but no matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t find anyone who has a gentle personality. Especially one who speaks nicely. Anyway, your Duke is the exact opposite, right?¡± As Selena continued her explanation, Dion became flustered. Whether he was nervous or not, Selena was more focused on venting her injustice. ¡°And if you¡¯re worried about me being after his riches, he has already given his word of paying me back. The Duke has said that he¡¯d double the money I¡¯ll ask for¡­.¡± Selena said with great emphasis, as if giving a weightage on her every word. ¡°No.matter.what.happens.¡± Swaying her index finger resolutely, she said. ¡°I would never fall for the Duke.¡± It was a confession that she thought no one would overturn no matter what the world did. After she was finished giving her judgment, a heavy silence fell across the Duke¡¯s room. Among them, Selena was the only one who smiled refreshingly so as to drop the heaviness that her heart was experiencing. ¡°Well, then. If his closest ally was suspicious of me, then was I able to pass the act?¡± There was no one who could disagree. ¡°Well, I look forward to meeting you again. I hope I wouldn¡¯t be so surprised next time.¡± ¡°¡­.Do you have anything to say before the operation?¡± ¡°If you plan it, will you be confident enough to act accordingly?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± For the first time in his life, Dion Sibelin couldn¡¯t answer because he wasn¡¯t confident. Kalcion, who was silently observing them, threw a look of sympathy towards him. He had also experienced such ¡®first events¡¯ after meeting her. Fortunately, they were interrupted before the two men could feel more miserable. The servant, who had entered the room with the permission of Kalcion, bowed politely. ¡°Dinner is ready, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°¡­..Ah, finally.¡± Now that she was feeling hungry, she realized that she had almost forgotten about it. It naturally took a great deal of time to wash away all the dirt from her body that she got from the mountains and decorate it with shiny garments. She thought she had a long time to rest so she wore a dress and even unintentionally argued with Dion about the dress. Now, the time had finally come. Even though it was beautiful, she was internally frustrated to wear such a long dress that wasn¡¯t comforting at all during the time of eating and resting. ¡®Part of me wants to just tear this down.¡¯ Selena thought blankly, looking at the dish in front of her. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later, Your Excellency.¡± Dion walked away. The servants, who finished preparing the meal, stood up to stand beside them. But, Kalcion motioned them to leave. As expected, he had something to say. Selena couldn¡¯t stop herself from cutting the appetizing meat into her mouth. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°First of all, there could be a spy anywhere. So be careful with what you say about yourself, from the next time.¡± ¡°Hmm, yes. That wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Her eyes scanned all around the room, imagining hidden cameras that would catch her mistakes and broadcast it to the public. Anyway, there were no cameras or recorders that would be working in this world. Selena was sure of it. ¡°I have always been aware of spying because I used to live a high-profile life.¡± ¡°You must have been an excellent actor then. Okay, second, don¡¯t act when you¡¯re alone.¡± Her unexpected behavior must have been very embarrassing for him. However, she couldn¡¯t agree. ¡°That would be impossible.¡± Somehow, he felt a bit of a pain when she disagreed, but he had to focus on the more important tasks at his hand. In order to do so, he had to force them in. ¡®There were only two precautions that she should take, but still, she hesitates?¡¯ ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stop until the Duke can naturally show his love for me. He should be good at acting too!¡± ¡°Should I just quit¡­.?¡± Kalcion asked, gnashing his teeth. But, it was already late for him to do so. ¡°As soon as I showed up, the spies became aware. And wasn¡¯t that the first time you confronted Mrs. Jannet, to whom you said you don¡¯t usually bump into?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°The fact that the people around you started acting differently as soon as I got here, means that my presence had a significant impact.¡± When Kalcion was alone, the natural things, which were as firm as the ground, began to waver. That, too, in the estate of Renbird. Then what about the society where his influence was relatively diminished unlike here? Selena¡¯s presence would begin to reveal things that would never have been seen through his own eyes. Selena asked back. ¡°Are you going to stop?¡± Kalcion had his pride. Not being able to act was also a matter of self-esteem. However, the pride of being caught in finding and punishing the criminal who dared to challenge the Duke of Renbird was greater. He kept silent and continued to eat his meal. ¡°Well, before we get into the outside world, tell me about a person you¡¯re suspicious about and whom you want me to look out for. It¡¯d be better if I knew.¡± If she was to appear as ¡®Kalcion¡¯s lover¡¯, she¡¯d be able to approach them, but it was always better to have a bit of information prior to it. ¡°¡­Well.¡± Kalcion was lost in his thoughts. ¡°Um.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He could feel a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It was similar to when Selena had asked him about his most precious thing in the world. In a word, it meant he had nothing to say. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. Is there someone you¡¯ve been unusually close with?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Someone with a deep impression?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Selena soon realized. ¡®Who am I kidding? He¡¯s not just a noble but a Duke of an estate. He wouldn¡¯t have the time to talk with people. I should give him a better hint.¡¯ ¡°Someone who¡¯s been annoying all the time?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Now, he thought of something. ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Yes, who is it?¡± Selena pulled her chair to sit closer to him, her ears pricked up. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Sect. 3. First suspect Castle of Silenza in the Territory of Renbird. A place surrounded by a solemn and majestic atmosphere as it is inhabited by the ruler of the North. ¡°Dear God!¡± However, a woman¡¯s shrill voice rang out, which was completely out of sync with the atmosphere of the castle. ¡®¡­.Wha-What was that?¡¯ Selena, who was busy with her meal, was surprised by the shrieking voice in the hall. That was definitely not a charming voice. She instinctively realized. ¡®I knew this was coming.¡¯ She was also the first person to call him annoying because he was too dense. Kalcion, who was standing next to her, also frowned. ¡°Ah, get out of the way. I said I don¡¯t need any guidance!¡± A small woman pushed her way through the servants, running forward. She was dressed in a bright pink frill shining garment. ¡°Your Excellency! Your Excellency! Fionel came as soon as she could! She was so worried about you that she traveled all the way to Renbird!¡± Glancing at the intruder, Kalcion tried to turn around. ¡®I understand that you want to avoid her, but you shouldn¡¯t.¡¯ Selena snaked her arms around one of Kalcion¡¯s arm, tightening her grip. It should be all right since she was acting as his lover. But, his face had a very unpleasant expression. Meanwhile, the woman named Fionel hurried towards Kalcion. But she stopped as soon as her eyes fell on his arm being held by another person. She looked up at Kalcion before drifting her eyes to Selena, who was standing beside him. ¡®Who the hell is this?!¡¯ Fionel¡¯s eyes said so. Towards Kalcion, her eyes were glistening like she was in a dream while towards Selena, they were as sharp as a knife. This, obviously, was hostility. ¡®First suspect.¡¯ Selena imagined stamping the seal on Fionel¡¯s forehead. It has been a month since the Baron had died. More than ten days had passed since he had a funeral, offered consolation to the baroness, and returned from the unfinished case. It normally took a whole week to reach Renbird from the capital by carriage. So, Fionel must have packed up and left the capital right away. ¡®She said that she came here because she was worried. But now she¡¯s looking at me like that. She¡¯s crazy.¡¯ Anybody could tell that she expected the castle to be empty. But now that there was a wild leech standing next to Kalcion, so it definitely didn¡¯t look nice to her. ¡®How can she be so transparent?¡¯ The baron, who was planning to get his daughter married to Kalcion, was killed. It was not yet proved whether he was murdered or committed suicide though. However, the danger still remained. ¡®What if someone is determined to kill everyone who decides to marry him?¡¯ But for now, Fionel was carrying his life like a balloon. This man was hers. She just couldn¡¯t wait to talk to him! It seemed like she was screaming inwardly. There were only two reasons why the baron could act like this even though there was a record of him. A fool who couldn¡¯t even think that it could be his end. ¡®¡­..He was definitely killed.¡¯ Selena emphasized the last word. It seemed like her eyes were armed with thorns. Fionel was staring at Selena piercingly before she shifted her gaze to Kalcion and smiled affectionately. ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking you to visit.¡± But Fionel didn¡¯t seem to be discouraged by his cold words. Rather, she smiled as fresh as a blooming flower. ¡°Fionel is here to comfort you, Your Excellency. She knew you wouldn¡¯t have enough time to invite anyone. This heart, she¡¯s sure you would not understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m too busy to notice that.¡± More precisely, he was busy because he was interrupted during his meal. So, he began to walk back towards his room where the food was served. Selena, too, followed him. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so evil! Wow!¡± Fionel¡¯s whining followed. Although she almost ran to keep up with his pace, she failed. ¡°You walk so fast¡­huff, huff¡­it¡¯s hard for Fionel to keep up.¡± Fionel was insane. She did not even lift a finger to being ignored by him. Selena didn¡¯t forget to roll her tongue, even when she was struggling herself. ¡°Your Excellency, if you¡¯re not busy, can we have some tea¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but as you can see, I¡¯m very busy.¡± Kalcion began to walk faster. It seemed like he was trying to escape from her. ¡®I can¡¯t do this. How can I tag along with him when he¡¯s so fast?¡¯ Clasping her arms more tightly, she glanced at Fionel. It was an easy and childish psychological battle. She was much closer to Kalcion than Fionel. Fionel did not budge at Kalcion¡¯s cold response, but was blazing with fire at Selena¡¯s stare. As she was shuddering, Fionel shouted in a shrill voice. It seemed like she was holding back what she wanted to ask. ¡°Who is she?!¡± ¡°I picked her up on the way.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± That was a great answer. Of course, it was ironic. It would have been easier if he¡¯d just told her that she was a woman he was hooked on. ¡®You¡¯re not expecting anything else, are you?¡¯ Before burying her face on his arm, Selena sighed inwardly while smiling on the outside as if she was ashamed. To Fionel¡¯s surprise, however, his insincere reply also became a fuel for her to burn in the inside. ¡°S-Seriously, Fionel has come a long way from the Capital! She came running through the long and rough road, thinking only of you.¡± Fionel was very talkative. She could fit finely beside Kalcion, who was speechless all the time. The aristocratic world, usually portrayed in novels and movies, was an elegant platform for a battle between the protagonists and the villains, where they could throw a fastball at each other, and where one could go rampant over the other. Usually, the protagonists always had an extra fastball (defense)..¡­. ¡°And she came from a land farther away from that.¡± Kalcion¡¯s ironified fastball was much stronger¡­¡­She really did cross a whole dimension to get here. ¡°T-That doesn¡¯t mean that Fionel wouldn¡¯t feel tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, Kalcion went silent. Even if the fastball he threw was strong, it was not easy to hit the right spot. ¡°Fionel has been riding a wagon for a long time. Her back is hurting, she feels like she can¡¯t stand anymore¡­.¡± Her whining voice immediately changed into a charming one. The cuteness created by her so-called honest expression was strong. It was always the best strategy to use your charms as your strength. She knew that much about herself, even if she was ignored most of the time. She was pretending to be innocent and stupid. ¡°Fionel wants you to escort her too, Your Excellency ¡­..¡± A way of pretending to have no brain and consider the other person¡¯s position in a naive way. It was a classic talent, but surprisingly it always worked well. ¡°She¡¯s been around you all this time. Can you leave her and support Fionel?¡± She opened her eyes widely like a rabbit and repeatedly fluttered her eyelashes. Yeah, to be honest, she seemed cute. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Fortunately, Kalcion was not bewitched by her cuteness. ¡°Uh¡­why not?¡± ¡®Why is he denying her? Now, she¡¯d be more curious about it.¡¯ He was silent for a moment as he did not expect Fionel to ask him the reason. So far, he couldn¡¯t make out any other excuses. ¡°Your Excellency? Then, can Fionel lean on your arm?¡± But Selena couldn¡¯t let go of Kalcion. She crept up her head and peeped at Fionel, pretending to be frightened. Simultaneously she was met with Fionel¡¯s violent look. ¡®You! Get off of him right now!¡¯ A Selena who was pretty on the outside, but harsh on the inside, smirked. ¡®Do you think you¡¯re the only one who has that kind of charm?¡¯ A person gets angry whenever he or she is subjected to his or her own strategy. ¡°No¡­.¡± She buried her face deeply into one side of his chest. She was an excellent actor. Even when she was young, she could master difficult acts on her own. ¡°¡­.!¡± Fionel¡¯s eyes flashed upon encountering the same skill as hers. ¡®Why, are you amazed? You thought you were the only one who could act cute?¡¯ Selena took it to another level, ¡®purring¡¯ like a cat and rubbing her cheeks on his arm. ¡°Selena and I are hungry. We have to rest too. It has been quite a difficult day for her.¡± ¡°!¡± Fionel¡¯s trembling fists gripped her dress. Selena peeped at her face before returning to her position as if Fionel was invisible. She was not confident. She did not know if she was going to lose. However, there were not only two of them. She felt a light pressure on her shoulder. ¡®¡­..Ah.¡¯ Selena was so focused on the psychological battle with Fionel that she had almost forgotten that Kalcion was still present there. The Duke who had observed all their expressions. How painful it must have been. ¡®Just hang in there a little bit. Let¡¯s win this one first.¡¯ Selena raised her head, determined. She had said she did not want to argue with anyone crazy. But it was better to win now even if she was acting crazy. ¡°Oh, come on, Duke. Selena is tired, let¡¯s go.¡± Selena once again put her face on Kalcion¡¯s chest. He reflexively gripped her shoulders so tightly that she thought they were going to be crushed. One more word and her mind will be torn to pieces. She felt his threat through his touch. Still, she couldn¡¯t back down. She waited for Fionel¡¯s response. ¡°My Lord.¡± Fionel changed her way of addressing him. She seemed to think that she was better than Selena, to whom Kalcion was acting indifferently. Kalcion looked back at Fionel, who was tired of all this. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Fionel¡­.¡± She acted like her legs were trembling as if they were hurting. Her features immediately changed. Round eyes, plump white cheeks, and cheery-like lips. She tried to look as innocent as possible. ¡°Hmm, you¡­.¡± It was clear that the mere sight of her suffering would work. However, the problem lies somewhere else. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Kalcion, who was trapped in between, didn¡¯t even know what he should do. ¡°¡­..¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes averted the two women¡¯s. ¡®What do you want me to do?¡¯ A glint of indifference on his face. Fionel¡¯s face shining with impudence. ¡°Oh, Fionel is so tired that she feels like she could faint at any moment now¡­.¡± ¡°Then you should take a rest and take care of your health.¡± The warrior on the other side wasn¡¯t one who could lose a battle too. ¡°What if she can¡¯t get up on her own¡­.¡± ¡°Then you may have dinner later. I¡¯ll instruct someone to deliver it to you.¡± But Kalcion didn¡¯t want this battle to be prolonged. ¡°Well, then make yourself comfortable while I¡¯m away. I¡¯ll see you in the evening. Please take her to the guest room.¡± That¡¯s it. No more counterattacks were allowed. Leaving behind a unilateral notice, Kalcion strode away with a quick pace so that Fionel couldn¡¯t keep up. He even ordered the servants to guide her, so she couldn¡¯t follow him anymore. ¡°But¡­..My Lord!¡± Instead, a mournful voice was heard. It sounded as if the Duke had abandoned a child and fled away. However, what Selena saw was Fionel¡¯s eyes glaring fiercely at Kalcion¡¯s back. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± As soon as Fionel disappeared from their view, Selena and Kalcion sighed simultaneously. ¡°¡­..She¡¯s stubborn.¡± Even in the entertainment industry, this was not a weakness. ¡°Not all women in the social circle are like her, are they?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Actually, he didn¡¯t know because he wasn¡¯t that involved with them. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet such a fancy player from the start of this game.¡± Kacion replied with a sigh. He also didn¡¯t expect the sudden intrusion of Fionel. ¡°No way, this is not the personality of all the women here, is it?¡± ¡°From my point of view, the daughter of Count Fionel is the most annoying of them.¡± She was also one of the first candidates as his fianc¨¦e. ¡®I¡¯m sure the type of people who always have a tendency of involving themselves in someone else¡¯s business is the most tiring.¡¯ ¡°So, is she the most annoying one in the society?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°In terms of rank¡­..?¡± If Kalcion knew about it, he would have investigated it himself. If Fionel wasn¡¯t, then there must be a lot of different types of people in the social circle of the capital. Just thinking about it made her feel tired. ¡°If this continues in the future, we¡¯ll have to negotiate again.¡± ¡°Sure, as much as you like.¡± The amount wasn¡¯t much of a concern to Kalcion in the first place. For Selena, she was worried if she could not make it back to her world in one piece. ¡°Anyway, why did you tell her to see you in the evening when she was so tired?¡± In the aftermath of the battle, her appetite also fell. So, she took a bite from her bowl of fruits. ¡°It is polite for a person to serve the first supper to his guest who has come to visit his estate. It is one of the basic etiquettes that one must know, even by a five-year-old child.¡± What an amazing discovery. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly keeping up with what you are asked to do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so surprising in maintaining the courtesy?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re the law here. I thought you¡¯d ignore all of the ones that bother you.¡± Judging from his personality, she thought he¡¯d ignore all the rights that were applied to the commoners. For example, he¡¯d cut the throat of a person who spoke informally to their Duke. ¡°It¡¯d be more bothersome to live by breaking every little rule.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It was a convincing reason. Even if he was the Duke, he was on the periphery. A territory that belonged to the Ziman Kingdom. There must be a minimum number of rules that must be followed. ¡®However, I think I¡¯ll be facing a lot of trouble from now on.¡¯ The capital was likely to be stifling as there were rules so that even the Dukes on the periphery were not free. He might not have felt it because he lived in a moderate disregard for it. However, Selena was in a different position. She had to strengthen her position by taking steps in the midst of all signs of being the weakest. ¡®Ha¡­..Let¡¯s repeat what I did starting from when I was a rookie.¡¯ When she was a rookie, she had the hope of improving her skills, but this time, the goal was to catch a criminal. She would just have to keep up the fight without letting anyone know anything. After a while, she also lost her appetite for fruits. Putting the bowl aside, she wiped her mouth. ¡°Was it not sweet?¡± Kalcion asked as he put a thick piece of meat into his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite.¡± The nicely sliced meat by the chef, caught in the fork, approached the mouth of Kalcion once again. The outer part was slightly dark, but it seemed to be juicy from its inner part. ¡°Well, you can just have one bite.¡± Kalcion pointed towards the meat in front of her, but she couldn¡¯t get her hands on it. ¡°No, that looks more delicious.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different.¡± Kalcion smiled dumbfoundedly. ¡°I heard one bite will be enough. One bite, please.¡± As he saw Selena shifting her chair and requesting him, Kalcion smiled dumbfoundedly once again. ¡°Okay.¡± She held out her plate. ¡°Wait. Cut them for me. It¡¯d take a long time to get a fork.¡± He cut them into bite-sized pieces, thinking that it would be more convenient to cut it for her. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Do you want me to eat it with my own hands? Feed me.¡± ¡°¡­.Really.¡± It was all over the place. Kalcion¡¯s patience was about to run out. ¡°Ah, just use a fork.¡± Selena, who was grinning, opened her mouth like a baby bird. While she was smiling and acting cute, Kalcion felt a pressure building up in his chest. However, inside the castle, there was a servant¡¯s eye who was silently watching them. Kalcion unconsciously persuaded himself. It was not just the two of them. It was not hard. Yeah, this wasn¡¯t a difficult job. It was just something he didn¡¯t usually do. Kalcion dipped the meat with his fork and held in front of Selena¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hmm!¡± She snapped at the fork. The tip of the fork disappeared behind her pink lips. Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation spreading to his earlobes. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s delicious!¡± Selena exclaimed without any hesitation, her face full of satiety as if she was satisfied with just one bite. While gazing at Selena, who was busy ordering desserts as if her appetite had returned, Kalcion put down the tableware he was holding. He didn¡¯t have the courage to continue eating using the same fork. *** As soon as their meal was over, Kalcion fled to the Oval office. She was going to follow him, but upon noticing that he seemed very eager to be alone, Selena returned to her room. She laid herself flat on the bed, unable to stay seated anymore. She had a hard time eating after having a fierce battle in the morning. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± She thought there would be a preparatory period until she went to the capital. She thought there would be a time to adjust to this world and know the basis of events, but it was a mistake. People were the same in every world. Kalcion knew nothing more about the incident than she did. He was ignorant of the incident as much as he did not know the woman. ¡®Whether I don¡¯t know, or I don¡¯t want to know.¡¯ She would have to drag the smoke out of love from now on, but she couldn¡¯t be on the backseat. It was the fastest way to beat him, but she couldn¡¯t do that to him, who was holding her life at stake. ¡®Let¡¯s get into it.¡¯ She¡¯d get used to it if she kept repeating it. If she got used to it, she could naturally lower the resistance. Jumping off from the bed, she headed towards Kalcion¡¯s office. *** ¡°Uh¡­..¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± Two knights, who were guarding in front of the Oval Office, looked flustered on noticing Selena. ¡°Please tell him I¡¯m here.¡± Selena asked them in a polite manner. If she was wicked, she would have started screaming and made a fuss. ¡®How dare you stop me from receiving His Excellency¡¯s favor?!¡¯ However, the wicked woman that Kalcion wanted her to be was not someone who would make a fuss everywhere. ¡°His Excellency told us not to let anyone in¡­¡­¡± Still, in the minds of the knights, a woman who came from outside = a complex of a wicked person. They seemed wary of the reason for refusing. Selena smiled broadly and nodded before she turned away. ¡°Oh, really? All right then, good luck.¡± She didn¡¯t have to work hard on a very standard technique. The Oval Office was on the first floor. So, there must be a window to the office that overlooked the garden outside. Kalcion was pacing around the office, lost in thought. Selena knocked on the window with a regular tap. Knock Knock After staring blankly at the wall, he looked back in surprise. ¡°¡­..What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I thought you ordered them not to let anyone in through the door, so I was wondering if a window would be fine.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Instead of replying, Kalcion rubbed the region between his eyebrows. ¡°Fine, come in for now.¡± It was a relief that he didn¡¯t deny. Putting her sleek foot on the window frame, she pulled herself up. ¡°¡­..?¡± As she was about to jump into the room, her eyes met a blank-faced Kalcion. His arms were wide open as if he was trying to lift her up. ¡°Uh¡­..great.¡± She said. He was good at everything with his body. It would have been too much of a shock to him, who only met a few soft-spoken women. Selena, with a coy look on her face, took Kalcion¡¯s arm and jumped in. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her through the whole process. ¡®It was a bit embarrassing, but it felt good.¡¯ When Selena smiled, Kalcion¡¯s look stiffened, as if it had destroyed the world around him.¡­..and his heart was stabbed. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s your business here?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I was bored in the room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I wouldn¡¯t interrupt you. I¡¯ll just be breathing.¡± ¡°Fine, just breathe.¡± ¡°Can I blink too?¡± Instead of answering, he gritted his teeth. ¡®A joke wouldn¡¯t work on me, woman.¡¯ She shrugged and laid herself on the sofa. Sighing briefly, he went back to his desk. Subsequently, a rustling of documents was heard followed by the sound of scribbling. ¡®Hmm¡­.I feel drowsy.¡¯ She slept well last night too. Falling asleep anywhere was a prerequisite of a top actor. He or she had to rest whenever they got time in between the shoots. The afternoon sun was warm and the sofa was comfortable. The sound of paper grazing, the tip of the pen scratching on the paper, and the slow breathing of Kalcion soothed her nerves. ¡°Hmm¡­..?¡± Selena mumbled in her sleep, feeling a shadow silently covering the sun¡¯s light. She thought the sun was setting down, but the shadow disappeared again. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to check. Thereafter, she fell asleep. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 As she opened her eyes, she saw nothing but darkness. ¡°How long have I been asleep¡­..?¡± She sat up and found the office empty. The candles and the fireplace were still lit, so it was neither cold nor dark. Kalcion seemed to have returned to his room. She stretched as she rose from the sofa. She felt hungry, perhaps because she was sleeping for a long time. ¡°I feel hungry.¡± As she was mumbling to herself, she heard a knock on the door from a maid. ¡°Are you up, miss? Should I get you a meal?¡± ¡°Is dinner time over already?¡± ¡°Yes miss, a long time ago.¡± She said, laughing lightly. ¡°Sigh¡­.Then I guess I¡¯m the only one who couldn¡¯t enjoy those delicious dishes. You should¡¯ve woke me up.¡± Kalcion had scheduled his supper with Fionel this evening. There was no other opportunity to provoke that girl. It was more precious than missing something delicious. ¡°No, dinner has been postponed until tomorrow because His Excellency wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡± ¡®Huh? But, he looked fine enough. I never thought the great Kalcion could even fall sick.¡¯ ¡°I see. Then, I¡¯ll have my meal in my room.¡± It would be a bit of a problem if she stayed in an office where the owner wasn¡¯t there himself. The meal was already prepared when she arrived in her room. The steaming food was at the perfect temperature. Surprisingly, all of them were palatable, even though she was having them late. She wasn¡¯t much picky when it came to food as she had to travel to different countries due to her work. But there were some foreign dishes that didn¡¯t really suit her taste. ¡®It¡¯s worth living here.¡¯ Selena quickly emptied her plate. Even though it was a meal for a person like her, it was important for the chef to make it delicious. She ate more than usual that it seemed as if she was starving. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m full.¡± She undid the ribbon of her dress and tapped on her stomach. The dress was a bit tight. Unable to sit down, she tried to lie down on her bed, but she sat up again as she felt uncomfortable. She looked at her lightly swelled up stomach. She wasn¡¯t in a position to call the maid. ¡°Do you need anything else, miss?¡± ¡°Well, this dress¡­can you please help me with it?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.uh¡­Yes!¡± The maid, who was holding the empty plate, became flustered. The maid, who ran like the wind, quickly began to dismantle the dress. With every loosening of the ribbons of the dress, she felt relaxed. ¡°Whoa. Now, I can breathe.¡± ¡°Would you like me to prepare a bath for you before bed?¡± ¡°No, I might explode if I go there. I feel like I¡¯m going to sink like a ship.¡± ¡°Sure, miss.¡± The maid walked away as she said. ¡°You can call me anytime, miss.¡± Selena wandered alone in the room, trying to put her stomach at ease, but she changed her mind. ¡®This won¡¯t do! I have to run!¡¯ Selena was also famous for her thorough self-care. It was important for an actor, but at some point in time, it just became a habit of hers. Coming out of her room, she spotted an employee. ¡°Excuse me, can you please tell me where can I find a field?¡± ¡°Over there, miss. Across the garden, near the walls¡­.¡± The servant unconfidently blurted out. ¡®How would I be able to find out a place with that kind of an explanation?!¡¯ However, she didn¡¯t want to waste her time asking for further details, so she left the building after a slight nod. While Selena was traveling to the Castle of Renbird, she had noticed a wide gap between the buildings and the walls that separated the cliffs. ¡®He said it was near the wall.¡¯ If she went to take a short walk along the wall, she would be able to return quickly. Since it was a field, she might be able to hear people training on the way. Selena recklessly stepped into the corridor leading to the garden. ¡°Uh.¡± As soon as she did so, a sharp wind blew in through the pillars of the corridor. The night was quite cold. She glanced back to see if she could get anything to wear, but she stopped. She would have to run into that servant again to get to her room. She hated being irritated more than feeling cold. She was going to exercise anyway, so she thought a little cold wouldn¡¯t make her fall sick. She hastened her steps as she kept making excuses. Even if she went through the corridor, she wasn¡¯t close. The walls were not as close as they seemed to be. As she came out to the large garden, she found a pavement that wasn¡¯t even straight. The crisscrossing paths were starting to get confusing. ¡°¡­.I¡¯m doomed.¡± The moment she admitted she was lost, she stopped walking. ¡®I¡¯ll only make it worse if I advance my path.¡¯ But, staying still didn¡¯t also mean that the road would move on its own. She had to return back somehow. She couldn¡¯t even see the building properly, from which she had come out, through the high bushes. ¡®Should I wait for a passerby or shout for help?¡¯ As she was thinking, she heard a rustling sound from somewhere. ¡®Huh? Is anyone there?¡¯ Wishing it to be a servant or a knight, she slowly approached the sound. ¡®Wait, what if it¡¯s an assassin?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As she saw a short woman dressed in simple but neat and tidy clothing behind the bushes, she pulled up the corners of her mouth and smirked. It was Fionel. First of all, Selena had won in the first battle. It was important for her to get one step ahead of Fionel from the start. Half of her fighting spirit was overpowering. ¡°Ah.¡± Fionel was quick-witted. Selena thought she might run away after such humiliation. Fionel, however, was the type to hit and not the type to run. She had even spoken in an informal language the first time they met. Her speech was short. She laughed as she drew one lip in the face of a straight-up quarrel. ¡°Hello, miss.¡± Fionel¡¯s eyes grew bigger. She didn¡¯t expect the honorifics. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Where were you¡­.going?¡± Fionel was already stuttering, and yet she didn¡¯t run away. ¡°That¡¯s not your business.¡± ¡°A-Are you going to find the Duke?¡± She thought the only place for her to visit in the middle of the night was where Kalcion was. So, it was confirmed that she was wandering like that. Unlike Selena, who intended to exercise, Fionel seemed determined to visit Kalcion. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to tell you where I¡¯m headed to. But, can I ask why are you visiting the Duke?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so fearless.¡± ¡°Oh, was I supposed to be scared right now?¡± A perfect method to raise a verbal battle. ¡°Malism makes me feel better.¡± Fionel clenched her teeth, giving me a warning look. ¡®That look isn¡¯t even close to scary.¡¯ Fionel had a physique that was shorter than Selena¡¯s and was likely to break before it could fly away. Her shape was nothing other than glass. ¡°That isn¡¯t scary.¡± It was so trivial that she forgot momentarily that Fionel was one of the suspects who was responsible for the murder of Kalcion¡¯s prospective fianc¨¦e, Irel, and the words just popped out of her mouth. Fionel had a transparent personality. It¡¯s good for Kalcion that she didn¡¯t hide her anger in front of Selena, as she did in front of him. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Selena shouted back. She thought she could at least pretend to be elegant on the outside. Fionel was embarrassed by Selena¡¯s stronger-than-expected counterattack. ¡°A-Are you an aristocrat?!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a commoner.¡± ¡°What? How dare you talk to me like that!¡± ¡°And why are you shouting at me like that! Do you not know that both of us are the Duke¡¯s guests?¡± Even if it was like a dog fight, it was important. The only thing left was to win. Selena¡¯s mother had once told her not to get beaten up even though she might pay for it. It seemed like Fionel was aiming for her hair, but she stopped. She knew she was going to lose anyway. If she was an ordinary commoner, Fionel might have caught her off guard. But from her looks, Selena was not ordinary. Fionel couldn¡¯t even attempt to win just through words. Fionel, who was furious, breathed heavily. ¡°So, are you rich?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°Or, what else would it be? Aren¡¯t you here to support the Duke with riches?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Fionel drew her thick lips through a rough breath. ¡°Don¡¯t be so secretive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m his¡­¡­¡± ¡°You know, you could die doing that.¡± Fionel said in a cold voice that was even colder than the wind that was blowing. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°You may not know, but one is already dead. And you¡¯re as clueless as her.¡± Fionel added in a subdued voice. It was clearly a threat that was fundamentally different from the dog fights so far. Selena swallowed a dry lump in her throat. She had to say something, but she couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t just a rousing yell for someone who said, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±, but a word like ¡®prediction¡¯ that she could die. And that could have been now. In the middle of this garden. Of course, Selena was capable of winning with her bare hands, but what if Fionel was hiding a knife? No matter how weak Fionel was, things might change if she showed her true colors. Or, there could be an assassin hiding somewhere, with whom she was associated. Suddenly, Selena recalled the spy from when she was in the bathroom. This was a place where anyone could be anywhere. ¡®¡­.Isn¡¯t it?¡¯ She knew she was risking her life, but what she didn¡¯t know was that she¡¯d have to lose her neck so soon. She never thought she¡¯d have to stay away from Fionel because she was the most rationally intimate person to Kalcion. ¡®I¡¯m so stupid¡­..¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s just blow it for now.¡¯ If she had run away, Fionel wouldn¡¯t be able to follow her. As soon as she turned to her resolution, she heard footsteps coming her way. It was a person. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Selena screamed and turned towards the sound. It wasn¡¯t just one person, but Kalcion, along with his knights. ¡®Thank God!¡¯ The opportunity in a period of crisis. ¡°Duke! Hnnng!¡± Selena ran into Kalcion¡¯s arms in a flash. Kalcion neither actively embraced her nor did he push her away. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I-I! I was almost killed!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Kalcion raised one of his eyebrows. ¡°M-Miss Fionel said she¡¯d kill me if I was next to you!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Fionel shouted in a shrill voice. ¡°W-When did I?! Your Excellency, she¡¯s lying¡­.!¡± Fionel was quick-witted as well. In an instant, she began shedding her tears. It was hard to tell who was threatened and who wasn¡¯t. ¡®You!¡¯ The two women came up with words at the same time. ¡°I just want to be with the Duke. But¡­do I¡­have to¡­die for that?¡± ¡°Fionel was worried¡­so she wanted to let her know¡­because something bad happened¡­.¡± A war of nerves ensued. Meanwhile, Kalcion only watched the situation with cold eyes. Selena gestured to Kalcion in between her sobs. ¡®We have to talk.¡¯ Without answering her, Kalcion started walking towards his room. The servants¡¯ eyes widened when the woman they had been secretly ignoring quickly grabbed his arm. ¡®Fast, close that door.¡¯ Selena squinted her eyes and glared at the servants. The servants hurriedly shut the door, shifting their eyes to the floor. As soon as the door was shut, Selena jumped away from Kalcion. ¡°I got a death threat.¡± At her words, his eyes widened. ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°She said one is already dead and that I¡¯m as clueless as she was.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kalcion replied in a low voice. ¡°So, did you think she¡¯d kill you right away?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it like it? I thought me bothering you would be enough of a reason for her to kill me right away.¡± ¡°Is the difference in status between the two of you that big?¡± ¡°Of course. I followed you from the mountains. How could you think my status would be the same as the daughter of a Count?¡± Kalcion realized belatedly. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. But still, both of you have a similar physique.¡± ¡®When did you start to think about women that way¡­.?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m taller than she is.¡± ¡°Well, since both of you are smaller than me, you look similar.¡± ¡°I could have broken a dog¡¯s head with my own hands.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Of course, it was an exaggeration. Selena shook her head. ¡®Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡¯ ¡°I mean, if Fionel was the culprit, it would¡¯ve been hard for her to kill me with her own hands. But what if she had ordered someone to do it?¡± ¡°She sure had a good chance.¡± ¡°But it was really scary. I was scared to death.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kalcion gave a light tribute. ¡®Sigh, what kind of comfort would I expect from him?¡¯ Selena rose up, smiling bitterly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve done everything that needed to be done.¡± Selena sat down again, shaking her head. ¡°But wait, wouldn¡¯t it be weird if I went back to my room now?¡± ¡°¡­..Ah.¡± Kalcion belatedly realized again. She had come to the Duke¡¯s bedroom, whining that she was afraid of Fionel killing her. But if she slept in her own room, wouldn¡¯t it arouse suspicions? ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Their eyes met awkwardly. ¡°Uh, then, I¡¯ll be sleeping in the massage bed in the bathroom.¡± Kalcion hesitated. How could he let a woman sleep in a place which was cold? ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, I can sleep on the sofa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Just sleep on the bed.¡± ¡°The same¡­.bed?¡± Selena asked back, surprised. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it look strange if the servants came in the morning to find us sleeping at different places?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­..will you be okay?¡± ¡°Do you think I am?¡± Kalcion gave up a false laugh, dumbfounded. ¡°I was worried that you might not be able to sleep if someone was next to you. I know you¡¯re tired because of me, and I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t be able to rest well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was even more surprising that her only concern was that. This was the Duke¡¯s bedroom, there was only one bed, and the Duke was a man. Kalcion was surprised that she wasn¡¯t afraid that a man was present with her. ¡°If I ever snore, just wake me up. I don¡¯t have to do anything tomorrow, so you can sleep tightly.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, let¡¯s not worry about it.¡± ¡°So, then¡­.¡± An awkward silence ensued. Her mind was broken. ¡°G-Getting ready for bed?¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Kalcion kept the leash of his sword on his desk and called the maids. ¡°Prepare her for bed.¡± The servants¡¯ eyes turned towards Selena, where Kalcion had pointed. ¡°Y-Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Kalcion did not exactly know about a lady¡¯s preparations for bed. The only lady he had ever been with since his birth was his mother, the Duchess of Renbird. However, there was no opportunity for him to see how her mother was prepared for bed. Therefore, there was no way he knew how long it took or how much effort it took. And even Selena was clueless. ¡°Oh my! Miss, your skin is so smooth. I bet it¡¯ll melt under his touch.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Yes! I felt it as I was dressing you up earlier. You must be very hot, miss!¡± ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Her spirit was on the verge of escaping from her body when she heard the maids saying that something might happen in bed. ¡°I¡¯m just going to sleep.¡± ¡°Oh, of course. You¡¯ll sleep comfortably¡ªin the arms of His Excellency.¡± ¡°Yes, so just apply some cream on my hands, nowhere else.¡± Selena held out her hands towards the maid, who carefully applied cream and perfume all over her skin. The maids giggled. ¡®Think whatever you want, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡¯ Selena gave up on solving the misunderstanding. Physical relationship, without love, between a nobleman and a commoner had no meaning. But, falling in love with one¡¯s soul was extremely rare. Therefore, she was indifferent to making a fuss because she knew she wouldn¡¯t raise her status overnight. She couldn¡¯t be taken as a love affair of his, but perhaps a toy for one night. Either way, it was like a game of tug-of-war. If she slept separately, the danger of her neck getting pricked by Fionel is highly likely. If she slept with him, she might become a toy of his overnight. ¡®My neck should be saved first.¡¯ It took twice as much time for the maids to prepare her tonight in comparison to her first day here. Her hair was brushed, perfume was applied all over her body, and her fingernails and toenails were carefully trimmed. That was all she had accepted for them to do. However, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when the maids brought in the last thing. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°Not that one!¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter, Miss? I managed to get it from a private house while you were washing up. I¡¯m sure His Excellency would be happy as well.¡± ¡®What¡¯s with this clothing?¡¯ If those, which could be worn on the body, were called clothes, then the eyelashes, which could be attached to be attractive, were also called ornaments. To add a bit of exaggeration, the garment brought by the maids, which was as light as eyelashes, could not be called clothing. No matter how ostensibly they tried to set up the mood for the night, wearing this would violate the lowest moral standards. ¡°What I need is to sleep comfortably. It doesn¡¯t matter if the Duke is happy or not. So just give me a proper nightdress.¡± ¡°What are you so ashamed of, Miss? This is perfect. Please put it on.¡± ¡°No, never! If my mother finds out, she¡¯ll pull out all my hair.¡± ¡°Oh, then all you have to do is not let your mother know about it~¡± The maids knew that she was shy, but they kept on insisting her to wear it. Selena¡¯s face became red. She had never worn such a luxurious piece of night garment in her life. ¡°Why are you all so excited?! Haven¡¯t you ever faced this kind of situation before?¡± If he was a Duke, there must have been other women, whom he had spent the night with. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there any?¡± ¡°No, Miss, there wasn¡¯t¡­..but why do you ask?¡± Selena was startled. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Well, I¡­..I¡¯m not sure. I heard that the Ducal family of Renbird has always been away from these things for generations. And so did His Excellency.¡± ¡°Until now, Miss.¡± Another maid spoke up. The rest were giggling and elbowing each other while glancing at Selena. ¡°So, shouldn¡¯t we do our best to help?¡± ¡°There is no need!¡± She blurted out. ¡°But, Miss¡­..¡± The maids pouted and withdrew their words under Selena¡¯s stern eyes. Finally, she was free from being nagged. Anyway, it was in the very nature of human beings to cook up such wrong assumptions about other people. She just wanted to lie down quickly and rest. ¡°Don¡¯t think of such weird things and get me a proper dress¡­.not this piece of garment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so careful, even if this is only for one night.¡± Red candles were lit around the bed, and flamboyant decorations and petals were placed all over. Kalcion was sitting on the sofa in a thin nightgown with a cup in his hand. ¡°¡­.Seriously?¡± ¡°I just want to call it a night as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the same for me¡­..wait, you mean ¡®sleeping¡¯, right?¡± As if he was too lazy to repeat it, Kalcion didn¡¯t answer. ¡°All right, then, I¡¯ll just¡­.¡± As she felt tired, she had no other choice but to drag her feet towards his bed. But when she sat on the bed, she started feeling nervous. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She hoped he wouldn¡¯t notice it. She eagerly lifted up her feet and burrowed herself into the quilt. The petals scattered on the bed were whisked away. She lied down in a straight posture and looked up at the ceiling before closing her eyes shut as if she was lying inside a coffin. No matter how tired she was, she couldn¡¯t sleep. She heard Kalcion put down the cup on the table and his footsteps as he approached the bed. All of a sudden, she could hear her own heartbeats. Kalcion lifted one side of the quilt and lied down on the bed. Selena held her breath and curled her toes. ¡°Hm¡­.¡± It was only when Kalcion exhaled heavily that she released her breath. Fortunately, the bed was so wide that it could comfortably accommodate two people without them touching each other. Even if so, she couldn¡¯t be at ease. ¡°Ah.¡± Selena jumped up to her feet when she realized what she had forgotten. ¡°What?¡± Kalcion, too, hurriedly asked in a voice completely unabated. Selena asked solemnly. ¡°Which side do you face while sleeping? Left or right?¡± ¡°¡­.In any direction, I guess?¡± Selena struggled a little before she said. ¡°Well, I always face the left.¡± Now, Selena was on the right side of the bed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you sleep here then?¡± ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± She lied back obediently. The silence pressed on her chest again. How should she breathe? Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth? Where should she keep her hands? Put them on herself or next to her body? ¡®¡­.Let¡¯s get some sleep.¡¯ If she fell asleep quickly, she could forget about the situation. However, it wasn¡¯t as easy as it seemed. Eventually, as she was unable to stand it, she opened her mouth again. ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°I have a habit of rolling to the left in my sleep¡­¡­ If I unconsciously touch the Duke, just push me away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­All right.¡± This time, the silence was quite long. Soon, however, she blurted out again. ¡°Uh¡­.Can I use another pillow?¡± The head of the bed was stacked with several pillows. But it certainly wouldn¡¯t matter if she took one more, would it? ¡°Do as you please.¡± Kalcion pressed his eyelids. ¡°Thank you. I have a habit of hugging a pillow when I sleep.¡± Selena pulled one out and closed her eyelids as she hugged it. Now, she couldn¡¯t really talk anymore. She didn¡¯t want to put herself in an awkward situation. But she was suffocated by the sound of breathing that filled the room. It felt like she had fallen into a lake. This time, it was Kalcion who sighed before he said. ¡°You were sleeping very soundly in my office.¡± Selena turned to him in delight. ¡°Ah, I usually fall asleep whenever I feel like doing so.¡± ¡°I see. Sleep well then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to¡­.but I can¡¯t.¡± Selena¡¯s bedroom was quite comfortable, but Kalcion¡¯s was at a different level. It was so cozy that she wondered if there was anything like this so well maintained in her world. But, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep under these wonderful blankets. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t sleep when you¡¯re too nervous.¡± ¡°Why would you feel nervous sleeping next to the strongest Duke in the world?¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re complimenting yourself, you know.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Pfft! Hahaha!¡± Selena burst out into a laugh. ¡°I think I¡¯m more nervous now than when I was on my first day on the set.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well¡­.because this is my first time using the same bed with a man?¡± ¡°First time?¡± It might not be her real intention, but Selena said, wrinkling her eyebrows teasingly. ¡°Poor me.¡± ¡°What?!¡­.No. I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡± Flustered, Kalcion sat up. ¡°I apologize for the rude remark. It wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± Selena was also surprised by his reaction. ¡°No, I was joking¡­..but it¡¯s true that it¡¯s my first time sleeping on the same bed with a man.¡± ¡°I was rude, regardless of whether it was true or not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone here thinks. But we¡¯re the only one who knows the truth. So be at ease.¡± His politeness was burdensome, so even if she tried to forget about such a misunderstanding, Kalcion¡¯s expression was serious. His own remarks seemed to have shocked him this much. ¡°I don¡¯t care about such assumptions. But if you ever meet my mom, you might¡¯ve needed to do plastering. She¡¯s very strict.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Only after the solution did Kalcion settle down and lay back down. ¡°By the way, do I look like someone who sleeps with every guy she meets?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. If I had to find an excuse, wouldn¡¯t it be your good acting skills?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I knew it was your acting, but for a moment, it felt like I was being seduced.¡± She had always played her character, except for the time when she was alone with him. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Selena rolled over to the right side as she chuckled. His praise made her feel elated. ¡°I¡¯ll continue to do my best in the future, so please trust me until I catch the criminal.¡± ¡°You also have to be careful at every step you take.¡± Kalcion smiled at her before shifting his eyes back to the ceiling. The air felt much lighter than before. She was finally starting to feel comfortable. Just before she collapsed into a slumber, ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah, stop talking now.¡± Kalcion grumbled. ¡°Good night.¡± A deep silence filled the room as he kept wondering whether he should ignore that before he came up with a reply. ¡°¡­..Yeah.¡± But it was her deep exhale that came back. She had already fallen asleep. *** Bright light somehow reached her closed eyelids. She was sleeping so soundly on the comfortable sheets. As she tried to move her tightened self, she felt an unfamiliar sensation touching her skin. ¡°Hmm¡­..?¡± This time, it was her heart that thumped. It wasn¡¯t just a pillow or something, it was someone else¡¯s skin¡­.. ¡®¡­..Who?¡¯ Her memories of the previous night, which were scattered, flooded into her mind at once. She recalled lying down on the warm bed, along with Kalcion. So, what was it that was touching her body? ¡°Gasp¡­..!¡± Her eyes popped up open. She glanced and saw the sight that she should have never seen. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 It was the tip of the sharp chin of Kalcion that caught her widened eyes. His skin was smooth, even if she was looking at him from this close. Once again, it knocked over her head again, which was the reason why she woke up. This was an unknown world. This was the palace of the Northern Duke. And this was his bed. And it was the body of the Duke of Renbird, Kalcion, that she was holding instead of the pillow. She immediately came to her senses. Cool, morning air blew in from the widely opened window, but she was in a cold sweat. ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± She tried to free herself from him as if he was a lock. However, it didn¡¯t work out. It was because of his hard palm that was covering her shoulders and supporting her back. ¡®¡­..Why is your arm there?¡¯ But she found the answer herself. Her neck was resting on his thick arm instead of the pillows. So whose fault was it? Unable to release herself away from his grip, she kept looking back and forth. Kalcion lied upright in his sleeping position. It was her arms and feet that clung to his body like a small octopus. The pillow that she was holding the previous night was ¡®crying¡¯ alone far away on the bed. Anyway, she was a hundred percent sure it was her own fault. ¡°Hmmm¡­..¡± ¡®Please don¡¯t wake up.¡¯ Selena slipped away her hand that was on his chest, pretending to be dormant. Her leg, which was tightly wrapped around his thigh, also wiggled down. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Half of her plan succeeded. Now, she just had to roll to the other side and pretend that she was¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She met Kalcion¡¯s eyes that were staring down at her. In an instant, heat rose to her entire face. Her plan failed. As he looked down at her red face, Kalcion quietly released her shoulders. She quickly rolled over in the opposite direction. But, what was the use? ¡°¡­..I told you, I have the habit of rolling over to the left¡­..¡± She stuttered. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind the next day onwards.¡± However, he didn¡¯t do much to restore honor. Instead, he pushed off the blanket and called for the servant. The servants and maids rushed in as if they were on standby mode. A new day. The beginning of a new battle. The Invitation The day began slowly. Until just five years ago, Kalcion¡¯s mother, the Duchess, was alive. The maids at the mansion were also adept at serving the ladies. The morning session was twice as long as it was yesterday. ¡°Is it necessary to be all dressed up for this day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what should be done for a party, Miss.¡± A maid chuckled as she decorated Selena¡¯s hair with real fresh flowers from the garden. ¡°This dress is for breakfast. I¡¯ll dress you up again for the afternoon meal with the guests. I will do my best to make you look prettier for the gathering this evening. And if it lasts until dawn, I¡¯ll take care of your appearance, Miss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Did she think living here would be too easy? Her future here was dim. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got the orders to keep serving you all day, Miss. Isn¡¯t it so exciting?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The maid, who was a professional but had never got the chance of decorating a lady, seemed quite satisfied. ¡®I guess this is really necessary for a gathering.¡¯ It was no different from her acting career. No, it was even worse than that. She could take some breaks between filming, but this was the reality. That meant she could take no time off from playing her part. She gulped her own saliva, thinking of those sugary fruits and snacks from her breakfast as she sat still while the maid kept dressing her up. Meanwhile, Kalcion went through his morning training and took a bath before he came to have his breakfast. And so did Fionel. ¡°Miss Fionel has asked you to have breakfast with her.¡± Kalcion spoke up as Selena was just about to make her way to the dining hall. ¡°Oh, is it going to be breakfast instead of supper last night?¡± ¡°No, dinner will be dinner. Even if we¡¯re having breakfast together, it¡¯s my duty to invite her to dinner later.¡± ¡®Ugh, these formalities.¡¯ ¡°All right, I¡¯m coming with you.¡± She folded her arms around Kalcion¡¯s. She made up her mind. They¡¯d have to meet at the party anyway, but the more Fionel would see her with Kalcion, the stronger her killing intent would become. But she didn¡¯t need to have any fear of death since she was with Kalcion. Kalcion nodded effortlessly. As they were walking towards the hall, a servant approached them and bowed. ¡°We have been informed that Miss Rosalyn will be arriving soon.¡± ¡°¡­.Rosalyn?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± This was right after Fionel¡¯s arrival. ¡°The daughter of Marquis of Toilan.¡± ¡°The daughter¡­..¡± Fionel was the daughter of a count, while Rosalyn was the daughter of a Marquis. So, it was bound to be a big and luxurious party. ¡°At this rate, the Duke will have to escort all the royal daughters.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such terrible things.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can feel the pain as well.¡± If someone like Fionel appeared at all stages, it would get harder to keep her mentality stable. Level 2 persona was almost on its way when she thought she was halfway in defeating Fionel on Level 1. ¡°Have a room prepared for her as soon as Rosalyn arrives.¡± Kalcion was a human being, and he had to do things he didn¡¯t like. As soon as Fionel heard Rosalyn was coming, she took off her dress and ordered the maids to help her prepare. Kalcion and Selena heard that she was busy flipping her closet and scavenging through jewelry boxes. ¡®Do I also need to prepare in that way?¡¯ She thought as she looked down at the dress she was wearing. However, she couldn¡¯t find any more colorful attire even if she wanted to. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ve ever met.¡¯ Selena kept eating her snacks quietly. The maid, who was watching her actions, came running to fix her lips every time she took a bite. At one point, she was so frustrated that the snacks didn¡¯t even fit into her mouth properly. Eventually, she ate a few and gave up. Fortunately, Rosalyn arrived soon. Unlike Fionel, who was close to being ignored when she arrived, Rosalyn was going to be greeted by Kalcion himself at the gate. ¡°Is Rosalyn special to the Duke?¡± ¡°No, he only treats Fionel extraordinarily.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t understand. One should be polite and sensible enough to be clingy. Those who always pushed ahead to their opponent¡¯s position were the only ones to be equally courteous and merciless. As evidenced by that, Fionel proudly stepped out at the gate to stand beside Kalcion. ¡°Fionel came out to greet as soon as she heard Miss Rosalyn was coming.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are we all going to have a meal together?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy to finally be able to have a meal with you, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The voice that threatened Selena last night was nowhere to be found. Fionel had shiny flowers and jewels that adorned half of her long, winding brown hair. It was a less mature and flamboyant taste, but it maximized her cuteness. ¡®Hmm. She put shiny jewelry on her hair instead of putting glitter on her face.¡¯ Thankfully, Rosalyn¡¯s carriage arrived before Fionel could make any further noise. ¡®One, two, three¡­..¡¯ There were a total of thirteen carriages. Among them, the largest and most colorful carriage stopped in front of Kalcion. First, the attendants from the front and rear carriages rushed down and bowed down to Kalcion. ¡°Your Excellency, we ask for your permission to drop off our Lady.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± This seemed to be the first time for Kalcion. The attendants, who said they needed to do some preparation for her to get off the carriage, went to fetch something from their carriages. They began to rush as they returned back. Soon, the carriage door opened and Rosalyn appeared. As she slowly stepped down the carriage steps, she gave off a fragrant scent of flowers. Even though she had been riding a carriage for a long time, she didn¡¯t show any sign of being fatigued. She stepped down with a gentle smile, a gentle gesture, and a rather modest but determined look. Rosalyn was completely the opposite image of Fionel. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± Even her voice was gentle. ¡°Thank you for welcoming such a random visitor like me.¡± As she stood in front of Kalcion, her calming smile deepened. The scent was so profound that it even made Selena feel like she was sniffing on real flowers. It was as if spring season had arrived sooner, but somehow she had the illusion of the air getting cold. Fionel and Selena were also standing beside Kalcion. It was hard to not notice Fionel¡¯s eyes, full of hatred, glaring at Rosalyn. However, Rosalyn¡¯s gaze never left Kalcion. ¡°I visited the Duke¡¯s estate but couldn¡¯t ask for proper permission in advance. Please forgive me for being in such a hurry.¡± She bowed down with a smile while secretly giving off a glare towards Fionel. At the same time, Fionel also bowed down, afraid of Kalcion noticing her rudeness. Selena gulped. ¡®This is a really scary one.¡¯ ¡°Fionel began her journey as soon as she heard His Excellency leaving the Capital.¡± However, Fionel wasn¡¯t afraid at all. Only then did Rosalyn shift her eyes towards Fionel. ¡°Miss Fionel.¡± The way she looked at her was not much different from when she was gazing at Kalcion. It seemed as if she had met an old friend again. ¡°Everyone was very surprised when you left so suddenly. Especially when Miss Helen informed me that you didn¡¯t join our tea party. Of course, I worried as well.¡± Her every word pierced like a hot blade. Though ostensibly affectionate, Fionel was once again accused of being lame for not appearing in a tea party without a word. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re close enough to follow him all the way here as if you needed to check up on him.¡± Fionel was also formidable. She wouldn¡¯t stay still when she was constantly being drilled. But it seemed as though she was holding back for some reason. ¡°Although the date was coincidentally right, I came as a representative to convey the voices of those concerned about the Duke. Of course, I was also worried about Miss Fionel¡¯s safety.¡± Fionel snorted, turning her head sideways. ¡°Then, Your Excellency, may we go in and have a conversation?¡± She never gave a glance towards Selena until the end. If a woman, whom Rosalyn had never heard of, was standing beside her in a fancy attire, it would be obvious what position she was in. Assuming that, Rosalyn ignored her. As if she didn¡¯t want to bother herself with people like her. Fionel¡¯s expressions were always transparent and easy to read, but this one was difficult. First of all, Rosalyn was at an even higher status than Fionel. However, for Selena, it wasn¡¯t that difficult. Selena spoke up as Kalcion moved to make way for Rosalyn to pass through. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°Are we going to have breakfast now?¡± Selena looked up, hugging Kalcion¡¯s arm tightly. Selena was tall. Taller than Fionel and the other actors she worked with. However, Kalcion¡¯s physique was much larger than hers, let alone his height. ¡°We have to.¡± He answered lightly. He wasn¡¯t affectionate, but he didn¡¯t blame Selena for her rude behavior either. Only then did Rosalyn¡¯s eyes turn to Selena. ¡°Oh my, who is this?¡± But her question was directed towards Kalcion. ¡°I rescued her from the mountains.¡± ¡°From the mountains?¡± The only mountain range closest to the estate of Renbird was the Sigand Mountains, where beasts gather. A forbidden area to the public, which was only inspected by Lord Renbird and his knights. Rosalyn briefly thought about it before she replied. ¡°Is it a human being?¡± At her question, Kalcion turned to Selena. ¡°Is it not a human being?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a person and I have a name. My name is Selena.¡± Selena took the lead so that no more questions would go to Kalcion. Rosalyn naturally shifted her eyes back to Selena, trying to maintain an impeccable social look. But Selena noticed a change in her eyes. ¡°Uh¡­.Miss Selena. Pardon me, but I¡¯ve never heard of such a name. Could you please tell which family do you belong to¡­..?¡± Selena pretended not to act rude, but her words got shorter. ¡°Is it the family that¡¯s more important than the person herself?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Rosalyn¡¯s reaction was lukewarm, even though she tried to maintain her smile. ¡°How is that possible? His Excellency doesn¡¯t even pick up a Lady¡¯s scarf that falls on the ground.¡± But the question that followed immediately was directed at Kalcion. ¡°Well, I thought she would be useful, unlike a Lady¡¯s scarf.¡± Kalcion was not used to making useless excuses. Rosalyn¡¯s eyes widened while Selena raised her eyes up at Kalcion, saying, ¡°Pardon?¡± Kalcion graciously walked back towards the building, pretending as if nothing had happened. ¡°Is she as useful as your hound, Your Excellency? You refused the marriage proposals that came in a few years ago, right? You said that you¡¯d marry a hundred times if your fianc¨¦e was as useful as your hound.¡± ¡°I did indeed and I still think so.¡± Rosalyn continued the conversation, struggling to match her pace with him. ¡°My goodness, so you picked up a hound from the mountains rather than accepting one of the proposals?¡± ¡°Well, it is yet to be seen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to train her. This isn¡¯t an ordinary matter, she¡¯s living right under the roof of the Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± Kalcion shifted his eyes sideways to Selena, slightly raising up the corners of his mouth. ¡°Does she need to be trained?¡± ¡°Is an untrained hound ever useful?¡± ¡°I heard physiognomy is important as well.¡± Selena interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s very funny.¡± Obviously, Rosalyn¡¯s snarl implied that she was annoyed, but then she quickly hid it with a smile. ¡°We were about to have breakfast. Do you have any thoughts about joining us?¡± ¡°Is it necessary to join you during both breakfast and dinner?¡± ¡°One meal will be enough.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯d rather choose the dinner, Your Excellency.¡± Rosalyn chuckled sweetly. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll try to make your visit as convenient for you as possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of fate that we are all present here. And if His Excellency allows me, I¡¯d like to have breakfast with the two ladies.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that different from what you just said?¡± ¡°If His Excellency doesn¡¯t join us, it will be.¡± Everyone seemed to be shaken by Rosalyn¡¯s attitude towards the Duke except for her. At her answer, Kalcion stood there like a sturdy pillar. Kakcion, who had said he¡¯d make Rosalyn comfortable, had to respond to her bold proposal and forced himself to part with Selena. ¡°¡­¡­If my guests agree, do as you wish.¡± As soon as he replied, Rosalyn triumphantly shifted her eyes at Selena and Fionel. Fionel¡¯s expression immediately turned sour. It was obvious for her to be against this arrangement. But, Rosalyn seemed unaffected. Because her target was not Fionel, but Selena. Selena had no reason to refuse it either. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Duke. This way, I can come to know a little bit about this world.¡± It would be as if she was attending a nobleman¡¯s party. ¡°Then, Fionel will have breakfast with His Excellency.¡± Fionel didn¡¯t miss the chance. ¡°Of course you can, Miss Fionel.¡± Rosalyn said with a smile plastered on her face. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be skipping this meal as I have to train.¡± Kalcion was also desperate. ¡°Your Excellency?!¡± ¡°Well then, enjoy your meal. I¡¯ll see you in the evening.¡± Kalcion ordered Mrs. Jannet and disappeared like the wind, leaving the three of them alone. ¡°I don¡¯t really need it anyway!¡± Fionel fiercely glared at Rosalyn before walking away from the scene. Flowers fell off her hair as she angrily walked through the corridor. Now that they were alone, how would Rosalyn behave? She expected an unknown gentle voice. ¡­.But. Wham! ¡°¡ª?!¡± Selena¡¯s back hit a pillar in the corridor as she was pushed by Rosalyn. Where did she get that strength from? Her whole back was ringing. ¡°What the¡ª¡± Before she could even finish her sentence, Rosalyn¡¯s clenched hand hit the wall beside Selena¡¯s head. ¡°¡­¡­What are you doing, Miss?¡± The honorifics came out of her mouth itself. If it was her head instead of the wall, there would have been a hole in her skull by now. Rosalyn brought her face closer to hers. It was appallingly beautiful, except for her eyes and her expression, which seemed vicious. Rosalyn opened her mouth, glowering in a manner that suggested it was her beauty and reputation that stopped her from killing Selena right at that moment. ¡°Hey, how much is it?¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± Chaos ran inside Selena¡¯s mind. Rosalyn repeated. ¡°You don¡¯t fear losing your life for targeting the Duke and his riches, do you?¡± Her tone was so different that Selena wondered if there was a certain button on her body that changed her attitude. The softness of her voice, which had not disappeared even when she gave a rebuke to Kalcion, was nowhere to be found. ¡°I¡¯m neither targeting anyone nor anyone¡¯s wealth.¡± Selena answered with a smile without even the slightest change in her attitude. It would create a big misunderstanding if she got intimidated by such harsh words and phrases. Rosalyn unpleasantly raised one of her eyebrows towards Selena, who held out stronger than expected. ¡°No, no, no, no, you must be after his wealth. But let me inform you of one thing. Even the largest amount in your world would mean a penny in ours. So, tell me, how much do you want?¡± Rosalyn was reluctant to believe her. Ever since the mine was discovered, countless young ladies sought the position of the Duchess of Renbird. The riches of the Duke of Renbird was enough for the opposite party to spend their life in heaven. There was no way that a scumbag, who would have lived by digging up tree roots, would be aiming for it. In Rosalyn¡¯s eyes, Selena¡¯s answer was nothing less than a slap on her face. ¡°The money you¡¯ll receive from me will be much more than the unit you can think of. So, how much do you want?¡± Selena raised her chin in a haughty manner. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t know how money was counted in this world, but it wasn¡¯t necessary for her to know anyway. ¡°How long have you been doing this kind of deals?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Rosalyn stumbled, panicking at her totally unexpected reply. It was clear that she had expected Selena to either collapse down in front of her, out of fear, or happily accept her offer. As Selena tried her best to hold her ground, she was also restraining herself from collapsing from hunger. No matter how scary Rosalyn was, she just had to close her eyes and ears and say what she wanted to say. However, Rosalyn had never got a chance to make a deal in her life before. For Rosalyn, who was embarrassed for being shaken up by someone of no status, Selena once again strengthened her reinforcements. ¡°Being pre-emptive is the key to making a deal like this. So, how big of an amount can I say? Can I get a hundred of these dresses I¡¯m wearing now?¡± Rosalyn¡¯s expression shook once again. Rosalyn seemed to have known about this dress too. Selena didn¡¯t know about the currency of this world yet, but she could tell this type of dress was obviously rare. No matter how much Rosalyn bawled about it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to produce such a fine dress¡­¡­. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°?!¡± ¡®¡­¡­She can?¡¯ It felt like something was pricked in her stomach. This type of garment couldn¡¯t even be worn or cherished by the top lady of the country. It would never have been made with a light amount of money. ¡®She can provide a hundred times of the amount of this dress?¡¯ If she didn¡¯t have the hope of returning to her world, she would have accepted her offer right away. Unfortunately, Kalcion¡¯s offer was better as he already promised her to send her back to her world safely. But, she couldn¡¯t be honest with herself in this condition. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all the money and jewelry you want. Try to disappear as soon as you get it. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even accept it.¡± ¡°If you want more, you can tell me. I can provide you anything you want.¡± Rosalyn¡¯s expression became relaxed as if she was sure that Selena wouldn¡¯t be able to deny her. ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Yes, anything you want.¡± A grin made its way to Selena¡¯s face. ¡°Then, I want the Duke¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In an instant, the surrounding temperature dropped by about 10 degrees. Rosalyn¡¯s cold eyes froze Selena¡¯s bones. She replied in a low voice, freezing the surrounding air. ¡°You aren¡¯t fooling around, are you?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking. I¡¯ll have them all. The position and the Duke¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°¡­..Haha, when did I ever hear something like¡­..?¡± Rosalyn giggled a little before getting serious once again. ¡°Do you want to die of your own greed?¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chills passed down through her spine. The composure was also erased from the face of Selena¡¯s. This was the second time she got a death threat. Selena had a hunch that neither of them was using the words in a light tone of intimidation. ¡°Aiming for the seat next to the Duke of Renbird is a real risk. Do you still want to join the battle when you don¡¯t even have the power to protect your own body?¡± Selena replied and regained her composure. ¡°Neither identity nor wealth is important in such encounters. Don¡¯t worry, my mind never stops working.¡± This was one of the lines she picked up from one of her dramas, but it was not the line that would fit perfectly in this kind of situation. While reading the script, she had also seemed to have cursed, saying, ¡°Is this even possible?¡± And it was the same with Rosalyn, whose face rotted. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re only coveting the Duke¡¯s wealth, yet you¡¯re going for the Duke¡¯s heart? You don¡¯t have to aim for that. I¡¯ll offer you any amount of money you want. So take them and return to your home.¡± ¡®But it wouldn¡¯t be my achievement, would it?¡¯ Rosalyn stared at her with her cold eyes as Selena released a heavy sigh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you repeating the exact same words again?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what you¡¯re aiming for?¡± Rosalyn sneered. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want to acquire the position of a Duchess.¡± ¡°You know, you might even have more power than that if you accept my offer.¡± ¡®Ugh, just what the hell is wrong with you?¡¯ Selena¡¯s mind became dizzy. It was evident that Fionel just wanted to be with Kalcion. Rosalyn was different. Selena couldn¡¯t exactly see what her intentions were even though she was sticking around Kalcion. The riches of the Renbird territory or the status of the Duchess? However, she did not seem to be aiming for Kalcion. ¡®So, why are you trying to send me out of the way?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m warning you now. It¡¯s not worth dying for nothing.¡± Rosalyn turned away, leaving words that might be a curse or a warning. Still, it seemed as if her motives were invisible. *** Soon, the dinner was served as scheduled. Until now, she had all her meals alone. A wide variety of dishes was kept on the long dining table, enough to fill up one with just one bite. ¡®¡­..This is too early.¡¯ Selena solemnly collected her thoughts as she looked at the endless dishes in front of her. It just so happened that so far, she had taken care of all her meals by herself. It was her first time to have a meal with someone else. So, of course, she had no experience of putting her table manners to the test. ¡°A lady has to change her dress four times a day.¡± was what the maid told her. There were these petty and complex rules, and obviously, table manners couldn¡¯t be that simple. ¡°¡­¡­¡± There were dozens of dishes, and each dish had a different manner of eating. When she ate alone, she used to pick up a lot of things that seemed delicious to her. But now, she couldn¡¯t even figure out which tableware she should use for which dish. It¡¯s the worst thing to be intimidated in front of everyone. Kalcion only continued to munch on his food silently, while Fionel and Rosalyn only ate as much as a grain of rice and chattered like birds. Among them, no one could save Selena, who was pouting. ¡®I¡¯ve never faced anything more disrespectful like this in my life.¡¯ It was unfair. But what could she do? How could she do something she didn¡¯t know? But it would be too obvious if she gave an excuse that she was on a diet. She was completely lost. ¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ She ventured to grab any dish that seemed good, but she did not copy the others. It was more embarrassing to imitate in a clumsy manner. She dipped the fruit that she recalled from her last meal and put it in her mouth. ¡°Hmm, breakfast or dinner, this is tasty.¡± She whispered to herself. ¡°Oh, this one¡¯s nice.¡± She whispered again. As a result, there was no need to make a forced fuss. All she had to do was to enjoy the dishes as she used to do. At the same time, the two women sitting across the table, who were wearing thick dresses with their apparent amity, gradually shifted their eyes towards Selena. ¡°¡­¡­Ew, Fionel just lost her appetite.¡± Fionel squeaked out. She laid down the tableware that was halfway to her mouth, frowning heavily at Selena. ¡°Fionel feels bad because she misses having her dinner with Moomoo.¡± ¡°Ah, is Moomoo Miss Fionel¡¯s dog?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a cat.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. But what can I do? This is the North. Isn¡¯t it a great opportunity to feel Mother Nature and her wild beasts?¡± Rosalyn fired a backup. ¡®The enemy of my enemy is my ally¡¯, this was what they were following at this moment. ¡°Of course, it is a unique opportunity to experience a hyena¡¯s behavior.¡± Fionel agreed. Selena thought of arousing chaos like a beast, but she decided not to as they were in front of food. Rosalyn¡¯s words lengthened, disturbed by Selena¡¯s silence. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better to teach table manners to a beast? We can¡¯t really say when it will come to bite off our hand, can we?¡± ¡°If she was a beast, it¡¯d have bitten off Miss Rosalyn¡¯s head before her hands. It looks lighter and tastier, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°As expected, their eyes are similar.¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why the Duke had picked her up. Please go ahead, Miss Rosalyn.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Hohoho, very funny.¡¯ Selena and Rosalyn smiled at each other. ¡®Growl¡­..¡¯ ¡®Grrrrr¡­..¡¯ If they were beasts, they would have bitten off each other by now. Fionel, fierce but not highly combative, quietly curled up and rolled her eyes. It wasn¡¯t a place for herbivores like her to stay. Although she was a strong herbivore who could even stab a wild beast with her horns, there was no need for her to intervene in the fight between the wild beasts. ¡°I know His Excellency¡¯s taste is wild, but it¡¯s hard for me to match. It¡¯s not easy for me to give up my status.¡± ¡°Toilan is of a noble class.¡± A big wave shook off the calm atmosphere at the word of Kalcion. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to demean you, Your Excellency, but can¡¯t you shift to being a Toilan?¡± ¡°Previously, when a Renbird dared to be a Toilan, it aroused a lot of problems.¡± Rosalyn, who was embarrassed, smiled. ¡°What can I say, my father¡¯s greed was an act of disrespect.¡± Kalcion said while staring at Rosalyn with unshakable eyes before slowly resuming his meal. ¡°Well, now that I think about it, I think I¡¯m more like a beast. For that reason, sleeping on the ground would be the most convenient for me.¡± ¡°How could you say that, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that how should it be? You are uncomfortable with my class.¡± Kalcion was also not an inch behind. He even brought back things that no one else knew and attacked them first. Rosalyn couldn¡¯t speak up. It was clear that it was a weakness of hers. Selena¡¯s eyes moved between the two as she thought. ¡®He has a great battle strategy, so why does he need me?¡¯ The fact that Kalcion couldn¡¯t find the culprit was because he got hit with a sword. Of course, he had to turn to Selena. If she could kick his leg under the table, she might have been able to stop this battle. ¡®But I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Selena broke in with a grin on her face and pretended to be tackless. ¡°Oh! I guess the Duke and I are in the same class. He always feels comfortable around me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Of course, no one laughed. Except for Kalcion, who chuckled at her joke. It helped to cool down the mood. Thanks to her, the cold stares of the two ladies shifted to Selena again. ¡°As you can see, my class is different. And I¡¯m not going to try and match it to the Toilan. So, what do you think?¡± Rosalyn sighed. Her momentum was also dampened as she judged there was nothing else she could do to win. ¡°How am I supposed to discuss your class, Your Excellency? I¡¯m not here to argue with you.¡± ¡°So, you had no business here after all, did you?¡± ¡°Of course, the first reason I wanted to see you was because I wanted to find more reasons to visit you in person.¡± Rosalyn winked at her servant who was waiting. There were several private servants of Fionel and Rosalyn, as well as the servants of Kalcion, who were serving the meal. They quickly ran to fix the dress and makeup of the ladies whenever it collapsed a little. The servant, whom Rosalyn winked at, returned to the room holding a box in her hands. ¡°These are the letters from the people in the capital who still miss His Excellency¡¯s presence. I couldn¡¯t turn my back on this.¡± A heavy sound rang through the dining hall as its base touched the table. Selena¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t miss noticing the displeasure on Kalcion¡¯s face. Rosalyn¡¯s white flag of defeat was, of course, a disguise. *** After the meal, it was time to return to bed. But before that, taking off her dress, removing her makeup, loosening her hair, taking a bath, washing and drying her hair, putting on lotion, perfume on her body, and a number of cosmetics on her face were necessary¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.Why this garment again?!¡± The servants under Kalcion were tough to fend off. During the rest of the day, it was Fionel and Rosalyn, and now, the servants. Selena screamed as a maid held up the same thin piece of garment in front of her. ¡°Oh, such a waste, Miss. You have a gorgeous body.¡± A deep blush covered her cheeks at the maid¡¯s words. ¡®Why are these people so enthusiastic? Am I a leech? Is it normal for the owner to kick the servants out when they¡¯re so irritating?¡¯ ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be able to seduce him like this?¡± ¡°Why?¡± All of the maids shifted their eyes to her and asked her curiously. ¡°Why¡­¡­.isn¡¯t that obvious? I¡¯m aiming for the seat next to the Duke.¡± The maids glanced at each other¡¯s faces before bursting into a fit of laughter. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡®¡­..W-Why are you guys laughing?¡¯ It shouldn¡¯t be laughable at all. There was nothing wrong with being the partner of the Duke. ¡°It¡¯s completely your choice, Miss. We cannot have a say in this.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s true but¡­..if you just cooperate¡­..¡± ¡°If you can manage to get close to His Excellency, we¡¯ll do our best to help you.¡± ¡®Ah, I see. But why would you do your best?¡¯ There was no way Kalcion had ordered the maids to not serve Selena or any other women. In fact, he shouldn¡¯t have known about this matter at all. A maid approached the puzzled Selena and playfully whispered to her. ¡°Our Duke, His Excellency, isn¡¯t very good with women, and if we don¡¯t help him, he might end up losing his title. Then, we will all be left unemployed.¡± There was no reason to not understand it, but somehow it lacked validity. ¡°But isn¡¯t the Duke popular? He must be receiving a lot of marriage proposals throughout the Empire.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no guarantee that they¡¯ll succeed the Renbird family.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you keep thinking of Renbird¡¯s wealth and riches, you might be wasting your fortune. You could even give birth to another man¡¯s child, right?¡± ¡°Gasp¡­.¡± It was too strongly secular. ¡°Uh, you mean, the Duke¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the capital city, it is common for the nobles to change their children. So, shouldn¡¯t it be here as well?¡± There was something crazy about this world. Although the laws of this world were below Selena¡¯s standards, she was worried if there was anyone in this world who wasn¡¯t out of their minds. Her confidence to live in peace, which had once risen beyond her imagination, sharply fell. ¡°¡­..¡± She felt like she needed to calm herself. The Renbirds were already at their zenith. They preferred to take risks and maintain the current stability in their kingdom rather than expanding their power. Since the Renbird family had money, honor, and everything else, no one could just become a Renbird. That¡¯s why they were pushing Selena wholeheartedly. Selena gazed at the garment with a gloomy look on her face. They might be suspicious of her if she refused it. What was the point of acting when you¡¯re not even confident from head to toe? What would matter if she wore such a garment? She often had to wear revealing clothes in front of her crew members because of her films. It was her job, and she was able to do it calmly. It took more than a day¡¯s resolution for her to sleep wearing that type of a garment on the same bed with Kalcion. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I have to stay in this precarious position as long as I have a contract with Kalcion. I should pack a bag of gold when I return to my world.¡¯ *** Kalcion was already prepared for bed and was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, looking at the letters in the box. ¡°Is that what Rosalyn brought earlier?¡± ¡®Sssst¡¯ The sound of her garment brushing the floor was heard as she approached him. As Kalcion unconsciously lifted his head, his face hardened at her figure. Selena pressed her facial muscles as hard as she could to avoid having a flushed face. ¡°¡­..¡± However, Kalcion did not seem to care about her expression. Hot and intense eyes followed her with every step she took. Due to the nature of the garment, parts of her glowing skin were exposed as the fabric swayed, even when her feet took short steps. Although he had never dreamed of anything like that, he could not help but stare at her. It wasn¡¯t easy for him. ¡°My dress is going to get pierced.¡± She said as she sat on the sofa next to him. Her eyes dropped to the letters in the box. His slight reddish earlobes caught her eyes. Sitting by the fireplace for a long time wouldn¡¯t have just made him blush. Selena was embarrassed as well as surprised that Kalcion had really reacted. ¡°Uh¡­.they asked me to wear this yesterday, and it would have aroused suspicions if I had refused it today as well. They know I¡¯m here to seduce the Duke, but I have no desire to use these seductive items¡­¡­¡± The excuse lengthened as she tried to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too pressured. I¡¯ve only worn this to avoid their suspicion.¡± ¡°Ahem, hmm¡­¡­yeah.¡± He coughed and turned his gaze back to the letters. ¡°Are you going to check every one of them?¡± Selena quickly changed the subject. ¡°Well, it¡¯s necessary if you want to live your life without any inconvenience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s surprising that even you need to make your life easier.¡± Taking his eyes off the letter, he looked at Selena. His blush had faded before long, and a pair of cold dignified eyes stared back at her. ¡°¡­¡­.Relax, I was just saying. I almost got indigestion watching you two fighting over your nerves.¡± As she whined with a weak voice, Kalcion¡¯s eyes softened a little. ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°I would have been if it continued one minute longer. So, from today onwards, don¡¯t step forward.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask them to bring you medicine.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll get better if I have a good sleep. By the way, what was wrong with you today? You¡¯ve been avoiding Fionel, but you were very active against Rosalyn.¡± Kalcion replied, shifting his eyes back to the letter. ¡°Rosalyn is easy to deal with. She¡¯s not someone who can officially complain about anything.¡± Selena picked up a letter from the box. ¡®From Langeon. Dear Duke of Renbird.¡¯ The words were not only automatically translated in front of her, but she could also read the letters. She leaned forward and picked up a letter from the pile on the floor. ¡®There are so many. It¡¯d take a lot of time to check all of them.¡¯ All of these envelopes, which were sealed with different family stamps, were too much for a man to endure. Rosalyn¡¯s excuse was true. Nevertheless, Kalcion caused the north wind to blow over the table when he faced a formal opponent. ¡°By the way, what does it mean to be able to deal with it officially?¡± ¡°My mother, the Duchess of Legion, was a greedy woman. The reason why she married my father was because she was born as the third daughter of a low-class noble family and tried to change her situation with money.¡± She asked her about Rosalyn, but suddenly, he began to portray his past. Her ears pricked up as he continued. There must be a part of his story that had once coincided with Rosalyn¡¯s. ¡°Whether it was genetic or not, the Renbirds were stuck in the wilderness for generations. However, my mother wanted to get into the central society.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± ¡°And she thought that the best way to connect with central aristocrats was through marriage.¡± ¡°Even the peripheral aristocracy thought that the estate of Renbird, which was full of gold and riches, deserved to reach out to the family of Toilan. At that time, Toilan was the most famous family, and Rosalyn was famous for being among the most beautiful ladies of the Empire.¡± However, no matter how great the Duke of Renbird was, it didn¡¯t work out. ¡°The result was a refusal based on the phrase ¡®being unfit¡¯.¡± It was at least five years ago when the Duchess was alive. ¡°So, you¡¯ve remembered it, and now, you¡¯re avenging her¡­..¡± ¡°I tend to not forget my grudges.¡± ¡°Yeah, but rather, is it not a regression?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kalcion spat back roughly. ¡°Why would I when I have no relation with them?¡± She shrugged. ¡°No, you said it yourself that she was the most beautiful lady of the most influential family¡­¡­¡± ¡°That was my mother¡¯s assessment.¡± ¡°And what was yours?¡± ¡°A mysterious but annoying woman.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I can understand.¡± Selena confirmed it from the previous episode she had with her. ¡°Huh, how can you? Today was the first time you met her, right?¡± ¡°I was dragged and threatened by her earlier in the morning.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°It seems faster than the speed of eating, right?¡± He nodded in agreement. ¡°What did she threaten you with?¡± ¡°She asked me the price I wanted.¡± Kalcion laughed. Even to him, it was a ridiculous threat. Money was nothing compared to what he had promised Selena. Money couldn¡¯t create a portal between two worlds in the land of the beast. ¡°How much was she planning to give you?¡± ¡°She said she could allow me to afford a hundred of the dress I was wearing.¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyebrows slightly crept up. ¡°I don¡¯t know its market price, but I wouldn¡¯t have let it pass if I didn¡¯t have the hope of returning back to my home.¡± Selena said so jokingly, but her laughter soon subsided as Kalcion¡¯s face got even more serious. ¡°¡­¡­Why are you so serious?¡± ¡°Because the cost is equivalent to Renbird¡¯s budget of twenty-years.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Maybe, I should have just accepted it.¡¯ ¡°By the way, is she here to be the Duchess of Renbird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more questionable. There¡¯s no other reason for her to travel this far if she wasn¡¯t aiming for me. The Toilan Marquis¡¯ finances have always been the best.¡± The pinnacle of the central society wanted to take the seat of the Duchess of Renbird by any means. ¡®Why?¡¯ Selena agonized, shifting her eyes to Kalcion. ¡°Perhaps she likes the Duke¡¯s face?¡± ¡°That can never be possible.¡± ¡°Or his physique?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible either.¡± Selena giggled. ¡°Wow, you have quite the nerve.¡± ¡°How dare you act cruelly towards the Duke of Renbird?¡± But it wasn¡¯t a threat at all. The way he spoke was quite light. He continued sorting out the letters. Selena thought that a butler or a maid would be responsible for sorting them out, but Kalcion did it all by himself. He always had to stay cautious about receiving any threatening letters. Even a trivial word or action could make him targeted by his enemy. Most of them were disregarded by the authority of the Duke of the North, but it was better for him to be careful at every step. Kalcion¡¯s hand, which was casually checking the envelopes and throwing them to the floor, stopped at a golden sealed envelope. ¡°Ah, this is an important one.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°What is?¡± ¡°This is from the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°And why is it important?¡± ¡°He cannot be ignored.¡± Of course, the Prince was of a higher rank than a Duke. However, Kalcion¡¯s gaze towards the letter did not seem much convincing. ¡°Prince Rassen. An ambitious person who is seeking to climb up to the throne. Renbird is the most annoying and coveted place in his eyes.¡± ¡°Then he must be the one who wants to have a grip on the Duke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just ignore it and stay in your homeland?¡± ¡°There are numerous rules in this kingdom. One of them is that you must accept invitations from a higher family than yourself. If you¡¯re incapable of doing so, you must have a better reason to comprehend your absence.¡± It¡¯s almost like when you submit your leave of absence to your boss in an office. No? Well, a little more dreadful than that. ¡°Is this an invitation?¡± ¡°Yes. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Foundation of the Kingdom of Arkline, he¡¯s holding a grand banquet in the spring. All of the founding families have been invited.¡± ¡®Hmm, sounds like it¡¯ll be a grand party. You can hardly make a justification to refuse.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re going there, right?¡± ¡°Well, I can use this as an excuse to visit the capital.¡± A good chance to allow Selena to join the central society and find the criminal. But how would Kalcion act his part when he seemed flustered just after having a simple glance towards Selena, who was wearing a light garment? To be able to spray fairy dust into the eyes of the people in the capital and to be able to look like a real lover, he needed to do more. ¡®Hmm, let¡¯s see. How far can this man go?¡¯ She did not have to check it that instant, but she was very curious. She slowly approached him on her tiptoes. It was not difficult for Kalcion to notice her even though his eyes were directed at the letter. No matter how low her movement was, there was a certain thing called foresight. However, Selena¡¯s act of sitting on his lap was neither predictable nor preventable. ¡°!¡± Within just a single second, he felt his heart pound like an athlete. He was never this surprised whenever he faced ten beasts in the mountains. Selena, who was sitting on his lap, didn¡¯t just stop with that. She embraced his neck in her arms and pulled him closer to meet his blue eyes. ¡°Please take me with you, Duke. I want to see the capital as well. I want to visit the capital of this huge empire.¡± ¡°Why all of a sudden¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean? Oh, Duke, please take me with you. I want to visit it, too.¡± ¡°¡­..Stop it.¡± ¡°Hmm, I won¡¯t stop until Duke allows me. So? Can I join you?¡± ¡°¡­..Of course you have to. Now, knock it off.¡± Kalcion felt shivers running down his spine that were so unfamiliar to him. ¡®No matter how much he lived in the periphery of the Kingdom, a Duke is a Duke. In addition, Kalcion is a beautiful specimen.¡¯ Most of the people feared him for his coldness. However, he had never been this embarrassed when he faced the other ladies who tried to hug him or even kiss him. Rather, he always felt hatred towards them. But now, he was more embarrassed than annoyed¡­¡­.. He felt like he was going crazy due to the fruity scent of her skin. He could not stand it even though he knew she was acting. Was acting cute so fatal? For the first time in her life, she realized why people fell for someone¡¯s aegyo. ¡°Hng. Not like that, Duke. Say, ¡®I want to go with Selena¡¯. Please tell me that. Or else I wouldn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s no one in this room. So why are you¡­..¡± His heart was pounding crazily, but he could not bear to push her away. He could not run away. He felt like he did not want to run away. Was this how it felt like when the sky and the ground were fused? Kalcion desperately tried to stop those crazy thoughts of his, but it didn¡¯t work out. Selena brought her lips close to his ear and whispered, tightly holding onto his neck. Every time she uttered a word, her breath tickled his ear, just like the petals of a dandelion blown away by the wind. ¡°Well, the Duke can¡¯t act¡­¡­.Don¡¯t you think it should me who¡¯s got to step ahead and not the Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡± Kalcion breathed heavily and leaned his head against the sofa. As soon as he had his eyelids closed, Selena¡¯s glowing skin and red lips, which lightly grazed his ear not long ago, floated in front of him. ¡°So, am I allowed? Huh? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah, I got it.¡± He barely spoke. Only then did Selena jump away from him. ¡°Well, I, uh, I¡¯m getting sleepy, so I¡¯ll go to bed first! Good luck with the rest!¡± She hurriedly hopped on the bed and buried herself under a soft quilt. Perhaps because Kalcion was not beside her, she fell asleep right away unlike last time. Not long after, Kalcion could hear her soft snore. He turned back to the pile of letters. Now, it was time for him to devise a plan. ¡°¡­..Sigh.¡± However, his time of thinking did not last long. Soon, he lied down on the sofa and covered his eyes with his arm. It felt like his eyes were burning. Perhaps because of the blazing fire in the fireplace. ¡®Crackle, Crackle, Crackle¡¯ His whole body was hot. *** When she opened her eyes, the room was empty. Feeling no warmth beside her, she thought that Kalcion must have woken up early. She remembered what happened when she slept with him the day before. But last night, she slept so soundly that she felt as though she was floating in a different world. ¡®Too relaxing that it makes one nervous.¡¯ To sleep while drooling, rolling over the sheets, and clinging onto Kalcion. All of these were due to the soft mattress. The bed felt comfortable that she never felt nervous in the middle of the night. She slept until late morning, so all kinds of her fatigue were eliminated. Her eyes shifted to the clock on the wall. ¡®This guy always wakes up at dawn.¡¯ Unlike her, he wasn¡¯t lazy. ¡®Should I take another nap?!¡¯ There was nothing for her to do anyway except for preparing herself to face Fionel and Rosalyn¡¯s piercing eyes. Clearly, it was better for her to dream rather than face those annoying girls. ¡®Let¡¯s get on it!¡¯ The world¡¯s happiest idleness was having a nap. She fell asleep again, covering herself with the soft sheet. She was so engrossed in her nap that she didn¡¯t notice Kalcion¡¯s footsteps. *** Returning from a harsh training than usual, Kalcion was stunned to find Selena stretched out in the middle of the bed. He had hardly slept as he was busy pulling off the tangle all night. The heat did not escape him, and he eventually ran out at dawn and devastated his training ground. Thanks to this untimely rough training, the knights¡¯ support was abundant. He thought he had managed to cool himself off, but it was a waste. The heat returned to him. ¡®¡­..This woman.¡¯ So far, for Kalcion, women were just another kind of creature opposite to men. He never thought of himself to be deeply interested in a woman. However, he felt a sudden emptiness in him when he called her a ¡®woman¡¯. He felt it every time he laid his eyes on her. He never thought he would be shaken and confused by the fact that she was just a woman. His heart fluttered. As he felt himself starting to pant, he hurriedly turned around and opened the door. The servants, who were waiting outside the door, bowed before him in unison. ¡°Wake her up. I¡¯ll take a bath in the other room.¡± ¡°We will do as you say, Your Excellency.¡± The servants and the maids divided themselves in perfect order. One group of maids entered the room to call Selena, one group stood in front of the room, and another group followed Kalcion to help him. As he moved away from the room, his heart recovered its original speed. *** It was easier to open her eyelids because she fell asleep for the second time. ¡°Mmmm.¡± She sat up, stretching herself up. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± The room was as silent as a graveyard. She turned her head and saw the maids staring blankly at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°N-Nothing!¡± They awkwardly stuttered out before hurrying to their duties. Selena shrugged and yawned loudly. Since there was no one to notice her, her behavior was more relaxed. ¡°Your bath is ready, Miss.¡± A couple of maids prepared fruits, juice, and cookies for her, while the others prepared her bath. It was her second day, so she was already used to it. She dragged her slippers towards the bathroom. She immersed herself in the refreshing water and dozed off briefly as she felt relaxed as someone¡¯s hands washed her dark hair. When she woke up again, the bath was over. They¡¯ve washed her hair, her nails, and even her eye boogers. All she had to do was to get up, sit on the massage bed to allow the maids to put lotion and perfume on her body, and lastly, help her dress up. ¡°Is it that again today?¡± She meant the cultural dress she wore for the past two days. Fionel and Rosalyn changed their dresses almost every hour. No matter how expensive that dress was, she couldn¡¯t just wear the same dress as if it¡¯s a uniform. ¡°Uh¡­¡­.His Excellency has not yet ordered for us to get a separate dress¡­..¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± Selena, who was wearing a simple gown, sat cross-legged on the massage bed and looked at the dress. The maids exchanged their glances among themselves. Choosing a dress was always a nuisance for a girl. However, in Selena¡¯s case, there was no room for that. She just had to wait for this moment to last calmly. After staring at the dress for a long time, she hopped down from the bed in her gown. ¡°I won¡¯t wear it.¡± ¡°Pardon?!¡± The maids were startled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear that same dress. Return it to the Duke and ask him to buy me new dresses.¡± The maids mumbled as she sat back on the bed. There was a deep argument between them as to who would face Kalcion. Selena agonized as she looked over herself in a thin gown in the mirror. ¡®Rosalyn would laugh if she sees me in that same dress again.¡¯ Then came the maid who had gone running to Kalcion. ¡°Uh, Lady. His Highness has given his orders.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He has called in a tailor in order to prepare a dress for you, Lady.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°His Highness has sent a word, so he expects you to be prepared by the afternoon.¡± She collected her thoughts. She didn¡¯t expect him to act so soon. ¡®Maybe I should just take a rest for this¡­¡­¡¯ At the same time, she received an uninvited guest. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 20 Chapter 20 It was a maid in Toilan¡¯s uniform. ¡°Miss Rosalyn has invited Lady Selena for afternoon tea.¡± Rosalyn¡¯s tough personality came to her mind. She was the one who had the audacity to make Selena fall sick. ¡°Inform her that I wouldn¡¯t be able to attend.¡± ¡°Pardon? But¡­..¡± She knew Rosalyn was planning to increase the chances of her getting attacked. Fortunately, she had a good reason today. She pointed to her clothing. Even lazy young children were dressed nicely on an afternoon similar to this. ¡°Miss can wait for you.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have a dress to wear.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The maid¡¯s eyes widened as if she heard such words for the first time. ¡°Yes. So, please tell her that I won¡¯t be able to have tea with her.¡± ¡°B-But¡­..According to the principle, you can¡¯t refuse invitations from those who belong to families that have a higher rank than yours¡­..¡± That¡¯s what she had heard from Kalcion yesterday. Selena only shrugged her shoulders at her. Discipline and rules were always a nuisance to her. The anxious eyes of the maid scanned Selena, who proudly ignored her. ¡°Uh, then I will inform Miss¡­..¡± The maid withdrew with a pale face. ¡°The gown is not that comfortable. Maybe I should just wear my garment.¡± Selena smiled nervously at the maids of Renbird, who were staring at her in a row. ¡°Pardon?¡­.Ah, yes! But it¡¯s not a proper dress, Miss. Should we look for something else?¡± ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Selena smiled kindly and declined the maids¡¯ suggestions. Today¡¯s strategy of hers was to dress poorly. As she was filling her hungry stomach with a couple of snacks, Rosalyn¡¯s maid returned. ¡°Uh, there is¡­¡­¡± ¡°S-She strongly urges you to accept the invitation and mentioned that she would not disrespect you even if you wore rags¡­..¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Selena openly clicked her tongue. Not disrespect her? It was obvious that she was impatient to insult Selena. She wasn¡¯t even prepared to clearly say her lines. ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s¡­..¡± However, the maid shuddered without making eye contact. Selena raised herself, clicking her tongue again. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m going. So that you don¡¯t have to stutter anymore.¡± ¡°Pardon? Ah, yes¡­.¡± Selena walked past Rosalyn¡¯s maid, who hurried behind her. What Selena was wearing right now was the thin garment that she wore last night. Surprised, Renbird¡¯s maids rushed in. ¡°Wait, Miss! Are you going to leave in that clothing?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have anything else.¡± ¡°But, this is¡­..!¡± ¡°What else should I do? She wants me to go there right now.¡± After spatting out her reply, she stormed out of the door. The servants waiting at the door hurriedly made way for her. They lightly blushed at the sight of her dress that made Kalcion get flushed as well. How would Rosalyn react to this outfit? Selena bravely strode towards the battlefield. *** ¡°M-Miss Selena is here¡­..¡± Selena smirked as Rosalyn flinched at the maid¡¯s words. She was visibly embarrassed, perhaps because she did not expect her to appear in such an outfit. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m here. Just because she said I shouldn¡¯t refuse invitations from higher families.¡± ¡°How can you dress like that?¡­¡­ There¡¯s a certain limit to the degree of disrespect.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have any dresses left.¡± ¡°I surely said that your clothing wouldn¡¯t bother me, but¡­.¡± ¡®Hmm, look at your stealthy subtraction of the word ¡°rags¡±.¡¯ Selena rolled her eyes, inwardly giving a cold smile. ¡°Well, the Duke tore it up last night.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®And it¡¯ll be amazing if you can add your imagination.¡¯ Rosalyn couldn¡¯t bring up her next words as the servants rushed in. Her bewildered gaze inadvertently scanned Selena¡¯s body, while Selena stood quietly as she waited for Rosalyn to speak. Every time the breeze touched her, the thin cloth wrapped around her body revealed her fair, smooth skin and figure. And every time that occurred, the servants would turn their heads at her. With curves at the perfect places, her physique was top-tier. No matter how promiscuous a person was in the capital city, they never showed such blatant appearances to each other. The more Rosalyn stared at her, the more her face got red. But still, she said something more resolute than others would have said. ¡°In all honesty, your intentions were to simply provoke me with such a lie. You thought I would get jealous if you acted vulgarly, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I needed to appear in a luxurious dress, so I just kept it to the basics.¡± ¡°It was my own consideration not to take any issue with your behavior. I didn¡¯t know that you didn¡¯t observe this simple courtesy. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± It seemed that pretending to apologize and taking the blame for others was the superior act in this world, whereas such people were rare in Selena¡¯s world. Still, it was not difficult for Selena to adjust to that trendy level. ¡°If you want to be considerate, don¡¯t you think you should think about the situation of the other person first?¡± ¡°It was a misunderstanding, and I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to know everything about Miss Selena, did I? So, let¡¯s keep in mind Miss Selena¡¯s dressing situation now.¡± She smiled sweetly, seemingly saying that she was pure. ¡®This is really bad.¡¯ It was true that she wanted Rosalyn to get jealous, but she didn¡¯t think she would fight her back. However, it caused her to suffer from a terrible headache. ¡®How can you be so annoying?¡¯ ¡°I know you¡¯ll probably be seeing me more often in the future, so please take care of me.¡± ¡°Seeing you¡­..often?¡± Rosalyn¡¯s eyes glowed as if she just had a gun shot at her chest. ¡°But how can it be? I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow right away. It¡¯ll be hard to see you often.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to the capital with the Duke. So I thought I¡¯d see you often, but are you going to withdraw from the society?¡± ¡®Wow, it¡¯s a good thing that this is our last meeting for now.¡¯ Rosalyn¡¯s eyes widened at her words. ¡°¡­..To the capital? With His Excellency?¡± ¡°Yes! The Duke has given me permission.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable. His Excellency gave up his dignity and allowed you to accompany him?¡± Selena grinned. ¡°Well, he couldn¡¯t refuse a woman who was sitting on his lap, could he?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Fire broke out in Rosalyn¡¯s eyes and her chest, behind the colorful lace dress she was wearing, roughly went up and down as she breathed hard. Unable to talk anymore, she only glared at Selena in horror. Selena waited calmly. The standoff lasted quite a long time, while the servants around the two of them became overwhelmed by the atmosphere. The place where Rosalyn held her little tea party was beside a garden. Unlike at night, it was quite warm. The breeze, which was blowing over the table, was not that cold. However, it was quite chilly for Selena, who only had a thin garment around herself. She shuddered every time the breeze brushed her arms and legs. By the time her jaw was about to tremble, the urgent sound of footsteps approached the place. It was Kalcion. ¡®Perfect timing.¡¯ Selena grinned inwardly. A considerable number of guards and servants followed him. As soon as Rosalyn¡¯s eyes spotted Kalcion, she got up from her seat, quickly straightening her face. Soon, she delivered a smile towards Selena, who soon felt parched by the slightly cold breeze. Whatever one might say, the situation was stark. It clearly seemed that she was harassing Selena. Whether it worked or not, her dignity and justification were more important. Rosalyn quickly fixed her mind. Her motive was to bring down Selena, who intentionally dressed in such an outfit and tried to insult her in her tea party¡­¡­ However, Selena was faster. ¡°Hng!¡± Tears rolled down her cheeks within a second. ¡°!¡± Rosalyn gritted her teeth. As soon as a drop touched the ground, tears flowed like raindrops. By the time Kalcion reached the place, Selena¡¯s whole face was already covered with tears. ¡°¡­¡­Duke.¡± Uttering in a tearful voice, Selena ran to him and hugged him. She was as desperate as if she had just met her long lost lover after a thousand years. Rosalyn murmured a curse once again. ¡°That damn girl!¡± Even her excuses were already running out. Without even questioning her, Kalcion embraced Selena and covered her with his cloak. Shivering, she shed tears like a baby bird. At the same time, the feeling of her being abominable dominated Kalcion¡¯s mind. ¡°This isn¡¯t your dominant social circle, Miss Rosalyn.¡± ¡°¡­..I know.¡± Rosalyn barely spoke up, gritting on her molars. Kalcion glared at Rosalyn with an unpleasant look without spouting any long words. As if his sharp eyes were almost spatting, ¡°How dare you openly harass the woman I brought in my castle?¡± ¡°Your Excellency! Miss Rosalyn has summoned her to her tea party!¡± Although he rushed in after immediately hearing the news, he never imagined that such a situation would arise. This time, Selena gave him the message and that¡¯s why he could intervene in the situation. But what would have happened if he didn¡¯t know? His heart felt as though it would burn at the thought of the events that could have happened out of his sight. ¡®How dare you?!¡¯ The momentum was felt by everyone. It seemed he could pull out his sword and swing it immediately if he could move. In an instant, the atmosphere began to resolve around Kalcion. The Duke of the North, the Master of Renbird, the Knight with the most outstanding skills. Having the power to overwhelm the atmosphere just by his presence, he became even angrier. Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on him. As if people could only feel his anger. Selena had to change the growing cold atmosphere. ¡®Ugh, this is getting worse than I thought. What should I do?¡¯ The solution was quickly found. The war of nerves with a woman in the middle eventually became more intense until Selena dug deeper into his chest, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist. ¡°!¡± She felt his body hardening over her thin garment. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡®Great!¡¯ Selena praised herself inwardly and gave more strength to her arms, which she embraced around Kalcion. Even when his waist seemed thinner than his manly chest and shoulders, it was actually quite thick when she hugged it. She had met various male actors with attractive physiques during her acting career, but it was her first time to have such a thick and solid body within her arms. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Selena exhaled and moved her face deeper into his chest. ¡°I¡¯m cold¡­..Duke. I¡¯m so cold.¡± Every time she shifted, Kalcion¡¯s body became stiffer. Almost like a stone pillar. ¡°¡­¡­.What? I can¡¯t stay here. I don¡¯t want to be here anymore.¡± Finally, Kalcion moved at Selena¡¯s subsequent entreaties. He wrapped his cape around Selena¡¯s neck, the hand resting on her shoulders. Kalcion strode back the way he had come. Selena did not forget to take a last glimpse at Rosalyn and tease her, who was standing fixated on her place. ¡®Bleh.¡¯ Even such childishness sometimes made the opponent very angry. *** ¡°Well done. Excellent!¡± Selena was lavish in her praise. She was deeply concerned about how to put her sense of wit when she suddenly hugged this man and started to whine at Rosalyn aggressively. After letting her sit on the sofa, Kalcion raised his eyes at her smiling face. ¡°You¡¯re very satisfied that I acted according to your wishes, aren¡¯t you?¡± Selena¡¯s face was much brighter than usual. ¡°Yeah, something like that. But, to be honest, Rosalyn was trying to start another fight. It feels good to screw her up, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah, was that it?¡± His face looked somewhat sullen, drained of the little light it was radiating. ¡°Why? Were you expecting a different answer?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­?¡± She stared at Kalcion, who coughed uncomfortably, cleared his throat, and averted his eyes elsewhere. ¡°First of all, we¡¯ll need to take care of your clothing.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard you called for a tailor.¡± Kalcion called in a servant. ¡°The tailor?¡± ¡°He will enter as soon as you¡¯re ready, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already prepared. Send him here this instant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­As you wish, Your Excellency.¡± He sounded intimidating. The explanation of what would happen if they didn¡¯t hurry was omitted, but it was more effective than any other threat. As ordered, the tailor soon rushed in clumsily. ¡°huff¡­This is¡­huff¡­Tailor Devin¡­huff¡­Your Excellency¡­huff. Greetings¡­.huff¡­Your Excellency.¡± The tailor, who just came in running on his two thin feet, had no time to catch his breath. Behind him, decorative fabrics and tools were piled up. ¡°Start it right away.¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t even care to greet him formally. People usually say words like ¡®I¡¯ve heard of your great talents¡­¡­.¡¯ But Kalcion didn¡¯t even consider giving him a compliment. The tailor quickly rose at his command, afraid of his impatient nature. He managed to wipe some sweat on his face with his handkerchief and spray perfume as he took cautious steps towards the sofa where Selena sat. Then, he took out his tools. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started right away.¡± He walked towards Kalcion and stood in front of him. ¡°¡­¡­? What is it?¡± ¡°I-I need to take off your coat to take the required measurements, Your Excellency.¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes sank coldly as if piercing into the tailor¡¯s soul. ¡°Did I not mention that I was ordering a dress?¡± ¡°That is exactly what you said, Your Excellency.¡± The servant replied with a nod. ¡°¡­¡­.Ah, I thought he was ordering a dress for His Excellency?¡± ¡°Who asked you to call a crazy tailor.¡± His voice sounded very identical to the time when it seemed as though he was about to pull out his sword. ¡°We only considered the skills of the tailor that your ancestors often looked for, not the state of his mind. I beg for your forgiveness, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°N-No! I¡¯m not crazy, Your Excellency! I didn¡¯t give it a thought!¡± The servant and the tailor fell at his feet and whined at the same time. ¡°I thought it was an occasional order for men¡¯s clothing!¡± The tailor¡¯s desperate excuses followed. ¡°Please believe in my ability to make everyone beautiful clothes! Please don¡¯t disrespect my principles!¡± Well, Kalcion did not have much respect for others. He waved his hands as if he was swatting away a fly. The servants rushed in and tried to grab the tailor. ¡°Crazy people are often very artistic, Duke. Can¡¯t we at least have a look at his designs?¡± Selena stepped in. The servants faltered in their act of dragging away the tailor despite Kalcion¡¯s orders. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to wear right now. How many days do I have to wait this way?¡± She glimpsed at the cape she was draped in. ¡°¡­¡­.Very well. Prepare a dress for her with the finest material.¡± Kalcion growled. In the end, however, she did what she wanted. The servants hurriedly let go of the tailor¡¯s arms so that he could search his luggage with ease. She began to wonder what he had brought with him, but in no time, a curtain and a mirror were installed on one side of the room. In a flash, it turned into a dressing room. ¡°Usually, they prepare a room to reflect your taste, but it¡¯s your first time here, so please keep in mind that it¡¯s temporary.¡± Even the dressing room seemed to be the basis for judging the discretion of the tailor. This was a new concept of luxury she had never seen in her world. ¡°Here, Lady Selena.¡± The tailor was respectful even though he didn¡¯t hear Selena¡¯s exact introduction. His level of being self-conscious was great. Selena climbed onto a shadowy platform. ¡°Do you always have to take measurements every time you make clothes?¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct. The human body always changes little by little, so it¡¯s a necessary process for me to be able to prepare clothes that fit the best.¡± The tailor moved the tape measure with a skilled hand. ¡°There isn¡¯t any dress that you can make beforehand and sell, is there? I think it¡¯ll be more convenient if you just make a dress of standard proportions.¡± The tailor gave Selena a vague look at her words. ¡°Mm-hm¡­¡­it¡¯s not possible to set a standard for one¡¯s body shape, Lady.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Again, it was a foreign fact to her. Everyone had their own size in this world. ¡°However, I am certain that Lady Selena has the most beautiful body shape among all the customers I¡¯ve served.¡± The tailor smiled brightly and didn¡¯t forget to insert a little compliment. At least, it was better than saying the words ¡¯44 left!¡¯. Selena chuckled without any pretension. Meanwhile, the tailor blankly stared at her face, forgetting that he had to move the tape measure. ¡°Are you done?¡± However, the cold voice of Kalcion, who was keeping watch, whipped him on the back. ¡°N-No, Your Excellency! Just a little¨C¡± ¡°Your hands are free now, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°No!¡± The ecstasy that was seen in the tailor¡¯s face evaporated in an instant as it was driven away by the cold wind of the Northern Duke. He was seen sitting on the sofa throughout the entire time. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to your office?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Then, please proceed.¡¯ ¡°I can choose the dress by myself. It¡¯ll be much better if you don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡®Just go, I can take care of this alone.¡¯ He was acting like a mountain leech who was stuck to her and couldn¡¯t be chased away. If Kalcion wasn¡¯t there, she would have burst into a fit of laughter. After all the measurements were taken, they went on to choose the design and the fabric. One of Kalcion¡¯s arms was resting over the backrest of the sofa behind Selena while the other was holding a document. ¡°This fancy ruffle on the shoulder can make you look more beautiful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit messy, but¡­¡­is this trendy in the capital these days?¡± ¡°The capital¡­¡­? Oh, that changes the story. You must be going to the capital city. ¡± ¡°Well, that could be the case¡­..but, it depends on the Duke¡¯s mind, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Of course, it did. Still, Selena leaned her head against Kalcion¡¯s shoulder. Plop. The document fell from his hands. The servant beside him quickly picked it up and held it towards him. Kalcion took the papers expressionlessly. His gaze was fixed on the document. ¡®Sheez. Your gaze will burn a hole in it, you know.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s more convenient to participate in a grand banquet without a partner.¡± ¡°Even if you say that¡­..¡± Selena grumbled, nuzzling her head on his hard shoulder. Meanwhile, as Kalcion stiffened up as if he had been stabbed, Selena swallowed her laugh. ¡°This is the latest design in the capital. Please give it a look.¡± The tailor quickly brought another catalog and lined it up beside the previous one. ¡°Do your best to not discredit the Duke of Renbird.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen! I¡¯ll make sure to craft the most gorgeous dress to radiate Lady Selena¡¯s beauty in the capital!¡± ¡°The Duke said I look the prettiest when I don¡¯t have my clothes on though.¡± She jokingly said. ¡°Pardon?¡­¡­Ah, yes, of course! Oh, I made a slip of my tongue. I¡¯ll make the best dress for Lady Selena!¡± The tailor sure had the art of being heavenly hospitable. It made her laugh and be at ease. ¡°Why is such a talented and entertaining person in the far north, and not in the capital city?¡± ¡°Wherever I work, the number of dresses I can make is always the same, so wouldn¡¯t it be nice to be at a place where I can easily make a lot of money?¡± The tailor answered with a smile. However, she did not miss the hidden secret behind that smile. ¡°Do you want this design to be made of five kinds of fabric?¡± ¡°Why? The fabric is different, but the design is still the same.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­that¡¯s what the Duchess once did.¡± ¡°So as to be able to wear it on a daily basis?¡± ¡°No, depending on how you¡¯d feel. You¡¯d choose your favorite and discard the rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Okay¡­..Should we just do one for each design, then?¡± A part of her wanted to spend Kalcion¡¯s money blindly, but she couldn¡¯t answer such things when she found herself in that situation. Selena had never saved money on her clothes or accessories, but she didn¡¯t waste this much. A waste of resources and manpower does not mean luxury to her. She was going to tell him to do it one by one, but Kalcion stepped in. ¡°What did you say? Are you ignoring the Duke now?¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s not true, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°Make it seven.¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¡°Y-Yes. How about ten types including red, yellow, green, blue, white, gold, and black?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡®What! That is not fine!¡¯ Clearly stunned, Selena opened her lips. ¡°Wait a minute. Aren¡¯t we supposed to throw away the uneven clothes?¡± ¡°Of course. You would be disappointed if some other person wears the same design.¡± ¡®But this means that they won¡¯t be able to sell them again!¡¯ It certainly would not lead to any financial problems for Kalcion. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t like these dresses would be made by machines in factories, but by human hands. She shook her head, her eyes on the design book. ¡°No, I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a certain color that suits that design. This design must bloom in its own way.¡± The tailor¡¯s eyes glistened as if they were saying, ¡°You¡¯ve appreciated my design!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make one of each.¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyebrows wiggled unpleasantly. ¡°The basic fundamentals of aristocracy includes a certain amount of luxury.¡± ¡°We can enjoy luxury in a different manner.¡± The anticipated attention of Kalcion and the tailor was drawn to Selena at her words. She did not know why he was trying to rob his own pocket. She had no big plan. Perhaps she was going to ask for jewelry or accessories, but she realized that was not what they expected. ¡®In that case, I¡¯ll have to order something bigger.¡¯ She was motivated by his creativity. ¡®A great one.¡¯ Value usually came from scarcity. ¡°Make a unique fabric.¡± ¡°What fabric are you talking about?¡± ¡°Break the jewels into small pieces, put them between the threads, and use it as a fabric. The thread is to be decorated with gold and silver so that the pattern is engraved on the dress itself. No need for any embroidery¡­..Is that fine?¡± She couldn¡¯t even imagine what it would look like. She just knew it would look pretty expensive. The tailor was patiently listening to Selena and kept silent for a long time¡­. ¡°¡­..Isn¡¯t that great?¡± ¡°Haa, as expected.¡­.What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! How did you think of this, Lady Selena? You are a genius! You must have the talent to create beauty!¡± ¡°Pardon? Excuse me?¡± The tailor excitedly spoke out. ¡°However, we¡¯ll have to put a lot of labor to move it forward, but the resulting labor costs¡­¡­¡± ¡°Renbird will take care of the expenses for the gold and silver.¡± Selena looked at Kalcion as he stepped in. ¡®Will that be fine?¡¯ ¡°There are about 20 days left until the large banquet, including the duration of the journey. I¡¯ll prepare a hundred.¡± ¡®A hundred sets in 20 days?! Doesn¡¯t this mean you¡¯d have to go beyond working overtime?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯ll be enough.¡± The tailor smiled confidently. There seemed to be nothing that could be changed in Kalcion¡¯s capital. ¡®He¡¯s crazy.¡¯ Selena shook her head. This world had been crazy from the minute she put her feet on it. *** ¡°You should get prepared while your dress is being made.¡± Kalcion said as soon as the tailor stepped out of the room after completing the purchased order. The servants also cleared the room and scurried out, leaving only the two of them in the room. ¡°Prepare for what?¡± ¡°Lady Selena.¡± Kalcion shifted his eyes to her as he called her for the first time with a title. Most of the time, it was ¡°you¡±. ¡®Did you hit your head somewhere? Why are you suddenly saying ¡°lady¡± before mentioning my name?¡¯ She suspiciously looked closely at his eyes, trying to find if a sort of magic was controlling him, but all that stared back at her were those cold blue eyes of his. ¡°You called me that, right?¡± ¡°If you want me to address you like this, you need to have that basic refinement.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t I supposed to go with the character of a woman without culture?¡± Clearly, that was what Kalcion agreed to go with. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. At least, not uncultured enough to bring down the reputation of a Duke.¡± ¡°This is so sudden¡ª¡± ¡°20 days. Prepare yourself with social skills, etiquettes, and basic culture as much as you can within 20 days.¡± ¡°Why did you change your policy all of a sudden? Is that the only thing capable of ruining the reputation of a Duke?¡± He clicked his tongue briefly. ¡°Of course, Renbird¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t so light that it could be destroyed by you. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It irritates my eyes.¡± A simple reason. Selena chuckled at him. ¡°You mean it¡¯s only because of your mood?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really mind when you act rudely to me. But, I don¡¯t want to see people ignore you because of your lack of education.¡± ¡°Oh¡­..¡± She was dazed for a moment. It might have sounded sweet¡­.but the person who said it was not acting accordingly¡­¡­ ¡®Is that it?¡¯ ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be more hateful if a commoner knew the topic?¡± He stubbornly shook his head. ¡°The prince would probably prepare a few women to approach me. Would you be able to join any secret conversations properly without any preparations?¡± ¡°Mm-hm¡­..¡± That did make sense. It was necessary if they had to create a disturbance. If they had to hide from their enemies and catch them off guard. ¡°Did the Duke learn to have a secret social conversation before?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± He didn¡¯t have to learn until now. It was not necessary for a person who had little to care about the small rules in a society as he could rub the law roughly. However, she was disappointed. She felt as if she is wronged to study it alone. ¡°What if you don¡¯t understand me if I send a signal in the banquet hall?¡± ¡°Well, then¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s learn it together.¡± She grinned. Perhaps, Kalcion was starting to fall for her charms as a faint smile made its way on his face. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do. I face no difficulty in anything.¡± ¡°Hmm, but overconfidence often leads to the destruction of a person, doesn¡¯t it, Duke?¡± Kalcion just chuckled at her without saying anything. ¡°Come to think of it, the ¡®Duke¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes, what?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very strange title. It needs to be corrected.¡± ¡®But don¡¯t a lot of people call you that?¡¯ ¡°What is so strange in calling you ¡®Duke¡¯ ?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a reference to a title, similar to when you address a king.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah, I see.¡± Selena nodded upon learning a new fact. She couldn¡¯t just go around calling him like that if she were to become a stately person. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it would only be right to change it¡­¡­ Then, what should I call you?¡± ¡°You decide¡­..¡± He said casually. Selena and Kalcion were not related to each other, nor was she a subordinate of him. ¡®This is just a contractual relationship, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°Not ¡®Your Excellency¡¯. Almost everyone calls you that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kalcion had made her agree on acting her part as his lover. Even if he hadn¡¯t announced it, she had to show off with her special presence in the cold Duke¡¯s heart. ¡°How about using nicknames?¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.Such as my family symbol. A black leopard. Since my family crest is a black leopard, you can call me that.¡± Kalcion pointed to one side of the wall. ¡°¡­..¡± Selena¡¯s eyes followed the direction of his finger to find the head of the beast hung on the icy north wall. A sword was inserted in its head. ¡°¡­..Let¡¯s not.¡± The name was so close to his personality. ¡°Is there anything else? How about honey? Or sugar? Sunshine?¡± However, those names did not suit Kalcion at all. Just imagining it made her feel as though she was committing a sin against the whole world. It was evident that he felt the same as his expression was grimly distorted when Selena spoke those words. ¡°Well, anything else?¡± ¡°Would you dare to make a nickname for the Duke of Renbird?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I would. And thank you very much for your advice that isn¡¯t really helpful.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°If I were to play around, I would do that a hundred times.¡± She rolled her head on the sofa¡¯s headrest. ¡°Who was the most affectionate and intimate person in your life?¡± She finally decided to dissect him. She would get something if she interviewed him. ¡°Affectionate? Well¡­¡± However, Kalcion was still Kalcion. She sighed before clarifying it. ¡°Who was the closest person to you, if not attached?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­..¡± Only then did he start to think carefully. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Mmm¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡®Why are taking so long? Aren¡¯t they usually your mom, dad, or grandma?¡¯ ¡°It reminds me of a servant who stood up for me until I was ten.¡± Indeed, he was an extraordinary person. ¡°What did they call you?¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­..Ah, yes. Is he the knight with gray hair?¡± ¡°Dion? No. It was when the servant was 11 and was eaten while going on a hunt for the first time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®At least pretend to be sad. This is where you should cry, stupid.¡¯ ¡°Well, what did your parents call you?¡± ¡°Kalcion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°What else, then?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s ¡®my baby¡¯, ¡®my adorable son¡¯, and a lot others.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She said, ignoring the badly distorted face of Kalcion. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ¡°There¡¯s always a first time for everything.¡± ¡°¡­..So, what are you going to call me?¡± ¡°Kal?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The pitiful sight of Kalcion flashed before her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s 3 letters from your name.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t just give up at once. ¡°What about Zion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the name of the prince of a neighboring kingdom.¡± ¡®Then, we can¡¯t go with that. Not Kal, not Zion either¡­..¡¯ ¡°On?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that.¡± ¡°¡­..Nevermind. Hmm, what can it be?¡± This seemed to have been rejected as well. Unfortunately, it was not an easy job to make a nickname for a cold person like him. Selena mumbled more to herself than speak to him. ¡°If it¡¯s a nickname, there should be something adoring about it¡­¡­¡± Kalcion smiled, quietly listening to her murmuring a number of possible nicknames for him. A flicker of life shone in his face. However, Selena did not stop. ¡°Kalcion, Mr. Kal, Cion, Ci¨C¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you quit?¡± She suddenly raised her head as if she had forgotten about his presence. When he unexpectedly met her surprised grey eyes, he felt his soul being sucked out of his very existence. ¡°Do you have anything in mind?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± His lips parted, but they could not utter anything as they urged to touch hers. Selena¡¯s smile deepened as she spotted his wordless lips. ¡°Yeah? What? Did you get something? Come on, say something.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± She was completely amused at playing with Kalcion¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Dear Cion¡­¡­.Would you like it if I call you that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you stop me?¡± He quickly turned his head, unable to face Selena, who was smiling brightly beside him. One of the hands of the cold Northern Duke was resting in its place at the backrest of the sofa behind Selena, while the long fingers of his other hand moved to cover his face. His earlobes were slightly red. Even if he did his best to hide them, she didn¡¯t miss it. If not now, when else could she make fun of the Northern Duke? Opportunities should not be lost. Selena became more and more excited, reducing the gap between them. ¡°So? Do you like it? Why aren¡¯t you answering me? Or is that too sour? Should I keep poking you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Do as you please.¡± Kalcion got up, unable to stand her quips. ¡°I¡¯ll find someone so that we can start with the liberal arts classes right in the afternoon.¡± Then, his feet hurried over toward the path to his office. Selena, who was watching him intently, burst into a fit. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll work hard, dear Cion~!¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t expecting a reply. However, Kalcion did not deny it as he walked away. ¡®You¡¯re quite the cutie.¡¯ Like all the cranky men worldwide. Genius ¡°From this day onwards, I will tell you about the basic knowledge, manners, and rules of the society as a whole.¡± Surprisingly, her tutor was Mrs. Janet. ¡®Why did it have to be her of all people?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t very friendly to Selena right from the beginning. Even now, she was acting all heedful towards Selena. Although Mrs. Janet did not show her disapproval towards her directly, she didn¡¯t intentionally stop neglecting Selena. Except for the fact that she sometimes gave her a look of contempt. ¡°Your Duke is going to learn some social language as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s after Miss Selena¡¯s basic education.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not basic, are you?¡± That¡¯s what her stern look said. Had she not been stranded in this place, she would not have suffered being that intimidated. Selena asked with an all-knowing tone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting Mrs. Janet to come as my teacher.¡± ¡°His Excellency has given his orders.¡± Selena¡¯s question intended to mean, ¡°Do you deserve to be a teacher?¡± to touch her pride, but it could not hurt a hair on her. Mrs. Janet didn¡¯t even react with anger. As Selena watched her straight posture and steady eyes, she straightened her back. ¡®Is she really a socialite?¡¯ ¡°I thought you had other jobs here. It¡¯s very hard to believe you spent some time out there.¡± ¡°I was born as the second daughter in Baron Erin¡¯s family and have stayed in the capital society for a while. Since then, I¡¯ve been attending various gatherings with the late Her Highness, the Duchess, so I believe my social etiquette wouldn¡¯t be insufficient.¡± Although she was a Baron¡¯s daughter, it would be Selena who¡¯d enter the capital. Mrs. Janet¡¯s eyes sharply rose after her introduction. ¡°So, please do your best not to discredit the Duke of Renbird.¡± It was more of a friendly suggestion. In other words, even if she studied for a whole week, it would not suddenly become something that she¡¯d have to get used to all her life. Instead, she¡¯d just have to point out the topic of conversation appropriately and get out of the way. ¡°What if I don¡¯t do enough and discredit the Duke of Renbird?¡± When Mrs. Janet kept staring at her blankly, Selena did not avert her gaze. She was really curious. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to teach you not to let that happen.¡± ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± Mrs. Janet took a deep breath as if she was trying to calm down herself. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to take care of it.¡± She did not elaborate. It could mean a stricter class or a change in the way of teaching. ¡®Or¡­¡­¡¯ It could mean that it could even be solved by getting rid of the small rats dirtying their castle. With that, only a single cliff would be waiting for her arrival with no wall for safety. ¡®Wow, very nice and thrilling!¡¯ Selena nodded, smiling bitterly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be in your care, then.¡± However, she was quite dubious of how Mrs. Janet could handle her. But as she promised Kalcion, she tried her best. *** ¡°I heard Miss had a class with Mrs. Janet today?¡± Selena shifted her gaze from the steam rising from her bathtub towards the looming maid. There were nearly 300 maids and servants working in the castle of Renbird, but this maid was the one she was familiar with. At first, they thought they¡¯d take turns in serving Selena, but she denied it. This maid was so passionate when she forced Selena to wear a thousand pieces of garments that it became a sweet memory for her. ¡°Oh, did the word spread out that much?¡± ¡°Everyone is interested in Miss Selena.¡± After delivering a gentle smile, she moved to put perfume on Selena¡¯s hair. The maid worked so diligently that it seemed she was doing her best to decorate Selena, but Selena frowned. ¡®Why?¡¯ Why was the maid being so careful and gentle to her? Selena wasn¡¯t a Duchess who would gain power soon nor did she have any money to offer. It was suspicious to give excessive care to a woman who had nothing to provide. Also, it felt a little strange how Mrs. Janet was acting today. Selena stared at the maid. The maid, who tied her brown hair tightly together, looked simple and her face was neat. Either way, it could be a possibility. The possibility that she was looking for a way through Selena to aim for Kalcion¡¯s tactics. And the possibility that she was under someone¡¯s orders to monitor Selena. ¡®If you want to dig any further, you¡¯ll have to be careful, darling.¡¯ Selena grinned like a cat. ¡°Oh, really? What do people say?¡± ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re so pretty, Miss. That is the reason His Excellency is falling for you. That¡¯s what they all say.¡± ¡°Wow! Hahaha.¡± ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Selena chuckled excitedly at the word ¡°pretty¡± and the maid joined her. ¡°Oh, but, Mrs. Janet doesn¡¯t seem to trust me.¡± ¡°Oh, my. Why is that, Miss?¡± ¡°She said, ¡®I¡¯m not going to let you do anything that¡¯ll dishonor the Duke of Renbird¡¯¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah! How could she say that to Miss Selena?!¡± The maid gasped. ¡°That¡¯s what she always says to us. If you have done anything, it must honor the Duke of Renbird. Don¡¯t discredit the Duke, he should always be honored.¡± ¡°For Mrs. Janet, the honor of the Duke is really important.¡± ¡°I know. I don¡¯t know how she could stay beside the late Duchess.¡± Selena¡¯s ears perked up at it. ¡°Why? What about the Duchess?¡± ¡°She was from a noble family, but¡­¡­in Mrs. Janet eyes¡¯, the Duchess seemed to have a lot of shortcomings. She kept following the Duchess everywhere and always nagged behind her. Sometimes, she even hit her.¡± ¡°Eek. Is that even allowed?¡± ¡°The late Duchess had an amazing personality. But, Mrs. Janet couldn¡¯t stand it if she didn¡¯t go her way.¡± She even acted mean to such a great figure, the grand Duchess. What would happen if Selena, herself, got hit by her someday? ¡®What if I get caught?¡­¡­..No, I don¡¯t know anything yet.¡¯ The maid deliberately brought up the story, but Selena couldn¡¯t figure out whether she was intentionally leaking it to her or she simply liked to chat. ¡°Well, it seems like no one here is free from Mrs. Janet¡¯s nagging.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone else except for His Excellency?¡± ¡°Wow, then it¡¯s Mrs. Janet¡¯s fault that the Duke hasn¡¯t been married so far.¡± The maid just chuckled. There wasn¡¯t one person who wasn¡¯t on Selena¡¯s watchlist. Although almost everyone was gentle to her with a few words, no one seemed to have anything to say about the death of Irelle ¨C the prospective fianc¨¦e of Kalcion. Suddenly, the atmosphere subsided as if someone had spilled cold water in the bathroom. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯d like to put on a more flowery perfume today.¡± Selena, who was worried a little about the eerie silence, said. The maid, who was to prepare the perfume, looked at the bottle before she asked. ¡°But this is all I¡¯ve prepared. Shall I bring another one?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± The maid left. ¡°I¡¯m very tired today, so bring me some comfortable sleepwear. Not like that other one.¡± ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll go and look for it.¡± Another maid went out of the door, leaving Selena and the maid who was unusually friendly to her. ¡°So, it¡¯s just the two of us, huh?¡± Selena said, smiling at her reflection in the mirror. ¡°Oh, by the way, what¡¯s your name? It¡¯s better to call someone by their name who¡¯s about the same age as me, so I can call you the next time if I need anything.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. My name is Juna.¡± ¡°Well then, Juna, let¡¯s get close in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, tell me if you need anything or if you feel uncomfortable about something. You can also call me when you need someone to talk to.¡± Selena smiled and nodded at her. ¡®Time to find out how close we¡¯re going to be.¡¯ Selena pretended to look around as she lowered her voice and spoke carefully. ¡°By the way, are you¡­¡­¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Juna, too, looked around the room before bringing her face close to Selena¡¯s. ¡°The other two ladies said I¡¯ll die the same way if I kept messing around¡­.Did anyone actually die?¡± ¡°¡­.Ah.¡± Juna¡¯s eyes scanned around the room again. ¡°We¡¯re all going to die one day. But as I keep listening to it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s only a simple word of gossip¡­¡­and, everyone seems to be avoiding me whenever I try to ask them.¡± Of course, she knew of the circumstances of the incident better than anyone else. However, it was only right if she acted oblivious to it. A commoner wandering in the woods would not know of a scandal that took place deep inside the aristocratic society, even of a case that everyone is unwilling to speak of. Juna must be completely convinced that Selena didn¡¯t know. Also, you¡¯d have to think a lot about beading the words if you want to explain to a person who didn¡¯t even know what was going on. ¡°You can¡¯t talk about this anywhere else, especially Mrs. Janet. His Excellency as well.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you have my word. Now, tell me, what is it?¡± ¡°It was about a month¡­..a month ago? The miss, who almost became His Excellency¡¯s fianc¨¦e, committed suicide in the mansion of the capital.¡± ¡°Gasp-¡± Selena pretended to be surprised. ¡°Duke had a fianc¨¦e?!¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. She was on her way to become his fianc¨¦e, but it wasn¡¯t because of their love or anything, it was just a political marriage.¡± ¡°Did you see her yourself?¡± ¡°Of course. I was the one who served her in the capital.¡± ¡°Wow. I see. How was she? Was she pretty?¡± Juna shook her head with a sour look on her face. ¡°It¡¯d be too much¡­..to call her pretty. She was plain and simple. And, uh, she was a little grim? No words, no expression, and always silent.¡± ¡°Oh¡­..So, the Duke has a taste over dark women? Am I too bright?¡± ¡°No! Miss Selena¡¯s features go beyond anyone¡¯s imagination, and who cares about his taste when you¡¯re this pretty?¡± Juna was quick-witted. But, she didn¡¯t deny that Kalcion liked straightforward and quiet women. ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ They only met for work, and they wouldn¡¯t fit together anyway. Selena swept away the feeling off her chest. But, to her surprise, Irelle¡¯s descriptive image was different from what Kalcion had said. A positive and quiet woman. A gloomy and dark woman. Both of the phrases described the same person. Similar yet different based on the emotions, to be exact. ¡°I don¡¯t think Juna liked her very much.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± Juna¡¯s eyes darted to the door again. When she made sure no one was going to open it any moment, she whispered. ¡°This is actually a secret but¡­¡­.She had the audacity to cheat on him at the capital.¡± As if it was a conspiracy. *** ¡°Your Grace.¡± Mrs. Janet finally found Kalcion. Given the situation, she had to report after the first class to decide whether they¡¯d need more teachers or not. After putting down the documents, he looked outside the window. The sky had turned dark before he knew it. He usually ate in his room, so he didn¡¯t have an idea when the sun went down. And, it seemed Fionel had sent a message before she left rather than ask to have dinner with him. ¡°How was it?¡± He casually asked when he found the hardened face of Mrs. Janet. Her face was always stiff. Since they had seen each other for a long time, no matter how indifferent Kalcion was, he could tell this was distinguished. It was usually as hard as the ground. If she became angry, her face would become as hard as a rock. And now, it was close to a rock. ¡°¡­..Was it that grave?¡± He asked. It¡¯d be a dishonor to be laughed at in society. Mrs. Janet was not a person to hide the truth as a courtesy, so she was prepared to give a harsh answer. As Mrs. Janet stepped forward, tightly clasping her hands together, Kalcion pressed his fingers around the pen he was holding. ¡®How terrible was she¡­¡­.?¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s brilliant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡± An unexpected word left her lips. However, he was confused about whether to take it as a compliment or not. ¡°Her talent?¡± It seemed she passed out brilliantly in cultural etiquette. Kalcion asked for an explanation with his eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very sure she didn¡¯t learn the manners anywhere, nor did she have any lady-like habits or basic common sense. However, once I started to teach her, she started absorbing it to her very soul.¡± He had never seen Mrs. Janel describe anyone like this before. Social manners were complex and delicate. No matter how much you were born and raised in a noble family, small mistakes were bound to happen often in your life. But Selena did not, not even in the slightest. She memorized it all. Although it wouldn¡¯t be natural for them to be within her body, her overall elegance made it seem like she was a royal from somewhere. It naturally covered even the gaps and hid anything that said it was learned. Selena¡¯s words and actions were unimaginable. ¡°Otherwise¡­¡­I¡¯d have to suspect her.¡± She might have intentionally approached from somewhere. ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m assured of that.¡± He spoke firmly. He was as serious as if he was more inclined to doubt the identity of his own servants than Selena. Mrs. Janet clasped her hands once again. As soon as the lesson was over, Selena went back to her usual demeanor as if she had just taken off her mask. One would fall into misery telling which was her real face. ¡°It¡¯s clear that she must be pretending to be one of them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Unlike Mrs. Janet, Kalcion was calm. Selena was from a different dimension, and there was no need to consider doubts about ¡®having a different identity¡¯ of Mrs. Janet. Her amazing ability to learn could be natural considering Selena¡¯s acting skills so far. She was so good at acting that he felt like he was being seduced every moment. ¡®She said she¡¯s good at everything.¡¯ Her words were true. ¡°Well then, can you complete her training perfectly before she leaves for the capital?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯ll be enough.¡± It was only one class, yet it¡¯s that high of an evaluation? Now, looking forward to how perfect she would be in the real game was awaited. ¡°I¡¯ll be present in the lesson from tomorrow onwards.¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t learned any social skills yet. Perhaps, I¡¯ll learn one or two if I get a chance.¡± When he was very young, he had learned it in general through his education of becoming a successor. However, it wasn¡¯t perfect to be used in real society, which he had avoided before. So far, he had not stepped into the social circle itself. He had only gone to the capital when it was necessary, and he returned to his land as soon as he finished his work. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Just as Mrs. Janet was about to dismiss herself, Selena appeared at the door of the bathroom, all prepared for sleep. ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Selena stopped, flinching a little. She almost ran into Mrs. Janet, whom she didn¡¯t expect to be here at this time. She thought the room to be occupied only by Kalcion, so she came in with her usual manner. She quickly fixed her expression, proudly raising her head. ¡°It¡¯s late.¡± ¡°Make yourself comfortable.¡± Mrs. Janet turned around as if she hadn¡¯t seen her. Only after hearing the door shut did Selena let her breath fall, which she didn¡¯t know she was holding. ¡°Phew. Oh, it¡¯s suffocating.¡± Kalcion tilted his head. ¡°Should I open the window?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, I¡¯m not talking about the air.¡± ¡°Did you tighten your waist in your nightgown?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s not physical.¡± ¡°Psychological, then?¡± Evidently, he couldn¡¯t sense the tension in the air that had been created because of Mrs. Janet. Selena stretched her shoulders, sighing deeply. ¡°My Cion¡­¡­you haven¡¯t sensed it in the air ever, have you?¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡­¡­.It was a stupid question. As a matter of fact, who¡¯d dare to raise such a question in the Duke¡¯s presence? No wonder he was oblivious. In fact, he didn¡¯t have to be conscious. The atmosphere was centered around him, and he wasn¡¯t supposed to act according to it. ¡°What happened to Mrs. Janet?¡± Fortunately, Kalcion avoided grasping on her phrase. Selena was pleased. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t even know.¡± It felt like her whole body was cramped since she had kept her waist straightened and her facial muscles strengthened all day. She slumped down on the bed, flat on her back. His shoulders stiffened but she, who had already been lying down, did not notice it. ¡°She¡¯s teaching me how to breathe¡­..and, I thought I was going crazy.¡± ¡°Mrs. Janet complimented you.¡± After taking a deep breath, he slowly sank deeper into his chair. His shoulders, which had stiffened for a moment, finally found some peace. ¡°In front of the Duke?! Even when I roll my eyes in the wrong way and she looks at me as if there¡¯s no such dirty shit like me?¡± ¡°Dirty shit?¡± Of course, the word was foreign to him. ¡°Went a little overboard with it, but¡­¡­¡± She corrected herself. ¡°But, she¡¯s very strict. She¡¯s not like that to the Duke, is she?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mrs. Janet never taught me herself.¡± ¡°No other maids have to take liberal art classes from her, but the Duchess?¡± Only then did Kalcion¡¯s eyes change. Mrs. Janet was strict, as much as she was reliable. She had lived her life serving Renbird. Being in charge of the total management of the castle was enough to produce complaints in different areas. But even to the Duchess? It wasn¡¯t something to be let go of. No one could ever talk about such a matter. No one would dare to bring shame on his mother and accuse the maid of her conduct. Selena added what she¡¯d learned about Mrs. Janet from Juna. Mrs. Janet was close to posting advice on the Duchess¡¯ behavior and on the actions of the Duke of Renbird. And as the Duke, he could not blame her. Moreover, currently, there was no Duchess of Renbird. ¡°No one can doubt Mrs. Janet¡¯s loyalty to the Duke.¡± He tried to pass the subject over. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± However, Selena had other motives. Kalcion took a stance that he should listen first. She hesitated a little before she started. Kalcion trusted Mrs. Janet, but Selena¡¯s words were bound to shake him enough to leave the castle at once. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± He urged. Selena took a deep breath before parting her lips aside to speak. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¡°Are you really sure Irelle didn¡¯t commit suicide?¡± His eyes subsided. ¡°What makes you doubt me?¡± But he did not get angry. He knew he had to listen to her reason first. On the other hand, it was not easy for her to say it because it alone overturned the premise on which she verbally signed a contract with him. However, they might also catch an innocent person while looking for a criminal who, perhaps, didn¡¯t even exist in the first place. Or it could continue to lead to futility. And if they can¡¯t find the so-called criminal, Selena would eventually face the damage, let alone Kalcion. She would not be able to return to her original world. It was like a stage play for her. No matter how perfect the plot was, she didn¡¯t want to spend her entire life acting here. ¡°I think the enemy might not always be from outside.¡± ¡°The Baron¡¯s daughter might have chosen to commit suicide because of the excessive pressure around her. Do you want to go with this inference?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He quickly recognized the subject. ¡°Be specific.¡± First and foremost, she was relieved. But, she spoke of a word that could be said to clear doubts within a family. Kalcion was more sober and rational than expected. Mrs. Janet was almost like a family based on the fact that she had devoted her loyalty to Renbird. Selena did not want to be presumptuous when Mrs. Janet had always been a loyalist. Nevertheless, it was no exception for Kalcion. Selena was relieved as well as she was scared. She was close to a position where she could find faults in Kalcion¡¯s decisions, but how? ¡®If they decide to clean anything up, they¡¯ll probably cut it off with a sword.¡¯ She choked, nervous about what to speak of. ¡°The ¡®means of death¡¯ was suicide. If someone was driven to kill themselves, it is suicide. How can it be murder?¡± Before making a deduction, she asked for an important premise. He slowly exhaled, his fingers tapping on his knee. Tap, Tap. The tapping became longer. Evidently, he was deeply troubled. He wouldn¡¯t be able to answer easily. If he admitted it to be a suicide, he should also consider the situation in which the criminal would be eliminated. On the contrary, if he considered someone had killed his fianc¨¦e, he¡¯d have to get revenge on someone who did not even let their hands be directly painted in blood. It was a problem for ordinary people to trust according to their individual beliefs, but Kalcion was different. He was the Duke of Renbird and the ruler of the North. His sole will was the will of the North. In other words, the revenge could end in a personal duel, but it could be largely a war. ¡°¡­¡­That is to be judged by a murder.¡± The Duke of North was proud. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve also counted those who have been tormented to the point of death for the Duchess¡¯ position as potential suspects.¡± ¡°The first to be is Mrs. Janet?¡± ¡°Yes, second is the ladies-in-waiting in the capital.¡± He asked, raising his chin. ¡°What did you hear from them?¡± ¡°Mrs. Janet said she¡¯ll do anything for Renbird¡¯s honor, and the maids were very gossipy.¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t depend on what you hear.¡± ¡°From the Duke¡¯s point of view, yes.¡± Kalcion did not respond much. It would be difficult to choose either way. Rather, he should just stay silent. Selena sat up, reeling under the sudden movement. The Northern Duke, who lived without any reason to sympathize with others, needed an eye-level conversation. ¡°L-Look carefully.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Does the Duke ever risk his position on someone else¡¯s assessment?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable when you¡¯re around people you don¡¯t like?¡± ¡°That never happened.¡± ¡°Is there anyone who wants to protest against the Duke for his rudeness?¡± ¡°The ones who want to die?¡± Selena shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s the difference. The Duke has a lot to spend, while a person like me has nothing, and if someone doesn¡¯t have anything, they have no choice but to be wary.¡± He stared agape at her face before closing his mouth. The silence continued for a moment. ¡°Why do you think you have nothing?¡± ¡°I have an aunt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± No rebuttal had been returned. ¡°Ah, I mean, I have a personality, and I have a family that cares for me, so I do have a lot of them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± The silence still lingered on. ¡°However, it¡¯s the same thing that I have to live with people who like my beauty.¡± ¡°An anecdote of a beautiful woman who doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°On the surface, I¡¯m still very flat. But inside, you¡¯re living like a pig ¡¯cause it¡¯s very scary to die of thick skin.¡± In fact, no matter how good her acting ability and appearance was, it was not directly related to money. It would be a horrible thing to do. If you¡¯ve got a rat¡¯s tail, it¡¯s even scarier to lose it. For example, the honor of a Baron. ¡°What about Irelle?¡± ¡°She was poor enough to be starved to death¡­¡­¡± ¡°What if she had the honor of a Baron?¡± He furrowed his forehead. Honor. It was a sensitive literary talent. The contract with Selena was also made due to the honor and pride of Kalcion Renbird. She sympathized herself with that part. ¡°The Duke definitely didn¡¯t care about what Irelle was doing, but did he draw himself?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In a sense of crisis such as a scandal, is it true that she might get debarred?¡± While she asked, Selen felt emotional without realizing it. Since it was a job to reveal one¡¯s self in front of people, she naturally stopped. Even if one threw a single wrong glance at a private meet, it¡¯d chase them everywhere. It would be a waste. No matter how careful she was, she didn¡¯t have to be alone. She might be disrespected for the expression in her eyes, considered arrogant for wearing sunglasses, and get gossiped about for greeting people or even when she would not (greet). If this or that situation continued, people would freak out. Still, Selena was able to hold on well thanks to her seniors and mentors who guided her. What if they weren¡¯t there? Did Irelle have people like that? ¡°What is the word that can drive you to the point of death?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t it important that she had a sense of crisis in which she might be debarred?¡± ¡°Whatever the scandal was, I wouldn¡¯t have written a new rule.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the Duke thinks.¡± ¡°No, the deal with the Baron was simple. I provided them with money, while they helped in filling the position of Duchess.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not complicated. What if she had a presence?¡± ¡°Like?¡± Kalcion asked sharply. ¡°Like playing around in the capital so promiscuously that there¡¯s no man who hasn¡¯t touched her.¡± ¡­¡­Gasp. Selena bit her tongue, surprised by the words she spoke absent-mindedly. She tried to bead the words more properly from what she heard from Juna, but it came out wrongly. She was thinking about how to put out the invisible fire, even if it was there when Kalcion asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Sorry?¡± He growled sarcastically. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°Uh, Huh? What?¡± Kalcion¡¯s cold smile grew wider. ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal? Everybody lives like that, be it one or two, it¡¯s not such a big deal about the Duchess of Renbird.¡± Selena held her poor breath, sensing a definite fire within him. She still could not tell whether he was angry or not. ¡°The Duke could have, but some people might think it¡¯s better to die if you were gotten rid of and abandoned by your family.¡± Kalcion breathed heavily, while Selena repeatedly exhaled, trying to calm down her flushed mind. ¡°¡­¡­Even if the rumors were true, I wouldn¡¯t have had anything to do with it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± His eyes darted to Selena¡¯s. They were so sharp that it made her scared. ¡°I know. No matter what anyone says, you don¡¯t have to be intimidated. Unless you run away. Then, I won¡¯t have to break the contract first.¡± Overwhelmed by his serious look, she only nodded. ¡°And, don¡¯t make a scandal with anyone else when the contract is active.¡± He did not tell her the reason. *** ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll see you again in the capital, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Your Excellency!¡± The next morning, Rosalyn and Fionel announced their sudden leave. ¡°Your Excellency will come to learn from me, and I¡¯ll never forget this feeling!¡± ¡°I ran into him while I was walking.¡± It really was. Selena was the one who asked her to join for a walk. Selena heard through Juna that Rosalyn and Fionel were getting ready to leave. Juna had already acted as a loyal servant. ¡®They know that Lady Selena was going to the capital with His Excellency, and thus, they¡¯re in a hurry. ¡®To order more fancy clothes and accessories, and to spread the word¡¯, was what she said. In other words, they were going to prepare for her harassment. A villain must be diligent. ¡°It¡¯s from the capital.¡± Selena didn¡¯t even get a chance to greet them, but she pretended to be happy. She knew that the more she¡¯s stepped on, the more annoyed she¡¯d be. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be taking our leave, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Miss Rosalyn~¡± Rosalyn did not care to turn her head like Fionel, nor did she ask to see her again, not even as a courtesy. ¡°If that happens.¡± Rosalyn smiled, getting on her wagon with a short remark. The sun was warm but failed in eliminating the cold. ¡®If that happens.¡¯ Was she saying Fionel was going to die in the hands of the people Rosalyn planted before she even sets off for the capital? Or something was to happen on the path to the capital? She might not simply mean an unspecified reply that ¡®the Duke will abandon you¡¯. That was something Fionel would say. ¡°We should stick together more often from today.¡± Selena bounced onto Kalcion¡¯s arms. He stood frozen until the carriage left his view before looking down at Selena. She gave a tight squeeze on his arm. ¡°From now on, I think we¡¯ll be entering a battlefield of flying swords.¡± He clenched his fist in response. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Starting today, Mrs. Janet¡¯s class was to be attended by Kalcion. ¡°There are not many things Your Excellency needs to understand, but if he is familiar with a few, we will focus on those that are easier.¡± ¡°Wow, her attitude changed.¡± Selena spoke out what was supposed to be just her thoughts. Immediately, Mrs. Janet¡¯s eyes darted to Selena. ¡°Even a complaint should always be seen as a part of a polite conversation in the eyes of a third person. I believe I¡¯ve already mentioned it.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the scene. I¡¯m usually good at performing on stage and on TV.¡± ¡°Even when there are no eyes to judge, we should always pay attention to our behavior and try to make it a habit¡­¡­¡± Kalcion was taken aback. He definitely had never seen Mrs. Janet like this before. The head maid¡¯s mouth shut only after she spotted Kalcion¡¯s astonished look. ¡°¡­..I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s a difference between the etiquette Your Excellency and the Lady should know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s supposed to be¡­..¡± Selena tilted her head. She had never witnessed Mrs. Janet to be so embarrassed. ¡®It¡¯s supposed to be.¡¯ But Mrs. Janet confessed she did not know the reason, nor did the people she used to live with. Selena smirked. ¡°You know what, I didn¡¯t tell you I wasn¡¯t motivated because of the Duchess¡¯ position, did I?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Janet was startled. She, perhaps, was convinced that Selena was after the seat beside the Duke. ¡°I am not interested in that. I don¡¯t want to spend my whole life here. I¡¯m very much capable of taking care of myself once I return.¡± She was not lying. She had adjusted the terms of the contract with Kalcion. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have to teach me like you¡¯re preparing a future Duchess. Well, I don¡¯t know if you did it to anyone else.¡± The Baron¡¯s daughter, Irelle, was in her mind when she spoke her last words. People were bound to make mistakes, no matter how much they were raised in an aristocratic family. They might forget or inadvertently develop a habit. If all of them were pointed out, would they be able to hide in peacefully? Only then did Kalcion start feeling nervous, finally realizing the change in the atmosphere. Excessive loyalty could sometimes pose as a stumbling block. ¡°Let us proceed with the lesson to only the extent we need, as long as it doesn¡¯t undermine Renbird¡¯s reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, we shall do as you say.¡± Mrs. Janet bowed obediently to Kalcion. She was submissive enough to make Selena wonder if she was the same as before. Selena smiled bitterly. *** The lecture began momentarily. Selena did excellently well, as Mrs. Janet had reported before. It was Kalcion who was wandering off. ¡°Your Grace, the signal meant ¡®to meet at the terrace¡¯.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°But Your Excellency cannot respond to that with ¡®asking directly to a girl¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kalcion knew the basic social etiquette. So, of course, he expected the rest to be easy. Wait, I¡¯ll give you a look at his prediction. The level of socializing that Kalcion knew was only up to greetings. Other secretive languages or more precisely, gestures, included expressions of the eyes, shaping the lips, positioning the fingers, shaking or bending the shoulders, and so on. ¡°Are all of them familiar with these?¡± ¡°Ladies are. For men, very few of them as they often talk in person.¡± Kalcion sighed, looking up at the ceiling. For this reason, he couldn¡¯t know everything in the social circle. ¡°Which means they could have been talking to each other right before me.¡± Mrs. Janet did not answer, but it now hit his clueless mind. Selena smiled slyly, slightly raising her eyebrow and poking his cheek with the fourth finger of her right hand. It meant ¡®Foolish Duke¡¯. Kalcion frowned at her action. ¡°I can understand that.¡± ¡°Oh, my. What does it mean?¡± Selena smiled brightly, tilting her head as if she were at a gathering. She swept down the back of his right hand with her left palm and grabbed his pinky finger. ¡®So do you understand this as well? Let¡¯s get a room, then.¡¯ She could memorize all the gestures she learned. ¡®There are a lot of rooms. Let¡¯s use a cozy room.¡¯ Kalcion silently retorted. Selena muttered to herself, ¡°Even if you¡¯re acting so bluntly like that, doesn¡¯t the seductive side of you get a good feeling?¡± Selena¡¯s meanness stuck to the corners of her mouth. She wanted to witness Kalcion¡¯s face harden or redden with embarrassment. ¡®Alone?¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s your point?¡¯ ¡®I feel lonely.¡¯ ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be more lonely if you were alone tonight?¡¯ Mrs. Janet didn¡¯t tell her but it was easy to apply. ¡®I¡¯ll gather some time.¡¯ ¡®Be with me.¡¯ Mrs. Janet grimaced, but Selena did not stop. No, she could not stop it because it had already started. Whatever anyone said, it was a secret conversation between the two. That¡¯s how society worked. She was confident enough to have a secret social conversation. ¡®At 12 o¡¯clock, with a sword in the detached building¨C¡¯ ¡®In bed.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kalcion¡¯s hand paused. ¡°Miss Selena.¡± Mrs. Janet stepped in, unable to look at their gestures anymore. ¡°We¡¯re trying to practice here.¡± Selena nonchalantly made an excuse. ¡°What if another woman tries to seduce him like this? We have to rehearse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like it will¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Kalcion¡¯s words were cut off. No one was sure. There would be only two of them who¡¯d attend from Renbird and the question was how many people would approach either of them. ¡°It¡¯d be nice if you refuse, but you might think it¡¯d be your fault because you¡¯re in the same team, right?¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if I didn¡¯t learn these and just ignored everything like I did until now.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how do you think you¡¯re going to get the signal I¡¯m going to send you?¡± ¡®The woman in that red dress, she¡¯s been staring at me.¡¯ She sent an incidental message as if to prove it. Kalcion shook his head. He had already lost his motivation. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go into the social circle alone?¡± ¡°At least the Duke should accompany us to present ourselves first.¡± ¡°I am the guest according to the invitation.¡± ¡°Which is why you must do something alone at a party where no one¡¯s paying any attention.¡± Kalcion said something ridiculous. He must really be against performing like this. He stopped again when he realized that Selena was right. ¡°Don¡¯t be so tactless, just try to give your best.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t joke around.¡± Selena¡¯s face lost all its emotions. Why was she risking her life here? But, she couldn¡¯t yell it out because of Mrs. Janet. On the other hand, Kalcion was quiet. He could sense the new turn in the air around him. ¡®Don¡¯t look at another woman after you get to know me.¡¯ She sent a signal to ease the mood. Of course, this was, as well, within the scope of Mrs. Janet¡¯s teaching. Would it be good if a brilliant student of hers couldn¡¯t apply it properly? ¡®I don¡¯t.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re lying.¡¯ She was looking forward to it. She wondered how the wooden Kalcion could prove it. He rose from his seat, extending his arm towards Selena. ¡°The conversational lesson seems to be enough, so let us stop here and proceed with the dancing lesson.¡± ¡°¡­¡­All of a sudden?¡± Kalcion looked down at Selena, still not taking away his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate it with my body.¡± ¡®Gasp¡¯ Selena and Mrs. Janet¡¯s eyes widened at the same time. ¡°Oh¨COh, my¨CYou¨CY-You must be crazy.¡± Sometimes, it¡¯s even scarier when people, who never one danced, did it. ¡°If you ever receive a request, you must accept it. Except for situations where your feet hurt too much or you can¡¯t dance for any longer.¡± Mrs. Janet stepped in, trying to keep her name and thought of something in order to teach. ¡°You can turn it down on the pretext that your feet hurt, right?¡± ¡°If you refuse, it is polite to be escorted to the lounge with the help of the person who asked you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.That means, there¡¯s no way to turn someone down.¡± ¡°In order for a man to be qualified as a partner, he must exchange signals in advance and make eye contact at least three times when one song is over. It is rude to request for a dance without it, so you can ignore it.¡± Although she did not exchange the signals with Kalcion, she had stared at him the whole time. ¡®So, this is it. Let¡¯s hit it.¡¯ She coyly placed her palm over his, while his bigger, hard, calloused hand wrapped around hers. She rose up from her seat, rolling up the corners of her lips. ¡°Oh, Cion, you¡¯ve hardened just from touching my fingers, and now you have to get used to it, don¡¯t you?¡± He was calm, but as soon as Selena used her words, his hand flinched. ¡°If you want to dance, you can¡¯t just stand around like this.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was an excuse. Holding her hand, Kalcion led her to the center of the hall. From the beginning, the class was held in a hall to mimic the atmosphere of the banquet as much as possible. They were sitting on chairs with a table in front of them on one corner of the small hall. The space in the center was large enough to hold a dance. ¡°Have you learned how to dance?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°When we get an escort to the center of the hall, we first greet each other.¡± Kalcion taught her the way of greeting. The partners should bow gently to each other. He greeted her before reaching out for her hand again. ¡°Now, the other hand.¡± She did as he said. Grabbing her fingers, Kalcion brought his lips to the back of her palm. They almost touched. Her shoulders trembled as the soft lips met their destination. She pretended not to be flustered, but she couldn¡¯t hide it from Kalcion, who had a keen sense as a knight. He swiftly raised up his head, his eyes meeting her red cheeks. It had always been Selena who¡¯d tease him, so this was her first time to be teased back. She swallowed on her dry lump, desperately trying not to let the fire escape from her cheeks. Kalcion graciously let it go without further teasing. ¡°Now, the basic steps. You don¡¯t have to memorize the pattern. If someone pushes it like this, he steps in that direction, and if he pulls it like this, it¡¯s the other way around.¡± As his class began, the fire on her cheeks quickly subsided. Kalcion focused only on teaching the steps. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll know more about it once we try it.¡± ¡°Very well, let us proceed.¡± Kalcion earnestly reorganized his posture before starting to dance. He placed his palm around her back while his free hand held hers. And then, his eyes met hers. Both of them spared a moment to take a short breath. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 She was jokingly putting her face in front of Kalcion¡¯s nose, but it was the first time that she¡¯d truly met his eyes. Facing those intense gleams that seemed to pierce a person, her body stiffened. Bluish gray. An interesting color, she thought. The pupil was darker, close to turquoise, and the middle part of the iris was adorned with a faded blue color mixed with streaks of gray up to the edge. At some point, she found herself staring at them as if she was being sucked in them. After blinking her eyes and shaking a little, as if to free herself from sharp scissors, she came to her senses. ¡°So you¡¯ve learned how to dance, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It is needed at various events even when I don¡¯t get indulged into socializing.¡± However, Kalcion kept his eyes fixed on Selena while he answered. Somehow, his voice was rough and low. She, again, forgot how to breathe out. ¡®Why does it feel like I¡¯m getting strangled¡­..?¡¯ Her lips felt dry. Feeling on edge, she quickly turned her gaze at the floor. It seemed her palms were sweaty. Wriggling her fingers, she adjusted her grip that felt to be slipping out. Kalcion made the first move. In the absence of music, the bodies of the two began to move according to the beat under his lead. She counted his steps, her body gradually relaxing with the flow. Kalcion¡¯s moves were not very hard for her to follow. The moves came as easily as she predicted. His moves seemed too honest for a blunt person like him. His hands, which led her and was wrapped around her hand and waist, were more polite and tight than she expected. He was embarrassed and genuinely apologized every time he acted rudely to her. Even though he wasn¡¯t very associated with women, he was very careful about his attitude. ¡®¡­..He¡¯s complicated.¡¯ Even though she had quite the opposing idea about men. No, she didn¡¯t need to. There was no reason for her to understand him. Everything in this world was meant to be meaningless to Selena, who was destined to return anytime. There was no need for her to let herself have an interest in it. He was just the Duke of North, but for the first time, just a ¡®man¡¯ named Kalcion appeared to her. Her eyes were burning with wonder. They aimlessly wandered to his chest through his Adam¡¯s apple. However, she let her eyes fall again on the next step. This time, she felt herself getting excited. Her gaze naturally rose to his face. Her lightly folded eyes met Kalcion¡¯s indifferent gaze. Meanwhile, his eyes, which had faithfully fulfilled his ¡®dance performance¡¯, futtered. He stopped. His head was blank and he couldn¡¯t even remember what came next. Still, his eyes didn¡¯t fall. A beat passed as they stared at each other. They exhaled through their lips as the air somehow felt stuffy between them. She was the first one to break the silence. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Ah.¡± Only then did he realize he had stopped his steps. His expression was blank with his eyes wide open, as if he had just woken up from his dream. ¡°It was fun to dance without any music. The Duke was very indulged, I guess.¡± ¡°Fun¡­..? Was it to you?¡± ¡°Yes! Isn¡¯t it to everyone else? I mean, how can dancing not be fun?¡± Kalcion felt mentally flustered. She smiled as she said it was fun, her eyes slightly closing. Two of their voices simultaneously echoed in their head. ¡®You don¡¯t look cool. Rather, you¡¯re like a wooden doll when you dance.¡¯ ¡®Well, unexpectedly, the Duke did good. So, I¡¯d say, it was fun.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know which side said the truth, but it was definitely the latter that made her heart cry. ¡°What in the¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± Selena, who was still shiny and dazzling under him, smiled again, tilting her head sideways. Kalcion¡¯s fingers, supporting her back, stiffened and his Adam¡¯s apple bounced as he gulped audibly. ¡°Why are you good at everything?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± There were words he wanted to say, but he could not. However, he was helpless. The limit of the cold Duke. He couldn¡¯t say anything else since he had never faced anyone like this before. ¡°How can a beginner¡¯s skill be so fine? Did you happen to have participated in a ball before?¡± ¡°Oh¡­..A-Am I a good dancer?¡± She laughed at his cold tone before continuing. ¡°What kind of compliments are given in serious tones? I got scared.¡± She drew back her hand, which had started to sweat, when she thought the dance was over. His hand fell beside him to clench into a fist. ¡°I told you. I¡¯m good at everything that I can do with my body.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a skill you need to learn to dance.¡± ¡°The principle was only to dance. So, if you know the basic steps, you can learn it quickly.¡± On theatrical stages, not only did she act, but also dance and sing. She even knew a few styles of ballet, swing, salsa, tango, and other random things. The dance of this world was only a little different from the basic steps, but the principle was similar. It was especially easier for Selena, who learned all kinds of dances. ¡°Is it the same for you with etiquette?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little more complicated than dancing¡­¡­.but, that¡¯s what aristocrats do.¡± Even Mrs. Janet, who stood far away from them, was surprised. Some people were criticized for being shallow even if they were being educated to be mature from birth. It was definitely unbelievable that someone could learn so swiftly right after copying the steps. She wasn¡¯t only talented in social etiquette, but also at grasping directions in every field. *** Selena¡¯s education ended earlier than what was expected thanks to her applying her talent in whatever she learned. Mrs. Janet¡¯s nagging also shrank day by day. The pace also quickened since Kalcion had begun to join the lesson. In most cases, Selena was found much more sophisticated and skillful. She quickly and perfectly prepared herself to face this world¡¯s social circle. All that was left was preparing their necessities for the journey. It would take a week to 10 days to reach the Capital from Renbird by carriage. However, Kalcion predicted it might take a little more than 10 days if they were to travel on a safe route. They did not know how long they¡¯d spend on the journey. So, they had to pack like they were going on an immigration. ¡°We¡¯ll have all your luggage prepared, so just relax, Miss.¡± Juna told Selena in a kind tone. Several other maids were working diligently with the luggage bags opened all over the room. ¡°No, since it¡¯s my luggage, I¡¯ll have to look.¡± Selena was always serious about packing. She always had to move to a new destination because of her job as an actor. No matter how close the place was, she always packed the luggage herself. Her manager usually took care of the bigger luggage involved with her work, but there was always a personal luggage that she had to take on her own. That is because she knew she¡¯d get in trouble if she needed anything else. Selena wasn¡¯t packing, but she sat on a chair watching the maids pack. ¡°Miss, can I put this in?¡± She watched while the maids began to ask one by one. Golden and silvery accessories, shoes, and piles of clothes. Most of them were items she¡¯d never seen. ¡°Please pack all the clothes, shoes, and accessories.¡± As she thought, she had to carry everything. After they reach the capital, they¡¯d have to stay there for a long time before they return back to Renbird. And that day would be the day they¡¯d find the criminal and thus, the time she¡¯d return to her original world. ¡°The clothes to be changed into, the undergarments, nightgowns, and slippers to be worn in the room is to be kept in one bag.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maid skillfully packed them. ¡°Oh, except for that.¡± The nightgown, which had made both Selena and Kalcion fall into embarrassment, was almost mixed in with the bunch. ¡°Uh¡­..¡± Selena delightfully ignored the light grumbling of Juna. When the packing of the essentials was finished, Selena left. As she stepped out into the hallway, Juna naturally followed her. From some point, she was always beside Selena as if it was normal. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Miss Selena feel excited?¡± Selena¡¯s businesslike attitude seemed strange to her. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve heard a lot from Mrs. Janet, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh¡­..well, still, it¡¯s the capital. Doesn¡¯t it make you feel butterflies in your stomach?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thrilled.¡± With the tension and nervousness ahead in the job. If what happened at Renbird was a trailer, what was awaited in the capital was the whole movie. Renbird was just a place for reading the script. The Capital, on the other hand, would be a place to broadcast it live before the entire nation. In Renbird, she¡¯d heard threats from Fionel and Rosalyn in a row and endured Mrs. Janet¡¯s indirect attack. She couldn¡¯t let her guard down now. She had already faced four in Renbird. But, it wouldn¡¯t just be verbal attacks that were waiting in the capital. In addition, the capital was home to both Fionel and Rosalyn. They would not be calm since Selena was within the palms of Kalcion here. Instead, she¡¯d have to face more threats as well. ¡®Wow.¡¯ She was so terribly excited that her heart was pounding. ¡°Haaa¡­..I am so anxious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. You¡¯re very beautiful. No one would even bother you because they¡¯d be blinded by your beauty.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll relieve your tension in a moment! You might feel better if you have a piece of cake.¡± In this way, Juna took care of Selena as if she was a manager. Within just a few days of seeing her, she became too fond of her. ¡®Let¡¯s see how far your hands can go.¡¯ Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Juna was one of the maids who accompanied Irelle to the capital. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Selena secretively furrowed her eyebrows. Juna could also be an indirect suspect. She wouldn¡¯t have just killed Irelle herself. However, it was highly likely that she had contributed to her death without realizing it. It was particularly revealed in Juna¡¯s reaction to Irelle. Her being ¡°one of the maids¡± clearly meant that she was close to Irelle. Even if she was the daughter of a noble, Irelle needed financial support. Or else, she wouldn¡¯t have slept in the castle of Kalcion, the ruler of the North. Moreover, this was not a marriage out of love but a political marriage. With her fianc¨¦e ¨C Kalcion ¨C not even giving her a glimpse, and Mrs. Janet, asking her to act like a Duchess, what if there was a maid who was friendly enough to listen to all her complaints? ¡®She¡¯d have talked about all sorts of things and relied on them.¡¯ Selena had been busy for the past few days as well. No matter how big of a genius she was, she had to learn a heap of new things. Now that she was finished, this was the right time for her to ask. ¡°Are you done with your duties already, Juna?¡± Selena asked. This time again, the number of employees accompanying them on the journey must have been decided. What would happen if Juna followed this time as well? It would, of course, intensify Mrs. Janet¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Ah¡­..No, I did not hear anything about it.¡± ¡°Oh, I thought you were coming with me.¡± ¡°Mrs. Janet is in charge of the selection¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been there before.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.That¡¯s because Miss Irelle specifically asked for me.¡± ¡®Okay.¡¯ Selena had confirmed one thing that Juna was not Mrs. Janet¡¯s servant. So, she might have to take Juna to get the first clue. ¡°Oh. Then, can I request for you to join me?¡± Juna¡¯s silvery eyes shined. Selena waited. ¡°Then Miss Selena will get a companion to talk to!¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it! Join me!¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m so thrilled!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Selena¡¯s face broke into a bright smile. ¡®Accompany me. And, do what you used to do.¡¯ If Juna went there, Selena might be able to tail her to her owner. And, perhaps in this way, she might be able to catch the culprit. Rehearsal The date of departure was just around the corner. All Selena did was prepare for the ride. The other things were left to Mrs. Janet. She wasn¡¯t a woman of profit, wasn¡¯t a duchess, but just a woman who did not care about what Selena needed. ¡®But this is¡­¡­.¡¯ As the door opened, Selena glanced inside the waiting carriage. Luxurious, fluffy couch, and large windows. However, it was not what she had expected. ¡°Please step in, Miss.¡± The chauffeur, who was holding the door, politely urged her. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°His Excellency has prepared this for you. The servants and maids will travel in separate wagons.¡± She didn¡¯t have to ask who ordered for it. ¡°I won¡¯t ride in this.¡± She closed the door herself and turned on her heel to find Kalcion¡¯s carriage. It wasn¡¯t hard to spot his wagon as his carriage was the largest of them all. ¡°Uh, Miss¡­¡­.!¡± A knight waiting next to Kalcion¡¯s carriage immediately stood straight when he recognized Selena. It was Dion. ¡°We will be leaving soon. Why aren¡¯t you in your¡ª¡± She was annoyed. Ignoring him, her hands opened the door of the wagon. Kalcion, who was sitting inside, looked up in surprise. The door shouldn¡¯t have been opened without his permission, but here she was. She felt nervous for a moment, but she braced herself up. ¡°What.¡± Only after checking Selena¡¯s face did his anger soared in him. It was usually rude to not ask for permission, but he knew Selena was out of range. Instead of giving him an explanation, she ascended the carriage and sat next to him, closing the door behind her. ¡°Was anything wrong with that carriage?¡± ¡°You just left it to Mrs. Janet, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, she was previously in charge of all this. Is there a problem with her assignment?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be a problem if I travel in a different carriage?¡± ¡°Why will there be?¡± She wanted to end the conversation with those continued questions. Her short patience could not endure it. ¡°If I travel by a carriage all by myself, then I¡¯ll be the only one who¡¯ll know what is going to happen in that carriage.¡± ¡°You can join me once we cross the perimeter of the western territory.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°You will be within the territory of Renbird that¡¯s why I chose to travel by the route that¡¯d take three more days to get to Anjin.¡± If it was to be three more days, the security would be thorough. However, this did not convince her enough. ¡°There¡¯s a great risk factor coming in, don¡¯t you think?¡± Kalcion crossed his arms before his chest. ¡°They can¡¯t do anything big where my eyes can¡¯t reach at least.¡± He seemed to have been offended that crimes might happen within his own territory. ¡°One nominal like you may not see it. How can one who hasn¡¯t seen it can help?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kalcion did not actively sympathize, but neither did he deny it. ¡°That¡¯s why, I¡¯m just going to ride in this carriage.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± It was easier than she thought. The allocation of wagons was not even in the category that he would care about. He took out his documents as soon as the wagon started moving. He could easily read them in a rattling carriage. She had nothing to do or no one to talk to, so she just gazed outside the window. She was enjoying the view. The central city of Renbird estate, Silenza, was larger than it could have been seen from a high place. It took hours to get out of the city on the central road. She lost track of time, watching the buildings and people passing by. She felt strange when most of the people bowed or waved at her, but she returned it with a smile. ¡®The one who¡¯ll become the Duchess will be living like this.¡¯ The life of sitting on top of everyone would be incomparable to the throne in a simple play. ¡®But, I will not envy you.¡¯ She spent a short period of time with the Duke, but nothing important was built on it. She¡¯d understand that the previous Duchess was crazy about shopping and holding parties. It was difficult for her to find a hobby to relieve her stress, and she had no friends to see. ¡®Shopping can work in stress.¡¯ While she kept pondering over certain things, the carriage left the city. The scenery that followed next were grassland and wilderness. She was amazed to watch the serene grasslands pass by. The Masu Mountains, which extended endlessly to one side, were one of the interesting landscapes. It was as if a wall had been built at the end of the plains. But only for a while. When the mountains never stopped appearing, she sunk down on her cushion, seemingly bored. The whole time, Kalcion had his eyes fixed on the files in his hands. Even when the wagon was shaking and when the road got worse outside the city. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kalcion replied without raising his eyes. ¡°A report.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Only then did his eyes rise up to her. They said, ¡°Will you know if I told you?¡± ¡°Research statistics and analysis of urban population aggregation and local population distribution policies.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she could understand that he was focused on the profound work of management of the Renbird territory. She had no desire to disturb his important work just because she was bored. Selena became quiet without making a sound, taking a peep at the window again. It had been a long time, but there was still a plain on one side and the Masu Mountains on the other. Her conscience evaporated from boredom. ¡°What is it this time?¡± She asked before Kalcion could take out another bundle of documents. ¡°Report on the method of minimizing heat loss in hot spring water pipes.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡­..¡± Once again, only the rattle of the wagon filled the silence. She knew she¡¯d only see the plains and the mountains if she took a peek again at the window. She couldn¡¯t wait until Kalcion changed the documents again. ¡°What kind of research is that?¡± To her surprise, Kalcion looked up. ¡°Are you curious about this?¡± She was bored, so she nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I am, very much!¡± Had she ever been so interested in learning these? Definitely not, but it didn¡¯t matter now. She was very curious. She was curious about the molecular structure of hot spring water. Kalcion tilted his head as she watched Selena, who was waiting for an explanation with a twinkle in her eyes. Usually, as far as she knew, no one was this joyful before. She was interested in it even if he knew she wouldn¡¯t be interested in taking jobs in the field. ¡°¡­..You¡¯ll feel like you are being punished.¡± She was a top actor with the most glamorous beauty. She would always be interested in learning how to act to set different types of personalities. But, she was really strange outside. ¡°Renbird¡­¡­¡± Kalcion slowly began as he gazed at the Saindart Mountains, which is also known as the Early Masu Mountains. Explanation of the world was needed first in order to answer the process. He decided to give her a general explanation of this world before they reached the capital. ¡°Renbird is a territory that includes the northern lands of the continent, stretching to both ¨C east and west. That is the reason it¡¯s underneath the borders of the rest of the countries.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like a lid.¡± Quickly understanding his explanation, she applied an example. ¡°That¡¯s right. Above the Anne of Redbird is where the Saindart Mountains cross, and above them, there¡¯s a land where humans aren¡¯t allowed to go.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t they cross the mountain range or come across the seas?¡± Kalcion smiled faintly at her question. Not a laugh, not a cynicism, but a smile that said she was honestly cute. ¡°Hmm?!¡± Selena blushed at his warm gaze that found her eyes. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¡°Because there will be no mana in the sea.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..I see.¡± ¡°Most of them can¡¯t come down because they¡¯re blocked by mountain ranges. However, when winter arrives, people who move south develop symptoms of diseases.¡± Kalcion continued joyfully, as if his eyes had opened to the fun of teaching. Selena was smart, but she was not talented in studying. Therefore, she rarely received the teacher¡¯s commendable light during her school days. However, here, she was gravely concentrated as if she had unknowingly been sucked in. ¡°That¡¯s the best part of the Northern Continent.¡± That¡¯s how the population¡¯s going to be. It was as large as any other metropolitan city. ¡°The North is usually hard to live in.¡± ¡°Yes, the other lands in Renbird are. Only Silenza is worth living in because of the hot springs that run from the Saindart Mountains.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why it was warm even though it¡¯s winter.¡± Selena followed more brilliantly than she thought. Kalcion nodded satisfactorily, feeling proud. ¡°There are hot spring water pipes running underground of Silenza. The hot water goes into each house.¡± In short, a geyser for the entire city. Whenever she turned the faucet on, hot water flowed out of it. ¡®Isn¡¯t it worth living for?!¡¯ Besides, it was not just hot water, but hot spring water. A resource desirable to sell. Unaware of Selena¡¯s snobbish ideas, Kalcion continued. ¡°So far, it has been doing well, but as the population grows, the requirements of Silenza are also increasing. We need to find a measure to keep the hot spring water warm.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­. It¡¯s like you¡¯re maintaining a country.¡± ¡°Close to a country. It¡¯s a land with no central interference.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you pay any taxes?¡± ¡°Renbird is duty-free since it has contributed to the foundation of the empire.¡± Not only was the land separated, but the system was completely independent. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to be independent? You don¡¯t have to keep going back and forth to the capital.¡± A common sense. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± However, Kalcion replied uncomfortably. ¡°I¡¯m sure all the Dukes have thought about it, but why didn¡¯t they help? Oh, is it that difficult?¡± ¡°No, not that difficult. Militarily or economically, they¡¯re already separated and they¡¯re not dangerous.¡± ¡°But, why did you not bother to solve it first?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s more annoying.¡± ¡°Oh..¡­¡­¡± ¡®I see¡­¡­. I can¡¯t say anything in this.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s just a once-a-year bother, but I have a lot of other things to do to become independent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to just make an effort for once?¡± ¡°I heard that my predecessors were one-fold more troubled than I was.¡± A gene responsible for bad interpersonal relationships was passed down to every generation of the Northern Duke¡¯s family. ¡°And, until the Crown Prince was appointed, this was practically nonexistent.¡± ¡°The Prince? Isn¡¯t the Crown Prince stronger than the Duke?¡± He almost laughed without realizing it. Whenever he was with this woman, he felt like his mind was going disarray. ¡°There are many reasons. First of all, there was a problem with the wealth.¡± ¡°What about money? Don¡¯t you have money for the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°The more the wealth, the better. Power comes from wealth.¡± The bottom line was that the Crown Prince was a greedy person who wanted everything. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no end to greed as a Prince.¡± ¡°Prince Larsen is in a very unstable position. He¡¯s trying to compensate.¡± ¡®So, he¡¯s been playing a political conflict as well.¡¯ A scenario of the royal tombstone crossed her mind. Although he was a crown prince, his position was unstable, so he wanted to boost his power by grabbing the aristocracy. A noble with such a powerful force as Kalcion would be more likely to be defeated and feared under his feet. ¡°That must be annoying.¡± The Prince was one to attack, gritting under their breath until their opponent got exhausted. He would not quit unless Kalcion retreated from political strife or fell to the bottom. ¡®Huh?¡¯ She suddenly looked up at him as the thought crossed her mind. If it¡¯s not Kalcion falling to the bottom, it would be him dying. Kalcion had no siblings. If he died, that immensely large territory and wealth would be returned to the royal estate. ¡®¡­¡­.It¡¯s about wealth, then.¡¯ ¡®To murder his prospective fianc¨¦e so that he can¡¯t have a heir¡­¡­.? So that Kalcion will greet his death all by himself.¡¯ A cold shiver ran down her spine. ¡°¡­¡­Could the Crown Prince be one of the suspects?¡± Kalcion seemed to have felt the shiver at the same time. Even his eyes flashed coldly. ¡°Whether he was directly responsible or not, I think he was related to it.¡± This was not something women could know. It was a political relationship that Kalcion directly clashed with. She had great assurance. ¡°Please protect my life.¡± Selena exhaled heavily. She thought, soon, she¡¯d have to start negotiating again. *** Unlike Selena¡¯s complicated mind, the carriage ran smoothly. Their carriage made its way into a large castle around lunch time. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°This place belongs to Dunfel.¡± ¡°Oh, are we going to eat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She felt a little better and a bit relieved when she heard of food. The hillside was larger than she thought. Compared to Silenza, it was small, but it was a well-equipped building with proper walls. The carriage clattered into a large mansion. ¡°Ah.¡± As the carriage approached the gate, she could see some of the knights standing in front of it. Similarly built as Kalcion¡¯s knights, but they were wearing a simpler uniform. ¡°Oh, my. What should I do? I thought we were just here to have a meal.¡± Selena said, patting her face like a child. ¡°Ah, what should I do? There¡¯s definitely someone in charge out there, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, there is.¡± ¡°Argh! What do I do? I didn¡¯t dress up properly because I didn¡¯t know we¡¯d stop by somewhere! My hair is a mess.¡± She screamed, panicking about her hair being ruffled by the wind. ¡°Wait, if I can do it here¡­¡­¡± ¡°Here? Like this?¡± ¡°No, not this way.¡± Meanwhile, the carriage was getting closer to the entrance. Anxious, both of them began losing their composure. ¡°If I can comb my hair¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, just come over here and do it yourself!¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Kalcion got up, as if to move to her side. At that same moment, the wagon halted before the door. ¡°Ngh¡­¡­!¡± Kalcion lost his balance. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Surprised, she screamed as she felt being thrown off at the sudden stop. Kalcion, unable to keep his balance, wobbled unsteadily. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?!¡± Dion hurriedly opened the door of the carriage, rushing to their aid. Kalcion¡¯s groan and Selena¡¯s scream could be assumed in other ways as well. And, he was not mistaken when he opened the door. It was just that the timing was terrible. ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I-Is anything¡­¡­..Ah.¡± As if Dion¡¯s brain circuit broke at the scene inside the carriage. The representative, who was waiting at the entrance of the mansion, also met a similar fate. Selena and Kalcion were tangled in each other. Her hair was messed up, her mouth was dry, her back was worn, her hands were touching his chest, and they were half overlapped in each other. The final blow was their disorganized breathing. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± No one could speak. The first one to come to her senses was Selena. ¡°Kyaa!¡± She crouched while screaming, hiding behind Kalcion. Kalcion hugged her body in an awkward embrace, blocking her from the eyes of the people. ¡°¡­¡­..Bring a maid to help.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes! I will!¡± The door closed with a thud. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The carriage was filled with silence. They couldn¡¯t even move a single strand of hair. ¡°I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yeah.¡± Surprised, Kalcion stepped aside in a flash. He sat on the seat opposite to hers, but the awkwardness in the air did not end. Selena couldn¡¯t even speak because she felt as if she was being choked. It never happened before. The romantic scene of ¡®meeting her love after years¡¯ that she filmed in a program she signed for flashed up in her mind in the next second. However, this was just an accident, but her face was burning. ¡®¡­¡­.Just surprised, yeah, I¡¯m just surprised.¡¯ She tried to calm herself down. ¡°Juna is here, Miss Selena.¡± At the same time, Juna knocked on the door. ¡°Please come in!¡± She had brought all her fancy clothes and makeup tools for her. He couldn¡¯t get out of the carriage, but neither could he look at her. If he went out, the others would think Selena was neglected. To act as someone precious to Kalcion, Selena had to move with him. Agreeing to that, Kalcion stayed in the carriage. However, his heart never stopped beating horribly. The place where he stared at was the corner of the carriage. He had never done such a lame thing in his life. He felt ashamed. The idea of getting off the carriage penetrated his mind again. ¡°You¡¯re all set.¡± In the meantime, Selena¡¯s glooming look was over. Juna, who helped, was also good at preparing her. Juna got off the wagon, officially opening the door. This time, the representative bowed politely and gracefully with a stern look on his face. ¡°I sincerely welcome His Excellency, the Duke. Please come in.¡± She pouted when he did not even spare a look at Selena. The fact that her face had already been captured made her take the next step forward. ¡°Oh, my dear Duke.¡± Kalcion¡¯s back straightened at her sweet voice calling him. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 The people around him were tense about what he might say next. He felt himself getting embarrassed as if his mouth was full of sugar, which he never ate. ¡®How can there be such a beautiful woman in this world?!¡¯ At the same time, his insides screamed. ¡®How can her voice be so beautiful?!¡¯ But, the shocked expression was missing from his face. Kalcion stiffened, indifferent to the woman¡¯s appearance. Selena¡¯s beauty was lethal to ordinary people who were interested in women or to those who liked pretty things. He could not say how they would look at her. ¡®Hmm, this is familiar.¡¯ Selena gracefully reached out, snaking her arm around his. Some would freeze in mid-way, but for her, it was as natural as the passing of the breeze. She smiled as his firm but warm grip covered her hand. ¡°My legs feel weak, so take me with you, Duke.¡± As soon as he was successful in covering up the embarrassment, her next blow froze the air around him quickly. The two of them were confined in one carriage. As soon as the door was opened, they looked like they were caught in an act. What were the two doing to make her legs hurt? Imagination was bound to go in the most stimulating direction. However, ¡°Oh, my, what¡¯s wrong with your faces? My legs feel numb because I was sitting on a rattling seat for too long.¡± Selena, unlike the people who were rigid to their imagination, did not forget to smile. As if she was making fun of them. But on the other hand, it was only one way to survive. The people politely bowed, aware of everything Selena intended, but nothing happened. ¡°I-Is that so? It is a rough road, Lady. Let us help¡ª¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t like it, Duke.¡± Selena complained sweetly as the representative motioned to call a servant. Kalcion silently kept holding her as if he had been assigned to take care of her from the moment she was born. ¡®The longer the situation gets, the more embarrassing it gets.¡¯ Now he had learned, too. Selena smiled satisfactorily, wrapping her arms around his neck. ¡°I want to lie down in a comfortable place. I¡¯m tired of sitting.¡± Her voice was as soft as a butterfly. It was not only Kalcion¡¯s illusion that ¡®lie down¡¯ sounded especially loud and strong in his ears. His knees and arms, which were supporting her back, stiffened. Selena could barely hold in her laughter. On the surface, she was as cool and calm as the morning breeze, but the boyish clown inside her threatened to soar out. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± He was the same as the attendants who were holding their jaw in place in anticipation. Kalcion fell into deep utter confusion. What kind of expression should he make? Where should he look? ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and go in, huh? I¡¯m hungry, too.¡± Among them, Selena was the only one who continued her unwavering and cruel aegyo. ¡°P-Please come this way!¡± The representative walked ahead. He knew how great Kalcion was. And now, he came to know an unidentified woman holding him. ¡°Ah, may I ask, who is this Lady¡­¡­..¡± He couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Selena¡¯s elegant aegyo faced a crisis for the first time. She was obviously ¡®nothing¡¯ despite being at the peak of the food chain under the current circumstances. She had no official position nor was she officially declared as his lover. She was neither a precious daughter of a noble nor a friend. Just one. With Kalcion¡¯s acting, she could at least be his lover. But, there was a problem. ¡®Should I make it stronger?¡¯ She agonized over the policy she¡¯d adhered to. Until now, she had never stepped back. However, Kalcion¡¯s acting skills had always been reduced with each progress. Until now, she had been stuck to him. ¡®It¡¯ll be different from now on. Especially within the social circle.¡¯ There would be many times for her to meet him, but not enough time to stay beside him. She was just a leech. ¡°She¡­..¡± She shot at Kalcion as he began. She hoped he wouldn¡¯t reply as she was someone whom he had rescued from the mountains. If she had daggers in her gaze, Kalcion might have already been ragged to pieces. He brought strength in himself to not get stabbed to death. The words, which were not so awkward, one could say. It was not a lie, but only the truth. ¡°¡­¡­She¡¯s someone I¡¯m living with.¡± ¡®Phew¡­¡­¡¯ Her shoulders, which were stiffened with tension, slumped down. ¡®Well done¡­..¡¯ ¡°A-Ah¡­¡­I see¡­¡­¡± She forcibly pulled up the corners of her mouth to try to match the rhythm. But, it confused her. Even if his words made sense, that sounded even more strange. She had no choice but to step in, giving a loud slap on his shoulder. ¡°Oh, really, this Northern man is very hard to live with.¡± ¡°?!¡± Dunfel¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out from the sockets. It wasn¡¯t because of the management, but the knights, maids, and servants who followed. ¡®Ha.¡¯ Someone breathed in surprise. Among those surprised was Kalcion. ¡°I¡¯ve always asked you to introduce yourself nicely. What is this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Oh, haha. This Northern man is a bit blunt.¡± Despite his surprise, Dunfel tried to soften the mood by taking her words with a smile. ¡°I see. Would it be nice if we get a quiet place for you, Lady? It would make you fall asleep instantly.¡± ¡°Ahaha, oh, yes¡­¡­ Thank you for your help.¡± Her subtle hints popped out without any time of preparation. ¡°Anyway, about love. Do men in the north have a phobia of love?¡± ¡°Ahaha, just a little bit of¡­¡­no.¡± Sweats formed on Dunfel¡¯s back. If he sided with Selena, he would get cursed by Kalcion, but if he didn¡¯t side with her, he¡¯d be insulting Selena. Selena and Kalcion¡¯s eyes simultaneously turned to Dunfel. ¡°A single action is more important than a hundred words.¡± Dunfel cautiously looked up at the two. First of all, Kalcion was silent. Successful. Selena was¡­¡­ ¡°Hm.¡± She smirked. ¡°We¡¯ll see how true it is.¡± Despite her grumbling, Kalcion stayed silent. *** ¡°The meal has been prepared. The table has been set for you.¡± The attendants¡¯ tables were arranged in different rooms. However, there was only one chair. ¡°There¡¯s only one chair. Since you said you wanted to rest, I¡¯ll add a long sofa. So that you can lie down and eat comfortably¡­¡­.¡± Of course, Selena and Kalcion would have a meal at the same table. ¡°No, thank you.¡± However, she denied. ¡°Pardon? But¡­¡­¡­¡± Selena, who smiled at the hesitant manager, tightened her expression. No one could tell if it was a threat or an aegyo. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In terms of gullibility, a small finger of hers drew lines on his arm. Embarrassed by the unexpected gesture, Kalcion stiffened. ¡°I¡¯m curious how well my dear Cion can express himself. I¡¯m not going to lift a finger today.¡± Kalcion eyes harshly searched for answers, but of course, she was unfazed. ¡°I¡¯m going to sit on his lap and he¡¯s going to feed me.¡± Dunfel also wondered how far Kalcion could go. Watching was not a crime. Still, he had to ask the Duke. ¡®What should we do?¡¯ His servants were standing at the door, holding the sofa. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He exhaled a heavy breath. ¡°Instead, you have to listen to everything I say. Especially in front of people. No matter how crazy my point looks to you.¡± The voice reverent in his mind. The place was neither spiritual nor a social place. It was also within his territory. There might be a reason, but it wasn¡¯t a place to refute. He sat down with Selena in his arms. Soon, the food prepared came in through the door. ¡°Ah, no, no, smaller.¡± Selena continued to give orders on what to feed her. Kalcion¡¯s fingers tightened around the knife. The knife, made out of soft iron screamed, ¡®Should I keep you around like this?!¡¯ However, it was just his heart. ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s delicious! It¡¯s even better in Cion¡¯s hand!¡± She pretended. She had her reasons for doing this. The contract with Kalcion was not enough to protect her safety. It was worrisome that she might never escape if he suddenly changed his mind. So, as long as she was in this world, she had to at least make a pact so that he would not break the contract easily. It was not enough for a great and dangerous lover to be banished. At least, the woman belonged to the Duke of Renbird. From Kalcion¡¯s character, she could tell he wasn¡¯t someone who would get rid of her if she got annoying. However, there might still be a room for her to quit before disappearing. Therefore, she had to dig deeper into his life and society. To do so, it was essential to plant an unforgettable image in the eyes of everyone she met. And therefore, ¡°Aaah.¡± Selena opened her mouth with fierce determination to kill him if he did not feed her. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Kalcion did threaten Selena once, but he was not one who regularly threatened someone. Moreover, he did not prefer the means of intimidation himself. Threats were quite a distant word for him. They were embarrassing whether they were being threatened or not. It was not Kalcion¡¯s way to get hold of somebody¡¯s weakness. That¡¯s why he had a bad relationship with Prince Larsen. Prince Larsen was one who would gather anything to shake off his opponent. ¡®I am a royal, and you are just a Duke.¡¯ He even hurt Kalcion¡¯s pride by trying to supervise his rank in a lame manner. Apparently, when the Crown Prince did that, Kalcion felt disappointed enough to decide to become independent, but he didn¡¯t feel bad at Selena¡¯s words. Perhaps because the hand he was holding now belonged to someone simple. ¡®She¡¯s good at everything she does with her body.¡¯ His favorability for her had risen slightly. The quality of one¡¯s martial arts was one of the major factors that determined the likelihood of Kalcion as he was the type of human being who had spent most of his time with swords all his life and interacted with his knights. With a sense of satisfaction, he had been obedient to her orders. On the other hand, people around the two of them began having breathing difficulties. He accepted, releasing a deep sigh that he himself had stopped breathing momentarily when he was surprised by her act. None would have imagined that the Kalcion of Renbird would have a numbness in the world. After watching her for a long time, he concluded that Selena would not be safe if she, alone, was put in front of certain people. Dunfel was quite competent and ambitious. He had set his place as high as possible from where he could look into details. He was a child of a fallen aristocrat who immigrated from another region, but he managed to become a knight among the Knights of Renbird. How long had it taken since then for him to retire and receive a land to manage? The Duke of Renbird was not a man of flattery, but he had nothing to lose. Dunfel was caught in the eyes of Kalcion¡¯s predecessor because he had never sailed in his will. There was nothing different this time. If Kalcion chose a woman by himself, no matter what anybody said, she was all his. After cleaning up, Dunfel began to ponder. ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard the Lady¡¯s name yet¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Oh, right. It¡¯s Selena.¡± The manager cleverly avoided digging into the family. Selena was sitting on the Duke¡¯s lap, which seemed none less than a throne. His purpose today was neither to get more budget nor to ask the central aristocrat to build a bridge. What was more appropriate for a casual conversation was a love affair, a common topic and the climax of life that neither men or women and commoners, nobles, nor royalty could escape. Since he received an unexpected guest like this, a stage might be set up to make silly comments. ¡°Wow, you have a beautiful name.¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness, that¡¯s so sweet of you to say that.¡± Selena basically squinted at him, who was not as slick as a northern man. It was obvious why he was like this. To let Kalcion know that he would welcome ¡®anyone the Duke would bring¡¯. He might also want to spend time with a beautiful lady like her. When Selena did not contort, the manager spurred his servants. In essence, the more overlapping a joke was, the more effective it would be, and the more powerful it was, the more reliable it would be. ¡°Where did you meet such a beautiful lady who seems to exist out of this world?¡± Selena hurried to speak, but Kalcion intervened¡­.. ¡°Let¡¯s say, destiny?¡± ¡°In the mountains.¡± She was stunned. She almost led him to make the same mistake again. ¡°Ahaha¡­¡­. As expected, it seems that way. His Excellency isn¡¯t the kind of person you¡¯d normally meet at a party, but in the mountains¡­¡­ How was the hunt?¡± ¡°By chance.¡± ¡°In the middle of the hunt.¡± She gritted her teeth as Kalcion spoke again. ¡®Why is he answering all those questions so seriously?¡¯ ¡°I fell into a dangerous situation, but he saved me.¡± Selena hurriedly spoke, smiling calmly at the manager. At the same time, Kalcion awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Wait, you met her on the course of the hunt? That could have been a disaster. It¡¯s in the Saindart Mountains, correct? How did you get there?¡± ¡°It just happened to¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Monthly inspection.¡± ¡®Can¡¯t you see the situation here?!¡¯ Unable to stand him, she eventually slapped him on the arm. ¡°Oh, really, it wasn¡¯t! Why do you keep teasing me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His bones felt numb at the sharp blow. He kept his mouth shut. The manager kept alternating his gaze between the two. To him, they were a perfect match for each other, but everything that came out of his mouth was offbeat. ¡®So, do they fit well, or not¡­¡­.?¡¯ However, Dunfel boldly ignored his insistence. The important thing was not to be exact, but to continue a pleasant and light conversation with the Duke. ¡°¡­¡­Oh, hahaha. His Excellency is good at making jokes so I¡¯m sure your meeting is a precious memory for you two, yet I¡¯ve been asking about it senselessly. Oh, by the way, did the food suit your taste?¡± Manager Dunfel lightened the situation. ¡°Yes, it was so great to eat like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that My Lady likes it. I¡¯m also very glad to get a chance to serve you. Please stop by on your way back.¡± On the way back. The day she¡¯d return through this path would be when she achieved the terms of her contract with Kalcion and prepared to return to her world. ¡®Can I go back alive?¡¯ The woods she¡¯d set out for to go back to her world was such a deathly place that it could be her own grave. She suddenly felt down. But now, she was going to go to the capital for a while. When she¡¯d come back, she hoped to smile as radiantly as she was going to be the Duchess. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°I¡¯d look forward to it, then. I can¡¯t give you a definite answer because there might be some security issues and due dates.¡± Kalcion finished. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Selena weakly gazed up at Kalcion. Obviously, the joy she felt almost threatened her tears to roll out. This man truly, in many ways, drove people crazy. *** Selena watched the carriage door close before she spoke up. ¡°Selena has a wish.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°My wish is that my Cion¡¯s performance will be as great as an Ant¡¯s pooch!¡± ¡°What nonsense is that?¡± Kalcion felt truly wronged. Selena was even more lively. ¡°Excuse me, Duke. If you don¡¯t think this is the remark you expected from me, then you can forget opening your mouth. Let me do it on my own. By the way, why do you always have to intervene to make the question go around?¡± ¡°I just answered him.¡± ¡°That was correct. But you answered them all truthfully.¡± ¡°Okay, but what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°The Duke always forgets that he should be acting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Ah.¡± Only then did he realize what problem he caused. However, he did not readily agree this time. ¡°But, I even embraced you and fed you food. Wasn¡¯t that enough?¡± Selena was speechless and suffocated at the same time. ¡°¡­¡­. Right, that¡¯s right. Yes, yes, I¡¯m stupid. I forgot about that.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The Duke was doing his best.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That last blow did tear the drum of his pride. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°I haven¡¯t done my best yet. I just didn¡¯t know I had to do my best right now.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­..you¡¯re saving it for the best, then. When are you going to use it?¡± ¡°I will use it when the time arrives.¡± ¡®Oh, that¡¯s a load of bullshit. Only newbies with great pride in them say those words, promising that they¡¯d perform well on a bigger stage.¡¯ Selena laughed openly without hiding it. ¡°When the time comes? You sound like a child that can¡¯t even open a lid of a drink, but would say that he¡¯d open it with ease when he is given a drink.¡± Selena¡¯s comments were very heavy and painful to the point. It wasn¡¯t that there was no loyalist who spoke in a straightforward manner to Kalcion, but he had never been stabbed to the point where he had been in charge so far. For the most part, he had tried to do his best on his work before he heard those direct words. He now even had a bit of confidence to assure him he was performing well. At first, it was so hard to even spit a word that he practiced hard until his tongue went sore. Now, he was responsive to every order that Selena threw, almost instantaneously. Kalcion assessed himself that he had definitely improved from the beginning. Getting into the character was what she wanted. Now, he was so into his role that sometimes Selena¡¯s figure appeared bright to him. This was the result of his great effort, he thought. ¡°It¡¯s good to keep trying, but I think it¡¯s important to appreciate achievement.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a result-oriented person. If you fail in the practice, everything will be over. I¡¯m just trying to curry favor with you, and if this continues in the gathering, wouldn¡¯t I be cast out of the Duchy of Renbird?¡± ¡°If I rehearse well, I can ¨C¡± ¡°Then, do it now.¡± She ordered in a mean way. ¡°Now? Here? Out of nowhere?¡± It was neither a banquet hall nor a crowded place, but a narrow carriage. Holding an embarrassed Kalcion in her sight, Selena stubbornly crossed her arms before her chest. ¡°Just as I did. In the cave, back then, all of a sudden.¡± With not anyone else, but Kalcion himself. And she performed greatly. That was the reason he felt the air being so stuffy. His lips hesitated to speak. If one was hesitating, wasn¡¯t it like the person was sentenced to death for the crime of violating important military laws? ¡°It¡¯s important. I¡¯ll help you get started.¡± She wanted to push him off a cliff, but if she did so, she would also be defeated and be nearing her end. For now, she had to pretend to be good-hearted and not ruin Kalcion¡¯s mood. ¡°We are going to a party. How¡¯s the atmosphere at a party?¡± Kalcion pondered. A party. He had never thought about it. But, he might sound serious about his trial if he said something about the atmosphere. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think so hard. You can just give me a quick first impression. What was the last gathering you attended?¡± ¡°Was it the Queen¡¯s birthday¡­¡± He stuttered, trying to memorize. Before Irelle died, there was a gathering in the capital city almost every day. The city was known for gatherings, but it was more frequent back then. If one wanted, they could say it was a city where one could attend parties every day of the year. There was a constant stream of gatherings held by each family. While Kalcion stayed in the capital with Irelle, there used to be as many as three different parties for him to attend. He even took time to decide which party he wanted to attend, the party that was not suited for him, and which party he thought would be the most enjoyable. Kalcion had been consistent with the policy of throwing all parties, although it was natural. The only parties he attended were the ones that were irrefusable like the invitation from Prince Larsen. The same was true for the Queen¡¯s birthday. ¡°Was there a gathering at the palace on the Queen¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°Yes, there were several gatherings in the palace. The royal birthday party was always held at the most colorful Rose Palace.¡± ¡°How fancy would it be if the Duke himself says it was fancy?¡± ¡°To a great extent.¡± There were quite a few people in the world who did not know what ¡®description¡¯ meant. Some did not even consider the existence of adjectives and adverbs. That was Kalcion. Smiling kindly, she prepared the questions she wanted to ask. ¡°How big was it?¡± ¡°Well, five hundred people seemed to have enough room to breathe, and I think it¡¯d have been a thousand if you had added the people walking around the garden.¡± ¡°Wow, that was huge. So, all the people at that party knew each other?¡± ¡°Even if one did not have any personal relationships with another, they could easily distinguish the person they accompanied.¡± ¡°What about the Duke?¡± Kalcion snorted in absurdity. ¡°Why do I have to do the trouble of memorizing them?¡± Selena felt it must have been impossible to serve the cold Northern Duke. ¡°But the others must¡¯ve recognized you, right?¡± ¡°I suppose they did.¡± ¡°Then, did they start any conversation with you?¡± ¡°Usually, yes.¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± Kalcion squinted, as if recalling. ¡°Passing brief greetings, introducing¡­¡­¡± Irelle had joined the last gathering he attended. He had nothing to think of, but when he recalled the memories, he thought he and her had something in common. ¡®Ah, was she a rumored woman¡­¡­.?¡¯ They approached Kalcion, but all their eyes were on Irelle. As if they knew everything. ¡°And then?¡± She anxiously urged him. ¡°I introduced her as the ¡®daughter of Baron Jion¡¯.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Come to think of it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­They didn¡¯t actually come to greet me.¡± Only then did he realize how insensitive he was. It was a courtesy to introduce one¡¯s partner to others. Unless one was a child to decide to expand their social circle afterwards. The women who had accompanied Kalcion until now were all from prominent families. As they were the center of many parties, there were basically no strangers and had a wider circle than Kalcion. Any of them had covered more ground than him. ¡®Oh my, your partner for today is the Duke of Renbird?¡¯ ¡®Yes, I heard he was in the capital, so I asked him out.¡¯ ¡®I see, it¡¯s nice to see you. Your Excellency, my name is Sarah of Count Rosium.¡¯ ¡®Your Grace, why don¡¯t you and Sarah get a drink for the next song?¡¯ It was always like this. If people ever came to greet him after recognizing his partner, they would say, ¡°Ah, your partner for today is someone from this family. I hope you have a joyous evening¡±. Because he was used to such a procedure, introducing Irelle to others was an unconventional kindness from him. She thought she had come too far, so she didn¡¯t try to push up his buttons anymore. ¡°Alright, I can feel the air.¡± Pulling up one side of her lips, she forced a smile. It was half as expected. Not everyone would have complimented her if she was rumored to be a villainess. Although Rosalyn and Fionel were ahead, they would at least have a higher level in this world and at least care about Mrs. Janet¡¯s words. ¡®There was a reason why Mrs. Janet kept nagging after the previous Duchess.¡¯ The society was full of people who acted like children. Quick and gentle for those who needed to be seen, but cruel for those who did not. However, Selena was not daunted. She was tired, but not afraid. She had one experience or two. Of course, she was hurt and cried a lot when she was young. ¡®Am I not welcome anywhere I go? Do I really have to disappear?¡¯ Eventually, however, she was able to hold out and welcome someone with a bright smile wherever she went. ¡®It¡¯s disgusting that I¡¯ll have to do it again.¡¯ She won¡¯t just be helpless. And in order to be as successful as possible, it¡¯s imperative that she taught Kalcion with her might. Ten days left to reach the capital. She grew more determined with each passing moment as they came closer to the capital. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°Now, imagine if someone asks about me, what would you say?¡± ¡°Of course, I would¡­.¡± He thought it would work out somehow if he practiced, but when he opened his mouth, he could not speak. Kalcion felt awkward at his lack of words. His own boast that he could do his best in time had been overshadowed. ¡°¡­¡­.She is called Selena.¡± He stated haltingly. ¡°I see. I¡¯ve never seen her before. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s new to the community?¡± Selena did not evaluate his performance, but she pretended to be a nobleman. Kalcion was surprised by how her way of speaking was as natural and close to reality. Could she imagine this much with just a short explanation? His recognition of her performance had risen further. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, His Excellency has brought her to make her debut in the society. She must be a great person.¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes shook. He couldn¡¯t think of a great part to put forward objectively. But he also couldn¡¯t say that it was not true. When she didn¡¯t get a response, a series of attacks followed. ¡°Which part of her is so great¡­.? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Do I have to tell you?¡± He felt cornered. ¡°I apologize if I was impolite, Your Excellency. However, I hope you understand that we have to choose who we can associate with unless we have everything as much as you.¡± ¡°You dare to teach me this now?¡± No matter how much of it was just acting, Kalcion stared down at her sharply. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Selena spat harshly. ¡°What, are you defying me now? If you are, then I¡¯ll bid goodbye to you forever. No matter how much you don¡¯t want to socialize, you have to appear affable on the outside.¡± He lowered his head with a heavy sigh. He also felt that he was lacking, but he was frustrated about her firmness. Selena was correct. His response was a flat failure. He expected something like it, but he was shocked to see it being so intense. ¡°Now you know that you have to keep up your act, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Yes¡­..¡± Selena wasn¡¯t the type to keep bothering one who already waved up his white flag. Upon seeing the Northern Duke lowering his head a little bit, she began her lecture with a bright voice without showing it. ¡°First of all, since I don¡¯t have any cards, I don¡¯t have to wait for a preemptive attack and fight back, but it¡¯s better for your side to hit first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± The words themselves were not different. Selena grinned. ¡°There¡¯s a difference in the fact that the Duke is a person who¡¯s desperate to introduce someone.¡± He nodded, expressing his surprise. There was definitely something different between introducing after being asked and introducing her first. ¡°I see. But then it goes the same way, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If the Duke introduces me first, of course they would show the courtesy to politely welcome us, whether they want to or not. ¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°In fact, the easiest thing to do is that if the Duke lightly introduces me to the circle, I can find a way to invade it. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°So¡­¡­setting aside the complexity of the situation, I¡¯ll just have to introduce you as my lover, right?¡± ¡°Yes, if you can.¡± She wasn¡¯t a person who had high hopes for things that didn¡¯t work. Fictional dreams could only increase disappointment. ¡°I think it would be easier to do that than to act in words.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to act without saying a word, or just with facial expressions.¡± ¡°You never know. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Different people could have different talents. He wasn¡¯t a good talker, but what could he do with his gestures? Selena nodded, thinking for a moment. ¡°The basis of affection is observation. First of all, how about you observe my face?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Without blinking even once, he studied her features obediently. He took note of her temples and eyes, the bridge of her nose, and everything else that stood out. She silently stared back at him. Selena knew what that look meant. His sharp eyes said he was hunting. She waited for him to say something, but he stayed silent. ¡°Haha, ha¡­..¡± She burst into giggles, unable to hold it anymore. She felt as if she reached a dead end in this method. ¡°So, what do you feel when you see my face?¡± ¡°Feel? What should I feel?¡± ¡°Just tell me what you thought.¡± It was unfamiliar to him. He awkwardly tried to think as she told. ¡°You have a round forehead.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She nodded, gesturing to him to continue. ¡°Hmm¡­..your eyebrows are neat.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You have big eyes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of those big eyes¡­¡­ that you possess a powerful shine.¡± ¡°Powerful?¡± He had eagerly been looking into her eyes as if boring into her soul without realizing it. ¡°Well¡­..I think children have bigger eyes than average adults¡­.. Are your pupils dilated? Come to think of it, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen those. Maybe that¡¯s why it looks more intense. Just as black color absorbs every light, so does the eye.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She was delighted by the explanation that he gave unexpectedly. ¡°Good. Is there anything else that stands out on the same level as that?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­. May I get a closer look?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, as much as you like.¡± She brought her face so close to him that both of them could feel each other¡¯s breath on their faces. She also suddenly noticed that his eyes appeared mysterious from a closer distance. His eyes, like a cloud in a misty wood, reflected back his spirit. As did Kalcion. ¡°Your eyes are so bright that it feels like I¡¯m looking in a mirror.¡± Like a child who had just discovered a new game, a laugh followed from him. Selena laughed, indifferent to his comment. The hot air that trickled out of their mouths touched each other¡¯s lips. ¡°Ahaha¡­¡­ Ah¡­..¡± The laughter that erupted gradually died down. Rattle, Rattle. The intermittent shaking of the carriage repeatedly kept penetrating their silence. The air was warm and awkward. ¡®A kiss¡­..?¡¯ Instinctively realizing, she hardened. She had gotten too close to him because she was so motivated. It was too much to just laugh and chat at this proximity, but she felt herself getting addicted to it. The air was strong. Even if they did not have any feelings for each other, if they were swept away by the air, they could even sleep overnight. Would it feel awkward? Should they get closer to each other? Should she say what¡¯s on her mind?! Should she hold his hand or kiss him? It kept getting more awkward. Neither of them had any intention of doing so, but if the air compelled them to move forward, their bodies might move without realizing it. Once they move, they could follow their heart. What if it happened? It would be like rolling in the mud together. She was nervous to blow up the mood. However, before she could open her mouth, Kalcion blocked her. ¡°Amazing¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Wh-What did you say?¡± His eyes were filled with admiration. ¡°Even after making an eye-contact like this, your eyes are unshakable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s of great quality. One of the most important tactics in combat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Meanwhile, she seemed to be unable to read the absurdity and astonishment that came to his eyes. She¡¯d rather wanted to be in the mood instead. ¡®That¡¯s the only thing you find in the world¡¯s prettiest eyes? Seriously?¡¯ All of a sudden, anger enveloped her. She was a fool to be nervous. This was beyond dullness. ¡°It¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wrong?¡± ¡°Wrong! It¡¯s wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!¡± A million times wrong. Kalcion was taken aback by her fit. ¡°How come?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°That could be the way to praise a man, but that is not the obvious way to compliment a lovely lady.¡± ¡°¡­..Huh¡­..¡± He had never been in a relationship nor had he seen a woman this close. It was a long way to go to teach someone who didn¡¯t even know that such feelings existed in the world. Moreover, the road to the capital was getting shorter. ¡°Shall we concentrate on beauty instead of the ability?¡± ¡°Beauty. They¡¯re all pretty.¡± ¡°Tell me more about it.¡± This time, Kalcion leaned his back and scanned her features as if he was enjoying a painting. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡± It seemed to have become more difficult because ¡®beauty¡¯ was included in the standard of viewing. ¡°You were having a better view of my eyes that way.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s how it is. Then, your straight nose is beautiful.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Your red lips look pretty because they¡¯re thick.¡± ¡°Great.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fascinating that your jawline falls smoothly without a single square. Ah, I mean, that¡¯s why you look pretty.¡± It was starting to unravel one by one. Kalcion easily made them out. Finally, the Northern Duke¡¯s eyes seemed to have begun to open. Selena nodded as if she were a parent whose child had finally met with her expectations. ¡°Right, right.¡± ¡°I find you charming because your neck is so thin and long, and you don¡¯t have any blemishes on your skin.¡± ¡°Okay, well, I think you definitely recognized that I¡¯m pretty. What do you usually do when you see something pretty?¡± ¡°¡­..? When I see.¡± A difficulty, again. However, Selena was not frustrated. ¡°Like when you land your eyes on beautiful flowers in a garden?¡± ¡°What do you see?¡± ¡°So pretty that¡­¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t think of anything more. She felt stressed. Similar to the time when she couldn¡¯t even make a joke when she filmed a close-up entertainment program for three days, and when she was so tired that she couldn¡¯t even joke around. Was there really something called pretty in the world? Wasn¡¯t beauty an illusion? Was she trying to convince Kalcion of the illusion? She straightened her shoulders. ¡°Uh, let¡¯s get to it slowly. I can¡¯t think of anything because I¡¯m low on sugar.¡± ¡°Do you need a snack?¡± ¡°I need a chill.¡± A mental evocation to escape the curse of beauty. Kalcion opened the carriage window very steadily, letting the cold air and soil dust from the field to venture in. She could thank him in many ways. *** The carriage arrived in a very small village at sunset. Dunfel, where they had lunch, was fairly a large city. Selena realized only when she looked at the new town. It was so small that there were several houses lined up on both sides of the road. The carriage was standing on the side of the road. ¡°We will lodge here for one night and leave tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Here?¡± If you looked out of the window, you could spot the Saindart Mountains shining under the early moonlight. ¡°This is the best place to stay on the street.¡± When Kalcion knocked on the door, the knights opened it from outside. An old man was waiting in front of the carriage. At first glance, he seemed to be an ordinary person, far from a caretaker. The village seemed too small to deploy a caretaker than an old man, who appeared to be the village representative. Behind the man was a small crowd likely to have come from the entire village town. ¡°Welcome, Your Excellency, the Duke. Please come in.¡± ¡°I must have given you a hard time to get things prepared.¡± ¡°There is no such thing that pleases me other than the honor of serving His Excellency.¡± It seemed he was the first person to deliver such an etiquette phrase. ¡°Then, I will show you the way.¡± There was nothing too decorative about the welcoming. Thanks to Kalcion¡¯s unnecessary kindness in opening the window, she was covered in slight dirt, but it was the same with all the people anyway. The arrival event ended wordlessly, unlike the manager in Dunfel. Kalcion did not even ask for the old man¡¯s name. It was just a village he was passing by. Selena followed them with ease. She saw houses with the sign ¡°Dormitory¡± beside her. The carriage stood in the courtyard of the largest and tallest house among them. ¡°There¡¯s a place where we could wash ourselves in, right?¡± Judging from the appearance of the villagers, it didn¡¯t seem they had a good time to wash off themselves. ¡°I have prepared a bath for you two. I¡¯ll guide you to the well.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like one could even wash up. She heaved a sigh, walking into the building. It was a one-night stay, but there should be no inconvenience in the Duke¡¯s residence. The maids and servants followed, carrying the luggage. ¡°The bath water is prepared over there.¡± The maids guided Kalcion and Selena together. ¡®Do they have two bathrooms?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t so sure. Eventually, they guided them to a well, not a bathhouse. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­. You didn¡¯t think we could take a bath together since we slept together, did you?!¡¯ She flinched as she walked into the bathroom with an uneasy mind. She was half-way right. There were two tubs placed in an empty space separated by a screen in the middle. It avoided the need to go into one tub, but it was no different from taking a bath together. Although there was a screen, shadows could be seen through because light was filtering in from both sides. ¡°In the same¡­..room?¡± Selena blushed as Juna sent her a subtle look. ¡°Yes¡­.. I guess this is what that old man had prepared when he was told that the Duke and you were coming. You appear to not like it¡­¡­.¡± Normally, the maids would say it was good. But, in case there was a spy, Selena had to act her part nicely now. Just like how she did in her thin garment. She actually wanted to run away, but she was working now. This was just acting. She opened her eyes, which she had closed for a while in the hopes of calming herself. ¡°Oh, great¡­.. I¡¯m nervous.¡± ¡°Aw, you¡¯re nervous, now?¡± ¡°But¡­.. it¡¯s our first time having a bath together.¡± ¡°What do you mean together? To be exact, you¡¯re doing it separately in the same place.¡± Juna¡¯s face was already burning. Selena, internally, felt more ashamed than what she expressed outwards. She hardened as she shifted her gaze to the side. Kalcion had already walked off to the left space, and now, he was in the middle of throwing off his clothes, oblivious to one¡¯s gaze. It was habituated with this. ¡®¡­..Um, is it okay to be seen like this?¡¯ She felt a sudden rush down her spine. When they made eye-contact in the carriage earlier, she was evaluated as a warrior. It was often the case that the pride of a great actor was reduced. The space itself was shabby, but thanks to the efforts of the fast hands of the maids, in a short period of time, the bathroom looked quite elegant. The doors were covered with high curtains, while the floor had the same rugs used in the castle. Someone laid a lace atop the table and lit a fancy candle. The old-looking wooden tub was covered with a white cloth before water was poured in. The bath was made fragrant with bath bombs and some petals. At this point, it seemed like they intentionally created this atmosphere. The maids knew that the background was a must to set the mood. Everything was prepared. ¡®This is enough.¡¯ The background was laid out, so all she had to do was wait for the moment to start the game. Selena trudged over to the other side, removing her clothes and handing it over to the hands of the maids. With every piece of cloth she removed and passed over to the maid, shivers ran through her body. It took a while for her to slip off from that heavy dress. Meanwhile, Kalcion was already undressed and was lying down in the bathtub. ¡°Let me start the shoulder massage.¡± The voice of the maid at the other side was heard lightly through the thin veil. ¡°Wait.¡± Of course, Selena¡¯s voice was clearly heard. At first, the servants at Kalcion¡¯s side, who thought it was a word to Selena¡¯s maids, began to falter when there was no movement on the other side. ¡°¡­¡­.Ah. D-Did you say that to us?¡± ¡°Yes. I know it¡¯s your duty, but I don¡¯t want another woman to lay her hands on my Duke. Everyone, please leave.¡± ¡°Huh? Bu-But my job¡­..¡± ¡°Duke?¡± Embarrassed, the maids looked back at Kalcion. Kalcion was equally embarrassed. However, there was a principle which stated that they would have to listen to Selena. Kalcion sent the maids out with a flick of his chin. Selena¡¯s servants were still there. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± Kalcion spoke up from beyond the screen. ¡°I¡¯ll serve you.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She simply washed up before wearing a thin garment that she wore under her dress. The cloth was attached to her figure, but it was decent compared to the translucent nightwear last time. It did not reveal all of her body lines, and even though only the wet parts were making out her curves, the candlelight was too dim to see them. She beckoned her maids out. The maids bowed silently before quickly moving out of their seats. At the end of the line of maids, Juna gave her a knowing-smile. Pretending to be naive, Selena perked up a smile at her before sending her away. Now, there were only two people left in the room, Kalcion and Selena. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 However, the maids who left the room were waiting outside the door. The audience could only hear the sound. The reason why Selena was doing this was not to show off her affection, but to make fun of Kalcion. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± She declared the start of the performance. ¡°Now¡­..!¡± However, the counterpart was not ready for the action. Having not been able to prepare his mind, Kalcion stiffened into a straight posture. Selena raised her eyebrows and whistled inwardly as she saw his iliac bone through the water surface. His upper body, which was completely exposed, was a crystal of perfection that did not exist as a drawback. Not too much, not too lacking. His muscles were so perfect that a picture of his body should be stamped and pasted on every sports facility. Underneath it, of course, would be great, but it was not seen because of the petals floating on the surface of the water. Had they not been there, the situation might have become embarrassing enough to be able to deal with. She had planned the operation after seeing the floating petals. She approached him with a gentle smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have known if I wasn¡¯t here. How could you leave your body in the care of another woman¡¯s hands when I was here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You better not do anything weird.¡± Kalcion flustered under her watch. Selena was not a person to buy work unless it was necessary. Was there anything suspicious anywhere? Kalcion looked around, but as expected, nothing caught his eye. ¡°What made you think I will?¡± Smiling with her eyes, she walked to him slowly. Kalcion, who casually glanced at Selena, hurriedly turned to the other side after he noticed her wearing a thin piece of clothing. As she walked to his back with a bath towel that the servants had put down, his broad shoulders stiffened with tension. She drew her fingertips along his shoulder from his neck, feeling the hot solid skin under them. ¡°You took it off like I wasn¡¯t there, huh?¡± Now it struck him. He was always watched by servants when he took a bath back in the castle. He had no sense of caution even when Selena was standing there. He thought that the space here was also separated, so he didn¡¯t have an obligation to set up manners in front of a Lady. However, he knew what Selena meant now was not a matter of courtesy to a Lady. It felt like his senses had increased by ten times. The sleek sensation of the water flowing down to his body, and the touch of Selena¡¯s fingers down to his shoulders was more than usual. It even caused an unbearable stir in his stomach. ¡°My Duke doesn¡¯t even see me as a woman, does he¡­¡­?¡± As if honey was dripping off her lips instead of her voice. Her sweet and seductive voice that reached his ears was enough to make him stop breathing. Naturally mimicking the maids, she sprayed water on his upper body and rubbed it with a towel. Although it was not much different from the wait of the servants, the tension he felt was increasingly overlapping in him. Nor did Selena loosen up. Half of her wanted him to recognize her as a woman, but she couldn¡¯t let herself falter. What would people think if they returned after finishing to take a bath together? Rather than being tempted by her actions, it seemed she had found some of his weaknesses. However, she couldn¡¯t target those weaknesses of his. Rather, it needed to be a smooth rock to be rolled in thoroughly. She didn¡¯t know what she should do at first, but she had to let Kalcion melt completely and make him stay in the room. But after a while, Selena had a way. *** ¡°Ngh¡­.!¡± The maids and guards standing outside the door exchanged their glances at the foreign sound. ¡®That sound, just now¡­¡­¡¯ ¡®Did I hear it wrong?¡¯ It was a short sound, but it definitely came from the bathroom. Everyone was surprised because the sound was unusual enough to come out of a bathroom. ¡°Oh, hmm¡­hn¡­..¡± A series of sounds once again reached the maids. That low voice could not be Selena¡¯s. That was definitely the voice of the Duke. But the voice coming out of his mouth¡­? ¡®What the hell are they doing?!¡¯ They didn¡¯t dare imagine the scene. Kalcion was a man of few expressions. He was quiet and had little change in his features. He usually kept his mouth shut unless it was necessary, and even when he fought hard enough to collapse during training, he never did groan. ¡®What are they doing?!¡¯ Since it was Kalcion, who always trained with swords, most of the servants knew how to massage him. Sometimes, after a hard training session, they massaged the Knights of Renbird. Everytime that happened, the knights used to be distracted and would burn with all kinds of painful groans because of their swollen muscles. However, Kalcion rarely had any swells, and the sound of his breathing did not change when he was being massaged. Then, what was the cause of this sound? ¡°How about here? Huh? Here? More?¡± While concentrating on the sound coming from inside the room with their ears to the door, they were surprised by Selena¡¯s voice, accompanied by a chuckle before returning to a standstill. Kalcion was not alone right now. Suddenly, it occurred to them that he was spending time with the woman he brought from the mountain alone in the bathhouse. Let all the servants leave! What could they be doing for them to make that noise when there are no eyes to see them? From here, it was entirely an area of imagination. Imagination was always beyond reality. When Selena called the maid back to clean up after the bath, it was as quiet as if nothing had happened in there. Selena sat in her bathtub, flapping her wet clothes. A lingering heat was floating in the bathroom air. ¡®What did they do to make it this humid?!¡¯ Feeling that it was not just the warmth of the bath, the maids questioningly glanced at each other. ¡°Ah, you can just hand over the towel and some dry clothes.¡± Selena smiled bashfully as she reached out her hand towards the maid who was approaching her. ¡°But¡­..¡± ¡°I can do it by myself.¡± ¡°Your clothes must be uncomfortable because they¡¯re wet, would that be okay?¡± Pointing to the other side of the screen with her chin, she winked. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to be seen by others now.¡± She quickly dried herself after grabbing the towel before changing into dry clothes. No one could tell what marks were left on her body since she changed her clothes while covering her body. However, one maid could spot several dark bruises over her hand. After they finished changing their clothes, Selena and Kalcion walked out of the bathroom. Kalcion put an arm around Selena¡¯s shoulder while she smiled coyly, wrapping her arms around Kalcion¡¯s waist. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very surprised. I didn¡¯t expect you to have that ability.¡± ¡°I could do a little more.¡± ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± ¡°Can you carry me to my room? I¡¯m tired because of you, Duke. My body is lacking strength.¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± On the spot, Kalcion lifted her up in one swift movement. ¡°Kyaa!¡± She joyfully wrapped her arms around his neck. The guards, who had forgotten to bow, hurriedly lowered their eyes only after their eyes met with Selena¡¯s. ¡°Which way is the room?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Oh, uh, His Excellency¡¯s room is over here, and Lady Selena¡¯s room is over there.¡± The rooms were at each end of the hallway. It could be known without asking whose work it was. She probably didn¡¯t have time to do the same to the bath. Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to divide up the room while they arrived. Nevertheless, they could not go to their own rooms to sleep in a situation where they were already caught trying to do ¡®something more¡¯ in the room. ¡°Aww, let¡¯s just go to the Duke¡¯s room.¡± ¡°But¡­..Mrs. Janet said one room would be stuffy for two¡­¡­¡± Mrs. Janet seemed to have spoken to the maids in advance. Not only did she send her servants, but also every arrangement was being controlled by Mrs. Janet. But, Selena couldn¡¯t be swayed by her anymore. She leaned her face against his neck with a smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s small. We can sleep together. Let¡¯s go, Duke.¡± Kalcion, who was feeling extremely bothered by the war of nerves between two that were not even in front of each other, stepped in before the exchange of words got longer. Mrs. Janet was good at wielding young children, but not Kalcion. If he intervened, the situation would already be over before it even started. The guards had to follow and settle in front of the door, while the maids were dismissed. The maids, who were looking down at the floor, raised their heads and started talking as soon as the figures of Kalcion and Selena disappeared. ¡°Whoa. She talked right behind Mrs. Janet?¡± ¡°Did it seem like His Excellency was angry?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unusual. His Excellency pushed aside Mrs. Janet¡¯s words for a girl. That¡¯s very unusual.¡± ¡°Hey, well, they¡¯re all over the place, aren¡¯t they? So far, all the women who have been attached to His Lordship have been obsessed with him because they liked him, but this time, it¡¯s different.¡± It was definitely different. The length of time he gave Selena was different, so was the permission to accept her arrogant behavior. ¡°D-Did you see? Did you see it? Did you see it? His Excellency¡¯s back!¡± ¡°Back? Why? What was on his back? Lady Selena changed herself in the corner, so I couldn¡¯t see anything on her.¡± ¡°There were red lines on His Excellency¡¯s back as if he was scratched by a cat¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Gasp! Re-Really?!¡± ¡±Weren¡¯t his groans quite loud¡­..?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that so¡­..?¡± A beat passed as a thought made their heads overheat. Of course, what filled their minds was a secret imagination that most of them could not speak out. Needless to say, the imagination of the maids and the reality were very different. As soon as the door to the room was closed, Selena proudly squeeze-hugged Kalcion¡¯s neck without getting off on the floor. ¡°Oh, yes. That was great. I¡¯m glad that you could pull it off!¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡°¡­¡­..¡± A puzzled look settled on Kalcion¡¯s features, gripping her tight so that she wouldn¡¯t fall. ¡°¡­..I did great?¡± ¡°Of course! You did a great job. All right, let¡¯s push it this way. This is all you need to do, as long as it¡¯s not a lie, okay?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± None of what Kalcion said was a lie. It¡¯s true that Selena was surprised that she had the most skillful fingertips to emit those voices from him through such massages she had never seen before in a parlor. She never imagined she¡¯d have such ability. She had been sweating while she massaged his shoulders and his back. It also worried her when she thought about whether it was fine to continue it in the room. It was not difficult to request for an embrace on the way to the room. Her hands were aching, but she could still move them to hug him. ¡°We shall continue to approach this way.¡± Selena got off with an interested look on her face. She was excited because of the plan on her mind. On the other hand, Kalcion was still unable to pinpoint her idea. ¡°Okay, look. Imagine that I¡¯m going to give you another hard massage here. What if you wake up tomorrow morning and ask if I have a sore throat because of you?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be embarrassed and say that you told me not to overdo it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Selena cheered, clenching her fists. ¡°Let¡¯s gather up before we go to bed. You would act like it was something you¡¯ve never experienced in your life. And, what if I say, ¡®It was hot last night, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say, ¡®Thanks to you.¡¯ ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It has to be just a little bit longer!¡± ¡°¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve tried the slanted position.¡¯¡± ¡°Kyaah!¡± It was like they were no more than a maniac. As if they knew all of the context. It was still a long way to go to drag affection, but at least, they could possibly manipulate the others into thinking they had a wild night. If this continued a little more, wouldn¡¯t one be able to think they fell in love? Kalcion stared at Selena with an excited look on his face before heading towards the bed. She couldn¡¯t understand even if it was for just a brief second. ¡°Me, to the left.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t have a disease that she couldn¡¯t sleep if she wasn¡¯t on the left side, rather it was because of her habit. However, the problem was that the bed was very small compared to what she used to sleep on at Renbird. It might have been the largest bedroom and bed in this village town, but it was incomparable to the one in the Renbird¡¯s castle. The bed here was just a double bed that ordinary people could sleep in moderation, but Kalcion did not have a physique like an ordinary person. His head was larger, and his limbs were longer than average. His shoulders were wide enough to accommodate one more arm. So, no matter how thin Selena was, she had to act satisfied. ¡°Will it be hard to move a little further to the side?¡± ¡°My arm would fall.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t you just turn to your side and face your back to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Kalcion did as she asked. His huge shoulders stood sideways, and she felt like she was leaning against a mountain range. The blanket felt like a tent that was pulled off from her. This man¡­ He always bloomed his troubles in many ways. After pulling the blanket and wrapping it around her body, she finally closed her eyes. Even though her nightdress was an unsettling thin garment, she fell asleep quickly. It was probably because of the fatigue from the journey and the soothing warm water bath. *** She wasn¡¯t fully awake when she barely opened her eyes due to the morning rays of the sun penetrating through the window. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Nothing woke her up in the middle. She was neither surprised nor embarrassed to find herself waking up in Kalcion¡¯s arms. The same expression seemed to cover his face. With his face stuck sideways, he looked down at Selena with his arm wrapped around her waist. Selena looked up at him with drowsy eyes to find her head resting on his other arm and her arm hugging his shoulder. ¡°Di¡­ Did I wake you?¡± Her voice, small and hoarse. Maybe because she inhaled a lot of dust yesterday, she thought. ¡°No.¡± It was the same case for Kalcion¡¯s. No matter how strong one was, the body didn¡¯t seem to have a function to filter. Selena, who was reluctant to get up, snuggled close to him. She didn¡¯t want to lift a finger. The old building was so drafty that it drove in the morning breeze even though the windows were closed. On the other hand, Kalcion was warm and relaxing. ¡°It¡¯s freezing¡­¡­.¡± It felt like she was lying while hugging a big dog. Kalcion was tired too, so he lied still, not pushing her away. It was fun for her to see how his chest was rising up whenever he inhaled. It repeatedly kept touching her nose. Giggling, she shoved her nose to him. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It feels like a creature moving around that I want to kill.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Just a harsh word from him to match the blustering wind blowing in the morning. ¡®This was supposed to warm up the cold air.¡¯ She was still close to his chest. After a few moments, he lifted himself up from the bed. Selena, who watched him warm up lightly by cracking his neck, also came out of bed. ¡°I will join you.¡± A light morning stretch. There was no reason to stop her nor did she ask him to teach her. She began stretching. Unlike Kalcion¡¯s exercise of focusing on light muscle training, hers was stretching the muscles. It was not familiar to him. His eyes, filled with interest, shifted to look sideways at her exercise. ¡°Do you just stretch, putting your legs over there?¡± ¡°Would you like to try?¡± ¡°You look fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite refreshing. It¡¯s easy to relax your muscles this way.¡± She kindly helped him in holding the position. No matter how good his physical abilities were, a deep exhale escaped his mouth when he failed in keeping up with Selena in terms of flexibility. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a little hard.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t overdo it. Flexibility isn¡¯t important. Breathe, just breathe.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­¡± Nodding proudly like an instructor, Selena watched him relax even though his position was not perfect. ¡°It¡¯s fine, right? I¡¯ll do it next to you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Exercising with another person was usually more enjoyable. Eventually, the morning light exercise turned into an intense one. ¡°¡­¡­.Seems like I¡¯ll have to wash off again, huh?¡± Selena opened the window, feeling her sweaty garment around her body. Kalcion had moved his body in a completely different way than usual, making him sweat more. It did not help even when he flapped his shirt, drawing air in. ¡°Do you mind if I take off my coat?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why are you so relaxed now?¡± Yesterday, Selena was shy when he was taking off his clothes, but now, she shrugged off her shoulders at his protest. ¡°Because we are working out right now?¡± For him, it was difficult to distinguish between the time and place of both situations. Anyway, since he had got her permission, he tossed off his shirt before starting his exercise again. It was early when the two had woken up. It wasn¡¯t until the end of the exercise that they could hear several footfalls lining up outside the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Good morning¡­..¡± Kalcion, covered in sweat, and Selena, wearing sweaty nightwear, were standing in front of an open window, trying to calm down their rough breaths. A flush crept up on both of their faces at the same time. The stunned look of the servants¡¯ eyes flickered down to the floor before hovering over their features. ¡°I¡¯ll need to wash up, so prepare the bath. Oh, and just cold water will be fine.¡± ¡°We will do as you say.¡± As the maids walked out of the room with their heads down, their eyes exchanged busy looks on each other. A snowball falling from a tree would soon grow into an avalanche after the word would spread to ten more people. Moreover, it was between a man and a woman. The beginning was weak, but the ending was bound to be grand. *** The schedule was the same for that day. Just like yesterday, they stopped by a village for lunch before reaching a small city to sleep. The new city was larger than yesterday¡¯s town, but it was still smaller than Dunfel. A management officer greeted them, but there was no separate official residence. They made their way into the building after their greetings like what they¡¯d done before when Mrs. Janet blocked the way. ¡°Would you mind if I have a moment with Lady Selena, Your Excellency.¡± It didn¡¯t sound like a question. As if she was determined to take away Selena. Selena said nothing to her, but she asked Kalcion what she meant. Turning her head, Selena gave a distorted laugh. ¡°Look at your politeness¡­¡­..¡± Ignoring Selena¡¯s mumbling, Mrs. Janet waited for his response. ¡°¡­¡­Only for a moment.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be long.¡± Kalcion was just as vulnerable to Selena¡¯s snapping words as he was to Mrs. Janet¡¯s. Kalcion walked off to the other side of the hallway, leaving Selena beside Mrs. Janet. Only then did Mrs. Janet raise her head and look at Selena with a fierce look in her eyes. ¡°Please stay in your separate room starting today.¡± Selena knew she¡¯d say that, but not in this explicit manner. Selena smirked. Even if she didn¡¯t want to start a fight, she had to argue for this. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ¡°Isn¡¯t it up to me whether I¡¯m sharing a room with someone or not? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the duty of an etiquette teacher to step in.¡± ¡°I am entitled to meddle in matters that may undermine the honor and status of the Duke.¡± Mrs. Janet¡¯s voice was firm. As if it wasn¡¯t once that she was challenged like this. If she worked as a headmaid for a long time, there must¡¯ve been many maids who have not listened to her and tried to climb above her. Especially those who follow Kalcion. They definitely would¡¯ve dreamt of becoming ¡®a Duchess riding in a flowery carriage¡¯. But there was no way people who were different in status would fall in love in this world. A story in which a lower class woman¡¯s life was changed by a man¡¯s love alone. One might think it¡¯s a life they need, but on the contrary, it would also mean that the only way a woman¡¯s life would be full of devotion, would be by a ¡®man¡¯s love¡¯. Thus, being a maid was one of the few pathways in the world where women could rise in status, despite the rate of competition. One might tell them to go away and get another job at a larger establishment. It wouldn¡¯t be a public recruitment season, but a place where one could enter only when there¡¯s an opening. Then again, many other outstanding specifications would have to be pushed in. Their ability might have been basic. If they needed recommended connections, they¡¯d have to have a high nose among the commoners. But, what if all those people come together and work hard to compete and stand out from each other? Some might work for a good salary it¡¯d give. If anyone joined for another purpose, every day would feel like a disaster. They¡¯d fight among themselves, grow their dreams of becoming the Duchess every night, and then turn out to be arrogant and lazy. The servants of the Duchy of Renbird were well-trained like machines. It couldn¡¯t have been like that from the beginning. This must¡¯ve been the outcome under Mrs. Janet¡¯s watch. She might¡¯ve kept picking out the ones who seemed useful, teaching them until the job was done right, and if anyone tried to do anything wrong, she¡¯d have them kicked out. If she repeated it dozens and hundreds of times, it was understandable that one naturally got sick. However, Selena was not in a position to bow her head before her. ¡°I thought Mrs. Janet was only the ¡®Head Maid¡¯, but she seems to have become the Duchy¡¯s ¡®Master of Wisdom¡¯.¡± ¡°I am a servant of the Duke of Renbird, and I only think of his honor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking right now, you¡¯re only acting as per your will, aren¡¯t you?¡± Selena thought this might waver her. There was still no change in Mrs. Janet¡¯s calm tone, but Selena could feel the bubbling heat inside of her. Selena had also often fallen at odds with Mrs. Janet. It¡¯d be only fair if she won this time. It wouldn¡¯t matter if we became irreparable because she had to be hateful anyway. The easiest time to pop someone was when they got swollen in shame and anger. Selena noted that Mrs. Janet was now super angry although it was not visible. From the beginning of the journey to last night, everything must have gone against Mrs. Janet¡¯s calculations. She tried to get Selena into a separate carriage, but Selena¡¯s wild behavior smashed it. A separate dinner table was also arranged for Selena, but she jumped onto Kalcion¡¯s lap. The arrangement of the bathroom being poor was an exceptional mistake, and Mrs. Janet definitely separated their rooms, but it failed again. She had gotten herself into a situation where one couldn¡¯t escape from getting sick because of continued failure. Everything in her agenda didn¡¯t work out as planned, but also kept going in the opposite direction. However, Mrs. Janet did not tremble at once nor seem provoked. ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, I can do as much as I can if need be.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°It depends on Miss Selena¡¯s behavior.¡± Like a complete worthless little rat. Well, yes, Selena was doing it on purpose, but Mrs. Janet didn¡¯t have the right to treat her like that. ¡°For what exactly?¡± ¡°I am also a tutor who has been taking care of Miss Selena¡¯s etiquette.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll have to follow me around and interfere in everything I do.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t apply what you¡¯ve learned, I will have to teach until you can.¡± Suddenly, the footsteps of servants in the hallway became faster. Embarrassed, the gaze of the maids waiting slowly flickered away from their backs. They did not go anywhere else, but they stayed as far as the voices of the two arguing were heard across the hallway. It would have been scary if only Mrs. Janet was left alone, but Selena seemed invincible in the eye of the beholder. ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Selena burst out laughing, slightly exaggeratingly, stooping forward. ¡°How far are you going to teach me?¡± ¡°I must help until Miss Selena¡¯s words and actions do not undermine the reputation of the Duke of Renbird.¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not talking about the period, I¡¯m asking about the extent.¡± ¡°As I said, until your words and actions¨C¡± ¡°How far are you going to teach me in my behavior?¡± Selena cut her off, continuing. ¡°As far as meddling in things like sleeping, sitting in the bathroom, and in what position we should be in bed?¡± At her question, wrinkles appeared in displeasure on Mrs. Janet¡¯s forehead. She actually wanted to grab a hold of Selena¡¯s hair, but her great patience helped in settling her displeasure with the knotting of her stomach. ¡°At least, I only ask you to be careful of not being viewed as a public criticism.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah? Is that a warning? If I don¡¯t listen, you¡¯re going to take actions. It¡¯s a threat, right?¡± ¡°Pardon me if it sounds like it, but what you¡¯re doing is not acceptable.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Smiling broadly, she said. ¡°What you want is for me not to cling to the Duke in public. To walk apart, sleep separately, and eat on our own. But, haven¡¯t Mrs. Janet dreamt of doing those?¡± Mrs. Janet¡¯s patience had finally reached its limit. Her clenched fist trembled. ¡°¡­..I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t care about His Excellency¡¯s honor.¡± As Mrs. Janet shot her a cold glare, Selena smirked as if she wasn¡¯t affected. ¡°How is Miss Selena finding this funny when I¡¯m being serious here?¡± ¡°Because it is. What did I do to shake off the Duke¡¯s reputation? The Duke is not a child. If you thought I was here to hurt the Duke, he would¡¯ve confronted me himself. Why does the head maid have to intervene in it?¡± ¡°My role is to take care of evenly small matters that His Excellency doesn¡¯t have time to deal with.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything about it, but you¡¯re in a different position. The people Mrs. Janet needs to take care of are the maids who were hired under the Duke. Not me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Mrs. Janet got startled. Selena smiled at her. She might be feeling victorious from the beginning, but the beauty of gently tearing someone apart was another thing. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m just the one the Duke had brought. If I have to say, I¡¯m the Duke¡¯s guest. It¡¯s the Duke who¡¯s doing this because he¡¯s in sync with his guest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll help the Duke¡¯s honor to nag him when he¡¯s with a guest just because it bothers the maid¡¯s eyes.¡± To make matters worse, Selena¡¯s words were all over the place. She was offered to use the Duke¡¯s goods, but she wasn¡¯t an employee. In other people¡¯s eyes, she was his ¡®mistress¡¯, but in her justification, she was ¡®a guest¡¯. Selena never knocked on the gate of the castle, nor did she sneak in. She was really a guest whom the Duke himself had carried in his arms. It was even harder to spot her as a commoner, who had nothing and had nowhere to go, and was beautiful and even acted adorable while clinging to the Duke, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t a guest. She was nothing other than a guest. ¡°¡­..I-In His Excellency¡¯s honor, I wish to give his guest advice.¡± Eventually, Mrs. Janet fixed her demeanor, but she was already reeling. If she felt she had no logic, she¡¯d have been defeated. ¡°Wow. The head maid of the Duke seems to have a great sense of honor. So, have you acted the same when any other nobles arrived in Renbird?¡± But, her logic was already collapsing. ¡°To be honest, Fionel wasn¡¯t a very polite lady either. Damn, what did you say to bully her?¡± Mrs. Janet¡¯s lips were taut. Selena said nothing wrong. Except for status, Selena and Fionel were not much different. What the women next to the Duke wanted was the seat next to him. If it was so, one thought they should make themselves a suitable person for the position or run away if it was impossible. That was the way to protect the Duchy of Renbird, Mrs. Janet thought to herself. The duchess of the family was an important position. No matter how powerful Kalcion was, he could not escape from being a topic in social gossip. It might pass by as a light scandal, but the talk of things between a man and a woman could endlessly grow if spread through the mouths of unsympathetic individuals. Perhaps because Kalcion was not interested in women, he had no sense of how much the relationship between a man and a woman became a hot topic for others. Therefore, it was Mrs. Janet¡¯s job to see to those matters. However, Mrs. Janet¡¯s beliefs were broken down by Selena¡¯s words. With Mrs. Janet¡¯s lips tightly pressed together, she couldn¡¯t say anything in her lack of confidence. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ¡°I just want to enjoy it with the Duke, but you¡¯re being so obnoxious about matters here that it¡¯s making it worse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just about Mrs. Janet. In fact, no one in the castle welcomed Selena with open arms. Though not explicitly expressed, Selena¡¯s inner feelings might have been cast in her eyes. She should have trained her more thoroughly so that her lips didn¡¯t spatter as much. Mrs. Janet thought quietly. Selena did win in the end. After confirming Mrs. Janet¡¯s silence of defeat, a victorious smile appeared upon her face. ¡°So, if you have any problems, please speak with the Duke. Well then, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± Eventually, Mrs. Janet couldn¡¯t speak up. Selena figured Mrs. Janet won¡¯t be able to touch her on her own in the near future. ¡®I¡¯ll mess you up if you touch me.¡¯ No one knew how it would be. But maybe it would be clearer and more physical than any verbal harassment. She¡¯d been letting go of her anger and encouraging Mrs. Janet¡¯s comradeship. As a result, it was satisfactory. Stepping lightly, she shifted away from Mrs. Janet. Watching from afar, Juna rushed after Selena. ¡°Are you okay? I was so scared when I saw you with her. But you were laughing, Miss Selena. What have you been talking about?¡± ¡°Mm-hm, what do you think Mrs. Janet had to say?¡± ¡°Uh, what? Courtesy, manners, behavior, things like that? Unbelievable. Had she been saying those just because you slept in the same room as His Excellency last night?¡± Juna responded uneasily. Selena just smiled. ¡°I want to live a quiet life. We agreed on getting along, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll take care of me.¡± ¡°I hope it goes well. Ah, the bathhouse is this way.¡± The bathhouse was already empty. Only the maids, who were organizing things, worked with busy hands. ¡°Only one bathtub?¡± ¡°Yes. This bathroom is too small to allow more than one person to fit anyway.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.. So the Duke has already taken a bath?¡± ¡°Yes. His Excellency has washed up and gone to his room.¡± Evidently, this had happened while Selena was talking with Mrs. Janet. It would have been a disaster if Selena and Kalcion went into the bathroom together. Mrs. Janet had managed to cause a conflict and get over the crisis. ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing in the hot water right now. Just a moment, please.¡± Soon, the maid returned carrying a bucket full of hot water and filled the tub before Selena¡¯s eyes. In an instant, the bathhouse was filled with steam. Due to the time difference with Kalcion today, the water had no flower petals like yesterday. The wooden tub was covered with the white froth of the water, and curtains were attached to the windows. Instead of scented candles, only a single bright oil lamp was lit on the table. The lamp was inside a glass box, so there was no flicker of the flame in the slightest breeze. The steamy air, like a fog, helped the light from the lamp to spread everywhere. ¡°We will return soon after having it prepared.¡± Selena had a separate bathing tool. It seemed that they couldn¡¯t prepare it in advance since Kalcion was using the bathroom before. There were many things to prepare, so the maids rushed out at the same time. ¡°I can¡¯t stay like this. I¡¯m getting into the tub.¡± ¡°Yes, allow me!¡± Juna quickly went behind her and helped her take off her dress. Juna¡¯s fingertips skillfully untied the knots. Selena sat down in the bathtub, wearing only a thin inner garment. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t have a string to put your hair up. I should go, too. I forgot to take it when we were chatting, and I don¡¯t think anyone else will bring it. Is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thirsty. Please get me something to drink.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be right back!¡± As Juna rushed out, the bathroom became dead silent. ¡°This feels nice, too.¡± Perhaps it was because the windows were closed, the steam didn¡¯t escape out anywhere. The room was still foggy as if thin white clouds were floating around. Only the sound of water dripping from somewhere filled the emptiness. She could also hear servants chatting from afar. As she slightly moved, the sound of water splashing followed. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡± She leaned back, placing her neck on the edge of the tub and looking up at the ceiling. She was feeling drowsy. It felt relaxing to be able to soak in the bathtub every night, if nothing else. She could even relax without even spending her money. Originally, she could have done enough with money, but there was always a limited time. No time to sleep once you go out for a shoot. Except for the disadvantages of working at the risk of her life, she slightly felt that this world was not so bad. ¡®It means I can live like this forever after this work.¡¯ This job was not something she had to commit her entire life to, rather, it was a short-term job that would end once they find the criminal. In her world, people who caught criminals risked their lives to infiltrate and investigate. She wondered if something dangerous would happen here. For instance, a serial killer wielding a knife appears in a social store. Fionel and Rosalyn¡¯s murderous threats could have just served as the biggest curses from ladies. Her mind followed soon after her body soaked in the warm water. She closed her eyes. ¡°Hm?¡± It was at that moment when she felt the light suddenly go out. Even if her eyes were closed, she could feel the light through her eyelids. The cool breeze blew in from somewhere, quickly darkening her surroundings. ¡°Juna¡­¡­?¡± She recalled that she was enjoying this only a few seconds ago. Juna could not have returned in such a short time. ¡®Was any window open that blew the light off?¡¯ However, the oil lamp she saw earlier wouldn¡¯t just go off even if there was a storm. It can¡¯t go out unless someone turned it off on purpose. She was immersed in warm water, but cold chills ran through her body. It didn¡¯t feel good anymore. Tightly holding the edge, she prepared to raise herself. If anything happens, whom should she call? ¡®Juna? Mrs. Janet? Kalcion?¡¯ But it seemed like no one would run to save her. However, before Selena could think any further, the shadow that had permeated the corner of her vision moved. She thought that one of the maids had returned after accumulating something, but no one could walk so swiftly in such darkness. ¡®It¡¯s an assassination!¡¯ She did think there was a chance she¡¯d die, but she never thought anyone could really kill her. ¡®Did the death threat meant they had to send an assassin?!¡¯ It hadn¡¯t been long since she came to this world, but there were already so many people who she couldn¡¯t even think of facing. The movements of the mysterious man were so fast that he could not even be seen. He was a master at it! Selena hurriedly turned around in the tub to avoid the hand that flew in. ¡°Kyaaaaaaah!¡± It was the best self-defense force for an opponent who was likely stronger than her. She was able to avoid the attack, so she had a chance to scream her lungs out. The killer took note of this failure and aimed at Selena¡¯s hair. It was impossible for her to avoid all attacks in a dark place. If he grabbed her head in the bathtub, she was done for. She had to live whether to catch a criminal or not. She desperately tried to get out of the tub, but the man¡¯s hands were faster. A right hand gripped her hair. ¡°Urgh!¡± He was trying to drag her into the tub. Selena tightened her toes, punching at the arm of the mysterious man. However, the man was unaffected by it. She was in danger of being drowned. Selena screamed. ¡°Help! Somebody help! Aaargh!¡± While struggling to push him off, she grabbed a wooden bucket that was on the floor. She flung it toward the head of the man without a second thought. With a relatively loud roar, the hand of the man loosened. Then, she heard footsteps rushing from outside the door. ¡°Selena!¡± It was Kalcion. Giving up on Selena, the assassin ran out of the room through the upper gate. Almost at the same time, the door opened, revealing Kalcion and the knights rushing in. ¡°Over there!¡± Selena pointed at the window as she groaned. ¡°Dion, get him!¡± The footsteps drifted away at Kalcion¡¯s command. Selena panted as she took in her surroundings. The doors and windows were opened, slowly carrying away the steam that was trapped inside. Given that the foggy steam was still there, the time when she was attacked by the man was not long ago. In that short period of time, her limbs were trembling. She still couldn¡¯t hear a sound as her ears were ringing. She stooped down to sit, leaning against the tub. She could see Kalcion approaching her. His face was blank. ¡°When did he come in?¡± His cool voice penetrated her body like cold air. Thanks to this, her heavy breaths began to calm down because of the embarrassment rushing to her cheeks. ¡°It happened¡­¡­ as soon as all the maids left.¡± However, she was not completely calm yet. She felt breathless even with uttering a single word. Lowering her head, she breathed in deeply. The vibration of her deafening ears subsided, and her shaking vision also found its place. The harsh breaths from her mouth also became frequent. ¡°Whew¡­¡­.¡± Only after taking in a final deep breath did she raise her head, only to be met with Kalcion¡¯s eyes. He was looking down at her. Those blue-gray eyes of his were still. But in them, Selena saw his anger fluttering, and because of that, she knew she made a smart move. Chapter 39 ¡®¡­..That¡¯s going to be hard.¡¯ This was already the second time an assassination was attempted within the estate of Renbird. If this had happened on their journey, he¡¯d have taken care of his pride, but this happened inside the accommodation. The first time was done so cleverly that one couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a suicide or a murder that it could have aggravated the anger of Kalcion now that he tried to do things openly this time. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s angry because his pride was hurt, not because I was hurt.¡¯ She never expected it. But, it would have been more problematic if Kalcion had sincerely worried about Selena. However, her life was almost brought to an end, so she felt sorry for the loving concern of a person. Even though this happened, it was bitter that there was none to sincerely worry about her and comfort her. Selena held out her trembling arm towards Kalcion. ¡°Please help me. My legs, they¡­¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t expect a warm heart and tender words, but she could at least feel comforted by his touch. He could never refuse an arm asking for help. As expected, Kalcion leaned in without a word, and instead of holding her outstretched hand, he embraced her. It automatically calmed her. How nice it would be to experience a real loving act like this. ¡®From now on, we should focus on physical acts.¡¯ Kalcion had better get rid of his walls. In a word, he was the one who would increase the debt by a thousand. ¡°Kyaah! What¡¯s going on?!¡± The maids returned and stood before the door, screaming in surprise when they found knights in wariness. One beat later, Mrs. Janet appeared. Her breath was a little rough, and her hair was messy. She seemed to have rushed in. ¡°Your Excellency, what has happened here?¡± ¡°An attempt of assassination.¡± Her jaw stiffened by the short reply from him. She didn¡¯t make a fuss like the other maids, but she looked surprised. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°He was after Selena, not me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Ah.¡± Replying vaguely, she only nodded. As a matter of courtesy, she posed no more questions. Selena frowned. ¡®How can you not say a word to someone who almost died?¡¯ It¡¯s the same with Kalcion. People in this world were too unkind to say something out of courtesy, whether they meant it or not. ¡°Thoroughly investigate and ensure if there were any more personnel involved.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Selena patted his chest, irritated by his endless commands. ¡°Oh, come on. I want to go into the room and rest.¡± Kalcion turned obediently to Selena¡¯s nervous whisper. As his body moved, Selena¡¯s wet clothes were seen clinging to her skin. ¡°Oh, my!¡± The maids hurried to cover them with towels. Kalcion momentarily turned his head and ordered the servants and knights to look away. ¡°Examine the path of invasion. I am going to rest now.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Your Excellency.¡± Kalcion scooped her up before walking towards the room. Behind his back, Mrs. Janet¡¯s shouts were heard, which began to stir up the servants. If there was a gap in the deployment of security and an assailant crawled in, it was definitely Mrs. Janet¡¯s mistake. Was it because it was the first time she made such a mistake, or was she angry because Selena, whom she¡¯d wanted to be killed, was alive? Selena¡¯s lips rolled as a cold thought subdued her head. This time, it ended with an attack, but it was a dizzying incident that could have killed her if Kalcion hadn¡¯t come to save her. As time went by, cold chills ran down her body as she saw the situation from a more objective perspective. She wasn¡¯t playing a wrestling match on an entertainment show. She almost died just now. Fear that she hadn¡¯t realized engulfed her. ¡°It would be better to sleep together in my room for safety, or do you want to sleep separately?¡± Kalcion, who was naturally heading to his room, suddenly asked Selena. It couldn¡¯t happen without him going crazy. ¡°No, no, absolutely not!¡± Selena shook her head violently. From her wet hair, a few droplets of water splashed onto his face. In a clear message but unfamiliar act, Kalcion quietly opened the door. The room was simple, almost the same as yesterday. Kalcion put her down on the sofa, and she bent down as he was about to stand up. Selena¡¯s hand, which was gripping the hem of her dress, was shaking with anxiety. Now that she had found a room to breathe properly, she could feel fear. Her whole body had been trembling uncontrollably. She didn¡¯t want to cling to this heartless Northern Duke, but he was the safest man at the moment. Although he couldn¡¯t say comforting words, he had the sense to sit next to her. ¡°Are you cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m cold and¡­..scared.¡± ¡°Could be because you¡¯re still wet. First, change your clothes.¡± Kalcion called the maids to bring her a change of clothes. ¡°Uh, where are you going to change¡­¡­¡± The maid, who brought them, asked embarrassedly at the view of the small room that had no corner to change. While shaking her head, Selena took the clothes herself. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Now, she didn¡¯t even want to get close to any maid. The maid left the room, carrying an extra towel in her hands. ¡°Would you mind turning around for a second?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go out.¡± ¡°No!¡± Selena quickly caught Kalcion. ¡°This room is safe. To the door, to the window, and up to the ceiling.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m scared of being alone.¡± He sighed briefly before sitting back down, turning his back towards her. Fear was not a feeling that could disappear through persuasion. Even though he was an ace during training, there were many stories where he¡¯d failed to move a finger in the game. He could, to some extent, understand her fear. Only then did Selena begin to change in relief. Even though she wasn¡¯t visible to him, he could feel even the slightest shift of her figure right behind him. He could hear the sound of Selena pulling up wet clothes, loosening the knot of the ribbon, and the sound of fabric sticking to her flesh being swept past the skin. Kalcion gulped down on his dry throat due to an unprepared auditory stimulus. His hand on the armrest of the sofa clenched into a fist, which made his veins visible. The security kept him from opening the window to fight off the heat¡­¡­.therefore, the heat flowed down to his neck. However, after the sound of Selena undressing that lasted for a while, he heard the sound of new clothes being put on. ¡°Selena?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ wait a minute.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡­ I think it¡¯s starting to hurt.¡± Hurt? Kalcion¡¯s eyebrows gathered in displeasure. He was often sensitive to injuries. There were many cases where minor injuries remain as a major aftereffect. His own subordinates had to go to rest just by cutting their hands on a piece of paper. ¡°May I turn around?¡± ¡°Ah, no. Wait a minute.¡± She hastily sewed up the ribbons. She could wear it quickly because it was a night dress. After she was done, she sat down, and Kalcion examined her body. ¡°Let me see.¡± ¡°Here and¡­..¡± She rolled up her sleeves to reveal a scratch on her forearm. He also noticed a bruise on her wrist. With a serious look on his face, Kalcion grabbed her by the arm and looked around it. ¡°You must have hit your elbow, too.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She was so busy resisting that she wasn¡¯t conscious when she probably bumped into something while swinging her arms. As she listened to Kalcion, she found a black bruise already sitting there. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± It was the first time she had had such a big bruise on herself. She grimaced. She hated herself. ¡°Is it only the arm that¡¯s injured? Sometimes you hurt your feet while resisting.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± She pulled the hem of her skirt up to her thighs. She did it unconsciously. ¡°¡­¡­.Ahem.¡± Taken aback, Kalcion coughed quietly and looked down at her leg. Women all over the world wore long dresses that came down to their feet so as to not expose their legs. Exposing her legs was nothing short of being naked, but Kalcion, knowing her true intentions, desperately tried to remind himself of her true intentions. However, no indication of leftover scars was found on her exposed skin above. ¡°We need to apply some medicine.¡± Looking at the thick swelling mark as if grazed by a sharp object, Kalcion once again prompted. A bruise reached her knee, and her hallux was broken. Based on some traces, he could figure out how the physical assault went. Kalcion ordered the maid to bring medicine and bandages. ¡°You¡¯re not calling a doctor?¡± ¡°The only doctor is a man.¡± He replied. Selena was confused at what it had to do with medical practice, but she kept quiet. Since it was his consideration, it would be better to just take it well. Kalcion carefully applied medicine to each of Selena¡¯s wounds and bandaged her. It was not a bad choice to leave it to him. He was skillful. She couldn¡¯t believe that his big hands were treating her as delicately as a cotton ball. He was acting like she was a glass that would break when touched until the last wound was treated and patched up. There were no warm words of comfort, but an icicle hanging somewhere in her body broke when his friendly touch landed on her. ¡°Next¡­..¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes, which had been carefully scanning for more wounds after tying a knot in the bandage, touched the broken hallux. ¡°I¡¯ll have to sharpen the toenails.¡± ¡°Oh, there.¡± Before she could say she¡¯d take care of it, Kalcion grabbed her ankle and placed it on his thigh. Selena shut her mouth, gently allowing him to continue. It might not smell after washing up, but she was ashamed at someone having to actually put their eyes on her feet. Kalcion took out the tool and began to sharpen the tip of her toe. The feeling of bone harvesting spread like honey falling in water. It felt like honey was spreading at the end of her feet. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°It tickles¡­¡­.¡± Selena¡¯s shrinking whine shook Kalcion¡¯s fingertips, which were being careful. However, they soon returned back to their original speed. Kalcion, carefully finishing with Selena¡¯s toes as though it¡¯s some carved precious material, straightened his back. ¡°Thank you¡­¡­¡± She flashed a small smile while looking down at her toes, which were clean and smooth again. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility since you¡¯ve been injured in this line of work. There¡¯s nothing to thank me for.¡± She giggled at his blunt reply, which lightened her mood. She looked down at her body, straightening her back. Now that her wounds were treated, her whole form was in tatters. Some places were bandaged, and the smell of medicine buzzed in her nose instead of the usual scent of perfume. She gave a deflating laugh as she thought she looked ridiculous. ¡°This makes it seem like I¡¯m a seriously injured patient.¡± ¡°You could have been seriously injured.¡± ¡°I know. I came very close to being dead, huh. Hahaha.¡± She gave a half-hearted laugh. She almost couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Yeah, you did.¡± Kalcion¡¯s agreement sent shivers down her spine. She wouldn¡¯t deny, she really could¡¯ve lost her life out there. She felt cold chills run through her body again. The tremor returned. Kalcion sat still beside her even though the treatment was over. When she realized that it was because of her, she leaned sideways, feeling weak. She snuggled up to hug Kalcion¡¯s waist. ¡°!¡± At Selena¡¯s actions, Kalcion flinched and hardened. He was sure he even heard the sound of his heart falling to the floor. However, he couldn¡¯t find anything that at least resembled a heart when his eyes fell at the bottom of the sofa. Her shoulders were shivering for a while as her face was buried in his chest. Kalcion pondered over whether his gesture would be right or not for a moment. Soon, one of his hands wrapped around her shoulder, trying to ease her fear. He could force her fear to dissipate by ¡®ordering it¡¯. If that didn¡¯t work, he could ¡®pull it¡¯ out of sight. He could understand her fears, but there was no reason for him to do something about it. It was up to one if they wanted to overcome their fear. But Selena wasn¡¯t capable of doing that. It was simply impossible as he had no place to draw out a sermon upon ¡®ordering it¡¯ in a hundred words. She was nothing in his life, but he thought upon what would happen if he did what was commonly called ¡®consolation¡¯. Perhaps, it would help to an extent. The consolation Kalcion ever gave was to his knights, who would challenge him in a fight and break down a hundred times, but it wasn¡¯t a disgrace. Should he say, ¡°it¡¯s not a shame to almost be assassinated and to be afraid¡±? No, Selena was not particularly ashamed. As Kalcion looked at Selena¡¯s thin shoulders and back, his worries increased. She had wiped off the water and worn dry clothes. It was a little chilly inside, but there was warmth by the fireplace. But would it ever calm down her tension? Kalcion hesitated before rubbing Selena¡¯s back and shoulders. If he gave her warmth like this, it would stop at some point. Her body was trembling like a frail wet puppy. It instinctively made him feel sorry. Her tremors gradually subsided, perhaps because of Kalcion¡¯s warm body. Fear-induced tremors would disappear after a good night¡¯s sleep, so he didn¡¯t have to worry much about leaving her alone. More importantly, Kalcion was relieved of her shoulders easing up. Feeling nervous, Selena hesitated first before pulling herself away from him. Her cheeks and forehead were sweaty since she was sticking her face tightly to his chest. ¡°¡­¡­.I feel better now. Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.That¡¯s a relief.¡± Kalcion couldn¡¯t take off his slightly wet clothes as his chest had become damp. ¡°You mean, I could die like this?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly foresee this situation. No, in fact, I never thought they¡¯d approach in this way again.¡± ¡°So, why aren¡¯t you surprised at all?¡± Kalcion had run fast, but he wasn¡¯t surprised. Just like how one wouldn¡¯t be too surprised when they would rush to find an umbrella due to a sudden downpour. ¡°Because an attempted assassination itself has become a routine.¡± ¡°A routine?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe his simple words. It was as if he said ¡°an attempted assassination is like drinking a cup of tea every morning¡±. As Kalcion was exasperated when she asked, he thought for a moment and corrected himself. ¡°Not all the time, but sometimes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying it happened not only once? If that¡¯s the case, it must¡¯ve happened to the point where you don¡¯t get surprised anymore, correct?¡± ¡°Right. How does coping without panic sound? However, what I didn¡¯t expect was that he would go straight after you, not me.¡± Kalcion was surprised at that part. It was a relief that his room was close to the bathhouse as if it was far away, he would only have found her body. A soldier, who was on guard, also came running after noticing the disturbance in the bathhouse. Even by the time that soldier had acted, it was highly likely that he would not have been able to get in and save Selena at the right time. Only then did the displeasure, which he had forgotten for a while, crept up in him. How dare they, again. The same thing was almost repeated again. A blazing wick appeared in his eyes. ¡°So, how many times have you been through this, Duke?¡± It was the second time that the person next to him had been targeted, but there were countless times when the Duke himself was targeted. Looking up at the ceiling, he fumbled through his memories. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­. how many times? It¡¯s pointless to count them now.¡± ¡°Wow, I wonder how you¡¯ve lived like this.¡± She sighed, faking a sniffle. ¡°No, it was an accident today. It happened inside the Northern Territories, and I didn¡¯t expect you to get directly targeted, so the escort was negligent. You¡¯ll be fine from now on. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°You mean there is someone who¡¯s really trying to kill you whether or not you have an escort. How can you not worry when you know that?¡± ¡°It is possible to roughly infer the suspect¡¯s intentions just by looking at the situation. If you know that, you can thoroughly be prepared. Then, wouldn¡¯t that be a relief?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Can you infer?¡± Selena asked suspiciously, and Kalcion nodded confidently. Usually, assassinations targeting Kalcion were either elaborate or radical since they knew they would be failures. However, they fail without even being able to see the shadow of Kalcion. If one wanted to assassinate, they¡¯d have to permeate the target¡¯s personal space as quietly as possible, but Kalcion doesn¡¯t spend much time alone nor does he accept a friendly greet to meet someone alone. Although an assassination was not easy by nature, in the case of Kalcion, the difficulties were endless many times more than others. The radical approach was more of a terror than an assassination. Since there was no winning rate in the one-on-one approach anyway, it was like pouring arrows from afar or installing an explosive in a carriage. However, this method caught the tail easily. In fact, he was attacked twice. In both times, he was able to find the criminal, which led to the destruction of both families. Since then, there had been no approach in the same manner, whether it had failed or not. The attempt to assassinate within his territory itself was not much different from just sending an assassin to die. So, Kalcion never paid much attention to those attacks except when he was in the capital. This was the reason he decided to take the route to the capital that traveled within his marked territory. Still, an incident took place within the boundaries. And not with Kalcion, but with Selena. To think they would choose to kill Selena without using any weapon or poison by drowning her. It was unimaginable, even to Kalcion. Nobody in the world could drown Kalcion with their bare hands. Selena pretended to ease up now that all the knights were mobilized for security and all the residents of the village were robbed of their peace. ¡°You can tell by the way he tried to kill, the timing of his appearance, etc. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll help us catch and interrogate him accurately. By any chance, can you let me know of what happened?¡± Selena gathered her eyebrows and focused her mind. It wasn¡¯t hard to recall since it didn¡¯t happen much long ago. ¡°While all the maids went away to get the tools for my bath, the light suddenly went out and a person popped out of the darkness. I thought it would be over if I got out of the tub, and when I did¡­¡­..¡± The person gripped a handful of her hair. She summarized the rest to him. ¡°That was one great move.¡± Selena turned her head in confusion at his compliment. But, she didn¡¯t beat the assailant, did she? ¡°Not using a weapon would have covered it up as an accident or suicide. Drowning was the only answer to the situation, and it was a good judgement that you got out of the bathtub.¡± Only then could she nod her head at the explanation that followed. ¡°Even if you¡¯d died, one could have been sure it wasn¡¯t a suicide.¡± ¡°A-ha¡­¡­..¡± A murder decorated as a suicide. Irelle, Kalcion¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e, came to her mind. Kalcion firmly believed that her death was due to murder, but the case was forced to an end after announcing it as a suicide. ¡°Maybe he was hired by the same person for Irelle?¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes flashed. He seemed to have recalled the same thing. ¡°That¡¯s highly possible.¡± ¡°If we catch an assassin, it will give us a clue to find the suspect.¡± Selena¡¯s eyes shone just as Kalcion¡¯s did. ¡°By any chance, have you heard his voice?¡± Chapter 41 ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything.¡± It¡¯s only natural. No assassin would introduce themselves to their targets. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get a look at him, Duke?¡± ¡°He was already outside the window.¡± As expected, it was difficult to find a clue unless the assassin got caught. Selena told him whatever she could recall. Thinking that no matter how trivial the information was, it might be a clue. ¡°His hands were covered in very thick gloves.¡± ¡°He must¡¯ve been wearing gauntlets. Most people in the North put them on during their work. It¡¯d be hard to specify that way.¡± This wasn¡¯t a clue either. Discouraged, she let her shoulders droop down. ¡°I had a good argument with Mrs. Janet before I went to take a bath. It doesn¡¯t make sense to hire an assassin and send him after me in the meantime, does it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t suppose Mrs. Janet would have done such a thoughtless thing if she truly intended to kill you.¡± ¡°Then, could it be either Fionel or Rosalyn?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Or they could be someone else I¡¯ve never thought of.¡± ¡°By now, they might be wandering around to attend 10 parties and make the rumors spread in the capital to create a big chaos.¡± No one in the capital would truly know about Selena. Kalcion agreed with the conjecture. The same was true for Irelle. Even before she was properly introduced, everyone knew that the prospective fianc¨¦e of the Duke of Renbird was arriving in the capital. There were even a bunch of people who guessed which parties she was going to attend. There was something people were half-confident about during the time of Irelle¡¯s visit. Before that, not many people said anything about the scandal about Kalcion. However, with Irelle¡¯s already established record, interest in Selena would never be skipped. In other words, they could start with actions without even finding out more. ¡°It would be great if the assassin could be arrested.¡± ¡°Then everything will be simple.¡± Heavy footsteps walking down the hallway stopped at the door. Unlike the thick door of Kalcion¡¯s bedroom at the Castle of Renbird, such small sounds through this door were audible. ¡°This is Dion.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Dion paid a light silent tribute and immediately went into the report. ¡°We missed him.¡± ¡°Did he get away?¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyebrows twitched with displeasure. ¡°He has committed suicide.¡± Selena¡¯s shifting gaze between them stopped. ¡°He must¡¯ve been very well trained.¡± ¡°All the retreats we had secured were new for him. As soon as he judged there was no way he¡¯d escape, he chose to terminate himself at once.¡± Kalcion¡¯s lips closed at Dion¡¯s subsequent report. ¡°Had he infiltrated us from the mid-way?¡± ¡°He hadn¡¯t. I think he was following us from Dunfel.¡± ¡°Did you find anything in his body?¡± ¡°There was nothing specific at all.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Shall I send people to Dunfel to investigate?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to distribute forces like that. Dispose of the body and send for an investigator to Dunfel by contacting Silenza.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Dion stepped back. However, the tension in the air from the conversation did not ease up. Selena turned to Kalcion, feeling anxious. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get anything after all. Back to square one.¡± ¡°Not back to the origin. There aren¡¯t many families that can send such trained assassins.¡± ¡°If not many, how many are there?¡± ¡°About 30 families?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It¡¯d take a month if one family was investigated a day. That wouldn¡¯t be much, he said? ¡°Well then, how many families are there in the capital?¡± ¡°About 300?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± This world was bigger than she thought. It¡¯s time that she got used to this scale. Before she began tackling assassins on a daily basis. Even though such an incident occurred this night, there would not be any delay in tomorrow¡¯s departure. ¡°We should get some sleep.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°No more people would attack when we sleep, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± With no information from her assailant, she only found out that there were 30 families who could be after her life. A dark displeasing aura filled her heart. Shriveling at the thought, Selena walked to the bed. She was naturally going to the left, but she suddenly turned to the right. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the right side tonight.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d be scared¡­¡­ so, I want us to sleep together.¡± Kalcion got up and walked towards the bed. Selena¡¯s weak worried figure relaxed as he sat on the bed. ¡°¡­¡­.Can¡¯t we?¡± She felt so refreshed that her voice sounded cute. Her drooping eyes looked like they were going to be full of tears if he denied, whereas her lips gathered up, which showed that she was afraid. Once, he had found a palm-sized beast on his way to investigate the mountain range. Although small in size, it was highly likely to be a grown-up since it did not cross the range. Usually, magical beasts were more deformed than regular beasts and had monstrous forms. However, some were deformed into beautiful shapes. The beast was unmistakably cute. Even Kalcion, who usually had no compassion, sympathized with the small beast saying it was adorable. Unlike its appearance, the beast was so ferocious that he had to kill it. But he still regretted not being able to tame it after catching it. He didn¡¯t think there would ever be such a cute creature in the world again. But here was another. Right in front of him. Dazed at Selena¡¯s cute expression, Kalcion nodded without realizing. ¡°Whatever¡¯s convenient for you.¡± Selena¡¯s smile appeared at his permission, and she quickly settled under the blanket. Kalcion lied down on the left side of the bed, and stretched his arm towards Selena. Selena rolled towards him as if she was waiting for it, and leaned her head on his shoulder. Naturally, his hand rested around her waist. Kalcion closed his eyes, trying to be oblivious of their position and pretending as though her arm was a blanket. His futile efforts broke every time Selena scooted closer to him. After a while, she whispered when her thumping heart calmed down. ¡°What if someone sneaks in while we¡¯re asleep and tries to suffocate me with a pillow?¡± Her voice was as small as the breeze whooshing past the window. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to come in. The guards have been increased.¡± ¡°There were guards outside the bath, but he was still able to sneak in.¡± Now that she¡¯d faced one incident, she couldn¡¯t be sure that it would never happen again. ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯m right beside you.¡± She sighed deeply and stretched out. ¡°Just wake me up if I do anything weird in my sleep, alright?¡± ¡°All right.¡± That he could do without her to inform him. Even in silence, he never missed his mark, which was a basic skill that any knight of Renbird had. Perhaps she was relieved by Kalcion¡¯s answer, but she was still a little doubtful. Selena, who wished she could fall asleep as she was, opened her eyes again shortly afterward she hoped to be quiet. ¡°Come to think of it, do we have to bathe together now?!¡± ¡°?!¡± This time, Kalcion¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°No, we don¡¯t have to¡­¡­ We¡¯ll strengthen your escort from now on, so it will be fine. I¡¯ll inform them, so you will be safe anywhere you go.¡± He came up with a plan to stumble. ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± It made her uneasy, but she replied anyway. ¡°Do I have to stay as nervous as this all the time in the capital?¡± ¡°The capital city is better because there are many eyes to keep watch and a lot of people to get intertwined within. The most risk is in when we move.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯ll be fine once we reach the capital, right?¡± Selena, who seemed a little convinced, sat up. ¡°Wait, no, it was fine when we started moving. You chose the path within Renbird¡¯s estate for safe travel, but it wasn¡¯t, right?¡± Unable to deny, Kalcion stayed silent. Trust, which had already fallen to the ground, was now getting picked up as scattered sesame seeds by hand. Selena needed a device to lower her anxiety. ¡°My life wasn¡¯t multiplied by what I had. I anticipated going through the limit of strange happenings that a person could go through at a time, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s been upgraded to meet this world¡¯s standard.¡± Many things happened even when she was an actor. Even if she had bodyguards, there were such things that could be prevented. Stalkers sneaking in through door passwords, calling late at night, putting something in the mailboxes, showing up everywhere she went, and trying to hug her when she¡¯d just managed to keep a clean and formal greeting. Although stalkers were dangerous, they did not try to kill Selena. The threat of murder was worse than stalkers putting a dead bird by her door every morning. ¡°The thing is that you feel startled and anxious right now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She answered quietly. However, being relieved by that alone, she lied back down to Kalcion¡¯s side. Though her mouth was shut, he felt a sign that she was having trouble falling asleep immediately. He couldn¡¯t even ask her to train to deviate her fear as he did to his soldiers. ¡®¡­..Is there nothing? Why isn¡¯t there?¡¯ Selena was, however, an outstanding athlete. She said she could do anything with her body. She said she was learning martial arts little by little, so why didn¡¯t he think about it? ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep,¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± She replied with a look of delight on her face that said she was desperate. Still, her features seemed dry, lifeless. Although he wondered if he should ask this to a Lady, Kalcion mustered up his courage to suggest it. Chapter 42 ¡°Why don¡¯t you try training?¡± ¡°What training?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re very athletic and have excellent physical conditions, I think you¡¯ll be able to learn¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, what kind of training do you suggest?¡± ¡°Sword art?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to learn it.¡± Her reply came out ridiculously easy, with no second thought. ¡°You¡¯d love it?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could teach me. That way, I¡¯d be able to have another way to protect myself.¡± It wasn¡¯t that there were very few women who learned sword skills. It became a rare article. Since there were no legal restrictions, anyone was allowed to learn. But, she herself was willing to work with a sword. Women rarely came forward like this. Some even preferred static exercise that could be performed in a dress. Though according to Kalcion, who was observant, it was natural for women to hate swords. So it seemed pretty strange for him to see Selena wanting to stretch to warm up in the morning and be happy about learning fencing. He didn¡¯t mean it was wrong. Rather, it felt like he had met a rare existence that didn¡¯t exist in his world. Well, it is true that she is a person from another world. ¡°Shall we do it right now? I can¡¯t sleep anyway.¡± Selena jumped out of her seat. When the learner stepped out, Kalcion could not say any word. He just thought of something and threw it at her, but things suddenly got bigger as she was really looking forward to training on this moony night. ¡°Should we do it here? Or outside? You know, I just escaped an assassin out there.¡± Selena was in full swing. She was motivated to do the training either way. ¡°The guards must be nervous and sensitive right now, so we should go for simple stances in the room. We will do that until we get to the capital¡¯s mansion. If you¡¯re still willing to continue, let¡¯s get started now.¡± ¡°All right. What should I start with?¡± Since she stretched in the morning, there was no need for her to warm up. Kalcion thought for a moment before he took out the sword he had set by the bedside. For now, I only need to train her so that she would get tired and sleep, so formal training for knightship wasn¡¯t necessary. Thus, there was no need to organize the skills I¡¯ll teach her according to order. ¡°Hold onto it.¡± Turning the sword in his hand, Kalcion extended the hilt towards Selena. She could learn with ease as long as she could support the sword without letting it fall on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s heavier than it looks, isn¡¯t it?¡± Her eyes widened as she picked up the sword from the floor. She thought it¡¯d be a little heavier than a prop she held before, but it was much heavier than that. Kalcion was holding it as though it was a twig, so she thought it was fairly lightweight. The weight she felt firsthand was not of a sword. It was like a lump. ¡°It¡¯s a little different from a regular sword. They use special metal with higher density to deal with evil forces.¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than three times the weight of a typical sword.¡± Selena looked down at the sword in admiration. Indeed, it was as dark as its weight. ¡°Wow¡­¡­. It¡¯s really heavy.¡± It was quite difficult for her, who practiced weight-bearing at the gym. She grunted as she lifted it. She tried to lift it up and down so that she could be comfortable holding it, but the weight made it too difficult to draw a straight line. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Then, as Kalcion was about to ask her to listen to him, his mouth parted open. It wasn¡¯t a sword that ordinary women could lift. But she was swinging it. He was astounded to see Selena holding it with her bare hands, like a warrior using mana. It was the only field in which Kalcion devoted his heart to bring out the talent of martial arts. His eyes glistened with greed. ¡°Would you be able to swing it horizontally?¡± ¡°Like this?¡± She performed it with no difficulty. His gaze deepened. ¡°Great.¡± ¡°Oh, I-I am?¡± So there are actually days when compliments come out of his mouth. She was surprised, but she stood proud with a big smile on her face. ¡°I-I must have some talent, huh? I haven¡¯t tried it because it¡¯s dangerous to use weapons. I should¡¯ve done it earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame you didn¡¯t try it beforehand. Can you lift it to the top of your head and swing it to the bottom?¡± ¡°Umm, hup! ¡­¡­Like this?¡± Kalcion almost clapped. The two excited individuals continued to train with no knowledge of the time passing by. Until Selena¡¯s stamina was depleted to the point of exhaustion. ¡°¡­¡­Ah, haah! Wait, stop!¡± ¡°Just one more time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really bad at this, huff, I¡¯m going to stop.¡± ¡°No, you can do it. This is the last.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Extreme physical activity had something in common. That is it made one sweat hard, and let out a painful grunt. And sometimes such elements were apt to be misleading to others who only hear the sound. That night, the misunderstanding grew deeper. The Enemy Territory Selena, who physically experienced a hot night with Kalcion, lied half dead in the carriage during the sudden resumption of the intense movement. No matter how hard she trained, she would survive in the evening because she slept in the carriage all day long. And their own training was repeated like this throughout the nights of sleeplessness. Meanwhile, the carriage passed a long path and finally reached the end of the Renbird estate. Selena, who had been sleeping in the carriage all day except for meals, kept her eyes open all morning when she was told that they were leaving the territory of Renbird. ¡°As soon as we leave the territory of Renbird, we wouldn¡¯t see arrows flying from all directions or from raiding groups, would we?¡± ¡°That could be possible, but¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Possible?!¡± It was enough to spark her anxiety, but she could not lie. Kalcion said exactly what it was. ¡°They could pretend to be a bandit, or they could say that they accidentally shot us while on a hunt. The entire capital belongs to the King, so any aristocrat is free to hunt.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± The words didn¡¯t add up as to what he told earlier. ¡°One can¡¯t beat the Knights of Renbird by any means.¡± ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡­ I wonder why the assassin forgot about them the last time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Letting the assassin into the establishment that day became the greatest failure of the Knights of Renbird. As Kalcion¡¯s pride was hurt, he closed his mouth and shot his eyes outside the window. That¡¯s why people shouldn¡¯t be overconfident. If he could read her anxious mind before putting forward this confidence that it wasn¡¯t dangerous, he could achieve victory for sure. Selena looked out the window, grumbling to herself. The carriage, which had been heading west, turned south for the first time this morning. The central city of Renbird, Silenza, was located in the eastern end, and the capital of the Arkline Kingdom, Myong, was situated in the western central part. Since they moved from east to west within the territory of Renbird, which covered all the land of north, the only way left was to go down from north to south. While traveling from east to west, the Sigand Mountains on the right and the wilderness on the left remained the same, but as the latitude changed from north to south, the landscape began changing from time to time. It was the first time that she began to see green grass swaying in the wind instead of strong thorny trees. As noontime neared, flowers began to appear for the first time. Then, a stone boundary was seen standing beyond the blooming fields. ¡°That¡¯s the boundary.¡± The boundary was built around where the flowers bloomed. It was the standard by which the land of Renbird in the north felt like a pawn. On the contrary, the capital city must be very prosperous and colorful where flowers bloomed. Each kind boasted colorful petals and incense, and it was impossible to tell which was poisonous. It was now time to get into the tomb and dance among the painted bodies. Selena heaved a long sigh. She could feel the eyes of Kalcion facing her way. The carriage stopped at the boundary. The capital and Renbird were not at war, but for security reasons, some soldiers stood guard near the perimeter. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± One of the knights came up to the carriage. Kalcion nodded. ¡°Wait here until further layout adjustments.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± The knights surrounding the carriage divided themselves. Some went toward the soldiers standing guard, while the others rearranged their position around the carriage. As the separation ended, the carriage started again right that instant. There were no sanctions or inspections performed on Kalcion¡¯s carriage, even if the guards were for the control of the general public or not. ¡°Why did those Knights stay there?¡± She asked while looking back at the knights in the distance. From the moment the carriage crossed the perimeter, it started to run at full speed. Due to that, the knights and the stone boundary had already become too small to be seen. ¡°The number of soldiers who can enter the capital is limited. That¡¯s why it is said, it¡¯d be the most dangerous hour from the moment one crosses the border until he enters the capital¡¯s residential area.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± The word ¡®dangerous¡¯ caused the tension to stab back at her, and she gulped. ¡°If the carriage runs for half a day from here, we will enter the residential area. From there, physical attacks are almost impossible, so you can relax.¡± Then, wouldn¡¯t this be the tensest hour until she got there? Nervous, she held her hands tight together on her lap. Every time the speeding carriage rattled, her heart jumped out of fear. If one of the wheels loosened, or if it got stuck in the mud¡­¡­. Now that she had experienced a situation for once where her life was in danger, she became quite sensitive. She literally ran off a cliff because of her shoot and ended up crossing to another world. What was left was a shivering coward afraid of dying. ¡°G-Give me your hand¡­¡­.¡± The tension kept building in her, causing her fingertips to go cold. The chills, which began at her fingertips, spread straight throughout her body, making her knees tremble. She asked out to him for help as she thought it would lessen her anxiety if she leaned on the warmth of Kalcion. Kalcion gave his hand with no difficulty. Selena grabbed his hand tightly with both hands, while he held one of her hands in response. Chapter 43 Selena gradually stopped trembling as she held the warm big hand of his. Kalcion had long hands and his skin color was very fair, so they seemed as delicate as a pen and book, but if you took a closer look, you could see the rough times he¡¯d been through. Thick joints, veins on the back, and calluses covering the palm. Selena¡¯s hand began to get calluses because of swinging a sword every few days and nights. However, compared to Kalcion, hers was just a sprout next to an old tree. She wondered how long he had held the sword to make his palm feel as hard as a tree trunk. The evidence of his skill in the palm of his hand was rather creditworthy than his own confidence. Selena gently traced the calluses on his palm with her fingertips. She continued, as if she was tearing off lints from a piece of cloth. Kalcion, who was silent, flicked his finger as it tickled him. ¡°Ah, does it tickle?¡± Without saying a word, Kalcion squeezed his fingers in between Selena¡¯s fingers. ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± It became a tight grip. Selena looked down at her hand in embarrassment. She knew he only did that to temporarily block her from tickling his palm. ¡®But, how long is he going to stay like this?¡¯ As minutes ticked by, Kalcion did not untangle his fingers away. The sensation became more and more sensitive. ¡®It¡¯d start sweating.¡¯ Kalcion¡¯s sharp gaze was directed outside the window. The carriage, running at full speed, rattled roughly against the pavement, but the tension seeping in through was as calm as a vacuum. Selena rolled her eyes to herself in embarrassment. Kalcion was still like an old tree, but if he wriggled by himself, wouldn¡¯t the situation become more awkward? Her mother would have been furious about her holding a man¡¯s hand so recklessly. But it was too late to let go of his grip now. A welcoming light touch could be natural. However, even with that thought, the tension over the hand-holding part didn¡¯t dissipate easily. *** How long has it been? The stone boundary of the city began to be seen in the distance. A humble private house built began to come into view as the swaying carriage sank in. They had now entered the well-organized road. Soon came the images of neat houses lined up on both sides. She could see the clean street scenery with stones on the floors, and even trees began to appear. ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t have to worry about swords flying in from somewhere.¡± They had entered Myong. In accordance with its reputation as the capital of the Empire, Myong was a splendidly huge city. Unlike the buildings of Silenza, which had thick exterior walls and high roofs, the buildings in Myong had wider roofs and colorful outer walls. Each house had flowers and trees planted around them, with a small stream flowing along the road. And the most noticeable were the guards deployed all over the road. They were riding horses in a conspicuous uniform. ¡°There are a lot of guards.¡± ¡°Myong is a rich place for people to flock from all over the country, so people tend to spend money on public security.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you said it was safe here.¡± With these many eyes of surveillance scattered here and there, even a competent assassin would not be able to pass through. ¡®Even with no assassins, there will be a much darker struggle than killing one underwater.¡¯ The beauty of a city¡¯s exterior did not make its residents beautiful. A person was killed in this beautiful city. However, the warmth of the sunset melted the cold air from the north that was stuck to Selena¡¯s body. Her nerves that had been frozen due to tension were calmed down by the warm temperature permeating her body, and she felt overworked through the intense training she did all night. Now that she was far from any dangers of death, she felt relaxed and sleepy. ¡°Mmm¡­¡­¡± She fell asleep without realizing when she closed her eyes. Kalcion looked sideways under the weight of a thump on his shoulder and found Selena asleep. Their fingers were still tangled around each other. She must have been tired. Each time the carriage wheel bumped over a stone, she just shook her head without opening her eyes. Kalcion turned to the window again and remained motionless until they arrived at the mansion. His shoulders felt stiff as the carriage entered the gate of the mansion. The sun was already setting and the sky was turning dark. Myong was a huge city that made them take half a day to get from one end to the other. The carriage passed the gate and stopped at the entrance of the mansion. The servants of the mansion, who had been waiting for his arrival in advance, bowed their heads as the carriage door opened. ¡°Welcome¡­..¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The polite greeting stopped at his order. Kalcion stepped out of the carriage, carrying Selena, who was still half-awake. The servant approached them quickly, but Kalcion shook his head and walked into the mansion. ¡°The guest room has been prepared.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± The butler whispered, but Kalcion went straight to his room. The butler followed him with a hasty bow. Kalcion, who laid Selena on his bed, said to the butler with his back still turned away from him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid her clothes are uncomfortable. Let the maids in to change her clothes into a sleeping attire. I¡¯ll take a walk around the mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, sire.¡± ¡°Try not to wake her up.¡± ¡°Duly noted.¡± Kalcion walked out of the room with the butler bowing after him. Then, he checked the faces of each guard in front of the door. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± The knights on guard greeted him. Just before Kalcion left Silenza, these men were sent to Myong in advance to check the mansion, take a rest, and wait for him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have heard the news. About an attack performed in secret.¡± ¡°Yes, as soon as we heard of the news, we did a thorough search on the inside and outside of the mansion, and sent out all the people who were hired with unclear guardians. The building¡¯s sentry system has also been reorganized and put on alert.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kalcion nodded and moved back. Naturally, three guards followed him. The distribution and movement of personnel were prepared in all cases. Even if three people left the place along with Kalcion, the remaining guard lines would be reconstructed accordingly. With such a thorough escort network, Kalcion was confidently able to say that the capital was safe. Even if the royal forces were mobilized to invade the area, there was a way to escape from the mansion and return to the North. However, with Selena¡¯s appearance, things could be a little difficult. That was the reason why Kalcion was now going around the mansion to check it thoroughly. Kalcion¡¯s sharp eyes checked every corner of the room and every corner of the hallway. By the time the inspection of one corridor was completed, Dion returned after completing the arrangements of the knights he had moved with. ¡°We have received a report of a changed layout and movement.¡± ¡°Still, check it out one more time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kalcion was not, in fact, the caretaker of the security. He didn¡¯t need any security because he was the strongest. Once, when an incredibly trained assassin crossed the front porch of his mansion, the first person to notice it was Kalcion. When the security guard, who noticed it a step later, came to Kalcion¡¯s room to report, he had already dealt with the situation and was wiping the blood off his sword. ¡°Rest assured. Miss Selena¡¯s room has been checked more thoroughly again.¡± Dion said as he went back to the room after inspecting every nook of the mansion. He knew Selena was pretending to be Kalcion¡¯s lover for the purpose of finding the criminal. So, it naturally came to him that it might be inconvenient for the both of them to use the same room all the way around because of security. The reason why he said it was because Selena was moved to Kalcion¡¯s room, wherein she fell asleep as soon as she was laid on the bed. It was his kindness that there was no need to be uncomfortable anymore. However, Kalcion shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for a few more days.¡± There was no reason to protest against Kalcion¡¯s opinion. Dion bowed his head and stepped back. Selena was sleeping soundly until Kalcion returned to the room after washing up and got ready to sleep. The maids did change her clothes and even clean her up, but she was still asleep. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep when she was afraid, but once she fell asleep, she wouldn¡¯t wake up until after a long time. Now that he remembered, she even slept quite soundly in his office the other day until sunset. Whether she moved while sleeping or due to the maids, Selena was sleeping in the middle of the bed, her limbs stretched out all over the place. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Left, or right? Kalcion, after agonizing for a while, lied down on her left. Since they were sleeping in the same bed for security reasons, there was only one way for her to feel safe. And it was by sleeping in his arms. *** When Selena woke up and blinked her eyes open, she first found herself lying in a very comfortable position. Her arms and legs were thrown in all directions, with pillows on all sides. There was nothing unusual. It felt fortunate to be alone and scattered cozily on the bed. ¡°Haaa-mm¡­¡­.¡± Selena stretched with a big yawn. ¡°How long was I asleep¡­..¡± Scratching her head, she slipped out of the bed and opened the thick curtain covering the window. The sky was dim as the sun had not risen yet. Having had enough rest, her body felt healthy and she felt her energy restored. When she went to the bathroom attached to the room, the growl in her stomach announced her hunger with great enthusiasm. She couldn¡¯t wait for the maid to come in with food because if she waited a little longer, her belly would turn into a bugle. ¡°Where¡¯s the rope¡­¡­. Bell? Is there no bell? Should I just call for them?¡± She didn¡¯t know how she could call for the maids because it was her first time waking up alone, but then, the door creaked open. Chapter 44 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 It was Kalcion. ¡°What¡ªKnock on the door before you come inside.¡±¡°Do I need to knock to get into my room?¡±¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t this my room?¡±¡°This is my room.¡± As if to prove it was his room, Kalcion walked casually to the closet, took out a towel, wiped his face and neck, and headed to the bathroom. ¡°Isn¡¯t the capital safe? Why don¡¯t you give me my own room?¡± When they arrived at the capital, they talked about getting separate rooms. Mrs. Janet, who stepped down before, once again came to intervene to see if her opinion could stand as they approached the capital. ¡°Rumors cannot be spread that an unmarried man and woman slept in the same room for a night.¡±¡°Then what happens when you come out in the middle?¡±¡°That is fine.¡± What are the criteria? Selena cursed inwardly and nodded her head. If the security was secured, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for them to sleep separately. At the same time, her job was also to pretend to seduce Kalcion. They didn¡¯t act at night, but they always had to be on guard in case somebody barged in. ¡°I couldn¡¯t check the status of security when we arrived. That¡¯s why I put you in the safest room here.¡±¡°Oh.¡±¡°Once we are assured that there¡¯s no flaw in the security, you¡¯ll use a separate room.¡±¡°Alright.¡± Selena was unconvinced. She was now getting used to sleeping in the same room as Kalcion. It was uncomfortable in other people¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t feel very uncomfortable when she was alone with him. She didn¡¯t have a problem when she trained at night with him in her sleeping garments either. ¡°By the way, have you been training since early this morning? Oh my, you are diligent. Let¡¯s have breakfast together after you wash up.¡± The hem of his light colored shirt was slightly wet. It didn¡¯t seem to be raining outside, but as he approached, he slightly smelled of sweat. He was a man who didn¡¯t lose a drop of sweat when killing the beasts up there, but he seemed to sweat when he went to a warmer region. His brow furrowed at Selena¡¯s question. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± No matter how hard she thought about it, it wasn¡¯t a strange question. ¡°The morning is yet to arrive.¡±¡°Oh, really?¡± Selena peeked a glance outside the window. The sky was still dark¡­¡­ A little darker than what she just saw¡­.. Now, it hit her. ¡°No way. Was I asleep only for an hour?¡±¡°You slept for a whole day.¡±¡°What?¡±¡°We arrived yesterday evening, and now it¡¯s the next evening.¡±¡°¡­¡­.¡± No wonder she felt so refreshed. All of her fatigue was gone. ¡°I¡¯ve already trained and had my dinner. Let me tell them to prepare a meal in the room. You must be hungry.¡±¡°Ah, no.¡± She wouldn¡¯t need to eat in the room. Moreover, it¡¯s unpleasant to have the smell of food in the room. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d put up my own escorts? Is that from today?¡±¡°They¡¯ll be taking turns waiting outside the door. In groups of three.¡±¡°Then, I¡¯ll go eat in the dining room.¡±¡°Do as you please.¡± Nothing could go wrong when she had an escort inside the tightly guarded mansion. Kalcion easily allowed it. Selena was about to step out when she looked down at herself in her sleeping dress. ¡°Who changed this?¡±¡°The maidservants.¡± She intended to tease him a little with the question, but he didn¡¯t even have a clue. ¡°Can I go around the hall like this?¡±¡°What could anyone say?¡±¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be back then.¡± Selena opened the door lightly. The guards waiting outside the door helped pull the heavy door open as if they were waiting. ¡°I¡¯m going to have some food.¡±¡°Let me show you to the dining room.¡± Indeed, three women among the guards who were waiting outside the door, as Kalcion had said, stepped forward. One of them stepped ahead of Selena and began to show the way. Their hands and feet were in sync. Amazing. ¡°It must be your first or second day, huh.¡±¡°It¡¯s my first time.¡±¡°¡­¡­..Really? The Duke didn¡¯t have one before? Or were you hired later?¡±¡°It¡¯s been an honor to serve His Excellency since his teenage years. He didn¡¯t have a separate escort.¡±¡°Ah¡­¡­.. You¡¯re an elite soldier¡­¡­.¡± Although she traveled with the Knights, she could not remember each of their faces. She didn¡¯t even know it was one of the knights she moved with, but she guessed it was. Selena closed her mouth awkwardly. She thought she¡¯d have something to dig out from the escort, but she shoveled in the wrong place. If there were escorts during Irelle¡¯s stay, nothing terrible would have happened. ¡°This way.¡± She arrived at the room. They said it was their first time, but they acted like they had done it a hundred times before. Even if they were elites, they wouldn¡¯t be good at everything from the beginning. ¡°It¡¯s happening for the first time, but everyone is really good at this.¡±¡°We just perform as we¡¯re trained.¡± In the end, it was the result of training. She wondered how long they trained to be able to move like this. That would mean she wasn¡¯t the only one who trained all night. Unlike the magnificent and cold atmosphere of Renbird Castle, the dining in the mansion was bright and lovely, with small flowers huddled within the room. The cook was chatting with two maids, perhaps after work. When he found Selena entering, he put his hands together. She didn¡¯t really want to overuse her power, but from his attitude, she felt like she had to do it. It was the same with the two servants guarding the visit at Renbird Castle. The kind of people that try to be moderate. They were here without fail. ¡®Let¡¯s start with this.¡¯ Selena grinned as she took out the chair herself and sat down. The maids standing against the wall did not move. Selena poked her tongue at her cheek. The maids of Renbird Castle did what they were told to do. Their hands worked faithfully at the castle, but they were a bit more modest here. It was either because they were in the capital city or because of the fact that Kalcion wasn¡¯t present. Her plan to get along well with them so she could dig up information had to be completely revised. They weren¡¯t the type to follow orders if she acted nice. After thinking for a bit, she only had one option left. Stimulate them as much as you can, and watch how far they reveal. It would show how Kalcion¡¯s previous partner, which wasn¡¯t welcomed in this mansion, was treated. She didn¡¯t know if it would directly relate to the murder, but it would at least help her understand the situation at that time in a better sense. ¡°I¡¯d like something to eat. Bring it.¡± The maids went into the kitchen without answering. Selena waited with twitching legs and her arms folded. ¡°Here.¡± Soon, the maid came and put down the plate on the table with a heavy thud. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Selena looked down at the food, her arms still folded. ¡®That¡¯s terrible.¡¯ So far, there have been no words that said it would be delicious. Selena breathed out heavily. Playing with food was the worst. Anger was starting to boil in her. It was coming out like red chili pepper paste. As she expected, things would not have changed much in these six months. Kalcion was an insensitive but important person. So they pretended to act nicely only in front of him, while behind his back, they were so arbitrary. It¡¯s rotten beyond all persuasion. Such things had to be sorted out from the beginning. Otherwise, it would be obvious that she would hold back everything. She needed to prepare for a big battle in the middle of the night. Grinning, she pointed her finger at the plate. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat with the Duke, and you want me to take this?¡± The maid, who brought the food, clearly flinched before her. The maid should have had the guts if she was going to mess with the food. Selena tried to get up with the plate, showing her twisted mind. ¡°Oh, well, it seems like you have brought something inedible. You¡¯ve done a good job making it. I¡¯ll get going.¡±¡°Ah, n-no, no. Wait a minute!¡±¡°Why?¡± The food wasn¡¯t even hot to the point that she could hold the plate with her bare hands. For that reason, another thin sheet covering her anger broke down. ¡°¡­¡­Uh, I didn¡¯t know you were going to eat together, so I¡¯ll hurry up and prepare more since it only serves one! No, we will just bring it to the room!¡± Seeing that she was panicking with surprise, it was obvious that this food was not fit to be eaten. ¡°No, since I¡¯ve come all the way here, I¡¯ll take it with me.¡±¡°Ah, yes, then, wait. Uh, g-give it to me. It¡¯s for one person.¡± The maid¡¯s impatience grew worse. Seeing that she was acting like she would be in big trouble if the food touched Kalcion¡¯s mouth, it wouldn¡¯t just be inedible. Selena reached out her arm to keep the maid from touching the plate. This was the evidence. ¡°No. I don¡¯t eat much anyway. I¡¯ll just share it with the Duke. Leave it.¡±¡°Um, uh, yes¡­¡­.¡± The maid¡¯s complexion turned paler with every minute. However, she didn¡¯t have a reason to forcefully take the plate out of Selena¡¯s hands. There were too many witnesses since Selena had escorts. ¡°Then, wait a minute.¡± The maid hurried her way into the kitchen with anxious steps. There was a loud noise from inside. Listening to their rushing clatters, Selena sat back down. Soon after, the maid rushed out with the tray. ¡°H-Here! It¡¯s warmer and tastier because it¡¯s just been made. You should definitely eat this first!¡± Selena let out a crooked exclamation at a plate of three-tier trays that came out faster than when she made one serving of dog porridge. ¡°Ahh¡­¡­.. Much difference between servings of one and two.¡± All kinds of fruits, cheese, and bread. Each was cut in shapes, and each plate was arranged beautifully like blooming flowers. The bottom hem was filled with warm soup, cheese, chocolate, and marmalade. It was enough to serve 12, not just 2. So, the maid thought they wouldn¡¯t be able to eat the food in Selena¡¯s hand if they ate all those delights first. Selena could clearly see her calculation. ¡°Hurry up and take them.¡± At the urging of the maid, Selena smiled broadly and moved the plate onto the table. She couldn¡¯t just give them whatever they wanted. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 45 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 ¡°It would take time for the Duke to wash up. So, I¡¯ll take it after I eat something here.¡±¡°Ah¡­¡­ Yes.¡± The maid was taken aback by Selena¡¯s sudden desire to sit and eat instead of asking her to take the tray right away. ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s a little boring to eat all alone. Come, sit here and eat with me.¡±¡°¡­..What? Me?¡±¡°Well, yes. Who else would it be? I¡¯m not even a noble lady. Let¡¯s sit down together. Isn¡¯t it late? You must be hungry.¡±¡°No¡­.. I¡¯m fine¡­¡­¡± The maid found it quite difficult to refuse Selena. ¡°I told you to sit down. Or I¡¯d be bored.¡± She was talking with aegyo, but her voice was sharp. The maid, who was already losing, accepted defeat. ¡°Okay, then¡­..¡± The maid hesitated and reached out to Selena¡¯s plate. ¡°Huh? What are you doing? You can¡¯t take this. This is for the Duke. Or do the maids eat the Duke¡¯s food here?¡± It seemed like a question, but it was a rebuke. How dare they touch the Duke¡¯s food! The maid looked back at Selena in tears of resentment. Then, Selena¡¯s cold stare hardened her body. Selena¡¯s lips were curved up prettily, but it was a flower petal that hid poison. ¡°But you could still eat what you¡¯ve prepared, right? It is not for the Duke. Since it¡¯s a waste to throw away what¡¯s been made, you should just eat it.¡± The cold sensation as if she had swallowed ice the size of a fist went over the maid¡¯s throat. Only then did she realize Selena¡¯s intention behind asking her to eat together. It was revenge for messing with the food. They said Selena was a woman who always clung to Duke, so she thought she would be a greedy fool with no knowledge of the world. The experience of having fun with the noble ladies who had been in this mansion made her think that a stupid commoner had fallen in her hands. What a huge mistake. Her head was as stiff as it would be if her neck was in the clutches of a beast. She was even unable to think of a way out. ¡°Ah, let¡¯s eat together. You all must¡¯ve worked hard to make it, so join us.¡± Selena motioned to the other maid who was involved. It seemed like a light suggestion to a friend, but her eyes had such pressure that could not be disobeyed. If they refused, it wouldn¡¯t end with just revenge. It contained threats. The maids stole agonizing glances at each other for a while. If Selena had gotten sick after eating it, they could have apologized, saying it was a mistake. Or she could have just cried all alone if the Duke ignored her. However, Selena, who was caught on fire from the start and was ready to intensify it, had no choice but to flatten herself. If things got bigger, they¡¯d be the only ones to lose. ¡°Hurry up and sit down. It¡¯s going to get cold.¡± Selena¡¯s voice smacked the two like a whip. The maids flinched before they sat down at the table. ¡°Make yourself comfortable.¡± When the maids sat down, Selena beamed a smile as if she¡¯d never attacked them with a frosty voice. As she offered food to the maids first before mashing a grape with her molars, she appeared to be the host of the dinner. The maids picked up an aesthetic spoon and dipped it in their food. ¡®Do we really have to eat this?¡¯ The maids were on the verge of crying as they asked each other with their eyes. Selena was no longer eating as her eyes were only following the movement of their spoons. ¡°Why are you so slow? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve made something you can¡¯t eat.¡± Her cold tone caused shivers to run down their hands. Their hands trembled. They finally gave in. All they had to do was get away from this situation as soon as possible. ¡°¡­¡­..um.¡± The maids stuffed the food into their mouths. As soon as the food got into their mouths, the disgusting smell of vomit poked their nose. The nauseous feeling grew worse as they chewed and swallowed it. Her pride was hurt as she chewed on the food, barely holding it in. A maid¡¯s job was a highly coveted job that was quite well-paid among the commoners. Simply put, it wasn¡¯t easy to get hired as a maid because one had to look good, contain a certain personality, and have a recommendation. The maids held a high nose among the commoners. In addition to high salaries, they had the superiority to live directly in the luxurious estate with such inadequacy. The maid of a certain family was also considered to be competitive in a way. The Renbird was not a prestigious family in the capital society, but Kalcion himself was a very hot topic. Furthermore, after the discovery of the mine, the evaluation among the maids had increased. The maids at the house of Renbird believed themselves to be extraordinary. Special and distinctly different from a splendidly blooming flower that might have come from nowhere. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re eating well. You must have been very hungry. Eat a lot.¡± However, the reality was that they were forced to swallow filth at the command of a lowly woman. ¡°Huup.¡± Was it because it was terrible to accept reality? Eventually, the food tried to reflux the esophagus, just as the stomach rumbled when one drinks past their limits. Unable to stand it, a maid covered her mouth and stood up. The other put down her spoon. Her face had gotten pale white. Selena directed her cold eyes to the maid, not even surprised. Ashamed of the sudden situation, the guards approached one at a time. ¡°So. Is it poisonous? Or is it something weird enough to make you vomit? Anyway, I guess it¡¯s the same food that almost went into my mouth.¡±¡°F-Forgive me¡­¡­ hup, it was my fault.¡± If she pretended not to know after eating it, she would have been wrong. The only way left was to beg for forgiveness. ¡°Do you even know what was wrong with it? Anyway, what should I do? It¡¯s not forgivable to mess with the food.¡± Selena didn¡¯t know much, but she did know that one had to be thorough about what they ate. ¡°Bring the person in charge.¡± Besides the two maids, a servant guarding the hallway rushed to Selena¡¯s frosty command. Upon hearing the issue, the butler came up running, almost breathless. ¡°What may I do for you?¡±¡°Are you the one in charge?¡±¡°Yes, I¡¯m the butler here. I¡¯m responsible for all the work in this mansion. You may tell me any concerns you have.¡± The butler briefly introduced himself as he quickly grasped the situation inside the dining with his eyes. A plate containing a strange looking food was placed in front of each maid with two spoons, and there was a pale-faced maid covering her mouth. The situation was unknown, but it was clear that there was an issue related to food. However, the butler did not flout. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± He could clearly see the problem, yet he still asked. Selena felt her stomach tremble once again at the butler¡¯s attitude. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell by looking?¡±¡°Pardon me, but it¡¯d be hard to jump to conclusions just by looking at them. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could explain.¡± And so Selena calmly explained, and pointed her finger to the food. ¡°She served that when I came here and asked for food. I couldn¡¯t eat anything, but since they prepared it for me, I asked them to try it themselves. Yet, they ended up like that after taking a bite?¡±¡°Alas, there must have been a problem with the food ingredients. Would you like me to make the same dish with fresh ingredients this time?¡± Selena gathered her eyebrows at the butler¡¯s response. It seemed courteous, but it only scratched places far from the nature of the situation. What Selena meant was not only the food itself, but also the maid who prepared it is a problem. ¡®You don¡¯t know that she did it on purpose.¡¯ Without getting carried away, she explained the situation again step by step. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a matter of ingredients since this freshly-prepared tray full of delights came out right after it was made. Isn¡¯t it obvious to hold the one who made it questionable?¡±¡°Well, the maids aren¡¯t usually in charge of cooking. They¡¯re only good at the work they are assigned with. I think it¡¯s crooked to blame them because they were only trying to prepare it with special care.¡± Still, his opinion was unchangeable. Selena stared at his face. A smooth, middle-aged man. From the time the owner of the mansion, Kalcion, was absent, he had been in charge of this large mansion. She could roughly figure what kind of human he was. ¡°Ah¡­.. Since the butler has lived in this mansion for a long time, he would know the situation better than I do.¡±¡°I¡¯m sure. It must have been a mistake, so why don¡¯t you rest assured, Lady?¡± The butler was openly covering the maids. With his soft voice, he wanted to convince Selena. ¡°People in Renbird Castle do it because it¡¯s their work. Is it because this mansion is smaller than the castle? It¡¯s like you¡¯re a family.¡±¡°Pardon? What do you mean?¡± Selena¡¯s sarcastic remarks hardened the butler¡¯s expression. ¡°Even if I¡¯m a stranger, the owner of the house brought me here. Isn¡¯t it a family thing to cover up the maid in question in front of the guest?¡±¡°I apologize if it appeared like that. It¡¯s only because I can¡¯t believe they would make this mistake when they¡¯re so skilled.¡±¡°Alright. If you still can¡¯t believe it even after seeing it with your own eyes, what else can I do then?¡± Selena¡¯s cold response led the butler to realize that it wasn¡¯t time to let it slide. His smile disappeared from his face before it was going to creep up. ¡°No. I¡¯d be sure to take the right measures next time.¡±¡°What kind of measures?¡±¡°Since it¡¯s an internal matter¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be obliged to report it to the Lady.¡± The butler was restless. Although he spoke softly, he internally put up a warning sign. The formal smile Selena was wearing also disappeared. Her eyes sparkled as they met with his. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 46 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 46 Selena almost became sick by consuming the monstrous food the maid served. It had become an issue now that she had been treated with such food even if she didn¡¯t eat it as it was considered an insult. She was fully entitled to demand a follow-up report. However, the butler made no such response to her. He thought her to be sensitive. Saying that none of those facts mattered and that it was only a mistake made by the maids. Selena, who was internally agonizing about whether to turn the table over or not, took a step back. ¡°Very well. Since it¡¯s late, I shall go inside.¡± She coolly flipped it over, shook it off, and finished in accordance with her personality. It would have been the case if he had apologized neatly from the beginning and backed down. However, considering the fact that the butler took the maids¡¯ side without a second thought, it was not yet finished. Her anxiety of getting killed outside was high, but living inside the mansion with her breath hitched in suspense every moment was no less worrying. As Selena rose from her seat, a glimmer of relief came across the maids¡¯ and butler¡¯s faces. ¡°You must have become sensitive because of the exhaustion from your journey. I will continue to try to recruit more servants for your convenience, so have a reassuring sleep tonight.¡± The butler chirped in a winning voice. ¡®That wouldn¡¯t help much.¡¯ A promising smile crept up on Selena¡¯s face as she looked at the butler. ¡®You¡¯re the one who should have a good sleep tonight. You won¡¯t be able to smile starting from tomorrow.¡¯ *** When she returned to Kalcion¡¯s room, she found him all washed up as he continued to dry off his hair with a towel. ¡°Did you wash up by yourself?¡±¡°Yes.¡± She thought maids always served him whenever he took a bath. ¡°Why? We¡¯re not on the move, and I wasn¡¯t here either.¡±¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want me to be touched by another woman?¡±¡°What?¡± That was an unexpected reply. It was just so that she could create a jealous act. In Selena¡¯s absence, it had nothing to do with being served by maidservants. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like it, so I held onto it. It wouldn¡¯t add up if we get back to normal as soon as we arrived at the mansion.¡± It was ridiculous that Kalcion thought so far. He thought Selena wanted to drag it out longer. Was he this spontaneous and thoughtful? ¡°That¡¯s true¡­.. but at Renbird, you were seemingly disturbed by all those acts. You even threatened me to give it up. But it¡¯s scary when someone shows motivation all of a sudden.¡± Kalcion threw the wet towel on the backrest of the chair. ¡°The operation has gone too far to be scrapped. Now that I¡¯m in the enemy territory, I¡¯ll have to act with all my heart.¡±¡°Oh¡­.. So you were really thinking of scrapping it off before.¡± Kalcion grinned instead of answering. That was the threat that her life was on his palm. She appeared to be a great actor, but was respectable, physically and mentally. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could be good at something you weren¡¯t meant to be doing.¡±¡°I told you. If it¡¯s necessary, I can do it.¡±¡°Then, make a face of affection right now.¡±¡°I¡¯m not doing that.¡± He wasn¡¯t good at it. Kalcion laughed it off at the end as she kept insisting upon such a ridiculous thing. ¡®Let¡¯s just say that you¡¯re not good at acting.¡¯ However, just his willingness to act actively doubled up Selena¡¯s acts. It would have been twice as hard if he had been passive until the end. ¡°Anyway, the enemy¡¯s influence could be larger than you think.¡±¡°Did something happen at the dining room?¡±¡°Yes.¡± Selena admired his perception. He must have become more alert. ¡°The maids here are openly hostile towards me. No, not just the maid, but all the ones who work in this mansion seem to be.¡± She briefed him on the situation. As he listened to the story, his face sank in a serious look. ¡°¡­¡­.Has it occurred before?¡± She was referring to the time when Irelle stayed in the mansion. ¡°Most likely, it has. But, I don¡¯t think that has ever happened in the Duchy.¡±¡°In comparison, the servants here are more likely the ones involved in the situation rather than those in Renbird. Before saying anything, I¡¯ll have to be more sensitive and prepare myself to note things according to what is needed.¡°People who act like puppies in front of their owner make their owner turn to a dog.¡± The eternal truth had also been applied here. The owner who couldn¡¯t even imagine a loyal subordinate of his to be hard on others would just wrap it up. As the trust between them increased as the subordinates acted loyally in front of him, they became more powerful behind his back. ¡°Irelle had no peripheral consciousness to inform you, Duke, nor did she believe her words would move you. And they must have been aware of it.¡± Kalcion groaned low. The place where people talked included not only the social gatherings but also his own house. However thorough the security was, this heart impaling truth could not be prevented. He couldn¡¯t say it was the one that killed Irelle, but all of them might have been bullying his guest from the start. Secretly and cunningly, from a place he had very little knowledge of. Unable to keep quiet, he jumped out of his seat. ¡°What are you doing?¡±¡°I will kill them all.¡± Her eyes widened at his unexpected radical reaction. ¡°¡­¡­..You can¡¯t be serious.¡±¡°I mean it.¡°No way, you¡¯re not serious about what just happened.¡±¡°Including that.¡± She thought and shook her head. ¡°No, I think it¡¯ll be a strange way to act. If this had really happened by any chance¡­¡­you should wait.¡± She examined her hypothesis over and over again. It was a ¡®no¡¯ through every obvious reasoning, but his response was not too rational. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have feelings for Irelle?¡±¡°There were times when I didn¡¯t even look at her face.¡±¡°There¡¯s a saying that you fall in love at first sight.¡±¡°Do you think that makes sense?¡± Selena nodded proudly. ¡°Of course. Look at my face. I¡¯ve been told that my face will remain probable for the rest of my life.¡±¡°Huh.¡± Kalcion snorted instead of replying. However, he did not deny that it was not. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no reason for you to be so angry. Not after learning about Irelle¡¯s situation.¡±¡°I¡¯m angry that the same thing happened twice. Not only to Irelle, but also to you. And I didn¡¯t even notice.¡±¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Well, that makes sense.¡± Who would allow things to happen beyond their control? He would definitely be angry if it were the people he had around. It was only surprising to her that Kalcion, who appeared indifferent to everything, was getting this pissed off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to take advantage of your anger, but your reaction itself is good.¡±¡°You mean because I had intentions of killing them?¡± Kalcion asked with suspicion. ¡°Yes. Like how your anger is from the bottom of your heart, it could be dangerous. You sounded like, ¡®How dare you hurt my girl? I¡¯ll kill you all!¡¯?¡±¡°¡­¡­I did?¡±¡°That¡¯s how it felt.¡± She slurred back, grinning. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve complimented you for your great response, so please calm down and sit down. Jeez, it wasn¡¯t a situation for you to get that mad.¡± He sighed deeply and plopped back down on the sofa. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if these things are dangerous. They¡¯re making such moves behind me¡­¡­.¡± He clenched his teeth as he thought about it. ¡°Were they involved in Irelle¡¯s death?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know about that. We don¡¯t know exactly who ordered her murder yet.¡±¡°What if we dig information from back then?¡±¡°Haven¡¯t you already done that?¡±¡°I did conduct some research.¡± Immediately after Irelle¡¯s death, all the occupants of the mansion were also subject to investigation. However, no one was found directly involved. Naturally, servants were excluded from the list of suspects, and Kalcion was no longer interested¡­¡­ ¡°One doesn¡¯t have to be led by someone to act with malice. They may either have some personal grudges or have no knowledge of what bad they¡¯re doing due to the surroundings.¡±¡°Nothing came out in the last survey, so we won¡¯t be able to find anything new if we were to re-investigate.¡±¡°Except for the things I have experienced.¡± Selena had begun to reveal much deeper information than her original purpose of prying information from the society. Those were parts that he had to know. ¡°You¡¯ve done great.¡± It was confirmed once again that Mrs. Janet, who was silently attending her work in the mansion, was a dictator behind, and there were forces who kept watch for her secretly, which allowed her to send messages back. There was even an invisible pecking order and a struggle in the house that ensured perfect safety. Such parts that went beyond the imagination of Kalcion. It was also proof that his vision was as dark as it was in places other than the battlefield where he fought with swords. ¡°I want to fire every one of them right now. Do you know how?¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ll have to fire all of them.¡±¡°It¡¯s going to be the same anyway. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to remove all of them?¡±¡°It is, but the cause of the problem is the atmosphere. If you hire a new maid and if she has heard of me, she¡¯d definitely try to act above me.¡±¡°Hmm.¡± He looked rather unhappy. The easiest way to get rid of poisonous mushrooms that grew in places he didn¡¯t know was to renew the soil in the garden. But Selena did not agree. ¡°Only the butler, who protected the maids after they caused the issue today, is to be fired.¡±¡°Did you not say the atmosphere was the cause? Isn¡¯t there a risk of repetition as long as there¡¯s someone left?¡±¡°Even if a new person comes in, they will act the same toward me, who is neither an aristocrat nor the Duchess. It would be better to warn them that they¡¯d get caught if they try anything wrong.¡± Kalcion decided to follow her opinion unconditionally. He was unfamiliar to it anyway. It was only right to follow the opinion of someone who experienced it in person. ¡°Then, let me call the butler now.¡±¡°No, not today. Tomorrow.¡± He tilted his head in confusion. Selena smiled. ¡°Since it¡¯s happening anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better to produce a dramatic effect by adding a scene?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 47 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 The very next morning, all the servants were told to gather in the spacious courtyard of the front porch of the mansion. Everyone was surprised by the Duke¡¯s call before the sunrise. They had never faced this situation in their entire career. The Duke was always known to be indifferent to the employees in the mansion and had no intention of overseeing them. That man had no heart for the capital itself. However, such an indifferent Duke to order all the servants to convene was very surprising. Everyone could doubtlessly say that it was because of the incident at the dining room last night. An argument that occurred between the butler who reigned like the king of the mansion and a mistress of the Duke who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Who would win? There were even some people who put stakes behind them. It was not until the sun had risen completely that the door opened while they stood in the dew of the cool morning breeze. As expected, Kalcion appeared with the woman named Selena accompanying him. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, Your Excellency.¡± The servants greeted him in unison like army soldiers. It was impeccably perfect as they spent time practicing greetings separately in the morning and evening. However, Kalcion¡¯s expression did not soften after such an exemplary greet. ¡°Butler.¡±¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±¡°I heard something unfortunate happened last night.¡±¡°I dutifully hold myself guilty for what I couldn¡¯t handle properly before and let it reach you.¡± The butler made a series of perfunctory apologies without crushing a single pronunciation, with a straight face. He responded as if this situation was fully anticipated. Selena clung to Kalcion¡¯s back as if to hide behind him, then peered over his shoulder and murmured softly. ¡°You didn¡¯t handle anything¡­¡­.¡± She muttered to herself, but in the tense silence, it sounded as clear as a loud complaint. As the butler quickly turned to face Selena, she ducked her head behind Kalcion¡¯s shoulder. ¡°May I know how you¡¯ve handled it?¡±¡°Yesterday, I made sure to scold the two maids in question and train them again. Also, for a month, a servant has been placed in charge of cleaning the living room so as to avoid any issues from the warehouse and kitchen.¡± His words were firm and loud as if it wasn¡¯t that much of a big mistake. ¡®Cleaning the living room. That¡¯s surprising.¡¯ The parlor in this mansion was never crowded, let alone receive a single visitor. That job must be one of the most leisurely things to do. Just as Selena thought. The butler was clearly guarding the maids and was constantly covering the truth. It¡¯s a tragedy for the butler that Selena even expected this. Last night, both Selena and Kalcion had an in-depth discussion on the butler¡¯s possible behavior and came up with certain countermeasures. ¡°So, you¡¯ve just scolded and freed the maids as the price of trying to feed the guest I¡¯ve brought with trash?¡±¡°That¡¯s not it, Your Excellency. It wasn¡¯t such a light punishment¡­¡­¡±¡°Isn¡¯t it light, considering your poor assessment?¡± The butler¡¯s mouth shut at the question. The butler was as good at reading the room as he was at speaking. Until the call of the Duke, he was confident that he could avoid it with words. However, judging from the current situation, he would be in danger if he uttered a single word wrong. The butler quickly looked down at the ground in a deep bow. At times like this, it was best to lie face down. ¡°It¡¯s not, Your Grace. It isn¡¯t the case at all.¡±¡°Then how do you suggest we deal with it?¡±¡°I will fire them right now.¡± Kalcion¡¯s expression still did not relax. Was this not enough? Because of that, the butler was beginning to sweat out of nervousness. If he had known Selena was such a woman to storm up Kalcion, he could have been more careful and caring no matter how low her status was. He didn¡¯t expect that woman to be so good at coaxing the Duke. ¡°I will deduct the amount of compensation from the severance pay and salary for the mistakes I¡¯ve made.¡±¡°Would that be good enough?¡± Instead of affirming himself, Kalcion glanced back at Selena and asked her. The butler¡¯s heart dropped to his stomach. He started praying for the woman to not be too hard on him as payback and happily accept the price. ¡°Yes, but.¡± Selena, however, was not as satisfied. She wasn¡¯t as naive as the butler wished her to be. ¡°The butler hurt me, too. Like I said before, he was accusing me of being mistaken yesterday¡­..¡±¡°What shall we do?¡±¡°Please fire the butler as well.¡± The butler¡¯s face hardened. Things had gotten bigger than he thought they would. He thought he could fire the two maids, but he didn¡¯t expect to get his own neck caught in this. ¡°N-No, please don¡¯t! I apologize for my lack of eloquence and for hurting you! But, I never said you were mistaken!¡± The butler yelled loudly as he lay flat on the floor. It would be good if he could save his position this way. Being the butler of the Renbird mansion was the best job anyone knew he had. Those who were not familiar with it said that it was an outlying family with little influence on the craftsmanship and society, but it was just words coming from inexperienced people. The owner himself resided in this mansion for a short period of time. Henceforth, the butler¡¯s authority was considered to be the strongest most of the time. The Duke, usually confined to the estate, had trusted the management of the mansion entirely to the butler. The Duke didn¡¯t care about the expenses of the mansion, too. That was possible since it was equal to a small sum of money for him. Maintenance costs had been incurred all the time. Compared to so many families seen engaging in a war of nerves on every payday to avoid paying servants, this was heaven. In addition, the role of distributing and managing the money was entrusted to the butler. It was a perfect lifetime job. The butler, with the money to manage the entire house and power to manage the servants, was seemingly the king, although it belonged to the Duke. Not being able to refuse his invitation, the maids raised their skirts. Half of the maids working in this mansion were laid down in the butler¡¯s bed. There was no such heaven anywhere else in the world. However, it was all going to be blown away by this one woman. It was no big of a deal to have his pride crushed for only a moment. Since the Duke would only stay here for a while and return to the North, his collapsed pride could be refilled not long after. ¡°Because I spent such a long time in this house, I think of all of them as my brothers and sisters! So I thoughtlessly tried to protect them! Please understand this poor heart of mine!¡±¡°A house to live together with your siblings? What kind of family did you grow up in?¡±¡°¡­¡­Yes¡­.? P-Pardon?!¡± He was surprised when his phrase was correctly pointed out. Selena was still hidden behind Kalcion, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Pretending to be innocent. Picking only the best words to throw at him. ¡°I saw it last night. The two maids were following the butler into his room.¡±¡°No way! That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± He had slept all alone yesterday. His face turned pale as he was being blamed for something that didn¡¯t happen. This slander was, of course, devised by Selena herself. Making up things that didn¡¯t even occur meant that she wouldn¡¯t even know the context. The butler jumped up. ¡°Ask the servants! Ask the two maids! There must be people who saw them go in and sleep in my room last night!¡±¡°It was the middle of the night. Maybe they didn¡¯t see it because they were sleeping¡­¡­.¡± Selena muttered to herself again. But of course, her voice was heard by everyone. ¡°No, y-you! You didn¡¯t even see me! Don¡¯t frame me!¡± Kalcion opened his mouth as the butler interjected. ¡°The first thing I remember telling you is to avoid making a fuss in my mansion.¡± Even if he didn¡¯t shout, his voice sank down as if a blade was being held at his throat. Instead of expressing his heated resentment, he hurriedly lowered his head and mumbled under his breath. ¡°O-Of course¡­¡­. I¡¯m trying my best to stay as quiet as possible¡­¡­¡±¡°After all of this, it came to this? I even found out about the lowly private life of the butler I didn¡¯t want to know at all.¡±¡°I-I apologize, but this is all a set-up she¡¯s just made¡­..¡±¡°And yet another excuse? Selena wouldn¡¯t have brought it to me if you¡¯d done the right from the start, and I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my time knowing about the butler¡¯s private life this morning.¡± No words could turn Kalcion¡¯s opinion now. Helpless, the butler¡¯s lips no longer moved diligently. ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡± It was an ending fixed right from the beginning. No matter what anyone said, it wasn¡¯t going to change. The butler¡¯s hand trembled and his nails began scraping against the smooth stone floor. He didn¡¯t resign on his own, but was fired in disgrace. On this level of issue, there would be no family where he¡¯d be able to find a job. ¡°And a separate investigation inside the mansion will be held to look into the matter. If you get caught uttering a single lie, your punishment will be doubled. I suggest you better associate with complete honesty.¡± As he finished his warning, Kalcion flipped on his heel so hard that his fluttering cape blew a cold rush of wind. He put his arm around Selena as he walked away. The butler was left devastated at his threats wherein trying to bring Selena down could double or even triple his sentence. Just before the front door closed, Selena turned her head and looked directly at the butler. Her lips were drawn into a cold smirk. ¡®How does it feel to be driven out for something you haven¡¯t done?¡¯ She mouthed out to him. Then, she turned her head and disappeared to the other side of the door. ¡°!¡± The butler flinched. Only then did he realize why she lied. It was a retaliation for defending the maids who prepared trashy food and saying that it was only Selena¡¯s illusion. She clearly proved that it wasn¡¯t just him who could lie. Would things have changed if he had apologized and complied with her opinion? He was clueless. However, what was clear was that Selena was convinced from the start that she was capable of doing this. It was the butler who missed the opportunity. There was no turning back now. The butler stayed immovable in his collapsed form like trash on the pavement. ¡°Return to your respective duties.¡± Mrs. Janet from the estate of Renbird commanded on behalf of the Duke. The maids obediently followed the order that was originally supposed to be given by the butler in charge. The maids silently walked past the butler. They didn¡¯t even sneak a glance at him. That man was now completely tattered to pieces. The butler shivered at the approaching end of his life. The cruelty towards him was as great as how his tyranny used to be. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 48 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48 Upon entering the front door, Selena grinned, clinging to Kalcion¡¯s arm. ¡°Duke! What are you doing today?¡± Selena¡¯s cheerful voice filled the solemn atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯ll have to finish my morning training and listen to reports on the house¡¯s finances and management. It¡¯ll probably take a couple of days to clear them up.¡± Kalcion began to move according to his schedule. ¡°Do you not have any time to spare for me?¡±¡°Ah.¡± He understood right away. That was one great development. ¡°What do you usually do when you are free?¡±¡°Hmm¡­..¡± Selena hummed as she thought. Now that she thought about it, she wasn¡¯t familiar with doing something on holidays either. She was always caught up in practice and schedules because she started working at a very young age. As a result, what she needed more was rest than to play. Holiday was a day to lie down in bed and do nothing but breathe. Vacation was about lifting the reins of work, exercise, and diet control. Of course, there was a hobby she had set up in order to stay connected to the outside world. Cooking, exercising, and observing and appreciating how other actors worked. But they were all done as part of the job. As Selena tried to find something to eat while controlling her diet, cooking became a habit. On the other hand, she observed how other actors worked as a study to develop an eye to survive in the face of rookies every day. People tend to be happy and excited during their holidays, but Selena didn¡¯t know if it was really fun. Rather, it seemed as though she was still working on such days. Maybe that¡¯s the reason why she was able to become a top star. Now, she no longer needed to follow any schedules, and no one forced her to take care of herself thoroughly. She could literally have fun. ¡®Right, what do we really do?¡¯ ¡°What do the nobles do?¡±¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Kalcion wasn¡¯t intrigued in enjoyment either. If he had hobbies, it would be to train, train, and train. To be honest, the training that Selena did every night was the most enjoyable time for him. However, he knew this wasn¡¯t the time to bring up training. He was also sprouting dry hints. ¡°Cards or¡­¡­ ball games. Perhaps, they play games on boats or something like that.¡±¡°That¡¯s probably the right thing to play, I suppose¡­..¡± However, none of the two was tempted. People who participate for pleasure and those who play with sincerity and passion would play poorly if they gathered together. ¡°You don¡¯t want to hang out right now because you have work to finish today, right?¡±¡°I guess so?¡±¡°Are you going to train?¡± He had yet to attend his practice because of the situation created at the convene since dawn. If he skipped training even for a day, the calluses on his palms would soften. ¡°I have to.¡±¡°Then, can I have a look around?¡±¡°The choice is yours. As long as it doesn¡¯t bore you.¡±¡°Great! I¡¯ll change into training clothes, and then I¡¯ll go sightseeing.¡±¡°Do as you please.¡± The same was true for Kalcion, who had to change his clothes, too. Dignity came from one¡¯s attire. The clothes he was wearing now were not suitable for training, and above all, they felt empty. ¡°Let¡¯s get changed, have breakfast, and head to the training ground together!¡±¡°Alright.¡± Kalcion nodded coolly. ¡°Ah, Miss Selena¡¯s closet is this way!¡± As soon as Selena walked away from the door, Juna stepped out and guided her. Kalcion walked along the opposite side of the corridor towards his room. Meanwhile, Selena, Juna, and two maids naturally scurried to their respective locations. The two maids must have been maids of the mansion given their unfamiliar faces. Upon arriving here, most of the maids accompanying her on the journey were told to return to Renbird. And that¡¯s how Juna was the only maid personally known by Selena. ¡°Oh, my! You could¡¯ve called me if you were hungry!¡±¡°I told you to take a rest in case you were tired. What¡¯s more, I woke up and found myself in the Duke¡¯s room, which is why I didn¡¯t want to call you.¡±¡°Feel free to call me anytime from now on. I¡¯ll stick next to you and make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again!¡± Juna began to babble endlessly while clinging alongside Selena. In front of Kalcion, she carefully chooses the words that come out of her mouth. But whenever she¡¯s alone with Selena, she starts chatting openly. Perhaps it was time to mince the seat next to Selena. Now that they¡¯d arrived at the mansion, there were new maids, and she would have to make sure she didn¡¯t lose her position. The maids of this mansion surely had faced an unpleasant occasion. This opportunity would be great to make her spot secure. ¡°I know. Please take good care of me from now on.¡± Selena said, pretending she didn¡¯t understand Juna¡¯s motives. ¡®Stick to me like this, and carry out your seek behind my back. That¡¯s what you want.¡¯ Selena or Juna, which one would be more secretive was yet to be discovered. At least on the outside, they both appeared to have simple personalities. ¡°You don¡¯t have a closet yet, but I¡¯ve prepared a dressing room in a sizable room here as I thought it would be most needed soon.¡±¡°Ah, I see¡­¡­¡± Arriving in the closet room, Juna skillfully picked out Selena¡¯s attire from between the rows of hangers. ¡°I¡¯m glad I learned it while helping them organize it yesterday. Anyhow, training clothes. Uhm¡­. slim clothes for horseback riding? Do you think a set of pants for that would be better?¡±¡°Pants would be nice.¡±¡°Oh¡­..but the pair of trousers isn¡¯t fancy. Miss Selena has such colorful and delicate features. She would look better in clothes with larger patterns.¡± Selena glanced at Juna, who seemed to be having a difficult time touching the clothes while forcing a smile on her face. It is uncertain if Selena is convinced of Juna to be the one. Was Irelle desperate enough to have a maid sitting on her head so easily? Or was she so naive to even feel it? Or had it been a very different form of relationship than it was now? Everything was just a guess unless Irelle came back from her grave and told her the truth. ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t matter. He has asked to teach me something, so I¡¯m only going to learn it.¡±¡°Oh my goodness! Like swordsmanship. No, you¡¯ll lose popularity if you¡¯re known to be a girl who does such things.¡±¡°On the contrary, I think the Duke will love it.¡± Selena, unlike Irelle, didn¡¯t care about Juna¡¯s warning. Juna regretted changing her into such clothes. She didn¡¯t think it was right. All the same, she muttered the words under her breath. One of the things Selena really disliked was the pretension of people. ¡°Oh, can¡¯t I dress myself? You¡¯re acting like a mother.¡± Juna giggled as Selena grumbled. ¡°Oh, my. What are you talking about? I was just saying that to help Miss Selena. The society of the Capital is a very scary place to be in.¡±¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± Selena knew it was, but it¡¯s Juna who was trying to scare her more than necessary. Juna was surely aiming for something, considering her excitement. However, Selena was totally in Juna¡¯s hands. She had to think before she moved. Selena whispered into Juna¡¯s ear, so that the other two maids wouldn¡¯t be able to hear. ¡°The people in the capital are surely a little out of order. All the maids in this house give me an uneasy feeling.¡±¡°That¡¯s what the capital is like. Not only the maids, but the aristocrats are very dreadful. I¡¯d suggest you at least stay close to me when you¡¯re inside the mansion. I¡¯ll take care of whatever is to come on my own.¡± Juna was treating Selena like a newborn chick. So fragile and precious, but unable to do anything on its own without her help. Juna chirped right after she finished putting the adornments in Selena¡¯s hair. Juna touched Selena¡¯s hair as if to feel her handiwork that would become sporadic soon. ¡°The meal has been prepared.¡± Just in time, a maid announced through the door. On her way to the dining, Selena gave a visit to both sides of the hallway. The doors were locked. ¡°Have all these rooms been occupied?¡±¡°I¡¯m not sure. They usually stay locked up, but they¡¯re open when guests arrive.¡±¡°Oh¡­¡­ Then there must be a lot of vacant rooms.¡±¡°Yes. There are 46 vacant rooms now.¡± The house was the size of a hotel. No one, however rich they were, lived in a house with 46 rooms. Selena flinched while thinking of Kalcion¡¯s wealth. She entered the dining hall to find Kalcion already sitting at the table drinking juice. He had also changed into a training suit. He wasn¡¯t wearing accessories like Selena. ¡°Here I am.¡±¡°Sit down.¡± Kalcion pointed to Selena¡¯s seat. Their seats were apart by the distance of the vertically long table. A ball rolled down by her on the table wouldn¡¯t even reach him. Such a table was meant for couples who were married but didn¡¯t want to face each other. Selena couldn¡¯t tolerate the distance. ¡°My seat is here.¡± Selena stood with her hand pointing to the closest seat to Kalcion. All the servants¡¯ eyes turned to Kalcion in unison. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 49 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 49 Kalcion nodded with no hesitation. The servants brought the chair as Selena wished. Now, there was definitely one thing they needed to be aware of. Selena sat down coyly. ¡°From now on, this is where I¡¯m going to sit.¡±¡°As per the law dictates, the seat opposite is more superior.¡±¡°I prefer to stay near Duke¡¯s heart.¡±¡°¡­¡­¡± She picked the tableware, turning a blind eye to the perplexed face of Kalcion, who almost spit the juice out of his mouth. ¡®I was planning to say this myself sooner or later, but she surprised me.¡¯ She flashed a refreshing smile. ¡°Oh, and. I noticed that there were a lot of rooms on my way here. Can I use one of them?¡±¡°For what?¡±¡°What do you mean ¡®for what¡¯¡­¡­ For me, of course.¡±¡°You want to use a room¡­.. separately?¡± Surprisingly, his voice had a slight tremor in it. Selena wondered why he would do so, when he said, ¡°Do as you please.¡± most of the time. ¡°Uhm¡­.. Am I not allowed? I heard there are a lot of rooms. There is something called privacy.¡±¡°I refuse.¡± Once again, a myriad of question marks popped up above her head when he cut her off so soon. ¡°Why?¡±¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡±¡°But you said the Capital is safe.¡±¡°Considering what happened, I cannot let my guard down only because I said it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ Selena glanced at the servants even though she predicted she would gather no answer from them. The servants remained expressionless even after hearing Kalcion¡¯s declaration. ¡°I¡¯ve got escorts with me.¡±¡°What you propose is less safe than sleeping in the same bed with me.¡±¡°You can put a guard next to my bed.¡±¡°Nobody can tell if someone¡¯s hiding in the ceiling. And, there are many ways to commit a murder.¡± ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe it. He sounded too serious to be acting. ¡®¡­¡­What is wrong with you?¡¯ First of all, there were many eyes to watch them. So, she decided to ask him when they¡¯d be alone. She hurried to finish her meal. *** The training ground she visited after eating breakfast was bigger than she thought. ¡°The number of enlisted men¡­.. they seem more than enough.¡± Selena whispered, partly counting the number of soldiers lined up at the training ground. Thereafter, she concluded that there were fifty of them since there were more than 30 knights who accompanied them in the journey from Renbird, whereas the number of knights from the Capital¡¯s mansion seemed to be close to 20. ¡°One can¡¯t even get through the palace gate with this many guards¡­.. What¡¯s more, if it¡¯s just the mansion?¡±¡°We are Renbird¡¯s elite squad! We can go anywhere you want us to go!¡± The fifty soldiers who heard her murmur said aloud in unison. Startled, Selena gripped Kalcion¡¯s arm. She wasn¡¯t acting pretentious as she was really surprised this time. They¡¯ve been perfectly trained to answer Kalcion¡¯s words. She was a little scared at this point. ¡°Quiet.¡±¡°Understood! Sir!¡± Even their response was a roar. Kalcion raised his forearm, but lowered it back when Selena, who was still holding the arm, burst into giggles. Soon, Dion stepped in front and commanded the soldiers to start their training. Kalcion silently watched and threw out words if there was anything to point out. It was interesting to watch such a practice in real life. However, it was not as she expected. As she sat on a chair on a platform over the ground to watch them train while eating fruits and drinks, she felt as if she was watching a game of sport. ¡°I thought I was going to do some exercise outside, but I¡¯m just sitting here.¡±¡°It¡¯s dangerous to step in there.¡±¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to¡­¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to practice, Duke?¡±¡°I¡¯ll do it later.¡±¡°Oh, I see¡­.. Do they train together like this every day?¡±¡°The elite does.¡± So this is what it feels like to train. It was different from what she had imagined. She¡¯d thought of Kalcion wielding a sword in the air under the moonlight alone, but that was just an imagination of hers. Looking at their practice, she could roughly feel how a real battle would take place and what the atmosphere would be like on the battlefield. It would be darker than any movie screen and would occur so fast that one¡¯s eyes would not be able to keep up. One might actually be dead in a split second. ¡®Even though I¡¯ve learned so much, it¡¯s hard to use them in real life.¡¯ However athletic she was, she wasn¡¯t genius enough to catch up with these lifelong skills in an instant. She spent a few nights training with Kalcion in a room, and yet she said, ¡°Perhaps I was born to be a swordsman in this world?¡± She was doubtful, but yes, it simply wasn¡¯t meant for her. ¡®It¡¯s better to let him protect me.¡¯ She would just go as far as finding clues or knowing the subject, in case of an attack. So after the morning training, the soldiers dispersed into their positions. The training ground was now completely empty. Only then did Kalcion and Dion walk to the field at a slow pace. ¡°Will you train with me today?¡± Suddenly, Kalcion asked as he turned around. There seemed to be a subtle exhortation in his tone as well. She had a confused look as she pondered on whether she was allowed to do it or not. As she thought of it as a chance to exercise properly to maintain her health¡­¡­, she jumped out of her seat. One of the reasons Selena was able to become a top star was her desire to win in her attempts. Even if it was an area where she had no interest, she wasn¡¯t going to give up until she attained victory. Of course, she didn¡¯t mean she could beat Kalcion. It was as if she could do the three sets of regression, possession, and reincarnation at the same time. However, she greedily wanted to see Kalcion perform to a recognizable extent. His recently acquired ability to respond to her beauty and to act, and improvised wit were the only things she truly enjoyed and praised until now. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±¡°The Lady?¡± Dion, who was making a stance to confront Kalcion, darted his eyes at her with a grim expression. Looking proud, Selena scurried down the steps of the platform to their position. ¡°Yes, I will.¡±¡°With that arm?¡±¡°What about this arm?¡±¡°The sword is heavy. It looks like you¡¯re going to drop it¡­..¡± In this world, she had never worn clothes that revealed her arms. So, it was normal for other people to think she¡¯d have a slim pair of hands underneath the sleeves. She grinned instead of uttering any words of explanation. The next second, she was already pulling out the sword from Kalcion¡¯s holster with one hand. ¡°Huh? Ah!¡± Dion recoiled, surprised more than necessary. To warm up, she swung the blade in a complete circle. Although she practiced for more than ten days, the practice she¡¯d done for this was certainly successful. She could now handle Kalcion¡¯s sword with no difficulty. Dion was the captain of Kalcion¡¯s elite squad, so he was aware of what sword it was and how heavy it was. This sword, which resembled Kalcion, was used against evil. Wasn¡¯t it surprising that she only could not lift such a sword, but swing it? With that smile on her face? ¡°Your Excellency. Be careful.¡±¡°That¡¯s it. With her bare hands, she¡­..¡±¡°Perhaps she performs witchcraft in human form.¡± Dion blocked Kalcion¡¯s view with his sword drawn out. Selena laughed out loud. Kalcion also followed, wondering if he was dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it.¡±¡°She has just learned the basics. I don¡¯t think she can fight¡­¡­.¡± Kalcion stopped mid-sentence, feeling the tension on Dion¡¯s back. Facing Selena, he felt something similar and his smile disappeared. ¡°¡­¡­..Are you serious?¡± Dion¡¯s sincerity was obvious. ¡°Calm down. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve taught you.¡±¡°No. Would teaching something help me?¡± Dion wasn¡¯t complying. ¡°She must be very skilled.¡± Selena shrugged. She couldn¡¯t say she was, but she thought she was now better than a person who only knew how to exercise. ¡°So, what should we start with today?¡±¡°Since I¡¯ve only done the basics so far, shall we have a light duel to see how it feels?¡±¡°Hm, so you know nothing?¡± What Kalcion taught her every night was basic physical stances. How to hold a sword, how to use your shoulders to swing the sword, change the direction of the sword, etc. He hadn¡¯t taught her how to fight. And now, she was facing an opponent. ¡°Lighten it up. Ah, and keep it to one.¡± Kalcion brought two wooden swords from the nearby shed in the corner of the field. Dion¡¯s eyeballs were on the verge of popping out again when she reached out her other hand that wasn¡¯t lifting the sword. ¡°There are women among the knights. So, why are you so surprised?¡±¡°No, t-they could hold swords even before they could walk¡­¡­ and you look as though you¡¯re struggling.¡±¡°I¡¯ll look tired when I am.¡± Selena returned the heavy sword to Kalcion and swung the wooden one. It felt so light that she felt as if she was lifting nothing. Kalcion also came up with a wooden sword. ¡°Be gentle.¡± Selena smiled with eyes facing the tip of the sword. At that moment, Kalcion let his guard down. Tap. Selena¡¯s sword tip touched Kalcion¡¯s forehead. ¡°Huh¡­..?¡±¡°Hah!¡±¡°¡­¡­!¡± The three of them were surprised. Selena was surprised that she touched Kalcion inadvertently. Dion was shocked that the Duke was hit. And, Kalcion was surprised he let himself off guard. A loud silence swept through the vast field. ¡°Good Lord, did my hand slip¡­¡­.?¡± The psychological burden over her reached its peak when she beat someone she shouldn¡¯t be able to even touch. Selena somehow came up with an excuse to cover up Kalcion¡¯s mistake. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 50 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 50 Unlike Selena and Dion, who stood still and froze, Kalcion rubbed his forehead and smiled. ¡°I let my guard down.¡± He spoke casually. Dion¡¯s eyes widened one more time. He was told they were in a contractual relationship for each other¡¯s benefit, but now it appeared to have become something more. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re letting your guard down now, Duke? Even practice should feel real, don¡¯t you know?¡± Selena laughed it off as a joke. ¡°Right. You¡¯ve learned it.¡±¡°I know. You need to get your act together, Duke. What if an assassin who looks like me comes at you?¡±¡°Hmm¡­¡­. That seems like a very unlikely assumption.¡± Kalcion¡¯s tone was serious. But Selena had a broad grin on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡± This time, Kalcion moved fast. He was close to ten times slower than his original speed, but he was still fast. ¡°Hah!¡± Selena avoided his attack by ducking her neck towards her shoulder. At the same time, she stretched out her wooden sword straight to his head. Thud! The sound of wood bumping against each other could be heard. Series of attacks were made that had to be prevented with a sword. Thud! Thud! Thudd! Thud! Selena narrowly blocked them. It was possible to prevent it with instinct alone without learning anything. She was clever enough to successfully block it. Kalcion¡¯s attacks unwittingly became more and more fierce. On the other hand, Selena, a complete rookie, was at a point where she found difficulty in handling it with her physical strength and motor skills alone. ¡°Kya!¡± Eventually, with her legs twisted, she pushed a blow before losing her balance. Kalcion, who was about to make his next attack, reached out his arm in an instant and grabbed her body as she was about to fall on the ground. Covered in sweat, they panted heavily. It felt like he was holding a newborn. A very unfamiliar warmth spread across from Kalcion¡¯s heart. Selena held his arm and stood in her center of gravity. Thereafter, her face, which was buried on his chest, rose to see him. Both her cheeks were red, and her eyes glistened exceptionally on his face. ¡°That was too fast! It¡¯s unfair!¡±¡°But you were good.¡±¡°But it was still too hard.¡±¡°It is necessary if you want to improve fast.¡± Kalcion was entering a complete soldier-trainer mode. ¡°Ehh!¡± She pushed his chest, separating herself away from him and regaining her position. Following his words, she experimentally swung her sword towards him a few more times to speculate how to block a rough blow and how to attack. She felt her skills improve with each attack. Her arms and legs became as heavy as a spike in the gym for an hour, but it was fun. She felt herself getting a hang of its taste. This time, Selena attacked first. Kalcion chuckled at her light blow, but he immediately erased his expression and tilted his head slightly to avoid the attack. Selena¡¯s next attack was quite a copy of what Kalcion did. He couldn¡¯t help but swing his sword in various angles without stopping. Thud! The sword flew out of her hand. ¡°Ah!¡± Her tired hand lost its grip on the sword, which caused it to fall on the ground. Her body, which was off-balance once again, faltered with the blow. This time again, Kalcion reached out and grabbed Selena. The most common mistake made by someone unfamiliar with a sword. She expected this. However, Kalcion belittled her desire to win. She quickly centered herself in his arms, and lowered her body to take him by the leg. ¡°?!¡± She could lift it up and trip him. However, she could be injured by misusing her strength while holding him. Kalcion meekly moved in the direction of the force. Sometimes there are people who want to push their power beyond their limits. These often lead to injuries. ¡°Kyah!¡± Taking Selena with him, Kalcion turned and landed on his back. The impact with the ground made his body cry out. The dust of the floor rose as they fell. Tangled with Kalcion, she couldn¡¯t lift her face, ashamed of her failed technique. ¡°Are you done?¡±¡°¡­¡­Sorry¡­¡­¡± Excessive greed was a definite mistake. She mumbled softly with her face buried in his chest. As she predicted, her hair had become a mess. However, the breeze fluttering the loosened strands looked natural. ¡°Be careful.¡±¡°Yes¡­..¡±¡°You seem to have learned a few moves from just warming up. You must have learned physical education, right?¡±¡°I have!¡± Her sullen self instantly vanished, and she looked up to greet him. Dion¡¯s mind was getting fuzzy in many ways as he watched the two talking while still lying on the ground. How was this a contractual relationship¡­¡­. Then, at a distance, he could see a servant approaching the scene. There was confusion in him as he thought about whether it was right for the subordinate to see this or not. Dion stood at the entrance, covering the two with his body. The servant, daunted by his huge figure, dropped his head to the floor. ¡°I-I have to see His Excellency¡­¡­¡±¡°His Excellency is busy having fun out here.¡±¡°Pardon?¡± The words flew out of his mouth without him realizing it. Dion fixed his face. ¡°No, he¡¯s been enjoying the practice for a long time. I¡¯ll let him know when it¡¯s over. What is it that you want to say?¡±¡°Ah, yes¡­¡­¡± The servant tilted his head in confusion, but he said¡­ ¡°A-A messenger has arrived from the palace. He wants to see His Excellency¡­¡­.¡±¡°Escort him here.¡±¡°U-Understood!¡± As the servant was retreating, Selena¡¯s growling laughter rang once again. Dion met the servant¡¯s eyes. He once again jostled against the servant, who nodded his head as he was preparing to leave, before he looked up at the sky. After a couple of minutes, he saw the servant accompanying the messenger with him. Just in time, Kalcion came up and stood behind him. ¡°What is it?¡±¡°Someone¡¯s been sent from the palace.¡± Kalcion¡¯s face seemed to have achieved a very pleasant expression without any training. The messenger, who came running, spotted Kalcion and bowed down from afar. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, Your Excellency, the Duke of Renbird.¡±¡°Hmm.¡±¡°The Queen has sent a letter.¡± Kalcion sighed audibly and accepted the parchment insolently. The letter, with a colorful seal, was adorned with a golden design and realistic flowers. The words written in fancy handwriting were simple. ¡¶ I was told you¡¯re back in the capital. I and the princess have been worried. I¡¯m thinking of visiting your mansion tomorrow to get rid of my worry.¡· Selena peeped over Kalcion¡¯s shoulder and looked back at him. She didn¡¯t think anyone would come here, but his face quickly darkened. ¡°Let her know that I¡¯ve refused. I¡¯m sick.¡±¡°Pardon?!¡± The messenger flinched. The beast of the North, Duke of Renbird, was ill. The person who couldn¡¯t even receive a scratch. That was impossible. Was he giving an excuse? However, Kalcion was not kindly willing to add an explanation. He wrapped his arm around Selena¡¯s waist and walked past the messenger. The messenger turned his bewildered gaze to Dion. ¡°W-What should I do¡­..¡±¡°Has Her Highness said she¡¯d kill you if he refused?¡± Dion calmly grasped the context. Many noblemen went angry on messengers when a refusal was sent in response. ¡°Her Highness hasn¡¯t, but it doesn¡¯t make sense. She might think I¡¯ve lost her letter on the way and lied to her.¡±¡°She might¡­.. think that way.¡± It was a common excuse for nobles to refuse a visit, but it was somewhat problematic for Kalcion to use it. He used to be consistently busy, but this time he was sick. It was proof that he really didn¡¯t want to meet. ¡°You¡¯ve seen His Excellency covered in dirt. You can take it that he¡¯s gotten hurt during his training.¡±¡°Is that possible?¡±¡°Of course. It¡¯s not a sin to deliver what you¡¯ve seen, is it?¡±¡°Ah¡­.! Yes, thank you!¡± The messenger¡¯s face brightened up. Still staring at the back of the distant figure of the messenger, Dion scratched the back of his head. Even in his eyes, Kalcion seemed to have changed in some way or the other. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 51 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 51 ¡°What kind of person is the Queen?¡±¡°Very. Annoying.¡± Kalcion answered briefly, and did not slow down as if he was fleeing from someplace. For that reason, Selena had to put more strength into her tired legs to keep up with his pace. ¡°Is she someone we¡¯re going to see often?¡±¡°Probably.¡± She looked around to see if there were any people present, and then she asked quietly. ¡°A suspect?¡± Kalcion nodded briefly. ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to be cautious even if we don¡¯t see her often.¡±¡°We will see her from time to time. I¡¯ve turned her down today, but she¡¯ll return with an excuse soon.¡±¡°She must be good at pretending.¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it, but she¡¯s unnecessarily fast to catch up.¡± Every word he described her with had a tinge of dislike. No less than his dislike for Fionel or Rosalyn. ¡°Compared to Rosalyn?¡±¡°Both are terrible.¡±¡°And Fionel?¡±¡°Fionel is better than her.¡±¡°Ugh, why?¡±¡°She¡¯s simple.¡± That was true. Selena was convinced immediately. Speaking of, those two must¡¯ve heard the news, so they would make a visit soon. However, they needed to be careful with the Queen. If she was as strong as Rosalyn, Selena should be prepared to bump into her. ¡°How terrible is she?¡±¡°I¡¯ve never thought about it. She¡¯s just horrible.¡± Selena slapped Kalcion¡¯s back when he responded. The sound rang in the empty hallway. As she was entering the front door, she could feel the eyes of the maids on duty looking back in surprise. ¡°You¡¯ll have to deal with her, Duke. So think about it. Let¡¯s rehearse in advance.¡±¡°Ah, I see.¡± Kalcion stopped and looked back at her. All of a sudden, his face brightened. ¡°I don¡¯t have to deal with her alone this time because I have you.¡±¡°¡­..? True, but¡­..¡±¡°I trust you.¡±¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re¡­¡­¡± She opened her eyes wide and looked at him. ¡°We need to get closer to dig up information, and we need to deal with her to get closer.¡± In this way, she could fulfill the terms of the original contract. However, Kalcion was not lying. ¡°We¡¯ll have to be prepared. Queen Mariah could appear naive on the surface, but she¡¯s getting complicated to understand.¡±¡°Uh-huh¡­..¡± To be honest, she felt like she had a rough idea. Fionel and Rosalyn, whom she had met earlier, were on the same terms on words and actions. Fionel was openly aggressive in both words and actions, while Rosalyn was ostensibly smooth in her speech, but she did not hide her acts. Queen Mariah, as per Kalcion¡¯s guess, would only say good and pretty words on the surface, but she would have an unsettling personality underneath. Selena didn¡¯t want to mean it in a bad way herself, but she would be someone who¡¯d manipulate people or encourage bad outcomes. People around her said she was a good person, but she always felt like she was being beaten. A person who seemingly gave in to everything but had her own way when looking at the results. ¡®Haa¡­..¡¯ Just thinking about it made her tired. Such people should not be given a chance from the beginning. Kalcion asked, noticing her determined expression. ¡°Whatever happens, please don¡¯t let yourself be defeated by Queen Mariah.¡±¡°What else is it that makes you tired, Duke?¡±¡°She keeps trying to establish a marital relationship between the Princess and I.¡±¡°Even though you had a fianc¨¦e?¡±¡°She¡¯s acted like that since my visit before. They kept visiting me since I brought her here.¡± That way, Queen Mariah quickly became a prime suspect. ¡°But wasn¡¯t the Duchy on bad terms with the Royal family?¡±¡°I don¡¯t get along with the Crown Prince. To be more precise, I don¡¯t pay any attention to His Highness when he keeps fretting about not being able to grasp me.¡± She was now confused even more. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the Princess is trying to marry someone the Crown Prince hates so much.¡±¡°Didn¡¯t I say that the Princess¡¯ position was precarious? The Queen is equally anxious. She¡¯s the second wife and has only one daughter. Their lives would all be over the day the Crown Prince ascends the throne.¡± Their worry about Kalcion was all an act. Kalcion continued with a voice as dry as their calculating relationship. ¡°The central aristocrat seems to have taken me as a target because she is unstable, and by the fear that she wouldn¡¯t be treated properly.¡±¡°Uh-huh¡­¡­¡± Now, it made all sense. Selena nodded and recalled the Princess. ¡®A Count¡¯s daughter, a Marquis¡¯ daughter, and now a princess are after him.¡¯ He was very popular. His attitude toward women was so simple that she couldn¡¯t imagine him being with them, but in reality, that popular guy had women all around him. His personality was a drawback, but he deserved it only because of his other advantages. He was rich. He was handsome. He had a good figure. He ruled a large area of land. She could imagine invisible enemies popping from all over the place. ¡°The rumors have definitely reached a lot of ears, so they can¡¯t kill me right now. That means we start from tomorrow, right?¡±¡°I think so.¡± There was no time to rest after getting to the Capital. ¡°By the way, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just pick one at a time?¡±¡°You don¡¯t have to face disgust around you to improve your discomfort.¡±¡°That¡­..¡± Objectively, just as Kalcion was perfect except for his personality, so were all of the women except for their obsession. She thought it might be a happy ending for him to meet people with bad personalities but good hearts, but she was also in denial. ¡°By any chance, you don¡¯t hate all women, do you?¡±¡°There¡¯s no woman I¡¯d like to come at me.¡±¡°Oh. Is there a girl you like? No, has there been one in your life?¡±¡°¡­¡­¡± He stayed silent. It reminded Selena of the first conversation they had about love. About him loving an object and not a woman. ¡°No. I shouldn¡¯t have asked that.¡±¡°That is not a good question. If I have to think of a girl I might like¡­¡­¡± He could have an ideal type even if he liked no one so far. Her ears pricked up. If she could match his type, acting as a couple might be easier. ¡°¡­..A pretty girl?¡±¡°¡­¡­.¡±¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± To put Selena¡¯s expression into words: ¡®Yes, I am as well¡¯, with a look of disappointment. ¡°All right, I will try my best to be pretty according to your taste. That way, you¡¯ll find it easier to act.¡± To Selena¡¯s sarcastic response, Kalcion asked in an honest tone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pretty enough?¡±¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Selena was well aware that Kalcion thought she was pretty. Therefore, even though it was a high-profile remark, she wasn¡¯t excited at all. ¡°Then, this girl will do her best to go shopping to be prettier.¡±¡°If you need anything, shall I call for a merchant here?¡±¡°That¡¯s fine, but to understand the trend, I¡¯ll have to go in person.¡± No matter how thoroughly it was prepared at Renbird, it would be useless if it did not suit the atmosphere of the gathering. In order to intervene in any society, identifying and aligning invisible rules was the first task. Originally, she thought of resting for a few more days and then venturing out, but she had to hurry now that she¡¯d learned about Queen Mariah¡¯s motives. *** ¡°The first thing we must do is to see a dress at ¡®Diatte¡¯. Next, we¡¯ll have some cake and tea, and then we¡¯ll have a look at the dresses from ¡®Simeon¡¯, which is a little far away. Finally, we¡¯ll be off to see Lalanta¡¯s jewelry! It¡¯ll be perfect!¡±¡°One after another.¡± Juna excitedly chirped as if she was the one who¡¯d be buying Selena¡¯s things as her own. She wouldn¡¯t stop talking. It seemed as if someone had fueled her mouth with kinetic energy. Thinking it would last until late at night, Selena changed the topic. ¡°Were you there when Miss Irelle used to go out?¡±¡°Ha, don¡¯t even bring it up. She said she didn¡¯t need it at first. She turned it down, but later on, she became very addicted to shopping¡­¡­. She knew what was good for her, and she only looked for famous and good shops. Thanks to her, I¡¯ve become very strict.¡±¡°I see. You knew everything so well that I thought you were originally from Miong.¡±¡°Oh, I am from Miong. But I didn¡¯t dare go to a shop where noble daughters went. It was all because of Miss Irelle.¡±¡°You¡¯re from Miong. But, how did you end up in Renbird?¡± She casually asked, but she saw Juna¡¯s eyes dart to the ceiling. Even though it wasn¡¯t a difficult question. ¡°Ah, when I was looking for a job, I was recommended a position in Renbird by an acquaintance.¡±¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive though. You were able to come all the way here to work. Even when you had no connections here.¡±¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡­ At that time, I guess all I thought of was that I had to do everything I could. Was this how I met Miss Selena? Hahaha.¡± Even her laughter had a suspicious tone in it. Now, Selena felt as though everything was suspicious about her. From Miong, Renbird was a very distant land. It wasn¡¯t in the countryside, but it was very far from the Capital. What¡¯s more, she even came to look for work in Renbird? That¡¯s weird. ¡®It is possible that someone intentionally placed her here.¡¯ That was the most plausible reason. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 52 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 52 In most cases, it would be easy to have a useful maid at hand. Besides that, deliberately sending someone from the capital to Renbird may appear as covert and primitive as that. For now, Selena had to look into the store recommended by Juna. She decided to find Kalcion before leaving the mansion. He usually spent time in his office or the training grounds, but today, he stayed in his room because he said he was sick as an excuse to refuse the Queen¡¯s invitation. In this way, he could easily go through the documents as well. ¡°Give me some money.¡± She needed it for shopping. It was justifiable because it was a necessary cost to settle well in the society. Kalcion stared at her, who held out her hand proudly. Instead of asking anything, Kalcion took a bunch of bills from the drawer and placed them in her hand. It was the currency of this world that she¡¯d never seen before. She looked down at each note as if she was holding something so amazing. ¡°Oh¡­.. I guess they use paper currency here as well.¡±¡°It¡¯s a family cheque. You¡¯ll need a carriage to carry money to pay for dresses and jewelry in cash.¡±¡°I see. Money in this world are simply things such as gold and silver, right?¡±¡°Yes. But try not to use that cheque if you can.¡± Oh, is that so? It wasn¡¯t like she was taking it away. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Just mention the name of Renbird.¡± Ah, so that¡¯s it. Since he put it that way, that means there was no one in this world who didn¡¯t know about the Duke of Renbird. Especially if the shop did business with nobles. ¡°If they think I¡¯m impersonating you, I¡¯ll pay with this.¡±¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. Unless they have a death wish, you don¡¯t need to pretend to be an aristocrat to buy things.¡±¡°Then, why did you hand this to me?¡± She fluttered the bills like a fan. Each bill would be of much worth than a coin, not just a penny or two. ¡°You asked for it.¡±¡°Would you give me everything I¡¯d ask for?¡±¡°I can give you as much as you ask.¡± He wouldn¡¯t even remember giving her this much money if she lost it somehow, Selena thought. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll use this to buy a couple of snacks.¡±¡°Hope you enjoy it.¡± Kalcion wasn¡¯t concerned about Selena spending all of the money on snacks. It was evident in his cavalier tone. Selena walked out instead of teasing him any longer. Juna, who was waiting outside, was at a loss when she saw a massive amount of money in Selena¡¯s hand. ¡°W-Whoa¡­.. I would never cease to see this amount of money even if I combined all my earnings for the rest of my life.¡±¡°It¡¯s also a first for me.¡±¡°But, why did His Excellency give you money? You could just mention his name, can¡¯t you?¡±¡°To buy some snacks.¡±¡°Pardon¡­¡­?¡± Selena strode away first, leaving a dumbstruck Juna. Shopping wasn¡¯t a hobby of hers, but it was sometimes good for a change. There would always be certain tension in this world. / There would always be a certain reason why one would feel restless in this world. Whether because of magical beasts or because of assassins, her life would always be in danger. She couldn¡¯t dream of walking around the market and meeting other people leisurely. It was the same in her original world. She usually avoided crowded places because of her job as an actress. For that reason, although her purpose was to shop, she was rather excited to venture into a place with people. The house was located in the center of the city and was close enough that it is within walking distance of the store. To be exact, the entrance gate from the front door of the mansion was farther than the store from the gate. For security reasons, she had to get on a carriage and give up the chance to view the scenery of the city. ¡°Miss Selena! We¡¯re almost there!¡± Juna chirped as the carriage stopped in front of the store. Its name is ¡°Diatte¡± as Juna had said before. Before the guard could reach the carriage door, Juna burst it open and jumped out towards the entrance. The shop even had a luxurious entrance with gatekeepers similar to the ones where only aristocrats were allowed. They were dressed in neat white suits. This seemed to be a part of the service for the young customers who visited. Selena followed Juna elegantly. She expected them to open the door with a friendly smile on their faces. ¡°Excuse me, we don¡¯t appear to have enough room inside. You cannot enter now.¡± It wasn¡¯t a warm welcome she received, rather, it was a complete denial. The gatekeeper was polite but tough. It was still morning. Regardless of how famous the store was, it couldn¡¯t have gotten that crowded enough to not be able to enter at this early hour. ¡°Hmm.¡± Selena hummed and stared at the guards. The faces of the guards in front of Selena, who were neither speaking nor retreating, became more and more stiff. That alone confirmed her assumption. ¡®You can¡¯t let anyone in.¡¯ If she turned her back to this, she¡¯d be a fool to believe their words, and if she yelled at them, she¡¯d never face the truth. ¡®What kind of store is this to run their business so proudly?¡¯ It seemed amazing, but her curiosity was also piqued. If she¡¯s not mistaken, she must¡¯ve borrowed the Duke¡¯s great carriage. She didn¡¯t know if it was fashionable or not, but she was also wearing a fancy dress that was super luxurious. She even had escorts and a maid. There were no flaws for them to refuse for ostensible reasons, except for her status. Then, another carriage stopped behind. Two beautifully dressed ladies got off. They were talking amicably, but they stopped when they noticed Selena standing in front of the gatekeepers. ¡°Hmm, perhaps she¡¯s new here.¡± Selena stepped aside and pursed her lips in a grumpy manner. She couldn¡¯t help it because her heart was twisted, and her mood wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Welcome.¡± Naturally, the gatekeepers opened the door wide for the two ladies, who were still looking at Selena. Not long after, they closed the door, and turned back to Selena. The gatekeepers froze. From this lady¡¯s gaze, they could tell she would not be easily warded off. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have enough room for one person, but your actions speak otherwise.¡± The time had come. Those men had no excuse to present because they let other people in right in front of her. However, as educated as they may be, they made a perfunctory excuse. ¡°They were scheduled to visit us today, so there were separate seats available for them.¡± Selena scoffed. ¡°Seats in a clothing store.¡±¡°I¡¯m sorry, but yes.¡±¡°You need to assure more sales aside from providing a seat to others. If I¡¯m correct, you can only recommend your products to a few existing customers, and meet internal standards, right?¡±¡°T-That¡¯s¡­..¡± They couldn¡¯t even say no. Selena laughed. There were indeed places like this. A place where not just anyone could buy their items. The only people eligible to buy their luxury products were nobles of high status. ¡®Should I call for Kalcion?¡¯ It was the fastest and easiest way, but she couldn¡¯t do that as it would blow his cover. Due to that, she decided to settle things on her own. ¡°Call for the owner.¡± This was the most powerful weapon when he was away. ¡°Pardon?¡±¡°As a guard, you wouldn¡¯t have the power to evaluate the qualifications of your guest, so just call the owner.¡± She won¡¯t be leaving until they call for their boss! The gatekeepers quickly finished judging the situation. ¡°P-Please wait a moment!¡± One of them rushed inside. A moment later, as he said, a middle-aged woman in a flamboyant dress walked out of the store. Her steps were gentle, but she had a cold and strict look in her eyes. ¡°I heard you were looking for me.¡±¡°Who might you be?¡± Selena asked sharply. ¡°Pardon me for the late introduction. I¡¯m the CEO of Diatte.¡± The woman calmly spoke without getting affected by Selena¡¯s sharp tone. It seemed she was familiar with this kind of situation. Rural aristocrats from faraway regions were often known to call for her when they were rejected at the gate. Those aristocrats were unaware of the conditions, and therefore, returned in shame. Then, later on, if the guests were welcomed grandly when they came after knowing the conditions, their anger would be turned into pride. This was not the policy from the beginning. The atmosphere was naturally established as it pleased those who wanted ¡®speciality¡¯. ¡°You¡¯ve summoned me because you were uncomfortable with your welcome¡­¡­ Am I right?¡±¡°Yes. Apparently, it doesn¡¯t seem like a store for anyone.¡± Selena had a slightly different response compared to the others who called for her for the same reason. She didn¡¯t raise her voice, she didn¡¯t get angry, she didn¡¯t get embarrassed, and she didn¡¯t tremble. She just calmly checked the facts. However, that did not significantly change her answer. The representative bowed her head as usual. ¡°I apologize, but our store is also a salon, so we consider making room available for people we know first. Please understand.¡±¡°I see. That¡¯s too bad. I was planning to join the banquet as the partner of the Duke of Renbird. In order to not undermine the dignity of the Duke, I came to the most famous store to learn the latest trends¡­¡­¡± Selena turned as if she¡¯d walk back to her carriage. ¡°¡­¡­Ah, are you the rumored guest of the Duke of Renbird?¡± The woman asked. Considering how fast information traveled in society, the news about the Duke of Renbird also reached the CEO¡¯s ears. It was two months after the death of his prospective fianc¨¦e. The Duke wasn¡¯t known to pick anyone for a partner, but he brought the young lady from Renbird. She wasn¡¯t even a commoner. She was just an unknown person. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s not like the Duke to be bothered by a single woman. Therefore, it must be a case wherein she¡¯s receiving an overwhelming amount of affection from the Duke. ¡®In that case, she might¡¯ve been showered with money¡­..¡¯ Money or fame. However, too much money was on the line to choose fame. After completing the calculations, the representative immediately took action. Selena raised her eyebrows as the woman bowed her head and stepped aside to let her in. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of your situation. Usually, we do not allow any guests inside if there¡¯s no room left, but we really wish to help you in this issue.¡± She was letting her in because of money. A calculating smile flashed upon the woman¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that we have the most reliable policy as the most renowned store.¡± Money was the best, right? Selena also responded with a polite smile. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 53 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 53 ¡°However¡­. there aren¡¯t any seats available for you to be comfortable, would that be okay?¡±¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not here to sit and chat, I¡¯m here to look at the clothes you have.¡±¡°All right, if you¡¯d be so kind as to follow me.¡± As soon as Selena stepped inside, the atmosphere in the store changed as if a typhoon hit the store. The two young ladies, who were sitting in their seats, also glanced at Selena. You¡¯d be surprised since it wasn¡¯t a common occurrence. They must have barely made it through the previous process. It looked empty, but there were quite a few people inside. There was a table and sofa where the guests could chat in a relaxing atmosphere, and each guest had a tea cup. It was more of a secret cafe than a clothing store. ¡°Who is it?¡±¡°I¡¯ve never seen her before¡­¡­ Is she the one the Duke of Renbird has brought¡­.?¡±¡°Oh my gosh, she¡¯s the rumored girl? Come to think of it, she looks similar to what the rumors described her as.¡± Selena could hear them whisper. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she came here as soon as she got to the Capital. Is she already starting to take a fortune?¡±¡°If she wasn¡¯t that diligent, she wouldn¡¯t have made it to that position.¡±¡°But, how did she get in? Indeed, what is the Duke¡¯s money?¡± The attention on the appearance of a new guest kept bubbling like boiling water on the stove. Selena made her way inside under the guidance of the representative. As she passed by where they sat, she met their eyes. However, having all eyes on herself only, she turned her head away almost immediately after. It was not a friendly gaze. ¡®This must be how the social circle acts.¡¯ Her social rehearsal officially began after she came out to browse for clothes that matched the trends. That is because they were the same people she would eventually meet. It would be convenient to pretend she didn¡¯t hear it, but it would only be a matter of time before she is rumored to be an idiot if she chooses to do so. She couldn¡¯t fight with her hair tied, but she at least had to show that she wasn¡¯t easy enough to ignore. The representative guided Selena to the stool instead of the table. ¡°How does your business run here?¡±¡°Since we mainly produce custom-made goods, we tend to make them based on design catalogs rather than on spot.¡±¡°Is that so? Then can I take a look at the design catalog first?¡±¡°Of course.¡± The CEO went inside and came out with a booklet the same size as a human. Selena took a look at the designs, and turned its pages over one by one. It was not much different from what Devin, Renbird¡¯s tailor, suggested. However, slightly different details caught her eye. Devin¡¯s work with ribbons was replaced with straps here, and instead of monochromatic fabrics, they mainly used fabrics that seemed to have subtle colors smudged in certain places similar to watercolor. At first glance, one would think it¡¯s not a big deal, but these small details were very important to notice. That is because the thickness of the ribbon distinguished rustic and sophisticated things. ¡°How is it?¡±¡°Neat and tidy.¡± The woman nodded with a proud smile. ¡°Yes. The fabric is made thin and delicate compared to the North.¡±¡°I see. I¡¯ll have to modify all the dresses I¡¯ve brought. I think it will take quite some time¡­. Do you happen to have any prototypes?¡±¡°It¡¯s not a lot, but there are a few.¡± The woman beckoned to the employees waiting in the corner. Disappearing inside in unison, they returned each holding a dress. It definitely felt different to see them as a finished product. ¡°Are they for sale?¡±¡°We¡¯re selling it if you want, but the price will slightly increase because we have to modify the size of the selected piece one more time.¡± ¡®She¡¯s the Duke¡¯s mistress, but does she even have enough money?¡¯ Her tone implied something along those lines. Selena chuckled. It was time to start a spectacular show. ¡°I¡¯ll buy everything.¡± A silence passed wherein everyone stopped breathing at the same time. While pretending to talk among themselves, the eyes of the two ladies froze on Selena. ¡°¡­¡­I beg your pardon?¡± Even the representative¡¯s composure was shaken. No noble family¡¯s daughter had ever been able to sweep away things like this. It¡¯s too expensive. ¡°Uhm, we haven¡¯t told you the price yet, have we?¡±¡°No need. You can charge me under the name of the Duke of Renbird.¡±¡°But¡­..¡±¡°Oh, shall we make ten different colors of each design? In that way, I¡¯ll be able to see what¡¯s best once it¡¯s done.¡± When Kalcion said it, he acted as if money was some bullsh*t, but now it was time to make him come to his senses. The woman¡¯s eyes changed when she realized Selena was determined to waste money carelessly. The woman was a flexible thinker who could change one¡¯s horizons before practicality. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it on?¡±¡°Shall we? Can you fix it while I¡¯m at it?¡±¡°Of course.¡± Selena chose the dress that suited her the most and entered the dressing room with the staff. The changing room was a space with sky-high curtains surrounding mirrors everywhere, as if it were an embodiment of a princess¡¯ closet. There was a fluffy rug on the floor, and a comfortable-looking chair was placed in the middle. The staff were polite. They knew the work more efficiently than a maid. The power of money was stronger here. ¡®It¡¯s easier.¡¯ The kindness that money could buy was the easily gained one. Miong¡¯s dress only had one layer. It was very similar to the dresses she wore at award ceremonies and events. It had more exposure than Renbird¡¯s, and less corsets on the inside. This attire showed Selena¡¯s figure more explicitly than her puffy skirt. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful¡­¡­..¡± One of the employees muttered with a bewitched look. Selena grinned and walked out of the room. The eyes of the people standing outside gathered on her as if they were iron powder that stuck to a magnet. ¡°Hup¡­..¡± Someone shut the employee¡¯s mouth when they noticed he was about to mutter something unknowingly. He was also prepared to laugh at the dress or pretend not to see it, but he failed. That¡¯s not all. All eyes on her were filled with astonishment. ¡®Okay, I¡¯m halfway through.¡¯ She was confident that she could fill in their requirements to stand in the midst of the social circle. Whether she was a villainess or an angel, she had to attract attention and have a presence to become influential. Information would not fly into the unwanted. Having the Duke of Renbird backing her up, Selena must be someone who is not common. There was no way the social ladies would turn a blind eye to it if she was. Therefore, there had to be something she could use other than Kalcion to show off her strength. The world had changed, from east to west. A man who was unchangeable desired beauty. Fortunately, Kalcion¡¯s aesthetic was not far from the standard of the world. Selena seemed to have looked as beautiful to other people¡¯s eyes as he voiced. She, with her confidence now doubled, smiled even more enchantingly. The smile that she had practiced thousands of times to make herself look beautiful. ¡°It¡¯s great. I can take this one right away, right?¡± The CEO¡¯s eyes widened, but she quickly returned to her senses. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll try to fix it as soon as possible.¡± Selena also checked herself in the mirror while the staff gathered to take note of the necessary instructions on where to fix the dress. She wondered if her figure had changed because of her eating and all that, but training with Kalcion seemed to have played a part in maintaining it. ¡®It seems more fit than it used to be.¡¯ She should join the training whenever she had time, she decided internally. ¡°Now if you take it off, I¡¯ll get it fixed as soon as possible.¡± When she changed back to her original outfit, the staff led her to the stool again. The seats were filled by new customers now. ¡°Would you like a drink while waiting?¡± There was a small bar in front of the stool, but it wasn¡¯t a table. She felt like she was being beaten in a corner because she didn¡¯t get a table. ¡°No, I¡¯ll have a look around somewhere else and pick it up on my way back¡­¡­¡± As she was standing up, a man approached her. ¡°E-Excuse me.¡±¡°Yes?¡± He seemed like a guest since he was neatly dressed. ¡°I know it¡¯s rude to talk to you so suddenly, but¡­.. Oh, my name is Smith. I¡¯m the second son of Baron Chade.¡±¡°Okay.¡± Selena waited for his next words, blinking like a doll. It was her turn to introduce herself as an act of courtesy, but she was already caught in the wind of being cautious. ¡°I came here to buy a gift for my cousin and happened to see you, Miss.¡±¡°Okay.¡± Selena answered briefly again with a friendly smile. It was an implicit sign to get out of her sight quickly, but unfortunately, a man named Smith didn¡¯t seem to understand. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 54 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 54 ¡°My Lady seemed troubled because there were no tables to sit in, so I took the liberty of asking you. If you don¡¯t mind, would you like to join us at our table?¡± Smith gestured to his table in one corner. The two women, who appeared in sight, smiled as if they thought he was looking at them. The table was a little different from the one in the middle. Talk about some ups and downs in the society¡¯s perspective. ¡®If I sit there now, I¡¯d be the subject of displeasing rumors and scandals for the rest of my life.¡¯ Even if staying on this stool could cause a couple of problems, it would also be a headache to get tangled with insignificant people. What¡¯s more, the opportunity would surely come again. As long as she was with Kalcion. ¡°I thank you for the suggestion, but my dress won¡¯t be fixed right away. So I wish to visit somewhere else.¡±¡°O-Oh¡­. is that so?¡±¡°Yes, I¡¯ll see you next time. Sir Smith.¡±¡°Yes, o-of course¡­¡­¡± Selena stood up from her seat without hesitation. ¡°Will it be completed by lunch?¡±¡°Yes, that should be enough.¡± However, Smith still hasn¡¯t given up completely. ¡°Um! Excuse me, if I could know your name¡­..!¡± ¡®You didn¡¯t even know who I was?¡¯ Then it was really a social affair. If he was trying to build a bridge to the Duke through Selena, she could consider it. However, his target was her, and it¡¯s because he was mesmerized by her appearance. ¡®If I get tangled up with someone like this, I¡¯ll end up getting into another scandal.¡¯ Rumors could make the ¡®smiling at each other¡¯ turn into ¡®spending the night with just a single greeting¡¯. Selena knew better than anyone else how frightening people¡¯s misunderstandings and speculations could get. ¡®Well, I¡¯ve got an excuse either way.¡¯ You saw a man approaching you, and unless you ran away, he followed. The moment you gave a signal without realizing it, he managed to do something rather disrespectful that you were worried about. However, this much could be mollified just from being with Kalcion. As long as there wasn¡¯t anymore flirting here. Although he sucked at striking a conversation, there were many ways to incinerate it all. ¡°My apologies, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get in trouble if someone mentions my name out here in my absence. I don¡¯t like it. I look forward to seeing you again.¡± She would have to teach Kalcion how to act like a man who was obsessed. ¡°Oh, uh, um, Yes¡­.. Forgive me.¡± At Selena¡¯s powerful iron barrier, Smith backed down as if he had been pushed away by a giant. There must be no sport such as soccer in this world. That¡¯s a relief. That is because there were some people who wouldn¡¯t have stepped back if they had a goalkeeper at this level of refusal. Selena politely bowed a little and said goodbye before gently walking out of the door. Juna scurried to catch up. ¡°Everyone knows you¡¯re beautiful¡­.. As soon as you make an appearance in the social circle and become popular, everyone will line up to have a chance to dance with Miss Selena at the banquet.¡± As soon as she stepped out, Juna excitedly spoke. This wasn¡¯t the time to go crazy over it. As a matter of fact, it was the maid¡¯s role to boost the confidence of the Lady she served if she felt insulted or ashamed of how others judged her. ¡°Let me guess, this wasn¡¯t the case when Lady Irelle was here.¡± It was strange for her to be excited about this situation. Unlike herself, Irelle came to the Capital to have an engagement ceremony. That being the case, there¡¯s no doubt she must¡¯ve received more attention than I did. ¡°There was someone who spoke to her, but how is that even comparable to this? It¡¯s not as if you tried to seduce people with your looks.¡± Selena¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The Duke said Lady Irelle was a timid woman.¡±¡°I know. She seemed like a decent cat silently walking past men with an attractive body to get their attention.¡± She previously said Irelle used to be gloomy, but now she said she was a timid woman, who swayed her tail around men. She had too many characteristics for a single woman to have. ¡°Miss Juna, I have a question.¡±¡°Yes!¡±¡°What was it like when you served Lady Irelle?¡±¡°Ah¡­..¡± She mumbled in return. Selena¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Or was it only me who was treated special? I initially thought you served her differently because unlike me, she was rumored to be the Duke¡¯s prospective fianc¨¦e.¡±¡°If I remember correctly¡­.. Lady Irelle was rejected the same way at first. After ordering five pairs of dresses at once, she was never stopped at the gate again. I hadn¡¯t paid attention since then, so it slipped my mind. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Juna confessed in a cowering voice. After all, she knew. It was not a matter of forgetting. Since there¡¯s no way she could¡¯ve forgotten such a thing. Juna looked embarrassed, but in Selena¡¯s eyes, she looked nervous. She covered it perfectly. If Selena was Irelle, she could have been fooled. ¡°No, I¡¯m glad it went well.¡± As Selena flashed a smile, Juna immediately calmed down. ¡°Where should we head next? Would you like to go to Simeon?¡± Another one of the stores Juna mentioned before. Unexpectedly, Selena said. ¡°No, I¡¯m a little tired. I¡¯d like to take a break.¡±¡°Ah, would you like a cake at the Crange?¡±¡°Can we?¡±¡°Yes, we¡¯re heading that way anyway!¡± Juna informed the coachman, and throughout the ride, she talked about what kind of cake and tea was the shop¡¯s best seller. ¡®I don¡¯t think you bought them with your own money.¡¯ Juna¡¯s portrayal of Irelle, who even fed her maid dessert, was oddly harsh. As much as Diatte, Crange was different from other shops around it from its appearance. Compared to other shops nearby, it had a line of carriages, long driveways, neatly dressed gatekeepers, and above all, thick and large tainted doors. It felt as though you needed to be qualified in order to enter there. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Shall we get off?¡± This time, instead of jumping off the carriage right away, Juna asked. ¡°Juna, can you go ahead and ask if there¡¯s a table available?¡±¡°Oh, by myself?¡±¡°Yes, it¡¯s too cumbersome and difficult to force my way in like before.¡±¡°Ah¡­.. but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll believe that I came from the Duke¡¯s manor if I went there alone.¡± She was trying to drag Selena with her. Truthfully, she didn¡¯t expect that. ¡°They say impersonating a noble is punishable by death. So, the Duke told me that I don¡¯t have to pay for anything I wish and mention his name instead. Don¡¯t worry about that, and go.¡± After all, Kalcion allowed Selena to borrow money from him. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you whilst looking at flowers in that shop.¡± Selena pointed to its door when she saw the flower shop next to Crange open at that moment. ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Selena¡¯s firm attitude made Juna walk slowly towards the Crange¡¯s entrance. Selena spoke to the gatekeeper and glanced back occasionally to make sure that Juna approached the shop and was talking to the gatekeepers. ¡°Are you open?¡±¡°Yes, welcome.¡±¡°I¡¯d like to have a table and a cup of tea while I look at a couple of flowers.¡±¡°Please be comfortable. I¡¯ll bring the menu.¡± The flower shop was not bustling with customers, and thus it was calm. Nobody made a fuss or grovel at Selena¡¯s appearance. She entered the shop with ease. Contrary to what she saw from the appearance of the shop outside earlier, the flower shop had more varieties of flowers to offer inside. There were many unique interior decorations, so it was fun to look around. Selena, who was sitting on a chair and looking around on the terrace outside, chose a flower. ¡°This flower¡­.. It¡¯s pretty. I¡¯ll buy one.¡± She was glad she got money from Kalcion. It¡¯d be such a nuisance to buy a flower inside the mansion. As she received the beautifully wrapped flower and sipped on her tea, she saw Juna trudging back from afar. ¡®She failed.¡¯ If it had been a success, she would have been jumping all over the place with joy. Even so, Selena greeted Juna with a smile on her face. ¡°How did it go?¡±¡°Ah, that¡­.. They¡¯re fully booked.¡±¡°They must be very popular. So, will the rest of the stores be the same?¡±¡°No, other places will be fine!¡± Selena, however, was very pleased with the seat she had already occupied in the flower shop. ¡°But just in case¡­¡­ Juna, can you visit the shops that you were talking about and check if there are any seats available?¡±¡°Pardon? Do you mean alone?¡±¡°Take the carriage. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Juna looked embarrassed, but she eventually left on an errand. No matter what, the positions of the Lady and the maid could never be the same. She asked Juna, but it was ultimately an order. Selena continued to sip her tea and spent time sniffing the flowers. Has she ever had such a relaxing moment in this world? Back in the mansion, she was always accompanied by three guards. A noble lady drinking tea alone at a table by the roadside caught people¡¯s attention. It was even more so thanks to her beauty that shone brighter than the flowers that filled the shop. Receiving such gazes was a natural part of Selena¡¯s routine. However, her behavior didn¡¯t change much from usual. Since quite some time had passed, it was almost time to eat lunch. ¡®We¡¯re going to eat outside, right? I wonder if the restaurants here are all the same. Should we go to a restaurant by the street?¡¯ Her head was filled with such thoughts when she saw the carriage return. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 55 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 55 ¡°Miss Selena! I found a store with available seats!¡± Juna exclaimed as she jumped out of the carriage. ¡°Really? Where?¡±¡°It¡¯s a place called Rumera. I heard it hasn¡¯t been long since it opened. I haven¡¯t been there so I couldn¡¯t recommend it before, but since I saw it on the way, I asked for available seats and they said there were vacant ones!¡±¡°Oh, so all the places I asked you to have a look at weren¡¯t available?¡±¡°I¡¯m afraid so¡­..¡± Juna became cautious. ¡®It¡¯s worth watching.¡¯ It would have taken Juna the entire day to go around the stores and eventually end up with nowhere to go. Not just one place, but all of them. ¡®I wonder if Irelle went through this as well.¡¯ Of course, Irelle was new in the capital at that time so she wasn¡¯t mentally hurt, but what if she was shut off everywhere she went without her knowing? If that was the case, how did the people see her as and treat her? The more Selena thought about it, the more she felt uneasy. So far, she heard that Irelle was the weakest scapegoat, a woman who didn¡¯t even have an evil mentality. ¡®That being so, why the hell did they kill such a person?¡¯ To summarize the clues Selena and Kalcion had found so far¡­ There is a possibility that it¡¯s because of Fionel¡¯s jealousy. A possibility that it¡¯s because Rosalyn wants to remove any obstacle blocking her way by all means. A possibility that it¡¯s because the Queen¡¯s obstructions must be gotten rid of. A possibility that it was an accidental crime caused by an internal conflict between the servants within the mansion. And a possibility that it¡¯s due to someone in the society who had too much hatred towards her. The more information Selena found out, the more she thought of Irelle as a leaf that could be easily blown off. Why did they kill a skittish woman when they could just push her away? Selena wasn¡¯t a forensic scientist, so she couldn¡¯t exactly ask how Irelle¡¯s life ended. But she couldn¡¯t even get any hint from it. However, with how the situation was progressing, she couldn¡¯t help but ask. Tonight, she decided to go to the room Irelle used to sleep in. Meanwhile, as she realized her mood didn¡¯t seem to be suitable for shopping anymore, she didn¡¯t want to continue to shop, but at the same time, she wanted to see how far Juna could butter her up. ¡°It seems a lot of people came out to shop today, huh. Shall we go now?¡± As she stood up, a large bird flew in her way. ¡°Huh? What¡ªa bird¡­..¡± It was too big to be a bird. Then, it rushed towards a man. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me a bird is used in an assassination?¡¯ A guard stepped forward and stretched his arms in front of Selena, who hardened reflexively. The bird, which was flying in as if to snatch its prey, pulled its wings and slowed down as it approached the person. Then, it gently landed on the arm of the escort. The bird looked heavy and massive as it spread its wings. It was as big as an eagle, but its feathers were blue. Apart from that, a crown shaped symbol could be seen on its head. The escort proceeded to open a small box tied to the bird¡¯s ankle, pulled out a piece of paper, and immediately passed it to Selena. ¡°I think you should return to the mansion.¡± She read the note. Only a short sentence was written on it. However, due to it, she had no choice but to go back right away. ¡¶The Queen is visiting.¡· Battle The visit came too soon. In a hurry to return to the mansion, Selena ran into Kalcion, who was standing on the porch with a displeased look plastered on his face. ¡°How can a sick person walk with such ease?¡±¡°We both know it¡¯s an excuse.¡±¡°No matter how many excuses you make, wouldn¡¯t it be less embarrassing if you pretend to be sick?¡±¡°It¡¯s more embarrassing to face her after I refused when she insisted on visiting. Selena glared at Kalcion, who stopped her from entering the bedroom and pushed her back. It was because pretending to be sick was more embarrassing than actually feeling sick. Kalcion¡¯s internal and external identities had a huge difference. Although there was no need to hide his innermost thoughts, he was originally a person who hated the duality in himself. ¡®That¡¯s the reason you can¡¯t live in the capital city without socializing.¡¯ She understood what he didn¡¯t like, but because of the current situation, it was a must. ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± She shoved Kalcion into the room and began unbuttoning his jacket herself. Kalcion broke into a panic. ¡°What¡­What are you doing?¡±¡°Well, are you going to lie down with your clothes on?¡±¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll take it off.¡± Only then did Selena find herself holding a man¡¯s cloth in broad daylight. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡±¡°It would have been awful if it had another meaning to it.¡± Kalcion then took off his coat and lied down in bed. Selena watched him lie down on his back and shook her head. ¡°No, lean your back on the pillow. I¡¯ll be lying down, too.¡± Just as she instructed, Kalcion changed his position to that of a half-lying position as he leaned against a pillow. ¡°Is this enough?¡±¡°Hmm¡­..¡± She studied the overall look of Kalcion on bed as though she was a director overseeing the stage. However, it still did not meet her expectations. ¡°It¡¯s not about the posture, it¡¯s about how healthy you look.¡± It looked natural, but lying down with his clothes on wasn¡¯t enough to make him look sick. She tried to change his overall look by ruffling his hair and loosening another button on his shirt. It did not do any good to ruin his beauty. ¡°It¡¯s useless no matter what I do.¡± Kalcion chuckled at her, who felt like giving up. The purpose of this performance is only to cover up his excuse, but both the Queen and himself knew each other well. But without having to quell Selena¡¯s enthusiasm, Kalcion felt relaxed. ¡°A wet basin, a towel, a bowl of rice wine, an apple¡­¡­. a fruit knife, and a plate.¡± Selena called in a maid and asked for these. In Kalcion¡¯s eyes, it was hard to tell whether she was excited or nervous. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so determined on acting out the scene. Falling sick is just an excuse that everybody uses.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if it offends the Queen or not since it¡¯s only natural for her to step down after she hears such an excuse. ¡°Well¡­.. she¡¯s one of the suspects we¡¯re after, though. We met Fionel and Rosalyn without prior notice, but she¡¯s a queen. I don¡¯t think we should let our guard down.¡±¡°True. She looks sloppy on the outside, but she¡¯s still holding onto the position of a Queen in a palace where she¡¯s gradually losing power.¡±¡°No one is easy to deal with.¡± Selena sighed and stretched her shoulders. However, she did not appear to be lacking confidence. ¡°I won¡¯t come forward for nothing today. I have to take care of most of what¡¯s to come. You didn¡¯t forget I was targeted upon entering your world, right?¡±¡°¡­¡­Of course.¡± He was reminded of a memory of him saying unnecessary things in Dunfel. He, who had nothing to say about his performance, went quiet. ¡°That being the case, we can¡¯t continue sitting still and staring at each other blankly until they come, so let¡¯s start playing it out.¡±¡°Playing it out?¡±¡°Oh dear, my Duke, look at your cold sweat. You¡¯re so weak. What should I do?¡± She deftly dabbed a wet towel on his forehead and nose as she acted. ¡°What? Hahahaha.¡± Kalcion burst into a laugh at the words he had never heard before. ¡°I¡¯ve never received nursing care even when I was a child.¡±¡°You never got sick?¡±¡°I¡¯ve been sick before. However, I¡¯ve never spent time lying in bed. Except when I couldn¡¯t get up.¡± That exception where he ¡®couldn¡¯t get up¡¯ was due to a broken leg. ¡°That¡¯s too much for a child.¡±¡°That¡¯s the fate of the Duke¡¯s heir.¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t pay much mind to such a tragic past. He accepted it because he was aware that it was his fate. ¡°Not because of how beautifully you were raised, but because you were strictly raised¡­¡­.¡±¡°There are a lot of families who are the same.¡±¡°So, the Duke never had a memorable childhood experience?¡±¡°I didn¡¯t need one. I didn¡¯t grow up beautifully, but it doesn¡¯t mean that I wasn¡¯t treated preciously.¡±¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± Clearly, the duke who only cared about his honor wouldn¡¯t have a care at anything else but that. ¡°But what about playing? I¡¯m sure there was a time when you didn¡¯t feel like studying.¡±¡°Well, in my case, I studied because I had to.¡±¡°At such a young age?¡±¡°That¡¯s the exact reason why. I was too young to know of the other options I could choose.¡± Kalcion was already an adult, but for a second, the image of a child seemed to overlap his face. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that a child was so obedient.¡± She stroked his hair as if he was a child. He flinched momentarily, but did not push Selena¡¯s hand away or dodge it. ¡°What?¡±¡°What was dear Cion¡¯s heart like when he was young?¡± Kalcion smiled blandly. ¡°Seeing as how I was able to travel to another world, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say you can go beyond time.¡± Somehow, he felt as if Selena¡¯s warm touch was bringing back his childhood. She didn¡¯t stop smiling and kept stroking his hair. Thanks to her touch, his body loosened up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleepy?¡± Just as yawning was contagious, loneliness seemed to be contagious as well. Selena stretched as she tried to keep herself awake. She had always been on a difficult march since she came to this world. That¡¯s how it always was. That¡¯s why it wouldn¡¯t be odd for Selena¡¯s thin body to have accumulated fatigue. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can sleep for a while.¡±¡°I hope so.¡± Selena kept trying to keep herself awake, but her eyelids were already starting to feel heavy. She woke up early in the morning, made a fuss, and even had to face a war of nerves at the clothing store. It definitely wore out her stamina. ¡°Because the Queen won¡¯t push the door open with her own hands.¡± Selena decided to let it slide after those reassuring words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a nap for a while.¡± That would be better. She climbed onto the bed and lied beside Kalcion. Even in a dress, she thought she¡¯d continue to live as long as she took a nap. ¡°Only for five minutes¡­¡­¡± Without finishing her words, Selena¡¯s head fell on Kalcion¡¯s shoulder. Every time he saw it happen, he was amazed at how fast she could fall asleep. Kalcion slowly closed his eyes, too. The weight on his shoulder gave him a sense of ease. However, as soon as he closed his eyes, he heard a knock on the door. ¡°Her Majesty has arrived.¡± Perhaps because Selena didn¡¯t hear the knock, she was still asleep. He had to wake her up, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. The Queen would be waiting in the drawing room anyway, so it wouldn¡¯t taint his honor even if she waited for five minutes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 56 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 56 It was exactly only after an hour and twenty-five minutes later that the Queen was allowed to step inside Kalcion¡¯s room. This was because Selena, who was used to having naps frequently, only opened her eyes after that much time passed. ¡°I must be out of my mind!¡± Having realized that as soon as she woke up, she shouted. ¡°Since the Queen rushed into the patient¡¯s residence, she should at least observe the virtue of patience and wait for the patient to open his/her eyes.¡±¡°Why are you so shameless when you¡¯re not even a patient?¡±¡°It¡¯s an act.¡±¡°Wow.¡± Selena stood up in a hurry, dumbfounded. She hurriedly tried to fix her appearance while looking at the mirror, but it did not make any difference. ¡°Ughhh, what do I do? I slept so soundly that my face looks swollen. What do I do with my hair? My hair! What¡¯s more, my dress is wrinkled.¡±¡°You look the same as usual. You need not worry.¡±¡°Oh my gosh, how is this fine? Forget it, I asked the wrong person.¡± She wasn¡¯t joking. However, she couldn¡¯t afford to be the director of their act now. She had made the Queen wait long enough. She had no choice but to apply water to get rid of flyaway strands and roughly fix her hair. She then sat down on a chair next to the bed. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±¡°Let her in.¡± At the command of Kalcion, the servant bowed his head and stepped out of the room. Soon after, the door opened and two women entered the room. ¡°?!¡± Selena was surprised. ¡®Both the Queen and the Princess?!¡¯ The other guest they had was a young girl. Since Kalcion said she was similar in age to the Crown Prince, she was under the impression that the Queen was as old as Selena¡¯s mother and that the Princess was slightly younger than her. However, the Queen looked a few years younger than expected, and the hesitant girl behind her seemed to be much less than in her mid-twenties. As if she had just entered puberty, her face and forehead was covered in acne marks. Anyone could see that she had just entered her teen years. ¡®She¡¯s the Princess who wants to marry Kalcion? There isn¡¯t another Princess, is there?¡¯ In no way was she a match beside Kalcion. If she was any younger, she would have looked like his daughter. ¡®¡­..No way, no way, no way.¡¯ She was at a loss for words at what seems to be common in this world. Queen Mariah, with bold red lips, approached with a smile while fluttering her eyelashes. ¡°Duke. I came as fast as I could upon knowing that he wasn¡¯t feeling well¡­¡­ But he doesn¡¯t seem so sick though?¡± Selena was taken aback again, in many ways possible. Shouldn¡¯t it have been ¡®what happened to you¡¯ instead? Did she just openly say what she genuinely thought? Her young appearance and lively tone convinced her that she was indeed young in age. ¡®I knew she was the second wife of the Emperor¡­.. but she¡¯s so young!¡¯ It was difficult for her to discern the Queen¡¯s age difference with the Emperor, but it was even more difficult for her to accept the fact that she had a daughter, who was now a teenager. The Queen seemed one or two years older than Selena, but if she had a teenage daughter, wouldn¡¯t it seem as though she gave birth during her teenage years? ¡®What the hell is the king doing?¡¯ Selena¡¯s mind, which suddenly became tired of this world¡¯s chaotic moral notions, decided to go on a strike, but that only lasted for a while. ¡°Ah, so the Duke avoided it because he felt uncomfortable with the girl he came with?¡± However, the Queen with her bright criticism had no time to waste. Selena blankly glanced back at the Queen. When their eyes met, the Queen smiled brightly, her feelings perfectly concealed. No, she wasn¡¯t hiding it. It didn¡¯t seem she had any towards her in the first place. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Highness. Forgive me for not welcoming you properly.¡± Despite Kalcion¡¯s insincere greeting, which seemed as if he were reading a line from a book, the Queen showed no sign of disappointment. ¡°I forgive you. It was my mistake to rush in here without an invitation even though you were sick. I never knew you¡¯d decline my invitation with the excuse of being sick, which shows that I only rushed in here because I was worried about your well-being. I¡¯m glad there¡¯s no issue with it, though. She answered in an incredibly honest manner. Selena couldn¡¯t figure out whether or not her answer was genuine. She has yet to find clues so far, so it was difficult for her to figure out the Queen. She seemed easy, but was actually difficult to understand. ¡°Your Majesty. My name is Selena.¡± Selena greeted the Queen. The Queen looked at her face directly and smiled. ¡°The Duke doesn¡¯t seem to be the type who¡¯d always bring a lady from Renbird with him to the Capital. Amazing. I¡¯ve never seen a beauty as pretty as you in my life.¡±¡°Thank you.¡± Since she hasn¡¯t decided on how she¡¯d treat her, she kept her reply as short as she could. Then, the Queen folded her eyelids and chuckled. ¡°Do not be so cautious. Someone as beautiful as you has the right to spend time with the Duke before his marriage is fixed. I don¡¯t plan on ending your life, so don¡¯t worry.¡±¡°¡­¡­.I beg your pardon¡­¡­.?¡± Each word that came from the Queen¡¯s mouth directly made Selena¡¯s head throb in pain. More importantly, she implied that she had the authority to kill her. It wasn¡¯t so polite to mention her control over her life as soon as they met. ¡®Does she have something to do with Irelle¡¯s death?¡¯ She came back to her senses. ¡°Marriage? What marriage?¡± She could not hide her curiosity. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Duke get married someday? I wish for him to marry my Jerryel the most.¡± At the Queen¡¯s words, Princess Jerryel blushed and lowered her head. At the age she was in, it was common for anyone to feel shy around someone they liked. How embarrassing would it be to hear about their own marriage in front of them? Whether or not the Princess was embarrassed, the Queen was as confident as a fait accompli. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay beside the Duke forever.¡±¡°Yes, it may be because of your burning love. Does the Duke feel the same?¡± Her question was suddenly turned to Kalcion. ¡°I wish to wait and see. I don¡¯t intend to let her wander off and marry anyone else.¡± It wasn¡¯t an answer that deserves full points, but it¡¯s at least worth fifty points. ¡°No one can know how the other feels.¡±¡°I¡¯m sure of what I feel.¡± The Queen laughed cheerfully at Kalcion¡¯s firm reply. ¡°Everything in the world doesn¡¯t comply with the heart¡¯s desires. Did you say your name was Selena? Don¡¯t hold faith in what your heart wants.¡±¡°I do not. I¡¯m trying my best to hang on.¡± It wasn¡¯t an appropriate remark to say in front of the Queen, but the Queen showed no interest. Instead, her face had a rather comfortable expression. ¡°Love and marriage are two different aspects. Marriage is a matter handled between adults.¡±¡°In that case, the Princess seems way too young.¡±¡°You can be considered an adult even if you¡¯re young. I myself have been in such a place.¡±¡°What about the Princess?¡±¡°Princess likes it, too. Jerryel, you want to marry the Duke, do you not?¡± Princess Jerryel¡¯s face, who received the gazes of the three adults in an instant, turned red. ¡®If I was in her place, I would¡¯ve denied it even if I liked him.¡¯ Selena laughed inwardly at the Queen¡¯s recklessness. However, even in the midst of the tension, Princess Jerryel¡¯s head nodded in agreement. ¡°¡­..Yes.¡±¡°¡­..What?¡± Selena was puzzled at the Princess¡¯ response. She expected the Princess to hate the idea of political marriage. Was this prejudice, too? ¡°Princess, think carefully. I don¡¯t know how old the Princess is, but the Duke is almost twice as old as her. Does that not trouble you at all?¡±¡°Not at all¡­.. I¡¯m quite fine with it.¡± The Princess seemed timid, but she was able to state her opinion clearly. For that reason, Selena was stunned once again. ¡°Do you really like him? If so, what is it that you like about him?¡± Selena was so stunned that she forgot the Queen and Kalcion was also present in the room. ¡°That scary old man, who is twice as old as the Princess, speaks bluntly, and doesn¡¯t have a clue of what he does when he loses his temper? To make matters worse, he doesn¡¯t even know the true meaning of love. That being the case, even if the Princess gets married to him, I bet he¡¯ll only leave you alone until you die of old age.¡± Upon hearing my words, it was not Kalcion, but the Princess who was furious. ¡°But¡­.. he¡¯s handsome.¡±¡°¡­¡­¡±¡°And the Duke is not old, it¡¯s me who is young. The Duke isn¡¯t even married yet.¡± The Princess, without doubt, was hooked on Kalcion. Selena knew better than anyone how intensely a teenager felt during the blossoming period of their life. After all, she, as a celebrity, had experienced the craziness of teenage fans firsthand more clearly than anyone else. They would have been easier for her to handle if it had been an older queen and a poignant princess, but this Queen who has survived a garden full of poisonous herbs and her fearless teenage daughter were too overwhelming. ¡°Does the Duke like the Princess?¡±¡°Urk¡­.. He¡¯ll like me soon.¡± I can tell from her voice that she had no confidence. From her expression, on the other hand, it seemed that she had already been rejected by Kalcion numerous times. ¡°The Duke likes me, so it won¡¯t happen soon.¡±¡°When I grow up, I will be prettier than you. Even now, I¡¯m already wealthier than you! My status is higher, too.¡± She was childish. Of course, it was sad that most people in this world have the same childish attitude as her. At least, Kalcion was an exception. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the reason the Duke likes me.¡±¡°¡­..What? Then why would he like you? What else do you have other than your beauty?¡±¡°He thought ¡®it¡¯s you!¡¯ the moment he saw me.¡±¡°Because you¡¯re pretty.¡±¡°No¡­. Aside from that, he felt something else. You¡¯d feel it too if a person is the right one for you. Like fate. Yes, something like that.¡±¡°¡­¡­Is it true, Duke?¡± The Princess turned her head to face Kalcion with a shocked expression. When he met her eyes, Kalcion¡¯s face hardened, and he nodded his head. ¡°No, you have to say it. When you saw her, did you think ¡®it¡¯s you!¡¯?¡± Selena clenched her fists in a way that Kalcion would notice. ¡®Say it!¡¯ Was he going to repeat the same mistake he did at Dunfel? Unable to take his eyes off Selena, who was staring at him intently, Kalcion opened his lips. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 57 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 57 ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±¡°Lies!¡± The Princess turned pale, shouted, and ran out of the room. Thereafter, Selena, who witnessed Kalcion open his mouth as if he had something else to say to her, hurriedly placed her forefinger against her lips. ¡®Stop!¡¯ Kalcion calmly obeyed. Even though he slightly improved, his acting skills were still not reliable. For that reason, it was better for him to follow Selena¡¯s instructions for now. ¡°Our Princess is a bit shy. But she is honest. I bet the Duke will come to know how cute she can be when she starts living with him. She can be a perfect match with anyone.¡± Even though the Princess had left the room, the Queen did not stop talking about her daughter. Without even a hint of hesitation. ¡°Then, I think Your Majesty must find someone better than the Duke.¡±¡°Do you think if Prince Larsen ascended to the throne, the two of us would feel safe in that castle?¡± The Queen seemed to have no intention of hiding the reasons behind her actions. ¡°If Her Majesty and Her Highness decide to flee to the North, the Duchy will protect its guests. If that time ever comes, I¡¯m sure we will give our best to do so.¡± Kalcion spoke up, refusing her. ¡°Why does the Duke refuse us all the time? There¡¯s nothing for him to lose. Although I wasn¡¯t, the Princess has been a royal as soon as she was born.¡±¡°I only caught Your Majesty¡¯s eyes when you were looking for an unmarried man far enough to be out of reach of His Majesty¡¯s eyes and had moderate power.¡±¡°I don¡¯t deny that.¡± The Queen gently admitted it. ¡°And now, the whole world seems to be targeting me because of the explosion of the mine. The same goes for Your Majesty. If so, wouldn¡¯t it be better to find someone else under the same conditions?¡±¡°I did think of that, but what am I supposed to do when the Princess yearns for you?¡±¡°Stop her.¡±¡°Can¡¯t the Duke stop himself from refusing? I must say it¡¯s time for him to allow a proper bride to sit beside him.¡± Selena decided to step in. The longer the conversation would go, the longer the Queen would defeat Kalcion with her words. Selena went to say something, but Kalcion took the lead. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get into a political marriage.¡±¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Both Selena and the Queen had the same expression. However, unlike Selena, who was agonizing over what he meant, the Queen immediately replied. ¡°Does the Duke want to live recklessly? Did he get his puberty late?¡±¡°On the contrary, Your Majesty should take it as me being cautious.¡± The Queen¡¯s eyes widened at his answer. ¡°I find it impossible to believe the Duke could speak like a man in love. It¡¯s something one must live long enough to see.¡± Selena was surprised this time. ¡®I don¡¯t want to marry the Princess.¡¯¡®I don¡¯t want to get married for the time being since it¡¯s a marriage of convenience.¡¯¡®I¡¯m handsome even if I don¡¯t get married.¡¯ These were the reasons she could infer from Kalcion¡¯s words. Nothing, but ¡®love¡¯. ¡®What do you mean!¡¯ The Northern Duke? Her lips trembled, unable to hold back her laughter. However, the Queen was sharp enough to catch her smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be so happy. How is love at the center of this?¡±¡°I beg your pardon? That¡¯s what the Duke says when he looks at me¡­. Isn¡¯t that true, Duke?¡± Kalcion and love were such a bad combination, Selena forgot for a moment that she was supposed to act as his lover. ¡°Don¡¯t you usually say that?¡± She tried to be consistent in their performance of a couple pouring sesame seeds.{TL/N: In Korea, when you see a couple who is cute, happy, and so in love, you say, ¡°sesame seeds are pouring out¡°} At first, she was under the impression that it was a mistake, but it seemed rather natural for it to be one. That¡¯s why it made sense for her to acknowledge that Kalcion, who was blunt, didn¡¯t mean to say such things rather than to lie to herself that it¡¯s because he genuinely wanted a marriage of love. ¡°As Your Majesty is already aware¡­.. his actions and words don¡¯t match.¡± The Queen only smiled joyfully at her words. ¡°She¡¯s quite bold and cute. Duke, this lady is your partner for the banquet, isn¡¯t she?¡±¡°That¡¯s right.¡±¡°You can¡¯t be like that in social circles. If you do that, you will get stabbed for real.¡± She said it with a smile, but Selena¡¯s smile disappeared at her words. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡±¡°I tend to not go so far.¡± Selena¡¯s throat dried up. ¡°Then, who would?¡± Selena met her eyes. The Queen was smiling, but her eyes were frighteningly scary. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps more than one or two people?¡±¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Queen stood up, still smiling at the stiffened Selena. ¡°I seem to have bothered a sick person for too long. I¡¯ll be back when I hear he¡¯s feeling better.¡±¡°Please take care, Your Majesty.¡± The Queen then disappeared as fast as she had stormed in earlier. Selena was too puzzled to realize whether or not the frantic conversation was real. ¡°¡­¡­You seem to have something on your mind, right?¡±¡°Hmm.¡±¡°The Queen doesn¡¯t seem to be the culprit. If that is her true self, doesn¡¯t she seem more of the type who¡¯d move on? Otherwise, I believe I would¡¯ve seen through her if she was involved.¡±¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was plausible. The Queen urged Irelle, who was previously the settled lady to sit next to Kalcion, and now Selena to get out of the way. ¡°¡­¡­.Huh?¡± Why did she do so indirectly? Couldn¡¯t she have said it directly? But, there was no way to confirm. If Irelle and the Queen had talked, it would have been at a party, and of course, Kalcion wouldn¡¯t have known. In conclusion, the engagement was one of convenience, without love. Even when you look at it from all angles, Irelle¡¯s humble conditions were ridiculed and ostracized¡­¡­And so, the reason as to why she died remained to be because she was the lady who¡¯d sit next to Kalcion, the Duke of Renbird. ¡®Let¡¯s say they did talk. If that¡¯s the case, did she hear something from the Queen then?¡¯ Did she cry because her pride was hurt or was she just pretending? Because she didn¡¯t know Irelle personally, she wasn¡¯t able to discern which of the two was the truth. The only thing clear to her was that the existence of the Queen might have been a considerable burden on Irelle. Was she still able to live in a normal state after hearing a declaration of war from the Queen? Was she still set on marrying the Duke regardless of the Queen¡¯s presence? If Irelle¡¯s cause of death was suicide, the Queen would also be the perpetrator. ¡°You¡¯re confident that Irelle was murdered?¡±¡°I¡¯ve been confident from the beginning. The wound itself wasn¡¯t sharp enough to be caused by herself.¡± Still, it felt undesirable. ¡°I haven¡¯t entered the circle, yet I¡¯m starting to feel what she might have felt. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a simple matter where she got on someone¡¯s nerves and they killed her to wipe her off the picture.¡±¡°Are you saying there¡¯s a high chance she committed suicide?¡±¡°That¡¯s what keeps bothering me.¡± Instead of blindly denying Selena¡¯s words, Kalcion got up. ¡°Then, let me show you Irelle¡¯s room. You might realize something else when you see it for yourself.¡±¡°Now?¡±¡°Now.¡± Kalcion reached out his arm. Selena took a deep breath before placing her palm on his. *** Irelle¡¯s room was on the opposite side of the hallway on the second floor. Upon entering the wide hall, the stairs were split on both sides. The room on the left belonged to Kalcion while the one situated on the right was Irelle¡¯s. Even for a couple, the structure of the mansion depicted that one values the other¡¯s privacy. Besides that, this mansion had one peculiarity. There was a bridge that connected the garden to the end of the second floor. Not on the end of Kalcion¡¯s hallway, but the other. ¡°Why did they build that bridge?¡± She was just curious, but her question caused Kalcion to smile bitterly. ¡°My mother. The previous Duchess must¡¯ve ordered it because she used to say it was stuffy whenever she came to visit the capitol.¡±¡°Her Highness could just go out for a walk. Was she too lazy to go down the stairs?¡±¡°Well¡­.. there might¡¯ve been times when it was too late at night to do so. If not, perhaps the Duchess just didn¡¯t want to stand out.¡±¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± She understood right away. If she¡¯d walked openly through the stairs, her whereabouts would have been known. That bridge was a passage she could use to go out of the mansion without being noticed by people. Late at night, the Duchess had to avoid the eyes of people to leave the mansion. There could only be one reason. To see someone she shouldn¡¯t meet. Even if nobody tried to talk about it, they probably knew the reason. Even Kalcion was known to be indifferent to other people¡¯s business. How could the previous Duke allow the Duchess to build a bridge to have an affair with another man? ¡°How did the Duchess manage to get permission?¡±¡°Since my mother already had me, she already fulfilled her duty as the Duchess, while my father had the duty to make the Duchess as convenient as possible.¡± Selena looked up at Kalcion as he explained dryly. There was no expression on his face. ¡°Did it seem fine from her son¡¯s perspective?¡±¡°Regardless of whether it was fine or not, it was not the issue anymore.¡±¡°But they were still married.¡±¡°That¡¯s how most noble couples live.¡± What she was going to spit went back in. It felt strange when he said it wasn¡¯t a problem not because that¡¯s how his parents live, but because most noble couples lived in that manner. Even though she was curious about his response, she couldn¡¯t have insisted on prolonging their conversation about his parent¡¯s issues now that it was already awkward. Kalcion walked towards the door at the end of the hallway. There were two rooms. Kalcion approached the door which was slightly larger and more colorful than the other. ¡°What¡¯s the room next door for?¡± The room at the end of the hallway had an exceptionally narrow space between the rooms compared to others she had seen. ¡°It was the room of the lady-in-waiting¡­¡­ but Mrs. Janet used it instead.¡±¡°Even at the period of time when Irelle was here?¡±¡°Yes.¡±¡°Until ¡®that¡¯ day?¡± Kalcion, who was aware of what she meant, glanced at Selena before opening the door of the slightly larger and more colorful room. ¡°At the time Irelle was murdered, Mrs. Janet said that she was deeply asleep, and that she didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Thud. The door closed behind her. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 58 Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 58 Standing in the doorway, Selena carefully scanned the room. It was somewhat similar in size to Kalcion¡¯s room, but the patterns on the wallpaper and the color of the furniture were completely different. It was much brighter and more colorful. ¡°Was this room made according to your mother¡¯s preference?¡±¡°Probably. I heard that Miss Irelle added a few items, but most of them were Mother¡¯s possessions.¡±¡°It seems I can see what kind of person she used to be. Gorgeous, greedy, and attention seeking.¡±¡°Indeed, she was.¡± Kalcion laughed and agreed. This room, to which he had little access even when he was young, was left unoccupied after Irelle¡¯s death. So much so that the first time he visited this room once again in recent years was when he heard of the accident in the morning. Even so, he had no time to see what the room looked like. ¡°Miss Irelle was lying in the middle of this bed.¡± He began to retrace his memory of the day. ¡°She was wearing the dress she was supposed to wear in the engagement ceremony the next day, and had sharp cuts running from her wrists to elbow. I couldn¡¯t get a proper look at her because she was already covered in blood everywhere¡­¡­¡± Was this room supposed to be used by someone else? The blood stains were removed without a trace, and the bed sheets were changed. ¡°The windows were closed and the door was locked from the inside. Unless you open it from the inside, the only way you can enter the room is to go through Mrs. Janet¡¯s room¡­..¡± He pointed to a door on one side of the room. The room of the lady-in-waiting, required for any necessities at night, was bound to have a doorway to their owner¡¯s room. ¡°Even Mrs. Janet¡¯s door was locked that day, so it must¡¯ve been impossible for an intruder to enter through the next room.¡±¡°Then if you had someone to suspect, wouldn¡¯t it be Mrs. Janet?¡± Kalcion was reluctant to put Mrs. Janet on the list of suspects from the beginning. Even though she was the closest to being the murderer. ¡°Is there a reason for Mrs. Janet to kill her?¡±¡°Perhaps Irelle¡¯s status and reputation was not a match for the house of Renbird, so she rather¡­¡­.¡± Selena¡¯s voice trailed off as she realized. If killing the nominated bride had happened in order to secure Renbird¡¯s honor, it would also have brought disgrace to the family. It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°And, first of all, Mrs. Janet is not so foolish as to think she would not be suspected. Even if I suspect that it was murder, no matter how I look at it, she seemed to be alone in a completely enclosed space.¡± According to Kalcion, Irelle didn¡¯t get those wounds by accident. She most likely watched calmly while the deed was being done. ¡°But isn¡¯t that weird as well? If someone did murder her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay calm upon seeing someone hurt her wrists.¡±¡°Indeed, it is strange.¡± This seemed more complicated. The cause of her death was still unclear. It felt like they were trapped in the middle of a labyrinth, far away from the truth. ¡°However, the wounds she received were not something a woman who had never held a sword could give.¡±¡°Unless she turned her eyes away while she was hurting her wrists, and had a ridiculously powerful will. Isn¡¯t it something you can do if you have enough determination? The two stared at their forearms. However, neither of them could imagine themselves doing so. Naturally, Selena had a hard time imagining committing suicide. There were times when she would try in the past. But, she would quit every time at the thought that her heart would give out. If she wasn¡¯t murdered, what bothered Irelle so much that she could not fill the Duchess¡¯ seat and live a rich life? ¡°What if she was so tired that she became determined enough to hurt herself?¡± Kalcion glanced at Selena. ¡°It might be true that Irelle hurt herself, but what if someone incited her to do so?¡±¡°¡­¡­..¡±¡°Then, would they be the culprit?¡±¡°They would be.¡± Kalcion replied without hesitation. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not just one person, but most, if not all, of the people she met? Including those who didn¡¯t give her a helping hand and stayed as onlookers?¡±¡°Even them.¡±¡°Even those who didn¡¯t know her back then?¡±¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Their eyes met sharply, which caused Kalcion to see Selena as Irelle. The only reason why he was furious was because his fianc¨¦e was murdered inside his own mansion during their engagement ceremony. He didn¡¯t know anything about her, who was the actual victim, as well as what kind of situation she was in or how her emotional state was. ¡°¡­¡­.I was equally a sinner.¡± Kalcion muttered in vain. ¡°She was meant to be my wife, not anyone else. Right, I knew nothing. I was negligent.¡± He acknowledged his mistake willingly. If she hadn¡¯t died, he wouldn¡¯t have considered his own mistakes a crime. The same would be the case with his parents and many other nobles who trampled upon the weak and stayed as onlookers. Kalcion only followed what society held faith in. But if such faith resulted in the sacrifice of a person named Irelle, then his excessive indifference was also a sin. He definitely felt responsible when Selena¡¯s eyes, which were on him, eventually stabbed his heart. ¡°How did you come to that?¡± At his question, Selena slowly blinked a few times as if she just came to her senses. In an instant, those eyes of hers that seemed dead just a second ago returned to being firm and lively as usual. ¡°What? Oh, haha. I didn¡¯t realize that I was so immersed in what Irelle might¡¯ve felt.¡± Flustered, she mumbled with a smile. It seemed that she was unconsciously submitting to Irelle, and that it wasn¡¯t a simple matter where she simply thought of herself as Irelle and what she might¡¯ve felt. Kalcion uttered a thought that came to his mind. ¡°Have you ever experienced something similar?¡±¡°¡­¡­.Not that I know of.¡± She vaguely replied. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you to answer. It was just a thought.¡±¡°If that¡¯s the case, will you give me a gift of consolation if I answer?¡±¡°Anything necessary.¡±¡°I already have everything I need¡­¡­¡± Selena, who refused with a smile, glanced at the bed as if in a trance once again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that happen to a person at least once? An instance would be when I came to a point where I started to think, ¡®I don¡¯t think the world sees me as anything special, rather, it seems to hate me. If that¡¯s so, wouldn¡¯t it be better if I disappeared since I have nothing I¡¯m living for anyway?¡¯ A number of people may also think the same way.¡±¡°Who caused you to think so and go as far as considering hurting yourself?¡±¡°Um¡­.. It¡¯s hard to say who is responsible. It¡¯s the same with Irelle. A stranger who doesn¡¯t even know my name would pass by while swearing at me in a language I¡¯ve never even heard of, and rumors would spread about me with someone I¡¯ve never even met. Wouldn¡¯t that kind of situation directly affect one¡¯s mental health, and perhaps even lower their will to live?¡± As she was reminded of the old days again, she recalled that it was a life full of ups and downs, which made her smile absent-mindedly. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. After enduring so many hardships, I was finally able to stand as a great actress loved by the whole world.¡± She muttered lightly. However, Kalcion¡¯s face sank even more upon hearing her response. ¡°You don¡¯t have to face any misery in this world.¡±¡°Then what do you suppose I do?¡±¡°You may tell me. I don¡¯t see a reason for you to hide anything.¡±¡°If I do tell you, will you punish me?¡±¡°Punish?¡±¡°¡­..Then, will you do something worse than that?¡± Kalcion couldn¡¯t answer that. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The smile she had not too long ago disappeared from her face. ¡°Hold on, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Does this mean there¡¯s something worse you can consider doing to me? Are you going to kill me?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It would¡¯ve been more suspicious if he changed the subject for no reason. In any case, this means that if she made a mistake, he would kill her. ¡°Then why won¡¯t you answer? It¡¯s weird. It¡¯s suspicious.¡±¡°Killing people is not something to brag about.¡± Selena¡¯s mouth opened wide. ¡°¡­¡­.Are you serious?¡±¡°It¡¯s nothing personal. Even conflicts between territories lead to tropical battles. There is nothing we can do about those who are sacrificed due to the conflict every time.¡±¡°Ah¡­¡­ It¡¯s not illegal.¡±¡°Fortunately, I was able to threaten those who irritated me.¡± It seemed he was able to recall the faces of those who got threats from him seeing as a rare satisfied smile appeared on his lips. Selena, who sympathized with his victims she didn¡¯t even know, suddenly realized that she was one of those people. *** The next day. The store named ¡®Diatte¡¯ contacted her. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 59 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 59 ¡¶ We deeply apologize for saying this. Because of a miscalculation in the modification of the dress you¡¯ve chosen, we were not able to proceed with the delivery. Please consider visiting us one more time. ¡· Selena tilted her head as she read the note from the store of Diatte. It wasn¡¯t pleasant news to receive during the morning breakfast. ¡°Care to see this?¡± Selena passed the note to Kalcion, who was eating his breakfast next to her. From her tone, it was unclear whether she got sensitive or was actually in a bad mood. He put down his utensils and picked up the note. Shortly after, his brows furrowed in frustration. ¡°That was rude.¡± His reaction was brief. As if there was nothing more to see of it, he threw away the paper on the table after crumpling it with exaggeration. ¡°Isn¡¯t it rude?¡±¡°They asked me to visit them. As if it¡¯d be too much to come in person to the mansion.¡± The more she stared at him, the deeper she saw Kalcion frown. He was annoyed. ¡°They could have come here for the money, but they had a sudden change of heart.¡±¡°Was there a shortage of money?¡±¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­..¡± She did not expect she could only buy one dress through the Renbird¡¯s expenses. ¡°I¡¯m afraid someone was behind this.¡± They could be negligent until the customer visited the store in person. Kalcion glanced at Selena as he was about to speak. ¡°If word about my visit spreads tomorrow and I become a topic for gossip, shouldn¡¯t I accept this opportunity?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but expect a disgusting battle awaiting her. Meanwhile, she had already lost her appetite. She had to take the chance to bump into every place and get entangled in a situation to establish a connection. She jumped up from her seat, her meal barely finished. ¡°I¡¯ll go get ready.¡± When she left the dining room, Juna, who was waiting in front of the door, quickly caught up to her. ¡°Where are we going today?¡± Juna was unaware of the call from Diatte. This way Selena could easily take the lead. ¡°I must go back to Diatte. There¡¯s been a mistake in the modification of my dress.¡±¡°Oh¡­..! Wow¡­ do you suppose we could get a table this time?¡±¡°Well, I¡¯ll be lucky if that table isn¡¯t thrown at me.¡±¡°Yes?¡± Selena looked back at Juna and just smiled. ¡°I want to look beautiful today. I¡¯m going to rush in with the momentum to refund, so I¡¯ll ask you to prepare me accordingly.¡±¡°Ah¡­..!¡± Juna understood her point at once. Stronger than any! Smarter than any! No difficulty. *** As soon as Selena got off the wagon, Diatte¡¯s gatekeepers were caught nervous. She was wearing a bold dress and aggressive makeup. From the number of guests already present inside, they had predicted a violent day. Since this store was a threshold for social communities, it housed many large and small conflicts that occurred over the years. Even if the aristocratic enthusiasts fluttered their fans with grace, they could become dangerously violent when offended. There were times when they had to put chestnut ointment around their eyes to regain their beauty, distorted from fighting. Selena had such a feeling from the atmosphere. However, there was a formidable figure present today. But, that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Both Selena and the gatekeepers turned to the speaker at the same time. The gatekeepers, blinded by Selena¡¯s appearance, had missed the person who appeared after her. Their faces sank with discouragement when they identified who it was. ¡°What about you?¡± Selena responded immediately. She spoke casually as they never set any formal manners between them. Even though she was the first to snap at Selena, Fionel frowned as she got closer. ¡°Wow, you have such guts. How did you come all the way here?¡±¡°Is this a place I¡¯m not allowed to visit? Oh, yes. This doesn¡¯t seem to be a place for humans. Seeing that you¡¯re here, too.¡± Fionel shook her head at Selena, who refreshingly returned the slang. She looked tired of it. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±¡°What?¡±¡°I guess you don¡¯t know that you¡¯re wasting your life. Are you not afraid of anything?¡± Selena¡¯s eyes changed. Fionel didn¡¯t sound so threatening. Not as she did before. ¡®She knows something.¡¯ Aligning with the conversation she had with Kalcion last day cleared her doubt. The puzzle included Fionel. ¡°I want to talk to you.¡±¡°We are doing it!¡±¡°No, let us talk about something serious and somewhere private.¡±¡°What? Why?¡± There was no way she would be able to tell it here. Speaking of which, she didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on useless gibberish. Selena grabbed Fionel¡¯s wrist and pulled her along. ¡°Ah?! What are you doing? Are you crazy?¡±¡°Ah, m¡¯lady!¡± Fionel¡¯s maid tried to intervene, however, Selena pushed her away. ¡°We¡¯re just going to talk quietly, so please wait here.¡±¡°B-But¡­¡­!¡± The maid and gatekeepers were left restless, as Fionel was dragged to one side of the building. On reaching there, Selena shoved Fionel against the wall. ¡°Kyaah!¡± She screamed like an injured chick when her back hit against the wall. However, Selena had no speckling sympathy in her eyes. Fionel, who habitually tried to play injured, quickly regained her senses when she saw her face. ¡°You¡­¡­!¡±¡°Do you know about Irelle¡¯s death?¡±¡°¡­¡­ I¡­.. I guess.¡± As soon as Selena mentioned Irelle, Fionel stopped resisting. ¡°There you go.¡±¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Fionel was silent. Selena slowly approached and placed her hand on the wall beside Fionel¡¯s head. Her towering figure and glaring eyes were threatening enough. She knew Selena couldn¡¯t do anything when her maid and the gatekeepers were witnesses, but it tensed her up. Selena lowered her head to Fionel¡¯s level and spoke quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve learned more than before. About Irelle.¡±¡°And?¡± Selena did not lower her dominance, but that didn¡¯t mean Fionel was completely subdued. ¡°Now that it reminds me, it sounds like you¡¯re threatening me as if I could die as Irelle did.¡±¡°¡­¡­..¡± Fionel¡¯s breathing grew fierce. ¡°They say that Irelle killed herself without a reason. But, I think you know why she did so.¡±¡°¡­¡­.H-How would I know that? It died along with her.¡± Fionel did not comply even though she was scared to some extent. Selena wanted to tighten her grip, but she doubted she would get a proper word out of that mouth. She took a step back. As she removed her hand from the wall, Fionel ran off through the limited gap she found. Selena would enter the society anyway. There was nothing urgent. Fionel knew the cost, so Selena only had to find a way to pressure her to tell the story in the future. ¡°Listen.¡± Fionel, who was sprinting toward the shop¡¯s gate, stopped and glanced back. Selena was standing still at her place. Fionel pouted her lips and brought up something unexpected. ¡°Fionel is sincere about His Excellency.¡±¡°So?¡±¡°You aren¡¯t.¡±¡°And?¡± Selena was supposed to ¡®seduce¡¯ Kalcion from the beginning and play his ¡®lover¡¯, but her falling in love with him was not within the scope of consideration. Rather, Kalcion had to play the role of falling in love with her. ¡°Whether you¡¯re serious or not, the fact that the Duke is mine remains the same.¡± So what was so important about that? Externally, Kalcion was always seen with Selena. ¡°You¡¯re a b*tch!¡± Fionel eventually exploded. That much swearing didn¡¯t itch Selena. ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re a b*tch who doesn¡¯t care about His Excellency who already has me.¡± If you look at it, wouldn¡¯t it be worse if someone tore lovers apart out of jealousy than someone who just seduced people? The former did not have to be weak if only her tempting nature was okay. Fionel, now more furious because she couldn¡¯t argue, snapped while stamping her feet. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m bad, I¡¯m nice! You¡¯ll see.¡± Then she ran off to the store. Selena just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°¡­..Who knows?¡± Fionel was insignificant seconds after she was being threatened. Her good nature was questionable, but Selena knew that someone worse than her was ill-tempered and walking free in society. ¡®¡­¡­Hold on.¡¯ As she took a step back to the store, a sudden thought crossed her mind. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 60 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 60 ¡®She said that she was sincere to the Duke and she had a good reason¡­¡­¡¯ From something so roughly said, Selena was influenced by many thoughts. ¡®Is she saying that not being sincere can be a problem?¡¯ She was confused. She wondered if it was about her moral flaws, but¡­¡­ ¡®That Fionel?¡¯ It didn¡¯t fit in. Selena shook her head and pushed those thoughts aside for another time. ¡®If it¡¯s about me.¡¯ What were her criteria for mentioning she meant no harm? ¡®What if she knows what others have done?¡¯ Maybe she wasn¡¯t able to say it confidently. Selena glanced at the door of the store from afar. Though it was just the entrance to a clothing store, it was also the doorway to a small gathering. To induce Selena to revisit there on purpose meant something was planned within its walls. It felt like a burden to enter the store recklessly without any knowledge. But, it didn¡¯t mean she could avoid it. If it was Selena¡¯s own business, she could have managed it, but she was infiltrating society for information. ¡®The swearing and cursing I would receive here¡­¡­ would be from those who don¡¯t even know me.¡¯ She took a deep breath, repeating it to herself. Even if this was a criticism of her work, she wouldn¡¯t have stuck to it all her life. She walked in with all confidence. Jingle. As soon as she did, the voices fluctuated like water inside a kicked-off water bottle. Selena calmly looked around to find the representative standing near the entrance. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here!¡± She rushed to Selena. ¡°You must be very surprised by the sudden call, but we found it late¡­.. Please forgive me. Thank you for visiting us again.¡± Something felt off about her constant bowing. She shouldn¡¯t have asked her to visit if she was going to squirm like this. ¡°Oh my, what is this? She rushed to someone below her as soon as she stepped into the store?¡± A voice popped up from the guests sitting inside. It sounded like a whisper, but everyone in the store heard it. As Selena¡¯s eyes darted towards the source, it stopped abruptly. She couldn¡¯t even spot the speaker. ¡°I deeply apologize. Unfortunately, we have enough people¡­¡­ But, I¡¯m very grateful that you understood and cared to visit us.¡± Selena smiled. ¡°I enjoyed shopping the last time I came here, so I wanted to visit again. Of all things, the Duke is by my side. You see, when he heard about it, he was quite angry and said it was very rude of you to ask me to visit in person. ¡± Selena wasn¡¯t acting up. They provided the cause and she accepted it generously. ¡°I bet she was whining at His busy Excellency because she couldn¡¯t handle such trivial things on her own.¡± The arrow was still aimed at Selena. She smirked. Could it be so boring here? Selena carefully skimmed her eyes around, one table after another. Some wavered their eyes down and some stared back at her with a questioning eye. One of them was familiar. ¡®Her?¡¯ It was Rosalyn. She was sipping on her tea gracefully, looking at the picture adorned on the wall with an indifferent gaze. When Selena¡¯s gaze reached her, she turned to meet her eyes. She didn¡¯t even smile out of courtesy. ¡°Look at your smile, it¡¯s so vulgar.¡±¡°That¡¯s how your standing form is. Seems like a body to become a man¡¯s toy to give birth to, doesn¡¯t it?¡±¡°You look like that even if you stay still. So how many ways do you try out at night?¡± Curses showered down like rain. Selena¡¯s words were as vulgar as Rosalyn¡¯s. Employees, including the CEO, were dead silent and no one tried to mediate the situation. Selena ignored her and turned to the representative. ¡°It seems like your customers have increased since the last time. Does this always happen?¡±¡°It seems, it¡¯s a bit more than usual today.¡±¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the reason why it¡¯s bustling more than last time. I can hear all sorts of sounds.¡± Even if the target shouted at the top of their lungs, their voice would be buried when attacked by a large group. People who hated the same individual would not listen to any defense. Even the words brought up for defense would become controversial. ¡°Depending on how you take advice for yourself, your character may change. Don¡¯t idiots use face packs and think they look the best?¡±¡°Hah, pack. Cute.¡± Therefore, it was better to laugh it off than to listen to those accusations intently. The woman who said so quieted down as Selena murmured to her comment. The moment they realize their attack didn¡¯t hurt, their weapon would disappear. On the other hand, despite getting hurt inside, the humble victim would become stronger. Selena calmly walked toward Rosalyn, who only returned her silent gaze. Groups of people stopped their gossip one after the other as Selena got closer. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it been so long?¡± Rosalyn smiled gracefully as if flowers were blooming around her. ¡°Were we close enough to say hello?¡± However, the reaction Selena received was not very fragrant. ¡°We still are.¡± Selena¡¯s words were graceful but they had hidden thorns. ¡°I guessed you¡¯d feel affectionate about my greeting.¡±¡°I hate puns. I¡¯m not that free.¡±¡°You wanted to say you¡¯re not free enough to talk to a commoner like me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Rosalyn¡¯s eyes shook in embarrassment. However, she wasn¡¯t so easy either. Her fighting spirit that dominated the social circle did not disappear just because she lost once. ¡°If you¡¯re already aware, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to be careful with your words?¡± Rude, but said so gracefully. ¡®If it were Irelle, she would have wished death over this.¡¯ It was hard to believe how Irelle dealt with these kinds of people. Selena wasn¡¯t strong from the beginning either. When she was young, she was framed wrong many times, and after she started to walk on the path of acting, she was constantly caught up in fights and factions, struggling to survive. There were still a lot of things that made her cry when she thought about it. But, what about Irelle, who had lived a simple and quiet life, and was suddenly brought into a dramatic environment? Selena had a goal. To find the criminal responsible for Irelle¡¯s death, there was no reason to surrender to their coldness as it was just a process to find out how Irelle was treated in society. But, what if Irelle wanted to be seen and establish herself as a great Duchess? She must have been quite embarrassed. No, she must have been scared. While doing so, was she caught in an abrupt instinct to fight with one hundred individuals? Quarrels were also fights. Fighting was about having skill and stamina. It didn¡¯t seem like Irelle was born with them, and she wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to polish her skills anywhere. Would she have burst into tears? Perhaps she was only left with her pride to spare. However, it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine her whole body shivering with shame and her mind wiped blank. Did they have their fill beating a person like that? Selena smiled coldly, in addition to the cold gaze she was holding. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how manners should be, you won¡¯t understand even if I presented a hint.¡± A girl sitting next to Rosalyn intervened. Other people followed. ¡°She does look shallow. There¡¯s an impact, am I right?¡±¡°Some are born with it, but it¡¯s their facial expressions they acquire. You can see what they¡¯re after.¡± Curses swept the air like insects. Perhaps because this world had a status system, everyone spoke their mind against a single person with low status. Usually, when one said something, the others would keep silent for the sake of sympathy, but here, they were rushing in together with equal blows. Selena clenched her jaws. Evil bastards. She wanted to flip their tables upside down. They criticized people in the meanest way possible. They knew it would hurt the most and they were doing it on purpose. The origin of a person. It couldn¡¯t be changed even if you were acting. Those curses were towards Selena herself. She could just let go of her status, but her behavior was hers, whether she was Selena or Seo-lin. ¡°Sigh.¡± Her fists were clenched so tight that her joints felt numb. With her nails digging into her palms, she could barely hold back an urge to exercise her skills physically. ¡°It¡¯s clear that His Excellency, the Duke, doesn¡¯t know the world¡¯s affairs. He is not interested in women at all.¡±¡°It must¡¯ve been easy for her to twist him. She was lucky to find such a Duchy to live in peace, while His Excellency was too busy to be careful.¡± Just like a river¡¯s bed rose to submerge a bridge after heavy rainfall, their speech skyrocketed. The last time Selena came here, she was cheerful, but it didn¡¯t work today. There were also too many mouths to deal with. She didn¡¯t have time to deal with each one. Sometimes, one had to tackle it all physically. An argument didn¡¯t have to end with real violence. In the end, the one who would be able to subdue others by any means would turn out to be strong. Selena grabbed the hem of her dress. It was time to make up her mind to kill them one by one. ¡°What is going on here?¡± A cold wind whistled behind her back. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 61 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 61 The store abruptly froze silent. Selena turned her head slowly. She hadn¡¯t heard the door open, but Kalcion stood in the middle of the wide-open door staring at the audience. With a menacing look in his eyes. His gaze slashed like an ax into the frozen souls of the audience. Their faces turned pale and they dropped their heads down as if they were being sentenced to death. ¡°It seems I heard something I wasn¡¯t supposed to hear.¡± Kalcion¡¯s footsteps echoed as he stepped forward. People would have faltered back if they hadn¡¯t sat in chairs. ¡°I was getting bored, so I decided to follow her and this is what I perceive.¡±¡°¡­¡­.Your Excellency.¡± The representative fell to the floor, trembling. He wouldn¡¯t even feel bad to step on a worm-like her. ¡°Lady Selena is a guest to Renbird. I invited her myself. If you knew her, wouldn¡¯t you have known that, too?¡± No answer. So, he turned to Rosalyn. ¡°I thought you¡¯d know better than anyone else. Yes?¡±¡°Your Excellency has never introduced her as a guest. Therefore, I had no choice but to recall her as a woman of Your Excellency. All I knew was that she¡¯s a commoner, so wasn¡¯t our act obvious? Whether Your Excellency started to love someone much below his status or picked up a prostitute to warm up his bed.¡± Rosalyn strongly defended herself. She used those words on purpose. When she finished, someone laughed sarcastically even amid the cold atmosphere. Rosalyn smirked. ¡°Her father must be very generous to have a prostitute for a daughter. Because mine is not like that.¡± However, Kalcion was not going to listen. As in Renbird, he did not lose against Rosalyn¡¯s provocation. He had confronted her father, Marquis Thiolan with precipitation that revealed her father¡¯s privacy. No one knew about Marquis Thiolan¡¯s promiscuous private life, but it was a taboo to put into words. The smile slowly disappeared from Rosalyn¡¯s face as Kalcion spoke. ¡°Even if I had brought up a prostitute, she is mine and belongs to Renbird. Why bite her however you want? She belongs to me.¡± Kalcion had a point. No matter how lowly a person was ranked, once they belonged to a family, others had no right to treat them carelessly. The people had nothing else to expect since Selena was just looking for a way to enter society. Another reason was that she had gestures equal to a noble young lady. From the looks of it, she seemed to be a young lady trying to make her debut in society, so likewise, she only thought of creating a name for herself. If she wasn¡¯t allowed to enter the society with her origin being the Duchy, she shouldn¡¯t have tried anything in the first place. However, it was too late to go back now. ¡°And to answer your question, I didn¡¯t bring Selena with the intent to warm up my bed. I am serious about her. So you¡¯d better treat her as important as any other.¡± After finishing his speech, Kalcion wrapped his arm around Selena¡¯s shoulder and turned around. Shy at his sudden appearance, Selena walked along. Outside the door, a wagon was waiting for Kalcion. ¡°Wait, how¡­..¡±¡°Get in first.¡± He let her in before sitting opposite her. Since he did not say his destination, the carriage waited. Kalcion stared at Selena with an unresolved look in his eyes. Though those annoying citizens were no longer in front of him, his eyes were still narrowed. Selena was grateful that he came to her rescue, but she didn¡¯t recall she did anything wrong. There was no reason for him to stare at her like that. ¡°Why are you angry?¡±¡°I¡¯m angry?¡± Instead, it came out as a question. However, his tone was not pleasant. ¡°No, I¡¯m not angry anymore.¡±¡°It¡¯s like as if you are.¡±¡°It is how I speak.¡±¡°Hmm.¡± It sounded like a pun, but it was true. Even though he sounded angry, it wasn¡¯t because of Selena. ¡°Then, why does it feel like you¡¯re angry at me?¡±¡°I¡¯m not angry at you.¡±¡°Why are you angry in the first place?¡± Kalcion heaved out a breath like an angry bull. ¡°I saw them treating my person like that. How could I not be angry?¡± It was the truth. ¡°The note you received in the morning was insolent. And you looked nervous at the beginning.¡± She thought she could handle it, but maybe, at some point, she got nervous. She was surprised how Kalcion noticed it. Had she begun to be herself just because she started living in a world without cameras? ¡°Did you come here, knowing it would happen?¡±¡°Just roughly.¡±¡°I¡¯m sure I said it yesterday as well. Not to endure their mistreatment anymore.¡±¡°I wasn¡¯t going to. I was about to turn the tables over when the Duke came in.¡±¡°Until then, you were keeping up with all that terrible noise. You came here knowing you¡¯ll have to hear that.¡±¡°That¡¯s¡­.. That¡¯s how I could enter society. By a conflict.¡±¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Selena was caught off guard. ¡°What do you mean¡­..? The reason I¡¯m here is to find the killer of Irelle. If I can¡¯t achieve that, at least the Duke needs to know what happened so he can understand the case.¡±¡°But you don¡¯t have to be treated the same as Irelle. Besides, you and Irelle are two separate individuals. So find a different way to blend in.¡± Although having a single connection to Kalcion without a strong background was the same, Selena and Irelle were essentially different. There was no guarantee that information could be gathered only through the route Irelle followed. ¡°Different way¡­¡­¡±¡°I don¡¯t want someone who belongs to me to suffer humiliation in places I would not be present. Gathering information through social events is the next step.¡±¡°But, Irelle was¡­¡­¡±¡°Wasn¡¯t it clear from the previously attempted assassination? They don¡¯t care what kind of person you are. They will act just on the fact that you are my woman.¡± In the beginning, Kalcion wanted her to play the role of a ¡®villain¡¯. Therefore, she tried everything to make herself a villainess in society. However, when she was about to step in, society set Selena¡¯s existence as the definition of evil. Her efforts felt ¡®stubborn to change that belief¡¯ in their eyes. Even if she showed up holding pessimistic thoughts yet good intentions from the beginning, it was difficult to change the evaluation. Rather, even her good appearance was misleading. ¡°Be yourself.¡± Kalcion asked Selena. ¡°It¡¯s my second attempt to capture the culprit. I do not want another person to be victimized under the name of Renbird.¡± She felt as if her throat was being strangled. ¡®Everyone falls quiet when you smile. Damn that temper of yours.¡¯¡®Your role is to smile. To be a flower. Don¡¯t bite the people around you. Do you ever see flowers bite people?¡¯ The bitter memories from her past came floating back. Kalcion asked her to be herself. No one ever said that to her. Wasn¡¯t it foul to say the most desperate subject of gossip was regarding the lives of people? She held back her tears, swallowing a lump in her throat as her head drooped down. Only then did she realize that she was struggling. One could get used to being hit, but it didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t hurting them at all. The pain would not disappear but accumulate somewhere. They might not feel it immediately, but it would eventually affect their mind and behavior. It¡¯s said that ¡®pain causes a person to become sharp and cold¡¯. No pain meant there wouldn¡¯t be a reflexive attack from the victims. In the end, it¡¯s the pain Selena would have forgotten if she won in that argument. Even if it meant turning those tables upside down. Though Kalcion said from the beginning that she didn¡¯t have to go anywhere where she would risk herself getting hurt. The reason he said so, could be to avoid another problem to occur under Renbird¡¯s name. ¡®¡­¡­.But it sounds like he¡¯s saying it for my sake.¡¯ However, her mind kept trying to interpret it as how she wanted. ¡®He hired me. He¡¯s only telling me not to mess up¡­¡­¡¯ She tried to find comfort, but her mind was crowded with several thoughts. As much as she could pretend it was fake, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore. Unable to raise her head with the fear of being seen by Kalcion. She didn¡¯t blink, worried that her tears would fall on her knees. At that moment, Kalcion stretched out his arms and pulled her in a hug. ¡°!¡± Surprised, Selena tried to wriggle away. But, Kalcion didn¡¯t lose his grip. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 62 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 62 ¡°¡­¡­W-What are you doing?¡± Embarrassed, she complained, but in a weepy voice. ¡°You¡¯ll calm down if I do this.¡±¡°Do I look troubled to you?¡±¡°You seemed quite nervous.¡± Even if she thought that she concealed her tears, Kalcion could understand just from her body language. She got caught. ¡°Did I look like that to others?¡±¡°Not that I know of.¡±¡°How did you come to know?¡±¡°Unstable breathing, tensed trapezius muscle, and tremors.¡± She expected a rough response, but to her surprise, she received an answer based on scientific facts. Thanks to that, her tears dried up. Still, she didn¡¯t want to part away from his warm and stable embrace. Selena sighed, hugging Kalcion back. ¡°Now that I got used to this, I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter to me anymore. But, it seems like I was wrong.¡±¡°How can you get used to being insulted?¡±¡°Insulting is proportional to popularity. It¡¯s better to eat curse words than acting indifferent¡­¡­.¡±¡°I suppose an actor¡¯s life isn¡¯t that easy.¡±¡°It¡¯s not easy to be a Duke, either. You have to risk your life. You swear in front of people¡¯s faces¡­¡­¡± Nothing was unchallenging in the world. Kalcion cleared his throat when Selena¡¯s grumble transferred a sense of responsibility to him. Thanks to this, she laughed. Understanding she no longer needed comfort, he released his arms. Although the dissipating warmth felt a little disappointing, Selena sat up straight and flashed a smile towards Kalcion. Her tears were nowhere to be found. ¡°But, we did achieve success today.¡±¡°Success?¡±¡°I had a hard time, but thanks to the Duke, there is no need for him to act forcefully.¡±¡°I don¡¯t need to act?¡± She thought he¡¯d be delighted to hear it, but Kalcion¡¯s reaction came out to be dull. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a single action against a hundred words. When I was in that crisis, you rushed to rescue me, didn¡¯t you? Now, everyone in the store knows that the Duke of Renbird is serious about Lady Selena. They have no choice but to believe it.¡±¡°With just one action?¡±¡°Absolutely. Whether the Duke sees me as his lover or not, he has become someone who will come running to save me if any happens, right? It¡¯s fine as long as they think I¡¯m precious to the Duke.¡± Selena nodded proudly, thinking that she could stop coaching his acting now. It was true that every man, even though they didn¡¯t show-off, rushed to save their special someone during a crisis. The audiences would describe it as romantic. At this rate, Selena would be firmly established as Kalcion¡¯s woman. ¡°Oh, and you did amazingly good with the lines. They didn¡¯t sound fake.¡±¡°What lines?¡±¡°Why are you¡­¡­ You sounded so serious.¡± She thought he was pretending, so she smiled and teased him, but Kalcion¡¯s expression said otherwise. ¡°I wasn¡¯t acting. I spoke the truth.¡±¡°What?¡± Selena¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Kalcion was serious. He wasn¡¯t a person who joked, but she thought it was the result of how she trained him to act. Was he serious? ¡®That means¡­.. what he said was all true?¡¯ Selena swallowed a dry lump in her throat, genuinely feeling nervous in another sense. ¡°Oh, I¡­.. I had no idea that the Duke felt that way¡­¡­ but we are from different worlds¡­¡­. and I might leave someday¡­¡­.¡±¡°So what?¡±¡°Uh, I mean, I accept the Duke¡¯s sincerity, but¡­¡­¡­ Nevermind. If the Duke is serious, there shall be no problem with other acts in the future. I don¡¯t mean it¡¯s necessary at the moment.¡±¡°Why will there be no problem with the other acts?¡± Kalcion enquired, out of extreme curiosity. ¡°¡­¡­.Hold on. I think we¡¯re going off-topic..¡­?¡±¡°I suppose. So what would be the problem?¡±¡°When someone says they¡¯re serious about a relationship, don¡¯t they often think of getting married?¡± She felt embarrassed to say it, but for accurate communication, it was better not to spin around the topic. As expected, Kalcion was caught off guard as if he heard something he wasn¡¯t supposed to hear. ¡°Is it always the case?¡±¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Neither had he properly met a woman nor was he interested in talking about women with anyone else. Because he doubted that it¡¯s worth knowing. So of course, Kalcion¡¯s indirect experience was too insignificant to count. ¡°That¡¯s what used to happen in my world. I don¡¯t know how those things work here. But, from the reactions we got from others, I think I have the right direction.¡±¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Kalcion turned his head. His head was throbbing at the awareness of what he just did. ¡°So¡­.. If I think of marrying you, I¡¯ll have to declare it in front of everyone?¡±¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Selena applauded, glad that he finally got her point. However, Kalcion did not feel appraised. ¡°¡­..Uh ¡­..By myself.¡±¡°Yes. By the Duke himself.¡± She teased him. But Kalcion didn¡¯t seem so bright, so she shifted her tone to flattering him. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my point. That would be the final act we will commence by slowly developing your acting skills. But, why do you seem so troubled?¡±¡°¡­¡­¡±¡°Aw, what¡¯s wrong? Is it because you feel shy now?¡±¡°¡­¡­¡± Selena smiled as she touched his arm. Kalcion¡¯s hard and thick forearm did not move. Instead, his earlobes turned bright red. ¡®Opps.¡¯ Kalcion was never used to these gestures. He flushed red as soon as he was teased. It became awkward all of a sudden, so Selena decided to change the topic. ¡°But if you didn¡¯t mean it in general, what were you serious about?¡± Kalcion heaved a sigh in relief before sitting straight and looking back at Selena. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ What was he going to say? Selena copied his position and looked straight at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think of you as a disposable woman.¡±¡°Uh¡­.. Thanks?¡±¡°We¡¯ve been through some situations for you to be called as one.¡± He was right. She shared a bed with him every night, ate every meal together, encountered an assassin, and even trained together in the morning. These situations were rare. Even comrades on battlefields didn¡¯t spend every moment with each other. ¡°I was thinking, both materially and mentally, that if you wanted to stay here regardless of the success or failure in our deal. Of course, it includes your safety during the job.¡±¡°Yes¡­¡­. I¡¯d be grateful.¡±¡°And, to add to that, do you have any thoughts about learning sword arts properly?¡±¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Why was he suddenly talking about swords? The moist atmosphere quickly dried up despite the warmth of the furnace inside the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s your talent which is important. It¡¯s not too late for you to learn it. I can teach you.¡±¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Selena firmly refused. People like Kalcion were always entertained upon doing exercise-related activities. Selena was good at sports and she did enjoy it, but if she had to do it in front of him, she would have to look stronger. After all, she couldn¡¯t maintain her physique and health without exercising. Kendo used to be good as a form of exercise to her, but she never wanted to learn sword arts in earnest. At her firm rejection, Kalcion did not ask twice and gave up his offer in regret. ¡°Do you have anything else to do here?¡±¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡± Since she had no other things to see here, it would have been the right choice to return to the mansion. But, she wasn¡¯t in the mood. She felt she wouldn¡¯t be able to relax even if she went back to the mansion. Juna, who served her, would not leave her alone, and she didn¡¯t know when Mrs. Janet would come out from lurking behind the shadows to start nagging at her again, even though she went quiet these days. In addition, gazes filled with curiosity and jealousy always followed her. At the very beginning of her arrival, the butler was replaced and she had had no accidents since. But that didn¡¯t mean she felt comfortable in that mansion. ¡°I want to get some fresh air before going back. If the Duke is busy, I shall return in my carriage.¡±¡°I¡¯ll be with you. I have nothing important to attend.¡± Selena nodded calmly. There was no reason for her to refuse his kindness. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing if people saw them hanging out together. ¡°Where should we start? You¡¯ve been to the Capital several times before.¡±¡°I always stay in the mansion or attend gatherings at the royal palace when I come here, so it¡¯s the same as my first day in this city.¡±¡°Well, of course, it is. Hmm, then let us start from the most famous place around here. And since the Duke is joining me, there¡¯s no place they might stop me from entering.¡± She was briefly depressed by what happened in the store, but she recovered quickly. It was better to forget such a painful scene by engaging in pleasant activities. Not long ago, she figured Kalcion had a significant effect on her surroundings. It should be fine if she had him behind her while visiting luxurious stores. The stores that wouldn¡¯t let her in. ¡°Do you know a place?¡±¡°Yes, I hope there¡¯s a table, too. I shall flip it over.¡±¡°?¡± Kalcion did not understand her, but nodded gently, agreeing to accompany her if she needed. It was about time she took her revenge. Someone might ask, ¡°what¡¯s the point if one can¡¯t take revenge using their strength¡±. However, there was no need for justification as to how one won or lost. If the former act was unfair towards someone, that means they could reappear with a Duke supporting them. It was better this way if they were persecuted for no reason. If one side decided to act dirty, what was the point of maintaining innocence by the other side? It didn¡¯t mean that the other should surrender quietly. Selena had to do something, regardless of the means she used. ¡°First, let¡¯s go to ¡®Crange¡¯.¡± The carriage began to rattle as soon as she declared her destination. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 63 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 63 It took less time for the carriage to reach the store than when she visited last time. Perhaps because she reached the destination a few hours later than usual, the huge storefront of Crange was crowded with carriages with brilliant emblems on each door. The carriage of the Renbird family was second to none. Although Kalcion did not like enjoying much luxury, his carriage was by far superior. Selena got off the carriage and approached the store with her arm crossed around Kalcion¡¯s to greet the gatekeepers. They stood upright in the unusual aura of Kalcion. ¡°Ah, please welcome! We apologize for the inconvenience, but it¡¯ll be difficult to enter because currently, we have no more vacancies!¡±¡°No vacancy?¡± Kalcion appeared to have never heard of the word ¡°no vacancy¡± in his life. Curious about what he would do next, Selena watched silently. ¡°Did you just reject our entry?¡±¡°T-That¡¯s not what we meant! We have no space, however¡­.!¡±¡°I don¡¯t understand. There¡¯s no place for us to sit, is that what you were saying?¡± Crange¡¯s gatekeepers did not recognize the carriage of the Renbird family. Though Irelle only stayed in Kalcion¡¯s mansion in the capital, she was a member of the Duchy. Kalcion would have gladly accepted it if she had asked for a Duke¡¯s carriage, but it seemed she had no courage to bring that up. Naturally, Kalcion had never stepped in a place like this, and the gatekeepers were probably changed several times after the previous Duchess walked in. Gatekeepers usually memorized major family emblems, but Renbird was a family not very influential in terms of purchasing power compared to their reputation. ¡°Who owns this store?¡±¡°Yes, it is Madam Annil!¡±¡°I wish to see her.¡±¡°Yes, please wait!¡± Selena wondered how Kalcion would solve this situation when he also called for the storekeeper. As said by the gatekeeper, the owner rushed out of the store. ¡°Yes, my name is Annil. I¡¯m the owner of Crange.¡± Kalcion greeted with a nod. ¡°This is the Duke of Renbird. I have been standing here for a long time since there was no seat inside.¡±¡°Ha! Renbird¡­¡­ Oh, my!¡± Only then did Annil widen her eyes, as she looked between Kalcion and Selena. A woman under the care of Renbird, who visited the store the last day. That tremendous beauty of hers with long black hair. And now, even the Duke of Renbird himself was with her. The previous day, she remembered siding off with the aristocrats in her store about cutting her off and insulting her. That was what the response her regular customers wanted, who generally helped in maintaining the sales and reputation of her store. ¡®¡­¡­But why did the Duke appear with her!¡¯ She never expected this. She was visibly in a cold sweat. No matter what, men were never known to appear with their lovers during shopping. Not in the case of the Duke of Renbird at least. The legendary dragon landed in her front yard with a pigeon. As per the rumors she heard, Selena was not just any woman for the Duke to accompany her. ¡°Pardon me for not recognizing Your Grace! It¡¯s an honor to have you here! First of all, please step inside!¡±¡°But they said you had no seats left.¡±¡°Yes. There¡¯s none, but please allow me to make it!¡± She had to, even if it were impossible. To Annil¡¯s desperate pleadings, Kalcion acted as if he couldn¡¯t care less and wanted to walk away. The next moment, Annil rushed to open the door herself. This temporarily attracted the attention of the guests chatting inside, just so they could greet anyone they knew and ignore anyone they didn¡¯t. People who confirmed the identity of the newly arrived guests began whispering. For those who didn¡¯t know him, it was his looks that stood out. ¡®¡­¡­.The Duke of Renbird?¡¯¡®He came to a place like this?¡¯¡®Because of¡­. that girl next to him?¡¯ Whispers followed, but no one dared to speak as loudly when Selena visited alone. Selena felt a bit uncomfortable with the sudden change in the atmosphere. So, this was the taste of power. If life gives you the fruit of power, you shouldn¡¯t just look at it, you should take a bite from it. Even if Selena didn¡¯t pluck that fruit, the world fed her with its own hands. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared a seat, this way please¡­¡­¡± Annil hurried to guide them inside. However, the room where she guided them was isolated. Selena shook her head. ¡°The room is stuffy. I like the open space.¡±¡°O-Oh! Is that so? We prepared a table inside so that you could enjoy it in comfort, but¡­.. we¡¯ll move it to this side right away!¡± Selena tried not to laugh as they struggled to move the sofa, table, decorations, and plants as per her convenience. People watched the special treatment quietly, and some of them had nowhere to sit. Even those who greeted Kalcion once or twice at a party could not approach him, as if blocked by an invisible wall. Welcome tea and small cakes were provided as soon as Selena sat down. She took a sip and placed the cup down. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you provide delicious cakes. I really wanted to come here.¡±¡°I see.¡±¡°I don¡¯t really like sweets¡­¡­., but this place is famous.¡± Curious, Selena peeked a glance at Annil. Perhaps Annil was lost in thought. ¡°¡­¡­.Oh, yes! Could you give me some time? We¡¯ll present to you the best we have made till date.¡±¡°Of course.¡±¡°Why don¡¯t you taste these while you wait? They were made considering the amount of sweetness.¡± It was enough to feel full just by looking at those cute frostings of the cakes. Kalcion grabbed Selena¡¯s wrist as she went to cut a piece with her fork and put it in her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±¡°Let me try it first.¡±¡°What?¡± The two of them had similar tastes. He also preferred meat over fish, and did not have a sweet tooth. ¡°It might be poisoned.¡± Swoosh¡ª Thanks to Kalcion ¨C who didn¡¯t lower his voice ¨C the atmosphere turned cold in an instant. The aristocrats gathered in that store appeared bright and warm. There was no apparent danger in sight. However, Kalcion sounded like he was in the middle of a battle. And adding to that, poison. Both Irelle and now, Selena were not safe, but it didn¡¯t mean that he had to bring that up here. ¡°Do you have to do that here? I didn¡¯t even ask you.¡±¡°You don¡¯t know what people can be like.¡±¡°If it is poisoned, should the Duke eat it?¡±¡°I can tell roughly, by its taste. I can resist certain poisons, so I¡¯ll be fine.¡±¡°Okay¡­¡­, go ahead.¡± Selena fed him the piece she cut. After a while, he frowned. ¡°¡­¡­.Is it sweet?¡±¡°A lot.¡±¡°Oh, then I shouldn¡¯t eat this.¡± Aside from testing for poison, Selena ¨C who found that she could use him to detect the amount of sweetness ¨C cut another cake and put it in his mouth. His face became similarly disastrous as he chewed it slowly. ¡°I think it¡¯s the most intense expression I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Selena chuckled. Kalcion ¨C who was already frustrated from the sweet taste in his mouth ¨C hardened with a more brutal expression when she teased. However, Selena proceeded to cut a new piece of cake. ¡°Is this sweet, too?¡±¡°It is.¡±¡°Okay, this is the last one.¡± Eventually, none of the cakes Annil brought in went into Selena¡¯s mouth. It only left Kalcion¡¯s tongue overwhelming in sweetness. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to eat.¡± As soon as Selena put down the fork, Annil rushed over and bowed down her head. ¡°Forgive me, I kept you waiting. This cake was made just now, so it¡¯s not particularly sweet. Would you like to try it?¡±¡°Yes, please.¡± She had no reason to refuse such a fresh and vivid cake. Annil cut a piece of the cake and presented it as she received permission. Selena fed Kalcion the first bite like earlier. He expected it to be sweet again, but his face straightened after a while. ¡°This is fine.¡±¡°Huh? Is it?¡± She cut a piece and put it in her mouth. Like Kalcion, she was taken aback. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s true. It¡¯s not very sweet.¡± Selena ¨C who continued to have a few more bites on the delicious cake ¨C stopped and glanced at Kalcion when she felt his gaze on her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­¡­?¡±¡°¡­¡­Nothing.¡± Kalcion turned his head hurriedly. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 64 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 64 ¡®What¡¯s up with him all of a sudden?¡¯ She realized only when she looked down at the fork. She was eating the cake with the same fork she used for Kalcion. ¡®What¡­ With this¡­.?¡¯ She smirked to herself as she took a big bite of the cake. *** All the while she ate in Crange, she thought she was going to be attacked any minute. Needless to say, it went very calmly and quietly, and she even had her stomach full. ¡°Since I¡¯m full, let¡¯s go see some dresses and jewelry next.¡±¡°What¡¯s the name of the store?¡± She had first planned to visit Simeon and Laranta to turn everything upside down. However, it was not so pleasant to look at those leading stores. ¡®Since they¡¯re bowing down to the name of Renbird,¡¯ By this point, it was safe to think that no more stores would reject Selena. Reason ¨C rumors will spread around the streets as we speak. Now, she wanted to do some ¡®real shopping¡¯. She thought she would be able to enter Lumera without mentioning Kalcion now. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s famous, but there were many places I couldn¡¯t visit last time because of the lack of time.¡±¡°Do whatever you please, then.¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t care where she wanted to go. He couldn¡¯t help but kill time in the cafe while she ate cake to her content. He did not make a fuss. ¡®Surprisingly, he seems a lot okay with this, as a man.¡¯ Although he was severely aloof towards women, he didn¡¯t seem to have a bad opinion about them. ¡®I¡¯d be flattered if it weren¡¯t for a woman who couldn¡¯t say a word when she was being insulted.¡¯ By the time she pushed the thoughts aside, the carriage arrived in front of Lumera. Likewise, guards stood at the entrance of Lumera. They politely greeted them as the two approached. The difference from other stores was that in addition to the guards, an employee was standing with them. The staff welcomed them with a big smile. ¡°Welcome. By any chance, do you have a designated staff member?¡±¡°No.¡±¡°Then, would it be okay if I were in charge of your guide?¡±¡°Sure.¡± Selena nodded her head. It seemed that this store provided personal staff to accompany guests while shopping. Then, it wouldn¡¯t be like pushing people into the chaotic jungle of social circles and letting them survive on their own. ¡°Let me show you our collection.¡± The store was a little different from Diatte in appearance and structure. It also had a salon. However, unlike Diatte, it had more clothes on show. The structure of the store was not a spacious large hall, but alleys were built to move around the hall. It felt like she was at an art exhibition hall rather than a clothing store. Mannequins dressed in different get-ups were placed on display here and there. Chairs were placed in spots for the guests to sit down and talk naturally. Relatively more private spaces were created. It was a salon where people could talk while looking at clothes. It allowed no fights of wits due to the allocation of seats. Selena¡¯s shoulders finally relaxed. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be comfortable here if I ever have to shop alone again. People won¡¯t come at me all at once.¡±¡°Do you have to shop again?¡± Kalcion had a low understanding of meeting people. The way he interacted with people was a clear indication of how isolated he had been in his life. Selena laughed, wondering how difficult it would be to make him understand another life. ¡°The dresses here are a bit more distinctive.¡± Diatte had only a standard fashion, while Lumera contained designers¡¯ varieties. Selena preferred this store. ¡°May I try it on?¡±¡°Yes, of course.¡±¡°Which one do you think I should try on, Duke?¡± Selena asked Kalcion. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±¡°Because you¡¯re the one I¡¯m going to see, Duke. And besides, I won¡¯t be able to see much since I¡¯ll be wearing the dress.¡±¡°I see.¡± It was a convincing reason. Kalcion slowly paced around the store with a serious look on his face, carefully checking each piece of dress. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that you should choose this hard.¡± After a while, Kalcion finally came to a stop. ¡°What about this one?¡± Selena was surprised. ¡°Are you serious?¡±¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m forcing you to wear this, why?¡±¡°I¡¯m just curious why you chose this.¡± Kalcion picked up the most esoteric piece of them all. He couldn¡¯t choose this, considering how great his artistic knowledge was. ¡°It has more sparkles and decorations on it.¡±¡°Right. I knew it.¡± What did she expect? Kalcion¡¯s eyes were not good at distinguishing different dresses. ¡®It¡¯s hard to choose since your skin is white and you look good in any color. You¡¯d look dazzling in white, people would only see your face if you wore black, you¡¯d look unrealistic in purple, and you¡¯d burn in red, so I can¡¯t understand which to recommend!¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect him to say such lines. But she thought he would say that he chose it because he thought it would suit her. Selena nodded bitterly and turned to the staff. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try it on.¡± Then, she would check the results of his choice. The staff she asked walked to the other side of the store. ¡°Please follow me to the changing room.¡± When Selena began to follow her, the staff smiled and gestured toward Kalcion. ¡°You can come, too, sir.¡± They followed the staff, who led them to a spacious separate room. From the splendid wallpaper to antique furniture, the room was quite decorated to be a changing room. The room had curtains in the middle. Beyond the curtains was the space to change clothes, and the sofa placed outside was for the audience to wait. ¡®It¡¯s like a wedding dress changing room.¡¯ How would Kalcion react upon changing the dress, Selena was curious. She went beyond the curtains to change into the dress he chose, with the help of the staff. In most cases, trying out dresses needed the staff to tighten or sew the parts to adjust to someone¡¯s body size. Thanks to that, it was cumbersome to wait patiently. Barely dressed up, Selena silently waited. She stood still, which caused her stamina to run out. ¡®Everyday feels like an award ceremony nowadays.¡¯ Selena exclaimed, looking at herself in the mirror. ¡°Oh my¡­.!¡± Just as the maids prepared her every morning, the staff sincerely admired her in the new dress. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was someone who could pull off this dress!¡±¡°The designer said that they made this dress out of passion, without considering its popularity and sales!¡±¡°No one has tried this so far. I don¡¯t think there will ever be another!¡± The bright colors of the jewels of the dress gently reflected light to make her face seem brighter. ¡®Does he have a hidden talent¡­¡­.?!¡¯ She was doubtful, but the results came unexpectedly good. After doing her hair and adding matching accessories, the staff set up Selena in front of the curtain. ¡°I¡¯ll open the curtain.¡± Curtains parted as she glanced up at Kalcion sitting in the middle of the sofa. He was in the middle of lifting his teacup when he stopped. Silence filled the room. As if time had stopped. ¡°¡­¡­.The Duke doesn¡¯t like it?¡± Selena urged for him to say something, for the sake of their play. Then, Kalcion¡¯s hand flinched. He did not budge, even though the hot tea stained his sleeve. ¡°S-Sir, your hand¡­¡­!¡±¡°Isn¡¯t the tea hot, Duke?¡± Startled, one of the staff and Selena asked one after the other. ¡°¡­¡­..Huh? Oh.¡± Only then did Kalcion look down at his hand. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 65 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 65 Luckily, the tea seemed to have cooled down enough to not burn his skin off. Kalcion wiped the stain with a towel handed over by an employee and turned back to Selena. Catching the look in his eyes, she became confident. Kalcion did not know how to react. ¡®As long as he doesn¡¯t screw up, I¡¯m good. Should I try?¡¯ It had been less than an hour since she said he no longer needed to act, but a human¡¯s greed could never be satisfied. Just as Kalcion wanted her to learn swordsmanship even though their limited relationship would end someday if she returned to her world, there were times when Selena yearned for his acting. ¡°What do you think, Duke? I¡¯m wearing it.¡±¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± He hummed in thought. The more he delayed, the higher her expectations rose. ¡°Pretty.¡± However, the answer did not meet her expectations. Even if it was hard for Kalcion to say more, Selena could not give up. ¡°Which part of it looks pretty?¡±¡°All of it.¡±¡°Yes, so, where?¡± When she repeated her question, he noticed it. This time, he strained his eyes to study Selena. Needless to say, he always felt weird to look at her neck, even worse to look at her front, embarrassed to look at her waist and the curves down her thighs. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her face. ¡°I see¡­¡­. only your face.¡± He believed it would not be such a wrong answer. But as he had guessed, Selena¡¯s eyes grew wide and she burst into laughter. ¡°What, Duke? You have to say if it looks good on me.¡±¡°Hahaha.¡± The staff standing next to her also chuckled. Contrary to what the rumors described him as a brutal man, the Duke of Renbird rather had an innocent heart. That¡¯s what their eyes interpreted. After calming down, he quickly ran his eyes up and down Selena¡¯s body. He decided to get an overall image. He didn¡¯t need to count or admire the number of jewels. ¡°You look like a flower.¡±¡°You¡¯re not cursing, are you, Duke?¡±¡°Does a flower mean a curse to you?¡± Surprised, he asked immediately. Selena was also taken aback. How could she forget that he tended to take things seriously when she tried to make fun of him? ¡°No, like, there¡¯s no explanation. There are many kinds of flowers.¡±¡°You are¡­¡­¡± He tried to recall. She was different from the flowers seen in the field. She did not resemble the unknown wildflowers. If he had to be precise, Selena looked like a flower that was grown with much love and devotion inside a greenhouse. ¡°Different from wildflowers. Like someone devoted his heart to growing a flower so very colorful. Like those unusually large flowers, we see in a greenhouse. You remind me of such flowers.¡± Kalcion averted his gaze again, wandering somewhere on the ceiling above Selena¡¯s head. ¡°Is it hot?¡± Selena¡¯s face was bright red. Kalcion had no clue that it was because of him. His eyes awkwardly landed on the chandelier above to see if it was hot. ¡°I¡¯ll buy this.¡± Selena decided with no further thoughts. ¡°Whew.¡± She was finally able to breathe after the curtain closed behind her. She tried to cool down by covering her burning face with both hands. She didn¡¯t expect Kalcion to say such sweet words. What made her heart pound was that he sounded like he really meant it. ¡®Oh, I swear it¡¯s not my first time hearing compliments.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t count how many silly compliments she heard in her life. Like, ¡®a beauty that had the power to destroy the world¡¯ or ¡®a beauty to make all living things breathless¡¯. ¡®Unnie, don¡¯t swim! Because the fishes will not be able to breathe and the marine ecosystem will die!¡¯¡®You are an angel sealed on Earth for the universe to breathe¡­¡­¡¯ Those compliments sounded all the same, so she just laughed and passed them over. Her being compared to a flower was what embarrassed her from head to toe. ¡®I was so surprised. Should I say it¡¯s just an exclamation for the achievement of my disciple? Well, it can¡¯t be because I feel something special. He was just serious because he said I have too good sword lifting skills to waste.¡¯ Selena explained to herself, calming down her heart. ¡®He was just expressing my beauty. No need to be surprised, no need to be moved. Let¡¯s be proud that he could say that.¡¯ She felt like she was making more excuses. She changed back to her clothes and came out to see a stranger bowing constantly next to Kalcion. ¡°What happened? Who is this?¡±¡°Something very amazing! Oh, I¡¯m Randy, the chief designer of Lumera!¡± Randy failed to hide his excitement. ¡°There weren¡¯t many people who matched my design that was hard to pull off, but I had to rush here when I heard someone was born to finally wear it¡­..!¡±¡°Ah¡­¡­ yes.¡± But, why was he bowing to Kalcion? ¡°His Excellency said that he likes the dress you wore earlier and that he¡¯s buying all of my designs!¡±¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± From the designer¡¯s point of view, it was awesome. Selena was sad that the designs were all bought because there weren¡¯t many people to wear them and that the world lost a chance to recognize them. However, she was not surprised. It was not the first time Kalcion did it. So, she reluctantly nodded her head. ¡°Did the Duke order 10 colors this time, too?¡±¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t like it because it would be a waste, so I ordered only one.¡±¡°Well done.¡± Randy¡¯s mouth fell open at their conversation. ¡®I know some people work a lot, but ten per design?!¡¯ There was a famous rumor that said the previous Duchess of Renbird ordered seven colors, wore only one, and burned the rest. He never saw the previous Duchess but it seemed to be a family tradition handed down from generation to generation. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back with a better design next time!¡±¡°Fair enough.¡±¡°Ah, if you need someone to help you dress up, our staff is always ready to help!¡± That was also good service. ¡°Then, can you help me prepare for the founding party at the palace?¡±¡°Oh! Oh, my! Are you wearing our dress at the founding party? Then, of course, I¡¯ll be there!¡± From the looks of it, his dress had never been shown off at an important party. Selena smiled and stepped out toward the door, snuggling her arm around Kalcion¡¯s. ¡°Can¡¯t change his words later, can he?¡± After the imperial banquet, the store was bound to explode in popularity. After leaving the store, Selena got on the wagon and stretched her shoulders. ¡°Where to next?¡±¡°Next time¡­¡­. some jewelry.¡± She was out of her stamina. From the experience at Lumera, she thought there would be much better places to shop, even if it was not the store Juna recommended. The jewelry store that Juna recommended was Laranta. However, Selena didn¡¯t want to fight again after such a pleasant shopping trip. ¡°Just not today. I think we should go back and rest for the day.¡± Kalcion nodded calmly. The sun was already setting. A street lamp maintainer was seen lighting a street lamp. One side of the sky was looming red, while the other was growing dark blue. Underneath it, the city was being lit with the dim yellow glow of streetlights one by one. But none of those lights were great enough to frighten away the oncoming night. Still, the busy streets were living up to their name. It was proved when the carriage was repeatedly stopped before crowds. ¡°It seems the boulevard won¡¯t be cleared anytime soon. I think it¡¯ll be faster if we turn around.¡± An escort delivered the message through the carriage window. ¡°Right.¡± They had no urgency. ¡°It sure is different from Renbird.¡±¡°Indeed.¡±¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never walked around the night streets of Silenza.¡± She was always stuck in the castle because she had no reason to go outside. Adding to that, it was a time when she knew better rather than having a sword slicing down her neck. It wasn¡¯t even a time to hang out leisurely. ¡°You can see it when you go back to Silenza. It¡¯s different.¡±¡°How is it?¡± She remembered seeing the streets of Silenza to be neat in the daylight. But, she was curious about what it was like at night. She wondered if it shined like this place. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡± He hummed. ¡°Well¡­¡­. I don¡¯t know how to describe it. If you look at it in person, you can see the difference.¡±¡°Aw, I wonder when we will go back.¡± She grinned in delight. The day Selena would return to Silenza would be after she found the criminal safely, finished her job, and found a way to return to her original world. She didn¡¯t know when it would arrive. ¡°You can take a break to visit Silenza for a while.¡±¡°Then it¡¯ll get too long. And how would I be able to use up all the extra money you gave for shopping?¡± Kalcion smiled at Selena this time. ¡°Okay, do it wherever you like.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 66 Translator: Lea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 66 ¡°Wow, you sound so incredibly confident now that a mine has been discovered, don¡¯t you?¡±¡°Let¡¯s say it¡¯s enough to cover your shopping for the rest of your life.¡±¡°If you say so, would the Duke let me spend his money even after our deal is over?¡±¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Selena squinted her eyes when he answered too easily to her joke. She had known men to be stingy when they were asked to open their wallets every time. Though Kalcion wasn¡¯t like that, she wanted to press down his nose when he acted all confident. ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re going to pay for everything I shop?¡±¡°Of course.¡± He was still relaxed. She pouted as she had nothing more to buy. She peered outside the window to look around. ¡°Oh, over there!¡± A relatively small store stood on the quiet side of the road. The coachman stopped the carriage as she yelled out. ¡°That¡¯s a store, right?¡± She was confused when she couldn¡¯t see a sign. She got off the wagon and admired the front of the store. The shops she visited before were all grand and magnificent to look at, but this store stood out the most to her. Though the store wasn¡¯t large, the entirety of the building was made of shiny white stone with flower carvings on them. The most noticeable feature was a huge jewel embedded in the center above the building. The jewel was of course a fake, but it sparkled in the light of the street lamp. She found it difficult to take her eyes off. As if the building itself was a gem. The store didn¡¯t even have a gate. Dion pushed open the door to reveal a brilliant glow coming from the inside. ¡°Please welcome.¡± The hall, about the size of a living room, was made of sparkling jewels just like its exterior. Fist-sized jewels were attached to the roof that reflected the indoor lights. ¡°The place looked so pretty that I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±¡°Oh my, is that so? Allow me to show you your table. It hasn¡¯t been long since we opened, so we¡¯re accepting customers without any prior reservations.¡±¡°I see¡­¡­ Wow, these are really beautiful.¡± There weren¡¯t many items on the shelves. However, each one seemed to be shining like a work of art. Though she came in intending to tease Kalcion, she wanted to try them all. She chirped, pointing her hand on the jewelry set from the beginning to the end on the display stand. ¡°From here to here, everything!¡± She looked back at Kalcion with sparkling eyes. As did the staff with a stunned look on her face. ¡®Will he be fine?!¡¯ The staff seemed to be worried about the man¡¯s financial expenses. Kalcion nodded without any hesitation. ¡°Make the bill in the name of Renbird.¡± He acted as if this type of luxury meant nothing to him. ¡°Any more gems you have?¡±¡°Oh, we also take orders for custom-made jewelry. Do you want to see?¡±¡°Yes! Everything you have!¡±¡°Then, please follow me.¡± The staff guided Selena to a room. The room was also flashy like the exterior and the hall. In the center of the room was a black round table with five chairs placed around it. Selena sat down on one of them. She raised her head to spot a grand chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. The glittery chandelier looked like a tower hanging upside down, and it was huge enough to tackle the average height of humans. She felt ecstatic. Just sitting in this room made her feel blessed. ¡°This space is so beautiful.¡± To Selena¡¯s compliment, the employee smiled proudly. ¡°Our founder¡¯s hobby is collecting jewelry, so he built this house to store his personal collections and opened a store.¡±¡°Oh, my¡­¡­¡±¡°What color or type of jewelry would you prefer, ma¡¯am?¡±¡°Ah, I bought this dress at Lumera earlier, and I was thinking what might look good with it.¡±¡°I see. When will you need it?¡±¡°Within a week? I was thinking maybe I could wear them for this founding party.¡±¡°Then, you better hurry and match your accessories.¡± Mannequins ¨C of various skin colors ¨C were also present to try on the jewelry. An employee hung a dress on a mannequin with a similar skin color to Selena¡¯s and then adjusted the lights of the chandelier. ¡°If we set the lighting, you can feel what the jewelry would look like at the actual banquet hall. And if it¡¯s a dress like this.¡± The employee went inside an adjacent room and brought out new jewels. They were available in various colors and shapes. Selena¡¯s eyes glistened and focused on choosing them. After a while of hard concentration, Selena¡¯s favorite combination was finally completed. ¡°Well then, we will notify you when it¡¯s completed. At the time of the final touch-up, you¡¯ll have to present¡­¡­.¡±¡°I will.¡± Selena grinned ear to ear as she walked out of the store. She happened to recall her strategy to rob off Kalcion¡¯s wallet only when she got into the wagon and looked at him. ¡°Oh, right. Why did I spend time choosing? I should¡¯ve just said I wanted to buy everything!¡±¡°Do you like to wear jewelry?¡±¡°What I just did was to make fun of the Duke. Besides, it¡¯s nice. It makes me happy when I see something pretty and shiny.¡± She didn¡¯t know her face was sparkling, too. Feeling Kalcion¡¯s gaze on her, she covered her cheeks with her palms, wondering why she was getting so excited. ¡°The castle of Renbird and the mansion here are¡­¡­. all grand and magnificent, but they don¡¯t look too fancy. I prefer that kind of space.¡± People¡¯s tastes vary. It wasn¡¯t strange for her to understand. Kalcion nodded. ¡°Shall I buy that one for you?¡±¡°¡­..What? ¡­¡­The store?¡±¡°Don¡¯t you want it?¡±¡°¡­¡­.Are you serious?¡±¡°Why do you think I¡¯m asking you then?¡± She laughed at his generosity. ¡°Are you giving it to me? It¡¯ll be mine forever if I don¡¯t go back to my world, right?¡±¡°Right.¡± He answered with no hesitation. Dresses and pieces of jewelry were considered a luxury, but buying buildings like the one she just visited were at another level. She was unable to grasp the scale of his wealth. ¡°How wealthy are you to say that you¡¯ll buy me a house? It¡¯s not just any house, it has jewels engraved in it.¡±¡°Wealthy enough to exceed the prices of all the jewelry accumulated in the store¡¯s warehouse.¡± Enough to push people¡¯s eyes out of their sockets. ¡°But even if I get it, how will I say it¡¯s mine? I have no designated identity in this world.¡±¡°You have.¡±¡°¡­¡­I have?¡± She didn¡¯t know that. ¡°As soon as you entered the castle, I asked one of my men to work on your status. On the contrary, some people will try to dig out your past.¡±¡°Oh, my¡­¡­ So, I just say that my name is Selena?¡±¡°That¡¯s right. If you say you moved to Renbird, it explains that your previous track record is vague.¡± The next time she knew, she was at the front gate of the mansion. Kalcion stopped by his room, took a document out of his drawer, and handed it over to Selena. It was a document about her ID. It had no residential registration card, but there were some administrative certificates instead. ¡°This is not owned by an individual, but it is issued and recorded by the relevant government office when someone is born or someone migrates.¡± The document included her height, physique, appearance, hair color, and eye color. There was no record of her birth, but it was written that she migrated a year ago. ¡°So if I carry this, I¡¯ll be allowed to buy a building and be protected by Renbird as its young citizen?¡±¡°As long as you stay here.¡±¡°I really became a living person here.¡± The documents were needed if she ever had to present her identity, but her heart trembled for some reason. Her existence seemed to have been made permanent ¨C like the dark color of the ink on this paper ¨C in the world she thought she would leave one day. This clearly proved her existence, even though she didn¡¯t belong here. ¡°I became Selena who lives in Renbird.¡±¡°Yes. You belong to me now.¡± It meant she was under Kalcion¡¯s government, but those words could also mean something else. Selena fumbled her fingers over the letters. Those writings would never disappear until they¡¯re burned down. ¡°What happens if I go back to the world I used to live in?¡±¡°Then, you will be marked missing forever.¡±¡°Why? You can just get rid of this document like you did when you made it.¡± A moment later, he opened his mouth. ¡°Because it will not change the fact that you used to live in this world.¡± For the first time, she felt like she was talking to the real Kalcion, not to her partner in the plays. And for some reason, it made her heart flutter. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 67 Translator: Lea Chapter 67 The Charming Crown Prince Finally, the day arrived. The banquet was supposed to start at sunset, but preparations began early in the morning. The whole day, the maids polished Selena¡¯s skin to the point where only her bones were left. Thanks to the staff of Lumera and the jewelry store ¨C who arrived early in the morning and passionately tended to her ¨C Selena reached the peak of her shining beauty. She evaluated that this treatment was comparatively more than enough to stand in front of the camera in her original era. ¡°Just standing still would be enough to start an argument, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. Why would you start an argument?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but being beautiful is even more annoying.¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t seem to understand much. At last, when they stood side by side in front of a large mirror to check, they looked like a plausible couple on the cover of a fairy tale book. ¡°The Duke didn¡¯t forget the rule that he must follow today, right?¡± ¡°Of course, not. I think I¡¯m doing it fine.¡± He answered, not averting his gaze from Selena. The rule was not to lose sight of Selena, even for a second. The first reason was that she could not be accompanied by an escort in the palace. She could no way be relieved to roam freely in the same gathering as the possible psychopath who sent an assassin after her inside the Duke¡¯s land. Rather than that, it could be dangerous because there would be countless visitors and places out of sight. Selena was in more danger because it was her first time at the palace. It would be easier for her to get lost through the complicated structure and be stranded in a deserted area. The second reason was that she had to be treated as someone very close to Kalcion like earlier. Her position would be certain only if Kalcion showed the inability to take his eyes off her even when he couldn¡¯t make silly comments by himself. The goal was to get invited to a private party to be held later. Most aristocratic families were invited to this 300th anniversary of the foundation of the empire. Therefore, it could be possible that some of them might leave without any gossip. Whether it was cursing or an invitation she received, she had to pounce into play. ¡°It¡¯s as difficult for commoners to become aristocrats as it is to reach the stars, but even when they¡¯re born as aristocrats, they have to wait in a line. It¡¯s the same for everyone to live anywhere. Irrespective of status, competition, and rank.¡± Kalcion agreed with a laugh at Selena¡¯s grumbling. The carriage rattled smoothly as it took them towards the imperial palace. This time, it was in the direction opposite to that of the market, so she got to watch an unfamiliar scenery outside the window. ¡°There are a lot of carriages. I suppose everyone is on their way to the palace.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s important to reach on time.¡± ¡°Before it begins?¡± ¡°Before the royal family enters. Afterward, you aren¡¯t allowed to enter except for those who are higher than royalty.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s too late?¡± ¡°According to the principle, you will be marked absent and you¡¯ll have to write a letter for the crime of treason but in reality, they sneak in through the back door. Of course, they aren¡¯t announced when they sneak in.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s okay for others to be late, but not the Duke. He will be in trouble.¡± The prince was searching for a way to fight him. All in all, mistakes like this ¨C which could be marked as treason ¨C should be avoided as much as possible. Selena glanced outside. As they approached the palace, the number of carriages on the road increased. ¡°Do all those nobles gather at the same time?¡± ¡°Some arrive in the city in the morning. If they have to come from afar, they arrive a day earlier and rent a room at the palace.¡± ¡°Why are we right on time?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of going early? It¡¯s annoying.¡± Neither did he care about being late nor unable to participate. If he couldn¡¯t participate because he was late, he would be glad to return home. She glanced outside again to discover a carriage looking as grand as Kalcion¡¯s. He said nobles would arrive a day in advance or the morning if they lived far away. Those who were on time were at least confident that they¡¯d reach on time, right? ¡°Where is that carriage from?¡± She asked, pointing to the nearby carriage. The carriage was red in color with flashy golden designs on the outside, and likewise, a golden family emblem on the door. ¡°Marquis of Renefti.¡± Kalcion answered as soon as he saw it. So, the family was significantly influential for him to recognize so fast. ¡°What about that?¡± She pointed to a dark pink carriage. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s from Thiolan.¡± It was Rosalyn¡¯s family. Selena grimaced just like Kalcion did. She quickly turned her head to another window in disgust. This time, it was a dark navy carriage her eyes landed on. ¡°And that?¡± ¡°Duke of Ziond.¡± Selena confirmed the theory she had in her mind. ¡°So, there are only prominent families¡¯ carriages running beside us.¡± Kalcion glanced outside the window and took a careful look. ¡°¡­..It seems so.¡± ¡°It may just be my guess, but doesn¡¯t the entry of each family matter? The later we arrive, the higher in a position we are, I presume?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯ve never thought about.¡± ¡°If you live farther away from here, you¡¯ll have to leave earlier than those who live close by. Then, doesn¡¯t the value of the noble who lives in a mansion close to the palace increase?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I guess so.¡± Even if there was a lot of land, the nobles who had a mansion in the Capital were limited. The land near the center of the city was difficult and expensive to buy. Late arrival was linked to bragging about one¡¯s home and wealth. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t arrive late, rumors will spread about my financial situation.¡± ¡°Still, I want to brag about how I feel. It¡¯s relieving.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me.¡± Selena agreed with a grin. ¡°But I¡¯m not very popular yet, so I have to rush it even if it¡¯s funny, right?¡± Those at the peak of social circles had the privilege of looking down on somebody without even participating in a competition. The sharp-witted coachman drove the carriage at a speed so that she could arrive at the end without being ordered otherwise. By this point, she thought she would arrive safely. She gazed outside the window. However, accidents happened in the most unexpected of places. ¡°Ah!¡± The wagon, which was running smoothly, made a severe jolt all of a sudden. Selena was almost thrown out of the window, but thanks to Kalcion¡¯s strong arms, she was entrapped in the center of the carriage. The wagon jolted a few more times before coming to a stop. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Dion, who was escorting the carriage on his horse, talked to the coachman and returned with the report. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a problem with the wheel.¡± ¡°The wheel?¡± The coachman hurried down to inspect the wheels. Meanwhile, about 45 carriages passed by them. ¡°I-I found this attached inside one of the wheels. I¡¯ve never seen this before¡­¡­¡± The coachman stuttered, afraid that he might be punished. It looked like a wire with cogs. The wheel broke as a result of this getting tangled in the wheel. ¡°Didn¡¯t the carriage go under final inspection?¡± ¡°It did! However, it was tangled in a place we don¡¯t really inspect before the ride¡­¡­¡± The coachman mumbled. The object could not be spotted until someone crawled under the wagon. That place didn¡¯t need to be inspected on a regular basis. Perhaps, someone secretly wound it up in the vehicle when the coachman parked it to take a walk around the city. After traveling for a few days, the wheel was no longer able to withstand it. ¡°¡­..Is this a new method?¡± If they failed to arrive by the beginning of the party, not only would Kalcion commit treason, but Selena¡¯s social debut would also be ruined from the start. It was clear that someone intentionally did it. ¡°It¡¯s cute compared to an assassination.¡± A good way to stop a lady¡¯s social debut. ¡°Time is¡­. too short to bring a new wagon from the mansion.¡± Kalcion frowned. He was annoyed by the fact that he had to pay attention to such minor things. Getting attacked by a sharp object was a much quicker way to end it. But this¡­ it got into his nerves. If this repeated, what was the difference between death and getting insulted by people? Leaving Kalcion ¨C who ran his fingers through his hair in frustration ¨C Selena paced around the wagon. It was dangerous to wait for a carriage now. However, if she missed today¡¯s banquet as it was, she didn¡¯t know when the next opportunity would knock on her door. The palace entrance was seen in the distance. It wouldn¡¯t make any sense to rent another carriage. ¡®Will it be any better?¡¯ She would appear impressive, but she would most probably be teased forever for this. It¡¯d be no different if she prayed to God. A few seconds later, Selena¡¯s eyes discovered something. Advanced Chapters! Please rate the novel on Novelupdates! Chapter 68 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 68 The horses tied to the wagon caught her eye. Shiny black fur, straight legs, long mane. They looked too beautiful to waste their appearance on dragging a carriage. ¡°Do we have to ride on a carriage?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Selena pointed her hand at the horses. ¡°Can¡¯t we reach there on that horse?¡± Only then did Kalcion, who figured out her intention, smile. ¡°It¡¯s not unprecedented. Most noblemen ride a horse to show off their masculinity.¡± ¡°We already decided that we wouldn¡¯t take care of such manners or procedures. Let¡¯s ride on a horse, then.¡± ¡°Are you going to be okay in that dress?¡± ¡°The horse will jump, not me.¡± ¡°Prepare the horse.¡± Thanks to her cheerful response, Kalcion ordered happily. Dion helped the coachman to loosen the reins that tied the horse to the wagon. Naturally, Selena asked Dion as he handed over the reins to Kalcion. ¡°What about mine?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re not going with His Excellency?¡± ¡°Then why did you bring two of them?¡± ¡°I have to go to the palace, too. I¡¯m an escort!¡± ¡°Oh, just bring one more. I don¡¯t have time.¡± Dion ultimately accepted defeat as she urged. ¡°Do you know how to ride a horse?¡± Kalcion looked at her curiously. As soon as Dion handed her the reins, she climbed up on the horse. It was a bit unstable because there was no saddle, but it wasn¡¯t like she had never ridden a horse without a saddle. She was taught everything during her career. Kalcion also climbed up on the horse, admiring the sleek movements she did just now. ¡°You know how to do everything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at everything one can do with their body.¡± She smiled as she began. Thanks to the slit of her bottoms, she was able to ride in that dress. ¡°This is probably the first time that a lady appeared like this since Count Orien 10 years ago.¡± ¡°You said men ride like this someti-¡­¡­. Oh, was the Count a girl?¡± Kalcion once again admired Selena, who was comfortable enough to talk on a running horse. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s been different since she was young. It is said that she was the most deserved child of the previous Count of Orien. She even went to the battlefield and wielded a sword.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡­ She went to fight herself? Such amazing dignity.¡± ¡°I heard, even if she has aged a little, there¡¯s no one born to defeat her spirit.¡± ¡°I think this is my first time learning about someone so cool in this world. Would she be present today?¡± ¡°I hope so. However, she doesn¡¯t like crowds. She always stands quietly in one corner and is among the first to leave a gathering.¡± It may have nothing to do with catching the criminal, but Selena developed a personal curiosity towards the woman. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ll be having regrets anytime soon.¡¯ She was worried about the distant future of leaving this world behind where she was learning interesting things one after another. ¡°Would we be able to arrive on time?¡± ¡°Yes. With this speed.¡± Time was brief since no other carriages were running behind them. Minutes passed and they finally arrived at the palace. The royal guards were startled to welcome a man and a woman on a horse, not a wagon, but when they recognized Kalcion, they looked less surprised. ¡°Here, invitation.¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s confirmed! Is this your escort?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Escorts can accompany you up to here!¡± ¡°I know. Dion, you should send for another carriage and wait for us.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Selena, as his companion, was passed without any special inspection. After putting the invitation back in his coat, he pulled the reins of the horse to catch the same speed again. ¡°Why are we still speeding up when we¡¯re inside the palace gates?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long way to reach the entrance of the palace hall.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She didn¡¯t waste a minute thinking. Selena quickly followed Kalcion. In the distance, she could see wagons lined up one after the other. Just in time, the door was creaking open for the last carriage. ¡°I can¡¯t say who it is, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯re very excited to think they¡¯re the last to arrive, but I feel sorry for them.¡± Selena could have lost this ridiculous opportunity to brag about money. Selena¡¯s horse sprinted to the right time when the wagon left the spot. A guard thought it was the last visitor when there was no more carriage after that, but when he was about to close the door, the magnificent sound of the horseshoe rang out in the air as if preluding a war. ¡°Wait, wait! Don¡¯t close the door!¡± The urgent cry of the guard rang the party hall. Immediately, it diverted the attention of people from the person who just entered the hall. Selena pulled on the reins to stop the horse. Whine¡ª The surprised horse cried out as it lifted its front limbs. At the sound, everyone turned their head towards the entrance. Selena flashed a smile at them, still sitting on the horse. Her jewels sparkled under the colorful lights at the entrance of the hall. Shining quietly in the rain of light, she momentarily created an illusion of bringing everyone into a land of mystery. Kalcion was the only one unaffected among her spectators. He climbed down the horse, approached Selena, and stretched out his arm. As in a basic courtesy to be escorted inside by her partner, Selena clasped his hand. When his eyes met her shining ones, Kalcion felt her giving his hand a quick squeeze, as if telling him to do it on his own. When she leaned down a little, he wrapped his arm around her waist and gently lifted her off the horse. She was so light in his arms. Not many men actually tried this fairy tale scene. His masculine appearance hugging a woman with one arm with such grace attracted even more attention. Selena smiled satisfactorily as if she had stepped down on the red carpet of an awards ceremony with Kalcion¡¯s arm supporting her. The scene felt so natural. If he was interested in her, she didn¡¯t need to have become an actor in the first place. The pair never lost a single attention from the hall. ¡°I¡¯m with the Duke of Renbird.¡± ¡°Yes, welcome.¡± The guard bowed his head without paying attention to the invitation. ¡°His Excellency is here at the banquet!¡± People were once again shaken by the booming voice of the royal guard. Needless to say, there were quite a few people who were not familiar with Kalcion because he was almost invisible at a gathering. ¡®Is that the Duke of Renbird?¡¯ ¡®Wow, he¡¯s taller than I thought.¡¯ ¡®He lifted her with one arm! Like magic!¡¯ Some began to gossip based on what the rumors said about Kalcion. Many of them were also curious about Selena. ¡®Who is she? What happened to his fianc¨¦e? Are they engaged?¡¯ ¡®What are you saying, she¡¯s already dead.¡¯ ¡®Then, who is that girl?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not sure, but she¡¯s really pretty¡­¡­..¡¯ As she entered the hall, her eyes skimmed around for the person who wanted to be the last one to enter. Since it hasn¡¯t been long since the carriage entered, they¡¯ll be right near the entrance¡­¡­. ¡°Lady Fionel?¡± Selena wasn¡¯t even surprised. Yeah, only Fionel would struggle like that. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as she looked back at Selena and Kalcion. ¡°Ack, oh my gosh!¡± Fionel ¨C who hurriedly came to her senses ¨C abandoned his partner and ran to Kalcion. She grimaced her face at Selena, but it quickly revived when she spotted him. ¡°Did something happen to the carriage? I didn¡¯t know His Excellency would come riding a horse like this.¡± Unlike the one who sent the assassin, the criminal in the wagon case came out too easily. ¡°How did you know that something was wrong with our carriage¡­¡­¡± Selena chuckled under her breath. Fionel stared at Selena before she tried to take a step closer toward Kalcion. Sweetening her voice, she said, ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see His Excellency at this banquet. Let us dance to a song of his choice¡­¡­¡± ¡°The Duke came with me today. Lady Fionel, please don¡¯t keep your partner waiting.¡± Selena chirped, deliberately squeezing Kalcion¡¯s arm with both hands. In order to defeat Fionel, Selena needed to become as childish as possible. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 69 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 69 ¡°Fionel is so pleased to see His Excellency!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re pleased. Now, please allow Selena and His Excellency to try some of the delicious treats over there,¡± before he knew it, Selena came forward and declared before Fionel could meddle in any further. The other guests watched Kalcion obediently following Selena as she led him. ¡°Oh my, he seems completely captured.¡± ¡°I thought the Duke had a stronger demeanor, but it doesn¡¯t seem so true.¡± ¡°My, you haven¡¯t heard? A few days ago, at Diatte¡­¡­¡­¡± Several murmurs and whispers floated in from all corners of the grand hall regarding Selena¡¯s anecdotes around the stores for two consecutive days. Eyes followed her figure even when she had moved from the center to the edge of the room. Selena was enjoying the attention and she was ready to face any upcoming challenge. However, thanks to the distance people maintained for a while, she was able to take a look inside the famous Rose Palace. Indeed, alongside its name for the largest and most splendid palace, the palace seemed to have blossomed with the help of roses. Pillars adorned with carved vine roses and tiles on the floors shaped like a huge blooming rose from the middle. The isomorphic ceiling, made of glass rose crafts casting a shiny hue of light. Even the air was smudged with a subtle scent of rose through the help of incense burners placed in every corner. Sad that she would have to fight in such a beautiful space. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s been a while,¡± a courageous woman greeted Selena, crushing her sensitivity within a moment. Needless to say, it was Rosalyn. She gracefully smiled at Kalcion and Selena, regardless of Kalcion¡¯s unchanged expression. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, though I¡¯m relieved that Your Excellency seems to have been doing well. And, your company here.¡± ¡°Why are you talking like you don¡¯t even know my name?¡± Selena flashed a smile and responded to her equally. None of the women wanted to back down from their positions. The two would have caught fire if their staredown continued a little bit more. Luckily, someone intervened, ¡°Greetings, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Your Highness. Rosalyn, you too.¡± Selena braced herself for the upcoming battles that would soon follow. It was Rosalyn¡¯s turn to respond, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Lirel. We met at the opening party last year, though I don¡¯t know if you remember.¡± She was the first unfamiliar person to appear today. Selena squeezed Kalcion¡¯s arm she was holding, indicating that he now had to say his ¡®lines¡¯ that he had been practicing since he was in the carriage. ¡°Lady Lirel. Nice to meet you.¡± Lirel shuddered as if ecstatic from Kalcion¡¯s deep voice calling her name and fanned her neck to relieve herself. ¡®Ew,¡¯ Selena¡¯s eyes narrowed in displeasure at her ¡°excited¡± reaction. She reacted like Kalcion wouldn¡¯t understand the cause of her excitement, but she forgot that he was accompanied by Selena under the name of his lover. Kalcion, who had learned from Selena, immediately recognized the meaning of Lirel¡¯s actions. However, he had consistently ignored it so far. He didn¡¯t even want to put enough effort into dealing with each one. ¡°This is Selena. Although it¡¯s sudden that I have a partner, I hope you will accompany her since I plan to stay with her forever.¡± Kalcion told her as he had practiced. No mistake, no lie. He sounded very much natural since he didn¡¯t need acting. Of course, it would soon change to ¡°a romantic relationship¡±, thanks to certain members of the society who liked to twist news or rumors. ¡°My name is Selena,¡± taking over Kalcion¡¯s introduction, Selena bowed a little. Lirel¡¯s rude gesture did not wipe off her smile. Lirel smiled coyly, a slight triumph on her face saying ¡®of course, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize.¡¯ Selena never forgot to answer back, gesturing by stroking Kalcion¡¯s forearm with her finger and then touching her lips. She meant, ¡®He¡¯s mine.¡¯ Lirel, who was ignoring her up until now, cleared her throat and quietly lowered her gaze. Her mockery¡ªovershadowed by embarrassment. ¡°Oh my, look who it is. Isn¡¯t it the Duke of Renbird,¡± came another. ¡°This is Selena. She will continue to appear in events as my partner, so I hope you take care of her.¡± ¡°My, Your Excellency¡¯s partner, you must be happy.¡± ¡°Happy, only me? Not His Excellency?¡± ¡°There must be many who dream of accompanying His Excellency. On the other hand¡­¡­ how many would want to accompany Lady Selena? Would there be any?¡± ¡°What¡¯s important is that His Excellency asked me to do it. To the point of begging.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you don¡¯t trust those feelings would last forever. Because all men are the same.¡± Fortunately, they were focused only on the fact that Kalcion was being accompanied by Selena. Thanks to this, no one came to speculate if Selena was his real lover, which she was worried about. Throughout the greetings, Kalcion kept his eyes trained on Selena while she dealt with the daggers that flew her way. ¡®I¡¯m tired,¡¯ it wasn¡¯t difficult to deal with each one, but there were too many. Selena felt like she was dealing with the enemy one after the other at the edge of a cliff. She even wanted to form a line and distribute number tags to them. She couldn¡¯t even relax because she had to find out who was hateful enough to send an assassin after her. She was in a literal battle to dig out all the secrets. By the time her cheeks started to ache, the servants at the entrance gathered at the door in a disciplined posture. The guests closed their mouths and turned their attention to the door. A long carpet¡ªwith a sparkling work of dark navy silk¡ªwas laid starting from the door to the platform at the end. ¡°Oh, has the royal family arrived?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°They really appear like the main character.¡± The servant, stationed at the front of the door for calling out the name of the guests whenever they came in, cleared his throat, ¡°Her Highness and the Princess have arrived!¡± The closed doors creaked open as the musicians started on an elegant tone of the music. Princess Jerryel appeared at the door, holding the queen¡¯s hand, and stepped on the carpet one step at a time as if entering her wedding hall. Everyone at the party bowed their heads in unison. Princess Jerryel walked in a dress decorated with white layers of fabric and countless laces. She resembled a shining star stepping on the carpet that looked like the night sky. Clearly, she prepared too much for the day. ¡®If I could afford the money wasted in such a preparation, I would¡¯ve built a house and run away,¡¯ Selena muttered under her breath as she watched the princess approaching the podium. The servants closed the doors once the queen and the princess stepped inside. After confirming there was no one else to enter the hall, Selena whispered to Kalcion, ¡°No one else is coming?¡± ¡°The king can¡¯t afford to attend places like this.¡± ¡°Why so? Because he¡¯s busy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been suffering from dementia since last year.¡± ¡°Oops,¡± she didn¡¯t know that. That¡¯s why the queen was in a hurry to find a groom for the princess. The king wasn¡¯t dead, and if his memories were affected, the situation would inevitably become more complicated. At this rate, one day, the throne could be handed over to the wrong person. ¡°Then who¡¯s watching the state affairs?¡± ¡°Prince Larsen and the Queen share the post equally. The Crown Prince handles the external matters, while the Queen oversees the interior of the palace.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean the Crown Prince has seized them all?¡± ¡°My personality attracts a lot of enemies.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Selena looked bewildered at his response, so Kalcion asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Impossible. The Duke has a very good personality.¡± Kalcion frowned at her answer. Luckily, he was aware that he was not a good person. ¡°The Prince is not just bad-tempered, he is cruel as well. He doesn¡¯t care what I do.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­,¡± only then did Selena nod. He was very irritable, and his behavior and mindset were the problems. ¡°Is he the type to enjoy his tea while looking at the severed neck of a person?¡± ¡°¡­¡­As far as I know¡­..,¡± he looked back at Selena, embarrassed. ¡°Are there more people like him?¡± ¡°¡­..No, there might be, but I¡¯ve only heard of it¡­..¡± ¡°Great, there hasn¡¯t been such a tyrant so far.¡± ¡°Even subduing one alike isn¡¯t honorable.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 70 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 70 Though the Crown Prince had no close connection with Irelle, he was a strong suspect for aiming at Kalcion. Due to the objective of catching the criminal, Selena might have to lock eyes with him someday. Luckily, he wasn¡¯t someone who would gut out somebody¡¯s insides. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t the Crown Prince show up today?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be the last one to appear. Three of them have never appeared side by side holding hands.¡± ¡°I know that the Queen is afraid of the Prince, but what is the reason?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t stand someone being intrusive. Since the Princess is in the second line of succession, he doesn¡¯t like to catch sight of her reputation.¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s doing pretty well in matters regarding her fame. She also appears to have dressed up thoroughly today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s viable since the Queen still has a large portion of the palace¡¯s internal budget under her grasp. As well as, siphoning various assets.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± purchasing something with the internal budget in the name of the party meant it became her property to use. The Queen was also preparing hard in case she had to face issues in the distant future. As Selena chatted with Kalcion, the Queen and the Princess sat down on the podium. A throne was placed in the middle, while the Queen and the Crown Prince¡¯s chairs were seated on both sides. Next to the Queen was the seat of the Princess. It was time to begin the event, but only half of the seats on the podium were occupied. However, the event could proceed immediately once the royal family entered the hall. Needless to say, the music changed as the performance team entered the middle of the hall to begin. Even with all the performances for the event, it was gentle and boring. But it couldn¡¯t be just omitted because it was a significant part of the event. Selena stood beside the wall and watched the event half-heartedly. The nobles standing afar had similar expressions on their faces. ¡°How long does this performance last?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°I¡¯m dying of boredom.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to end soon.¡± ¡°You did say that the ball dance begins after this is finished,¡± accepting or refusing dance partners and all those trivial conversations were connected and tied to each other. Although she planned to never lose him, Selena hugged Kalcion¡¯s arm tightly, mumbling a pretentious concern, ¡°We should be careful not to lose each other.¡± As he said, after the performance, the music changed to a song for dancing. But no soul stepped on the dancing floor. ¡®What¡¯s with the mood?¡¯ Everyone was looking at the podium as if waiting for something. The Queen stood up gracefully from her seat and gestured to the Princess to stand beside her. ¡°I don¡¯t feel well today, so instead the Princess shall begin the day with the first dance. Unfortunately, not all men of the royal family are present at the moment, so instead of them¡­¡­¡± As the Queen declared, Kalcion and Selena exchanged glances. They began to rush through the crowd before her words were over. They would have got in trouble if they let their guard down. The first dance was performed by the royalty who hosted the party. If the Crown Prince was present, he would have danced with the Queen or the Princess to start the event, but in his absence, it was required to be performed by someone of a lower status than him. Why would the Queen¡ªwho walked through the hall gracefully¡ªsuddenly give away her first dance to the Princess, saying she wasn¡¯t feeling well? It was to force Kalcion¡¯s participation. Kalcion could have easily refused to dance during a play, but he would find it difficult in a hall filled with people. When tied to a rule, too much reputation was intertwined for a rejection. Scared, the two ran along the corridor for a while longer even after they left the main hall of the event. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡­. The Princess won¡¯t be following you here, right?¡± Breathless, she asked as she hid Kalcion behind a pillar in the corridor. The light at the entrance of the party hall became as small as fingernails, but she couldn¡¯t let her guard down. She couldn¡¯t neglect the persistence still instigated in her from her teenage years. Evident from the music of the party, they appeared to have picked up some other person for the dance when they couldn¡¯t find Kalcion anywhere. Breathing out a sigh in relief, she finally turned her head toward the man in question. ¡°I was never asked to dance with the Princess in the previous¨C,¡± he stopped when their eyes met too close. It was only then Selena realized that she had grabbed Kalcion¡¯s collar and pushed him against the pillar. All the while she examined the movements of the party venue, she had pushed her body towards him closer and closer by the minute. And now, she was crushing Kalcion¡¯s body with her own. Kalcion, on the other hand, was holding Selena with his arms open when she turned her head to look at him. Just as magnets come close and stick together after they¡¯re separated from each other, the two seemed to have been tied up by some force¡ªimpossible to be broken apart. With their breaths thinning from the tightening sensation over their chest, Kalcion and Selena stared at each other. Their gazes flitting between their eyes, nose, and mouth. It felt even more mysterious under the moonlight. Both of their eyes seemed deeper than usual. As if you¡¯d be sucked in if you were gazing for too long. Selena¡¯s fist, placed on Kalcion¡¯s chest, was squeezed tighter with the passing seconds. Kalcion¡¯s hands, which had been slouching apart, wrapped around Selena¡¯s back and waist without him noticing it. Just then, the sound of applause floated in from the party. Which caused them to loosen their grips and break apart. ¡°Oh, uh, the dance, I guess it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So, uh, can we go in now?¡± she began to stutter for no reason. She couldn¡¯t find the courage to look at his face, so she didn¡¯t know that she was missing Kalcion¡¯s gaze. She glanced at anywhere but him, ¡°T-This must be a garden attached. Oh, is it a maze garden? It seems nice here, so let¡¯s take a walk before going in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Ah, right¡­¡­. Then, let¡¯s head inside.¡± At least, she was able to see where she was going. As soon as they returned to the party, people rushed in to meet them from all corners. ¡°Where have you been? I wanted to greet you, but I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere.¡± The afterimage of Kalcion¡¯s grayish-blue eyes gazing at her was still shaking her mind, but she quickly pulled herself together and flashed a smile. As soon as she thought of taking a break to dance, a skinny man approached them. The man wasn¡¯t much old, but he looked somewhat intimidated and shabby. It seemed like he had a shadow over his face, in contrast to the lively guests standing beside him. While Selena got busy deciding what face to put on, the man bowed before Kalcion. Recognizing the man, Kalcion hardened his expressions for the first time that day. ¡°It has been a while, Your Excellency. How have you been?¡± ¡°I must ask about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well, thanks to your arrangement,¡± the man, who once again bowed his head, could barely speak out his next words. ¡°¡­¡­.Though it wasn¡¯t easy to send my daughter off¡­¡­.¡± Selena understood who he was. Baron Zion. Lady Irelle¡¯s father. ¡°I have something else to say¡­¡­ but may I ask for a moment of yours?¡± He then glanced at Selena. Having made such a splendid appearance, there was no way for him to not recognize her being Kalcion¡¯s company. And there was no way he was comfortable to see some other women appear in his daughter¡¯s place shortly afterward. ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself to the table. I¡¯m starting to feel hungry.¡± Kalcion nodded after contemplating for a while. ¡°Don¡¯t go outside the hall. Doesn¡¯t matter how many guards are placed, the palace has more concealed spaces than the streets.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± She avoided taking any seat due to her uneasiness. She chose a table¡ªfilled with refreshments and alcohol¡ªwhich had no people around. Standing in a moderately deserted place, she picked up a glass of transparent pink liquid and watched Kalcion get serious on a topic with the Baron. It seemed they had a lot to settle, even when the marriage without love wasn¡¯t achieved. Immediately after the incident, Kalcion did finish organizing before he left the capital, but all things could not be settled in just a few months. Perhaps this part needed to be discussed face to face. For Baron Zion, it would have been difficult to ask Kalcion to meet him. Selena took a sip of her drink. ¡°Hm?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 71 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 71 The taste of the alcohol was better than I expected. I had little chance to drink when I entered this world. Drinking alcohol wasn¡¯t a very common enjoyment in this world, and Kalcion rarely drank. He touched a glass of liquor only at the end of a ceremony. The liquor that touched Selena¡¯s mouth, that was now deeply cleansing her insides, was as delicious as the Dew of Heaven. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be very strong.¡­¡­,¡± the drink hardly had any pungent whiff unique to strong alcohol. Rather, she only received the fragrance of flowers in her mouth and the savory taste at the tip of her tongue. However, the scent was not very strong. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a good one.¡± Indeed, it was a drink worth serving at an imperial banquet. It¡¯s not like the king would allow any cheap drink to be served under his hospitality. Selena was twirling the drink in her glass in admiration when a man approached her, ¡°It seems you like that drink.¡± ¡°I do,¡± She answered, her eyes focused on the people dancing. She kept spinning the glass without looking back at him. First of all, she had to be cautious with her words. Since there was no end to dealing with men like these, the best answer was to build a wall. From the moment she left Kalcion, the men circling her did not show interest in leaving. These kinds of men were persistent even when they were being ignored. ¡°The alcohol served at every royal party has been usually great. The liquor is said to have a stronger scent due to a mixture of special varieties of fruits produced in the regions of Whiten.¡± Bragging about unasked knowledge was basic. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The fragrance of this alcohol¡­.. I think it matches the Lady¡¯s beauty. When I had a glimpse of you from a distance, I couldn¡¯t tell if I was enraptured by the liquor or by your beauty.¡± Neither poetic expressions such as this were touching nor interesting. ¡°Then you must rest if you¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe I should take a rest, but may I dare ask for the honor of relaxing with a flower such as you, My Lady?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. Goodbye.¡± By this time, she was tutored well enough under Mrs. Janet to deliver a polite refusal, but she removed them from her head. She dealt with it with care since it could interfere with her social life if she caught a wrong tone in front of the ladies. But it was useless in front of men. She could never expect any useful information about Irelle from them. At least, she could pick up and collect information of interest from others. But there was no information to expect from men so dull to even stand equal to Kalcion. The man staggered at Selena¡¯s sharp rejection, ¡°I, I¡¯ve never received such a rejection¡­¡­!¡± He whined while Selena clicked her tongue and proceeded to soothe her throat with the alcohol, which she wasted on the useless man. ¡°Bees are always attracted to beautiful flowers.¡± ¡°So are flies. Not beauty, but through the fragrance. Regardless, the nectar is hard to achieve.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡­¡± 1st attack. ¡°A thorny flower is much more attractive. The Lady seems to know her charm better than anyone else.¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m charming even if I harbor thorns.¡± ¡°Good grief, I¡¯d have to get rid of the thorns for myself to achieve such a flower then.¡± ¡°It seems such thorns were affixed because of a man like you.¡± 2nd attack. She could deal with men much easier and clearer than women. People around him laughed under their breath. ¡°My, I wonder how could you refuse so neatly. It was so hilarious to watch that I didn¡¯t realize it until I heard myself laughing,¡± one of them smiled and approached Selena. Did this lady have a pure appreciation at heart or was she just another one of those challenging women? Turning on her calculator, she faced the opponent with a giggle of her own. Moderate attire, modest appearance. Just by looking at her dress, Selena could guess her family¡¯s worth. If she had to divide on the basis of ranks, wouldn¡¯t it be similar to Fionel¡¯s? She didn¡¯t belong to a prestigious family like that of Rosalyn, but she seemed to have her own reputation. To Selena, she didn¡¯t seem bad unless she was hiding her hostility. ¡°Forgive my manners, I am Viorela of the Royle family.¡± ¡°My name is Selena. I¡¯m here on the behalf of the Duke of Renbird.¡± ¡°Of course, I know. You did make such a splendid appearance to be recognized.¡± ¡°There was an accident in the middle, so we had to arrive that way.¡± ¡°Oh no. But it left a rather wonderful impression, so don¡¯t worry. We should get rid of those bad memories with a drink, shall we?¡± Smiling calmly, she raised her glass to Selena. There has been no sign of her feeling attacked or nervous. This is why she would have to wait and see if Viorela was a friend or foe. Selena responded by raising her glass, making a toast with the clink of the glasses. After the toast, people gathered at the table from every direction. ¡°This time, a white horse in my family gave birth to a baby! It was so adorable.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± As in any other meeting, minor stories filled in the conversation. A toast for a baby horse was made once again. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we had such a big party, hasn¡¯t it? Thanks to this, I¡¯m glad to meet people I¡¯ve never met before.¡± ¡°Pleasure to meet you! Shall we make another toast?¡± Once again, the glasses collided. Selena looked around at the people with her lips touching the glass. The people who were gathered around Viorela were very eager to drink. ¡®Ah, a drinking party.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t good for health to drink so much, but there were people known to be proud of them. People who were proud of having enough alcohol dehydrogenase and fresh liver. Feeling the persistent eyes following the tilt of her glass, she smirked to herself as she drank it all at once. Wide eyes gawking at her made her laugh again. ¡®I¡¯ll just drink it for you.¡¯ Selena¡¯s drinking capacity was limitless. Even in the previous world, Selena was famous for her drinking capacity. She wasn¡¯t someone who enjoyed drinking or was eager to get a drink herself, but when she used to drink, she could hold her endlessly. ¡°You drink well. It is but a strong drink, so you¡¯d better be careful.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern. It¡¯s just so delicious.¡± ¡°But drinking it all at once is evidence that you drink well. In that case, shall we make another toast?¡± Selena raised her new glass high. She was about to swallow when Viorela shouted pleasantly, ¡°It was nice meeting you all, let us drink it all at once!¡± It must not be a welcome request, but everyone laughed and followed since they were Viorela¡¯s words. Her glass of strong alcohol was quickly emptied. One of the servants, standing next to her with a bottle of alcohol, filled her empty glass seconds after. While the cup was being filled again, someone yelled out a toast. ¡°Did you know? Showing someone the bottom of your glass means you¡¯re showing them the bottom of your heart.¡± Credits to all the alcohol. A person indeed reveals his heart more in his drunken state, but it was yet to be seen. ¡°Is that so? Can you see my heart?¡± Gulping down her drink, Selena looked back at Viorela. There was no disruption on her face even though she had quite a few glasses. She looked as if she just entered the party. ¡°I can¡¯t help but answer that.¡± And with that, Viorela took another glass. As she drank, people around her followed suit. It didn¡¯t take long before they collapsed one by one, only to be carried away or rushed away to the lounge. Everyone quickly got drunk because of drinking too fast. ¡°Wait, urk¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Imusthurryyy!¡± ¡°I always like to be solo, but when intoxicated, we wake up to a nice day, don¡¯t we? Speaking of which, why do people cut cheese with a knife? If you think about it, you can cut it with a fork or a spoon. Why cut it with a knife? I really want to talk about this, but I like to be alone. Cheese is perfect for drinking alone. Why do you think we should cut cheese with a knife? I¡¯m really keeping myself together right now. That¡¯s why I like solitude. It¡¯s cleaner if you get drunk alone. But you know the cheese.¡± Even though it was a formal party, none of the drunk had control of their words. Selena tilted her glass maintaining the same speed as she glanced at the people who were showing their various drinking habits. Viorela had already fled somewhere and was nowhere to be seen. All that remained were the defeated competitors who were being dragged by the hands of the servants. ¡°I thought we were having fun, but perhaps you¡¯re not feeling well, huh?¡± Selena¡¯s relaxed words confirmed her victory. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 72 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 72 ¡®How is that even possible?!¡¯ The adversaries, who were watching Selena hoping she would make a mistake under the influence of alcohol, were all stunned. People known for their alcohol tolerance took their leave one by one after accepting defeat at Selena¡¯s hand. Although each of them was a higher aristocrat, some could be placed into groups. Rosalyn and Fionel belonged to one, while Viorela belonged to another, just as Selena expected initially. Just like intervening in the salon, she also had to endure some humiliation at the beginning of intervening in a herd. Otherwise, she had to look for some medium to get accepted in a group. In Selena¡¯s case, it was neither here nor there. Though she had stronger support from the Duke of Renbird, she was not officially announced as his lover or fianc¨¦e. She was beautiful, yet serene while riding a horse. She was a commoner and had a poor financial situation, yet she showed no interest in losing her strong pride. And now, she could even defeat others with her capacity to drink. Everything was organized for her like water, and it caused a stir in the natural flow of the social ecosystem. Due to the emergence of a foreign species that was disturbing the ecosystem. ¡®Would it be alright to invite her into our group?!¡¯ Everyone stood silent with their heads rattling to make calculations. Someone should invite her to their group. From which she was going to receive an invitation for a weekly gathering. She was sure of it. At the moment, she knew nothing of other gatherings. However, since the party had not even begun in earnest, there were still many opportunities to appeal. ¡®I wonder how long I have to stay here.¡¯ Selena lifted her eyes to sneak a glance at Kalcion. ¡®Haa, oh God,¡¯ Baron Zion bowed his head, his shoulders¡ªtrembling. It wasn¡¯t the time to step back in yet. Meanwhile, since she drank so much, she needed to excuse herself to the restroom. She was reluctant to bother Kalcion to go to the restroom, but walking alone here would also be dangerous. But unfortunately, Kalcion showed no signs ending his conversation, and her bladder had no mercy to hold on. ¡®The restroom won¡¯t be that far from the party, and people will keep coming in and out.¡¯ Eventually, she decided to leave the party alone. I wanted to ask a servant for directions to the restroom, but she couldn¡¯t find a single one in her vicinity. This is what happens when you¡¯re in a hurry. She couldn¡¯t wait anymore. Once she became conscious, it began to get more urgent. ¡®Let¡¯s look for it first! It¡¯ll come out if I wander around. If it doesn¡¯t work, there¡¯s a maze garden over there.¡¯ Out of nowhere, Fionel popped up in front of Selena, who was about to leave the party. ¡°What happened? Did you lose? Are you going to cry?¡± She constantly teased Selena in her original tone since there was no one watching. Regardless, an emergency light was blaring red in her head. She passed by Fionel and went out to the corridor, and Fionel followed me there. ¡°You want to leave? It¡¯s not too late, so just go home calmly¡­¡­. Ack!¡± Come to think of it, Fionel would be familiar with the directions. She also had no want for blood. There was no one better than her who could direct Selena to the bathroom. She was familiar with the palace and she was easy to manipulate. Selena turned to grab her prey¡ªFionel. ¡°Thank God we met. Let¡¯s talk quietly. Follow me to the bathroom. I won¡¯t hit you if you stay calm.¡± ¡°You, l-let go off me! I¡¯m not going with you!¡± ¡°Okay, go ahead. Let¡¯s chat while we¡¯re on the way.¡± Fionel, stupid as ever, was easily caught in Selena¡¯s tricks. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to go unless you told me to? Let go! Let go! I can go on my own!¡± Fionel, after shaking off Selena¡¯s grip, took the lead and ran towards the restroom. Selena smiled satisfactorily as she followed Fionel. No matter how urgent it was, she could never ask Fionel to take her to the restroom. The way to the bathroom was longer and more complicated than she thought. If Fionel had not been put forward, she would have given up in the middle and gone to the garden instead. She passed through the corridor, entered the other side of the building, passed through the winding corridor there, and appeared outside a bathroom inside a room made into a lounge. Fionel didn¡¯t know if Selena came to a deserted place to start an argument, but thanks to her, Selena was able to come this far without anyone watching. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you tell me now? I¡¯ve said this before, but I don¡¯t think you really care for your life¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Selena hurried into the restroom, leaving Fionel alone. ¡°W-What? What was that?¡± Speechless, Fionel stared blankly at the closing of the bathroom door. The fact that she was used as a guide for the restroom beat her late. ¡°You, you used me! Have you no fear!¡± ¡°Oh, great.¡± Finishing her business in the meantime, Selena faced Fionel with a refreshing look. Earlier, she was planning to use her as a guide because she was in a hurry, but now, she had something to discuss with Fionel. ¡°I must thank you for your advice last time. You¡¯re not the worst girl, seeing that you guided me to the restroom like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. How did His Excellency pick up a human being like you?¡± ¡°People always happen to pick up the outstanding stones scattered across the ground.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a compliment. One thing that stands out in the society even though it has nothing, is poison.¡± ¡°Why poison?¡± Fionel went silent as if she was asked a decisive question. Selena¡¯s smirk disappeared. Clearly from her attitude, she was convinced that Fionel knew something. ¡°How much do you know for you to say it like that?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Fionel, who was struggling with her answer, became as quiet as a stone. ¡°You, Rosalyn, and even the Queen said the same thing.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°That I could die.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s so weird. For every one of them to say that I would perish if I stayed associated with the Duke.¡± Fionel still kept her mouth shut. However, rather than being stubborn, she was next to losing her nerves. With a little hope to gain something, anything, Selena stepped closer to Fionel. Meeting her eyes, she whispered in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you think they¡¯re saying that because they know the reason Irelle¡¯s dead? ¡­..I certainly had that thought.¡± ¡°How can I know that? It was a suicide. Didn¡¯t you hear?¡± Fionel finally spoke. ¡°I heard. But does a person just die out of nowhere? She must¡¯ve had a reason.¡± ¡°She died alone. How do you expect me to know the reason?¡± ¡°Is that so? Then why did you say I was going to die?¡± Fionel was wordless again. Selena could read fear and anger in Fionel¡¯s eyes. Why would Fionel be afraid and angry at her while threatening her? She couldn¡¯t understand. Fionel couldn¡¯t avoid Selena¡¯s burning gaze. ¡°I did warn you. Not to be reckless.¡± Then she declared, emphasizing each syllable. ¡°Back then, I think you also asked if I had a rich and strong background. Well, now that I have the Duke¡¯s money and support, don¡¯t you think I¡¯ll be safe?¡± ¡°How long do you think it will last? I saw you today, you were about to go out by yourself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I can settle down.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Fionel, who had been shifting to a corner, suddenly lowered her voice and came a step closer. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business whether you live or die. But I don¡¯t want to harm His Excellency¡¯s honor because of a thing like you, and even if you die, I don¡¯t want to spare a thought in your honor.¡± ¡°The Duke will take care of it.¡± ¡°That is the reason I hate you even more. Why can¡¯t you at least have sincere feelings for His Excellency? I¡¯m worried that he would collapse while taking care of your greed because he cares about you.¡± Selena knew Fionel was serious about Kalcion. Kalcion was aware of it too, so he could not treat Fionel badly. But what she just said wasn¡¯t because of her jealousy of being rejected over someone else. Selena quickly read between her lines. ¡°Irelle, what was she so greedy for?¡± Since the marriage was political, it was natural for Irelle to yearn for Kalcion¡¯s money. She must have been obvious and collected a lot of sum until she got a seat in the numerous stores that initially rejected Selena. However, considering Kalcion¡¯s financial status, there wasn¡¯t a path that could lead to her death even with that much greed. ¡°Why do I have to tell you? Oh, I really want you to die right now, but it would be difficult since you¡¯re tied up with His Excellency. Guess I¡¯m the one who should die.¡± Sighing, Fionel pushed away Selena¡¯s shoulder. Selena¡¯s body, which was defenseless, staggered back. In the meantime, Fionel darted away like an arrow and pushed the door of the lounge. Just before she deserted Selena in the room, Fionel left two words as though she was a bit concerned. ¡°Be careful of men.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 73 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 73 ¡°What?¡± Fionel closed the door behind her instead of answering. ¡®Men?¡¯ That was unexpected. ¡®Men, men¡­..¡¯ Selena wandered around the lounge, fumbling with her thoughts. Irelle with men? It didn¡¯t seem to add up. How could Irelle, who was known to be timid, be with men? ¡°She became impatient because she couldn¡¯t seduce men,¡± Selena recalled Juna¡¯s gossip. She felt bad every time she heard about it, so she thought Juna had a grudge against Irelle. But wasn¡¯t Juna just cursing because she thought Irelle was going to damage the Duke¡¯s reputation? ¡°I would go to any lengths to protect the honor of the family,¡± Mrs. Janet¡¯s stern face also came to her mind. Irelle was supposed to be engaged to Kalcion, but she also got to know the taste of the Capital¡¯s society in this process. She might have developed some kind of relationship with another man. It was a political marriage without the play of any emotions. Having a lover before marriage could be pointed out as a flaw, but it was not a reason for the breakup. Then, more than just having a lover, something worse happened, and Mrs. Janet killed her because she couldn¡¯t see it? All the alibis in the room were pointing towards Mrs. Janet. But Kalcion was determined that she could never do such a thing. Was it a murder or a suicide? Either way, it¡¯s true that she died in her room. Given the premise that Mrs. Janet witnessed the scene, it could be narrowed down to one of the two. ¡®Either she was a cooperative or a bystander.¡¯ If it was a murder, either she pretended not to see the killer or she might have helped. If Irelle was creating a scandal with a man, she might have been sincere about removing her. The same was true for suicide as well. She might have been a spectator waving a hand at Irelle as she perished. ¡°Men, huh. I should speak about these men first¡­¡­¡± Since she was attending a gathering, Selena needed to get a little closer to the men who knew Irelle more accurately than anyone else. She could meet Mrs. Janet any time she wanted, but it was hard to see precious people in society. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the party.¡± Thinking she had found a clue, she opened the lounge door to follow the sound of music to get back to the hall. ¡°¡­..Huh?¡± But there was nothing in the hallway she could see or hear. No music, no lights from the party hall. It was just the crackle of the lanterns that lit the hallway. ¡°¡­¡­I came that far?¡± Unlike her arrival, there was no end to the hallway. The deserted hallway remained silent like an ancient bomb. Selena stepped into the hallway, stretching out her hand to grab one of the many lanterns. It fluttered dangerously when she picked it up. If the fire went out, she would be stuck here forever. Wasn¡¯t this a perfect place for a person to be murdered? In such a dark hallway and without a single witness? ¡°Screw you, Fionel. You knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to find my way back, so you left me alone, right?¡± Selena deliberately spoke aloud, her steps making loud strides as well. Even so, she was bluffing. If someone shoots an arrow from behind, it¡¯s a game over. She was walking twice as slow, fumbling in the dark. However, she was afraid of stumbling in fear of the danger lurking around. She reached the end of the hallway only to be faced with a forking hallway. ¡°Oh, which way, which way is it?¡± She also tried to listen carefully in case she heard the music from afar. But the soundproofing was perfect. Was it because it was a palace? She stopped walking as she heard footsteps at the end of a hallway. ¡®Is that a servant? Perhaps another guest on their way to the restroom?¡¯ Or an assassin. At that time, the person who appeared at the end of the hallway spoke first. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± His voice was heavy. If Kalcion¡¯s voice was an ice cave, this man¡¯s voice was a damp cave that was an escape from the hot sunlight. Just by hearing his voice, Selena felt a refreshing breeze blowing in from the end of the hallway. He sounds like a good person! With that, she approached the man. ¡°Ah, I¡­¡­..!¡± As he discovered Selena¡¯s splendid beauty, the man walked the rest of the distance to her. ¡°Are you one of the guests?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I am!¡± ¡°What are you doing here? This is not a place for guests to visit.¡± The man seemed troubled. ¡°Uh¡­¡­,¡± Selena opened her mouth in surprise at the appearance of the man whose shine did not fade even in the fluttering light. Compared to Kalcion, he had a sleek and hard physique, smooth jawline, deep blue eyes, and soft lips. He was a blonde¡ªhis hair yellow like ripe grain fluttering under the autumn sun, and his eyes¡ªdeep blue yet glistening like the sun floating in the sky. Kalcion was not human based on his appearance. He was perfect enough to be evaluated, but how could this man be so handsome? He had an admirable face that could give rise to a thousand emotions. Did she move to another level to encounter him? His charming face was enough to make everyone fall in love with him. No matter what he did for a living. ¡°Lady, are you all right?¡± As Selena blankly stared at him, the man leaned closer to her face with eyes filled with concern. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m okay! I was frightened, and I was wandering in the hallway because I was lost, but luckily, you showed up¡­¡­,¡± Selena answered the man as she came to her senses. She lived thinking that she had seen all the attractive people in the world, but it was more than that at a cosmic level. ¡°Ah, I see. The banquet is being held far from here in the opposite direction.¡± No wonder she found no end to the hallway. ¡°How did you come all the way here?¡± ¡°I came to use the restroom, and I was in a hurry. But when I tried to get back, the person who came with me disappeared.¡± ¡°I see. Is this your first time at the palace?¡± ¡°Yes, this is my first time¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Hm, people often wander around during their first time. There is a restroom beside the hall, not this way. It would have been better for you to be guided there.¡± As expected, Fionel was to be blamed for this. But Selena wasn¡¯t very angry. She was able to relieve herself, and she also met a handsome man like him. ¡°Let me show you the way to the hall.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­ You¡¯re not attending the party, it seems. Perhaps you¡¯re working in the palace?¡± The man blinked before he smiled and nodded at her words. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been working because my work was delayed.¡± ¡°Are you not going to the party after work? I heard that most nobles were invited to this party¡­¡­¡± ¡°I harbor that thought as well. As it seems I found you, My Lady, when I left the room to get ready.¡± She left a hallway as she chatted with the man. In the distance, she could see the shining lights of the hall and hear the faint sound of the music. Looking around, she saw that it was the end of the corridor where she was walking hectic. ¡°I believe you can go alone from here, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know the way from here. Weren¡¯t you on your way to the party?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to get prepared first. We still have time before the main event of the founding festival.¡± ¡°Then the dance wasn¡¯t the end.¡± ¡°Of course. There¡¯d still be a long way to go, so I hope you stay until the end and enjoy yourself before anything.¡± The man explained kindly as if he was the host of the party. Selena was glad to have met a person who knew how to deliver a polite greeting for the first time in a long while. ¡°I will, thank you. I was able to find my way back safe without any trouble, and for that, you have my gratitude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also an honor for me to help the Lady.¡± Armed with perfect manners, the man placed a light kiss on her hand before he turned around. Selena stared at the man¡¯s back for a while, before shivering and turning herself around. He had the right personality as well as the right face. Come to think of it, people here introduce each other starting with their names, but the man neither revealed his name nor he asked hers. ¡®I guess he forgot,¡¯ she shrugged it off. She forgot about the man as she neared the hall. ¡°Selena!¡± Kalcion¡¯s voice startled her as soon as she entered the hall. ¡°Oh, Duke.¡± ¡°Where were you? Didn¡¯t I warn you about the palace!¡± Her eyes widened at the sight. Kalcion looked like he was worried sick for real. It was not an act. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 74 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 74 ¡°Oh¡­.. I¡¯m sorry¡­.. I was in the restroom¡­¡­ I met Fionel on the way and we went together. I was a little late because I got lost on my way here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen you drag Fionel out.¡± ¡°Then what were you worried about?¡± ¡°Fionel came back alone. Even after a long while, you didn¡¯t appear.¡± Even though Selena calmed him with a smile, there was no end to his interrogation. Was it because of the palace where his influence could not be deemed absolute? He was more sensitive than usual. Although she was wandering in the hallway, Selena was not away from the party for very long. The time she spent drinking was much longer. Everyone who was paying attention to Selena knew. Thanks to this, Kalcion was seen as a man who could not bear separation from Selena for a single moment. So apparently, Fionel played a beneficial role in their plan by deliberately taking Selena to a distant restroom and leaving her wandering. Selena beamed, smiling in the cutest way possible. ¡°Oh my, were you worried? How is it that you wouldn¡¯t let me use the restroom my way, Duke? Besides, it¡¯s not like the Duke can accompany me.¡± ¡°That¡­ I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Not so sure about that.¡± Selena giggled, tapping his chest playfully. He hired Selena only to gain information on his personal case, but through his actions without certain hidden facts, he looked like an impatient man unable to stay away from his lover for a moment. Selena kept giggling at the fact that he wasn¡¯t even aware. ¡°If you¡¯re so worried, why didn¡¯t you let me stay next to you? It¡¯s the Duke¡¯s fault for separating me.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡­ I was with Baron Zion. There was a situation. This won¡¯t happen again. And, don¡¯t ever act on your own.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Whether she was his mistress or lover, the Duke of North was found to be clinging to her. The fact that she was able to tame him like this led her to claim the nickname of the temptress of the century. ¡®I wonder if you¡¯d attract more men if you¡¯re called the femme fatale.¡¯ Once again, she was reminded of the words Fionel left her with, ¡°Be careful of that man.¡± Now that she recalled, should she also have been careful with the man she met in the hallway? The man¡ªlike a prince charming on a white horse¡ªcame to her rescue in a frightening situation. He looked so handsome that she lost her reason. ¡°Oh, in the hallway¨C,¡± she thought she should let Kalcion know before anything happened. But she was interrupted by the servant evoking the atmosphere of the hall. ¡°His Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived!¡± Only the presence of the Crown Prince was needed to start the festival since the King was bedridden due to his dementia. Her mouth closed after inadvertently eyeing the Crown Prince. ¡°In the hallway?¡± Kalcion, who was still carefully listening to Selena, enquired. ¡°That man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.The Prince?¡± ¡°We met.¡± Selena couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the Crown Prince, who was shining more brilliantly than he did in the hallway. ¡°¡­¡­.He¡¯s the Crown Prince? No, I¡¯m sure it was him.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I met him in the hallway, and he helped me when I lost my way.¡± ¡°The Prince did?¡± Kalcion, who finally understood, turned to the Crown Prince with wrinkles on his forehead. ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°He was very kind and polite.¡± ¡°The Prince?¡± Kalcion, who was repeatedly looking at Selena and the Prince, opposed again. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Well then, something impossible actually happened.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way. The person who killed a poor servant just because he couldn¡¯t get out of his way to pick up the trash and later accused him of an attempted assassination?¡± Selena shook her head the same way as Kalcion in response to his incredible reaction. ¡°I¡¯m also very flustered right now. He looks so handsome when he talks. If I¡¯d known, I would have tried to dig up something else.¡± ¡°Handsome?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh? Yes.¡± Kalcion¡¯s face was now at maximum discomfort. ¡°That is called handsome?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the Crown Prince is trouble, he is handsome.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too impetuous and easy to say that he¡¯s handsome? I thought you said I was handsome.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­ that¡¯s true¡­¡­, but is it something that needs careful consideration?¡± Kalcion did not insist on that. However, it was evident that the words, ¡°The Crown Prince is handsome¡± were making him very uncomfortable. ¡°The Duke is more handsome.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She teased because he was getting seriously annoyed, but it worked. The depth of the wrinkles on his forehead quieted down. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not a problem that the Crown Prince is handsome. The problem is that I ran into him without any knowledge. I could¡¯ve died.¡± As a matter of fact, the Prince did not look as cruel as Kalcion described. Rather, Selena¡¯s first impression of him was a charming prince on a white horse. And, he was actually a prince. ¡®There must be something.¡¯ Kalcion¡¯s description of Irelle was completely different from Juna¡¯s description. However, with the information she was gaining, Selena began to see why the story had a turning point. ¡®I¡¯m positive that the Crown Prince has a role to play here.¡¯ However, poking him for information wouldn¡¯t do good since she could put her life in danger if she approached him poorly. Could she not return to her world without losing her head in this world? ¡°What¡¯s the difference now that we met each other?¡± ¡°At least losing your life would have done less.¡± She should have suspected him of walking so freely through the sparse palace. Who knew that she would encounter the most likely suspect so easily? He also said that he was working in the palace. Of course, he would because he was a crown prince. Preparing for the event meant that he was on his way to dress up as a prince. The gold on his shoulders and splendid accessories over his chest were sparkling under the lights. A sword closely embedded with jewels hung from his waist. He was the only one to carry a sword at this party. That must be one of the privileges of being the crown prince. People bowed their heads more deeply than when the queen and the princess appeared. The harmonious ripe atmosphere quickly subsided as if the hall was suddenly submerged in water. Among them, the Crown Prince took slow strides toward the podium like a fish that could never be killed through suffocation alone. ¡°You must have been very busy. Welcome,¡± The Queen greeted him with a smile. ¡°With more and more responsibilities on my shoulders. I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡± The Crown Prince replied with a smile the same as hers. The Queen and the Prince looked almost of the same age. If a stranger saw them together, he could never see them be related as a mother and a child. Rather, it made more sense for them to be depicted as a couple. The Prince¡¯s gaze at his stepmother, who was similar to his age, was cold. Even though she meant no threat to him, he had the utter determination to remove her. That cold glare Selena noticed disappeared in a moment, and the Crown Prince took his seat. A servant approached and filled his glass. Then he raised his glass and began his speech. ¡°Today is the day to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Arkline Kingdom. Since the time of founding King, Arkline has made remarkable progress. Not to mention, there was a time when Arkline¡¯s name was shaken.¡± His tone was calm as if he was only talking to the person next to him. However, there was none who didn¡¯t listen to his every word. That was how powerful he was. ¡°But that will not be allowed to happen again. Arkline will be reborn as the greatest and most powerful nation in history, and in the process, all those who stand in the way shall be punished.¡± His speech was already like a King¡¯s. The nobles bowed deeply at the declaration to assure that there would be no tolerance for those who challenged the throne. The Crown Prince looked back at the people with a satisfied look on his face and shouted briefly. ¡°Hail Arkline.¡± All the nobles straightened up and raised their arms high in response to the Prince¡¯s words. ¡°Hail Arkline!¡± ¡°Hail Arkline!¡± The music returned with a signal of the man¡¯s voice, and the frozen atmosphere regained its vitality. As the Prince said, the event began in earnest, with spectacular and grand performances incomparable to the beginning. Fireworks were also lit outside the hall. Whenever the fireworks burst into flames out in the sky, cheers were heard even outside the royal palace. ¡°Guess it¡¯s also a festival for people outside.¡± ¡°Of course. Foundation Day has been the biggest event in the whole kingdom.¡± The mood inside the hall warmed up even more before the arrival of the prince. Mixed with the sound of laughter, excitement, and dancing steps. People who were initially clinging to Selena also continued their way of celebrating. Many approached with curiosity. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t the two of you dancing?¡± ¡°Your Excellency has never danced before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that His Excellency can¡¯t dance, he just doesn¡¯t.¡± Those who burst into laughter were opponents of Selena. ¡®The Duke doesn¡¯t dance, but it doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t.¡¯ The fight should not be ignored. She could ignore it only if her position was much higher than her opponents. Otherwise, she must deal with it with all her might and eliminate the cause for her opponents to pick up a fight with her. ¡°I suppose, I did take lessons but I couldn¡¯t dance just once, huh?¡± Selena shook off Kalcion¡¯s arm like she was throwing off a tantrum. Just in time, a song ended, and people scattered away from the dance floor. Kalcion reached out his hand, ¡°you can.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 75 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 75 Selena smiled broadly as Kalcion reached out before she took his hand. ¡°Finally, His Grace decides to dance with me. I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment. Pardon me, I¡¯ll have to be away for a moment,¡± she deliberately asked for the guests¡¯ understanding who were laughing because she couldn¡¯t dance. ¡°Ahem, ahem. Yes, have a great time.¡± Leaving her opponents behind, who could not continue their mockery, Selena climbed to the floor with Kalcion. Kalcion¡ªwho had never danced in his life, and Selena¡ªa new hot topic who just happened to appear today, were successful in drawing people¡¯s attention to them. Curious eyes followed them as they walked to the floor. ¡°You¡¯re not nervous, are you?¡± Selena smiled playfully as his large palm hugged her waist. Kalcion smiled as though he heard something very bland. The dance song immediately began. Even during Mrs. Janet¡¯s lesson, she was said to have the perfect knowledge of ball dancing. Her dance moves were smooth as nature. So she wasn¡¯t really nervous even though it was her first time dancing in front of people. Although the basic etiquette of a banquet is dance, there is a wide difference between the physical ability and sense of two given people. No matter how well you¡¯ve learned, there is always a distinction between those who are good and those who are bad. Some draw a more beautiful style with the same gesture, while others do not. Selena¡¯s style was like swaying and fluttering in a soft wind. She was a natural at drawing attention, she didn¡¯t have to make a big gesture or bold move to stand out. Her movements were much more elegant than a single bold move could show off. ¡°This dance seems fun,¡± Selena smiled as she spun to match Kalcion¡¯s lead. Kalcion¡¯s dance was very blunt, but was diverse and was capable of making full utilization of the space. She did hear that using your body was necessary for this, but he danced as though he was wielding his sword most efficiently. Selena was able to feel his dance the best. It seemed bold, but it did not miss the delicacy. Although invisible to the spectators, it was delivered very well through the touch of their bodies. ¡°I¡¯m glad you find it enjoyable.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s going to be the only happy memory I have of this party.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be an honor,¡± a smile grazed his lips as well. He did not care how surprised people were to see his smile from afar. After the song was over, the two stopped and bowed to each other. A few among the watchers started to clap inadvertently, but came to their senses and covered their awkwardness with a dry cough. Selena was about to return to her original position, but she had to stop when a familiar voice spoke up. ¡°Great dance, I see. It was so because I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes from you.¡± ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince.¡± The busy person¡ªsurrounded by women¡ªdeliberately walked all the way here. It was hard to believe that they caught his eye. Selena and Kalcion politely bowed their heads to greet the Crown Prince. ¡°I¡¯m Selena. Apologies for my insolence in the hallway¡­.., because it was my first time in the palace, I couldn¡¯t recognize Your Highness¡­¡­¡± The Prince¡¯s gaze pierced across her face, ¡°you are the mountain bird of Renbird.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon? Mountain bird¡­..?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what rumors say. A mountain bird that flew in one day out of nowhere, it was so adorable and beautiful that the Duke couldn¡¯t allow it to leave.¡± Rumors were circulating about her. However, it was her first time to hear such rumors in person. She never expected to learn that from the mouth of the Crown Prince. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before, forgive me, I couldn¡¯t tell Your Highness earlier.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for. I was discourteous in the hallway because it was cute to see you wandering around. We both didn¡¯t recognize each other, so be at ease.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The Prince reacted with much more common sense than expected. According to Kalcion¡¯s explanation, he would¡¯ve threatened Selena¡ªwhether he ignored her identity earlier for a reason or not. Instead of attacking Selena, the Prince flashed a¡ªshining¡ªsmile before he turned to Kalcion. ¡°You¡¯ve taken quite an important step, Duke. This time, it seems neither the crazy monsters attacked the castle of Renbird nor did the wall break down because of an avalanche.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Selena solemnly bowed her head. They were great excuses, but they were significantly less realistic. You could tell that they were insincere excuses without even trying. Up until now, the Crown Prince did not have a chance to kill him even when he refused the invitations with such excuses. ¡°No. Even if the Castle of Renbird had collapsed, you would¡¯ve come rushing to show off your beautiful partner.¡± He joked lightly, but it was a trap. If so, it meant he was readily admitting his disgrace, and if not, it meant he was denying the Crown Prince¡¯s evaluation. Nervous, Selena waited for Kalcion¡¯s answer. Since it wasn¡¯t a secret conversation, she had no time to intervene. Kalcion just tilted his head, but he did not deny it. ¡°The Duke is still silent. I thought you¡¯d enjoy sharing a few words since we met face to face a long time after.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not good at speaking.¡± Kalcion¡¯s method was valid. Stupid silence can sometimes be placed closer to obedience than smooth excuses. The heaviness in the air was released. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know you. Will you give me the honor of dancing to a song with Lady Selena as a penance?¡± ¡°How dare I block the will of Your Highness?¡± ¡°Since I received permission from your partner, Lady Selena, will you allow it?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be my honor,¡± Selena was willing to hold the Prince¡¯s hand. His dance request was beneficial to her in many ways. First, it would imprint an image of Selena as ¡®a woman who danced with the Prince¡¯ in the minds of people who did not know her properly. It must not be that the Crown Prince danced with anyone. Thus, it would be ¡®a small number of chosen ones.¡¯ When the Prince stepped up, others who were dancing quickly cleared the floor for him. He effortlessly pulled Selena¡¯s waist as if all of that were so natural. ¡°I hope the Duke doesn¡¯t use a sword like this, does he?¡± ¡°Is His Highness aiming to do that for me?¡± Her eyes widening, she asked as she pretended to know nothing. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, of course. If I face the Duke with a sword, I won¡¯t use you as an excuse.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I wish to live a peaceful and enjoyable life.¡± ¡°Oh my, then you picked the wrong partner.¡± ¡°Renbird is quiet.¡± ¡°But not the Duke¡¯s surroundings, no. Doesn¡¯t the Lady already attract this much attention just because she¡¯s a partner of Duke Renbird?¡± The Prince smiled pleasantly as he spun her around and held her waist. Even while talking, he continued dancing without making any mistakes. The Crown Prince was elegant. There was no blockage between his and her movements, and Selena¡¯s body was never moved beyond her capability. Objectively, he danced a hundred times better than Kalcion. She did enjoy dancing with Kalcion, but it was emotionless. For him, she was just a tool to be moved with the beat. Whereas the Prince danced with the feel of the music. Not only did he look handsome, but his moves were also smooth. ¡°Rather than a prince charming, wouldn¡¯t the Duke of the North be quieter?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Prince charming.¡± Perhaps because it was sincerely funny, the Crown Prince laughed out loud. His eyes glowed as he looked down at Selena. He looked like a child when he had found an interesting toy to play with. ¡®I¡¯m so unlucky.¡¯ She had nothing to lose if she chatted more with the Crown Prince. But it wasn¡¯t a good thing for him to be too interested. ¡°That¡¯s what your eyes said in the hallway, but they changed after you came to know my identity. May I ask which one is real?¡± ¡°The Prince looks handsome as ever as my eyes convey.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not bad to hear. The Duke¡¯s mountain bird cries prettier than I could expect.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a compliment, thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame that it is in the hands of the Duke.¡± Her smile, which she was holding on with all her might, was incontinence. ¡®What is he doing right now?¡¯ He just met her, and he was playing tricks in a place where Kalcion was definitely watching. Although she did not collapse, the Crown Prince must have noticed the slight dip of her expression. He squeezed her hand, ¡°No, not yet? Since you two aren¡¯t engaged, I might have a chance.¡± Now, the dizziness in her head wasn¡¯t because she was dancing round and round. ¡®What is this crazy¡­¡­?¡¯ The words I couldn¡¯t say out loud spun around my throat. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand.¡± ¡°All you have to do is say that you like me.¡± ¡®This is insane¡­¡­.¡¯ It was not difficult for her to deal with him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to say¡­¡­, Your Highness and I met for the first time today¡­..¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I was too hasty. However, if you take too much time, you might not be able to stick to the Duke at all, you¡¯d fall apart. Kindly acknowledge your urgent feelings.¡± ¡®Wow, this is really crazy¡­..¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 76 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 76 Selena was being swayed around by the Crown Prince¡¯s hand like a broken doll, forced to continue dancing. The song seemed ¡®too short¡¯ when she danced with Kalcion, while this was exceptionally long. He was kind when she first met him in the hallway, but he was not this clingy. Perhaps because he found out that Selena was Kalcion¡¯s woman. What was his reason to approach her, now that he found that Selena belonged to Kalcion? She was very concerned. ¡®Is he suspicious?¡¯ Selena¡¯s appearance in the scene was quite unnatural. Kalcion¡ªusually uninterested in women¡ªsuddenly brought her as his guest, saying he had found her in the mountains, took her side in whatever she did, and even brought her to the Capital for her to accompany him as his partner. Less than two months after his prospective fianc¨¦e was dead. Selena¡¯s beauty was the only explanation for his sudden actions. ¡®She possesses such beauty, even Duke Renbird lost his mind!¡¯ This was how everyone could be convinced. However, if you look closely, you may notice that there was a loophole in this excuse. It may have looked strange to the eyes of the Crown Prince who was aiming for Kalcion. If he was directly involved with Irelle¡¯s case, Selena¡¯s sudden appearance could have been suspicious enough. ¡°I wonder where such a perfectly beautiful woman was born, it leaves me amazed. Why haven¡¯t I seen you before?¡± ¡°Your Highness has heard about me, doesn¡¯t he know anything about me?¡± ¡°I only heard your name.¡± He looked like he was telling the truth. Selena was rather confused about how far she should believe and how much she should doubt. He looked too naive to be one of the most likely suspects. ¡°I¡¯m not an aristocrat. I¡¯m a commoner, so this is my first time at a gathering.¡± ¡°Really? Though you have such perfect manners, speech, and dance skills?¡± ¡°I wish I knew how to reply to your lavish compliment.¡± Selena also decided to play along. Like a commoner girl who first met the prince, ashamed yet thrilled. ¡°In the beginning, I was scolded by my teacher and taught not to tarnish the Duke¡¯s name at any cost. Perhaps it was beneficial. Later, she couldn¡¯t say anything because I became too good.¡± ¡°It mustn¡¯t have taken that long, but it seems amazing. I think you¡¯re a genius. Which means, I¡¯ve met a talent from Arkline.¡± The Prince chuckled. He seemed to have no care about the means and methods to maintain power. Even Kalcion, who was a quiet resident of the north, never kept his guards down in case of an unexpected threat. She heard the Prince controlled people¡¯s lives whenever he felt like it. Looking at him now, he nowhere seemed to commit those things. Just like how she first met him, he was kind and friendly. ¡®Since it¡¯s suspicious, should I approach him kindly¡­¡­?¡¯ Even so, was there a need to be kind while killing your temper so perfectly? After the song ended, the Prince returned to his previous demeanor and did not forget his manner of escorting Selena to Kalcion. ¡°You¡¯re a lucky man to have such a beautiful and talented lady next to you. Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Kalcion looked back at Selena with a confused expression. ¡°Oh my, you had Selena by your side without knowing her true value?¡± ¡°I must have shown Your Highness the true value I didn¡¯t know I had.¡± ¡°Well, see you at the Duke¡¯s,¡± the Prince kissed Selena¡¯s hand without giving an accurate answer as if teasing her. ¡°I enjoyed today¡¯s dance, thanks to you. I hope we have another chance like this.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Nothing more would make me happy.¡± After he bowed, the Crown Prince calmly went to the other side. However, the aftermath he left created a great ripple as if a rock had been thrown into a calm lake. Even though she danced to only one song, she felt exhausted and wanted to lie down. ¡°I think that¡¯ll be enough for my debut. I hope one of these curious people will be courageous.¡± If she received an invitation to a party of a suitable family, today¡¯s goal would be a success. She felt people¡¯s eyes change at her, perhaps because the dance with the prince was an unusual event to view upon. The treatment would significantly differ if she moved from being ¡®the Duke¡¯s unexpected mistress¡¯ to ¡®maybe his real lover?¡¯ Meanwhile, she was receiving many hostile views. Especially those who were clustered on Rosalyn¡¯s side. Rosalyn¡¯s eyes were the most threatening. ¡®I also danced with the Duke, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡¯ When she was thinking about whether she should start a second game, a young girl came running toward her like an angry cow. Red alarms blared in her head. ¡°M-Move. Let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Grrrrh!¡± She managed to avoid the girl earlier. However, the tenacity of teenagers was always intact. Princess Jerryel was coming straight at Kalcion. Even though she was wearing a fluttering piece of gown, Selena could see a thunderstorm behind her back. It was too late for them to leave now. Selena hurriedly blocked Kalcion. ¡°No. We were leaving.¡± ¡°Who said that? I want to dance with the Duke.¡± ¡°He¡¯s mine, he¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t belong to Selena because she¡¯s not married to him yet. And you can exchange partners. Selena also danced with His Highness.¡± ¡°Only because the Duke allowed it. I will not.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you allow it!¡± The Princess was still persistent. If Selena wasn¡¯t here, she would have pulled him away to go to the ceremony. ¡°My Duke is very tired.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How can Duke Renbird be tired?¡± Selena also partially agreed with this reaction but pretended to be innocent. She had to act more efficiently when dealing with the Princess than when she dealt with the Crown Prince. ¡°Duke, you live in Renbird because you hate associating with people for too long. You must be worn out, not your body. Right?¡± I could ask him with confidence because it was true. Kalcion nodded resolutely according to Selena¡¯s expectations. ¡°Oh¡­¡­,¡± the Princess staggered back in surprise as if she wasn¡¯t expecting such an answer. Selena did not miss the opportunity and buried herself into one side of Kalcion¡¯s chest, holding his waist as support. His size was so big that Selena looked like she was hugging him. ¡°The Duke and I must leave now. Have a good night, Princess.¡± The princess was no longer stubborn. However, with very mournful eyes, she grabbed the hem of Kalcion¡¯s cape. ¡°Duke, please dance with me at the next banquet.¡± The pure obsession of a young child was difficult to be rejected coldly. ¡®But if he surrenders here, he¡¯ll give her an excuse to keep being obsessed with him.¡¯ Selena waited for Kalcion¡¯s answer with nervous eyes. Regardless of her concerns, however, Kalcion was a consistent person. ¡°We¡¯ll decide that depending on the situation of the next banquet.¡± It was way worse than a yes or a no. Until the door of the carriage was closed, Kalcion did not loosen his grip on Selena¡¯s waist. They also sat on the same side. Selena took a breath and relaxed her body only when the carriage began to move. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be okay now. You can let go, Duke.¡± Kalcion removed his hand only when she tapped his hand and said. Since they needed to go to their own space without looking tired as fast as possible, they maintained this act. Although now, her being hugged by Kalcion or crossing arms with him had become as natural as breathing, it was also tiring to be exposed to other people for a long time. Similarly, Kalcion lifted his chin and leaned against the backrest, relaxing his body. A short sigh left his mouth in the process. ¡°I have to repeat this several times in the future.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hope we catch them as soon as possible¡­.. Oh, but I still had quite a bit of gain,¡± she told him, pressing her tired eyes with both palms. ¡°The most surprising thing was from Fionel¡¯s mouth.¡± ¡°When did she say that?¡± ¡°When I went to the restroom. When the Duke was speaking to Baron Zion.¡± ¡°Oh, it was then.¡± Selena suddenly turned to face him. He was right next to her. ¡°What?¡± Kalcion, who had been defenseless, pulled back his chin in surprise. ¡°I know Fionel likes the Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.You talk of it so openly.¡± ¡°Did you know that she¡¯s sincere about her feelings?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kalcion did not readily answer. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Rather¡­¡­. I¡¯ve never given it a serious thought.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Kalcion was now starting to find out why. He had been very indifferent to his opponent who liked him. Fionel became a bit pitiful. ¡°You did see my reaction to her when you first met her¡­.. didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ What about the Princess?¡± ¡°What about that kid?¡± He was seemingly fed up with the question. Only then did Selena realize one taste of Kalcion. He never recognized cute and childish women as his type. Fionel¡¯s strategy was a failure. But it¡¯s not that Selena was ever going to tell her. Clicking her tongue, she sat straight again. The wagon was slowly exiting the palace. ¡°By the way, what does it matter to you that Fionel likes me?¡± ¡°So that I could confirm that she didn¡¯t mean any harm to the Duke. Otherwise, if I had to pick up a fight with her outside, I would have.¡± ¡°What else did she say?¡± ¡°She warned me. She told me to be careful of men.¡± ¡°Men?¡± Kalcion also tilted his head at the words. Selena had deduced it a long time ago, but it was still a test. Kalcion, who didn¡¯t know a woman¡¯s mind and how the conversation proceeded, was even more confused. ¡°I think she knows that Irelle¡¯s case is related to problems with men.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Only then did Kalcion¡¯s eyes change. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 77 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 77 ¡°Problems with men?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any clue?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know anything.¡± She hit her forehead with her clenched fist. Right, she only crossed her arms at the men at the party and didn¡¯t even know who she was talking to. They wouldn¡¯t have been attracted to Selena if they had known about her. ¡°But luckily, Mrs. Janet, and the girl in charge of me, Juna, left me a clue. Mrs. Janet said ¡®she was determined to do anything for Renbird¡¯s honor¡¯, and Juna learned about gossip that said Irelle had too many men. Have you ever heard of it, Duke?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such a thing,¡± he shook his head. ¡°All of these words seem to be from people who never really liked Irelle, so I only trust half of them. About those who did¡­¡­ Oh, what did you talk about with Baron Zion?¡± At least he wouldn¡¯t have said anything bad about Irelle because she was his family. ¡°We talked about money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Selena asked back, doubting her ears. ¡°No, what did he say when he approached you with such resolution? He said that without saying anything about his daughter¡¯s unfair judgment?¡± ¡°Ah, he did.¡± ¡°Oh, what did he say?¡± ¡°Because the Zion family is a low aristocratic family, disturbing rumors were spread about how Irelle became close to certain people to soothe her loneliness. He said his daughter could never do such unpleasant things.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Yes. That¡¯s something a father would say. But did he talk about money after saying that?¡± ¡°Since Irelle¡¯s passing did not tarnish Renbird¡¯s reputation, he asked me to hand over the furniture that Irelle bought for use.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± She was speechless. She took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts to get rid of the curses that were haunting to leave her lips. ¡°They had already taken all the clothes and accessories she bought earlier, right?¡± ¡°They did.¡± ¡°Yet now they¡¯re asking for all the furniture, I wonder how it was difficult to take it back then.¡± It would have been uncomfortable to let anyone use the furniture and things that were left unattended, and too new to be discarded. Giving them up wasn¡¯t a problem, but she was disgusted at the Baron¡¯s desire to pick and eat from his daughter until the end. ¡°So, you told him you would?¡± ¡°I did. I have no reason to refuse.¡± Selena clicked her tongue. Kalcion may be indifferent because it didn¡¯t bother him, but he was too soft in the eyes of those who wanted the taste of every little penny. ¡°When is he coming back?¡± ¡°He said he would visit tomorrow.¡± ¡°Um, then I shouldn¡¯t go out tomorrow.¡± She thought the Baron¡¯s family was bereaved, so she left her position today, but not anymore. If he was going to do business over his daughter, he had to make a proper deal. ¡°People think so differently from what they seem.¡± Suddenly, Kalcion asked her when she shook her head. ¡°Yes. So you should be more wary of the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­? What does it have to do with this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too biased and friendly to the Prince,¡± he said unpleasantly. Selena laughed because she was amazed. ¡°What? Haha! What was that, Duke? Me? Did you think I fell in love with the Prince at first glance? Didn¡¯t I say that the Duke is more handsome?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t really heed my warning, did you?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? It¡¯s only helpful if I get closer to the Crown Prince when something is involved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my strategy.¡± Only then did his face soften. She laughed even more astonishingly. ¡°Hold on, haha. What kind of reaction is that? As if you¡¯re jealous. There are only two of us now, so you don¡¯t have to try that hard yet, Duke. Haha, acting like it¡¯s real? Sigh, that was a good one.¡± Despite her giggles, Kalcion silently turned his head out of the window. ¡°Wow¡­¡­, you really are on bad terms with the Crown Prince. Don¡¯t be upset, Duke.¡± Selena purred, leaning her head on his shoulder. No answer came back, but when her head touched his shoulder, he became stiff. ¡°Well, in the midst of all this, I found that he¡¯s someone who¡¯s going to annoy you again.¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince impelled me while we danced earlier. Is this how he¡¯s supposed to act?¡± Kalcion shook his head in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I can¡¯t seem to imagine him like that at all. Is he crazy?¡± ¡°I think he is crazy.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he, though?¡± ¡°If he is crazy about women, you might not be able to see it, isn¡¯t that right, Duke?¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a possibility.¡± Selena was joking, but Kalcion was serious. It was too late to reveal it was a joke now. ¡°I¡¯ll have to find out, including this. Whether he does this to all women or only to the Duke¡¯s woman.¡± Selena quickly turned the joke into something serious. It worked wonders! At her words, Kalcion¡¯s anger was slowly fading. ¡°If it¡¯s the latter, it could be related to Irelle.¡± ¡°I believe so?¡± Silence filled inside the carriage. However, the commotion on entering the city was even greater. The carriage gradually slowed down as it encountered crowds of people moving around. ¡°Your Grace. There are many people, I think we have to go back,¡± Dion reported through the window. The carriage was almost standing now. The carriage was too high for the passers-by to peer inside. If it didn¡¯t matter to go slow, they could go around the streets like this, or they could go back to get to the road that wasn¡¯t blocked. ¡°How far is it from the mansion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that far. This road leads directly to the mansion if you get out of this central zone.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re here, can we just take a look around? Or is it still dangerous?¡± Kalcion put back his sword, which was placed against the wall of the carriage, at his waist. ¡°You better not do anything dangerous.¡± You don¡¯t have to remind me that the most dangerous person in this area is Kalcion. Grabbing Selena¡¯s hand, he stood and immediately opened the carriage door. Selena hurriedly grabbed his hand with her other hand. ¡°Are you going like this?¡± She looked through the window at the People¡¯s appearance and looked down at Kalcion¡¯s and her clothes. Her attire was too luxurious to blend in with the crowd. Not to mention, his sword. They were going to see the festival. ¡°This is too noticeable.¡± Selena asked for the cape of Kalcion¡¯s, covered it over her head, and tightened it in front of her neck. The cape tailored to his height came down to her ankle when she was totally covered. ¡°I think this is enough, and wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to take off your jacket?¡± Kalcion followed her suggestion calmly. He was wearing a black shirt underneath his jacket. Since the shirt also had a delicate embroidery, it could be recognized as a not so ordinary wear, but it was simpler than an outerwear with all kinds of brilliant handiwork and jewelry. Selena chuckled as she looked at Kalcion and her appearance. ¡°But it still stands out.¡± She wondered how he could have a plain look. His face was already surreal. ¡°What else should I do here?¡± ¡°This much is enough for the clothes¡­¡­, but if we find masks on the way, we should buy one each and use it.¡± As she got off the carriage, the heat of the festival poured onto her skin. No matter how shiny the palace was, its splendid atmosphere was suffocating, but the festival in the streets was filled with excitement. Taking a firm grip on Kalcion¡¯s arm, Selena took off into the crowd. ¡°No, rather than this,¡± he loosened his arm held by her and hugged her shoulder instead. The passers-by bumped into his arm instead of her shoulder. ¡°This way you¡¯ll have a low risk of falling in the middle.¡± It looked as if she was buried in Kalcion¡¯s side, similar to when they left the palace earlier. In the beginning, she felt uncomfortable hugging him with both arms. But later, she smiled to herself as she grabbed the side of his clothes tightly with both hands. The streets were crowded and hot, but her arms were cozy and comfortable like they were in another world. ¡°The festival is not so different here either,¡± she murmured leisurely as she looked around the street. People dressed in colorful clothes, street stalls lined up along the road, people performing tricks, playing musical instruments, and dancing in the middle of the road. Even some of the visitors were dancing on the street to the songs of the street musicians. The fact that each of them had something to eat was not much different from those flashy delicacies earlier. Kalcion nodded dryly as he looked around the street. For him, this exciting and thrilling scenery seemed just like before. ¡°Look. They also sell things like this here.¡± The girl who was selling wreaths raised her head, welcoming her guests. ¡°Welcome! I made them all by myself!¡± Selena put her hood behind her neck and placed a fresh wreath on her head. However, there was no mirror to check her look. But the girl¡¯s reaction replaced the mirror. ¡°Oh¡­.. Wow¡­¡­ Uh¡­.. Ah!¡± Selena burst into giggles as she watched the girl¡¯s eyes, nose, and mouth expand at the same time. ¡°Is it pretty?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! Wow! You look like a Goddess!¡± Selena looked back at Kalcion, pouring out a peal of cheerful laughter once again at the admiration of the fussy girl. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re so good at this business. I¡¯ll have to buy one¨C¡± However, Kalcion¡¯s gaze was not much different from the girl¡¯s. His eyes, nose, and mouth did not expand, but his eyes were blank. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 78 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 78 ¡°What¡¯s wrong Du¨C No.¡± She almost habitually called him Duke. It was time to bring up the nickname that had been dormant for a long time. ¡°Aren¡¯t you used to my beauty now, Jionee? What makes you so surprised?¡± ¡°Haa¨C Ah¡­.. It really suits you.¡± Kalcion stuttered as if he was being choked. ¡°I don¡¯t look good in anything, do I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I was joking.¡± ¡°Is there anything that doesn¡¯t suit you?¡± ¡°¡­..No, but¡­..¡± ¡°Why would you be joking?¡± ¡°Quit it¡­..,¡± Selena just wanted to get out of the agony of having to explain a joke. ¡°Let¡¯s give her the money and leave.¡± Selena pulled out Kalcion¡¯s arm. He roughly dropped a coin in the girl¡¯s hand without asking the price and followed Selena. As she turned around, she saw quite a few people wearing wreaths on their heads. Some wore colored masks, and instead of wreaths, they put large flowers in their ears. The wreath wasn¡¯t such a huge prop among the stylish people in front of her. ¡°If I knew this would happen, I should¡¯ve bought one for Jionee.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kalcion¡¯s expression turned straight at once. But Selena couldn¡¯t have been scared by it. Because Kalcion¡ªwho blew everything except her neck when they met¡ªwas not an object of fear anymore. She recklessly dragged him to a nearby stand selling wreaths. ¡°No, this.¡± Kalcion tried to refuse violently, but she was successful in placing a wreath on his head. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s pretty.¡± When she was done, he looked as beautiful as a character who walked out of a myth. Satisfied with her choice, she took the money out of his pocket and handed it over to the merchant. ¡°You two, you both look so beautiful!¡± As always, Selena owned the word beautiful, but now it was also given to Kalcion. Kalcion fiddled with the corolla on his head with an extremely awkward look. Even if he was handsome, he always harbored a cold expression on his face. And because of that, he was ¡®scary¡¯ rather than ¡®handsome¡¯. But when she put flowers over his features, it felt like life returned to him. While walking, she kept taking a step forward as she admired Kalcion¡¯s face. ¡°Wow, you look so handsome with flowers on you. If you carry flowers all the time, everyone in the world will fall in love with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± Even his harsh words sounded like whining. ¡°Oh my, even cute.¡± Never shrinking against his demeanor, she playfully tapped his shoulder. She was so excited by the bright appearance of the flowery Kalcion, she almost forgot that she had to return to the mansion. After looking at the stalls at every corner, watching the performance, and wandering around for a long time, she came all the way to the mansion. ¡°Oh, too bad. Should we go one more time?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Kalcion had never actively refused, so she couldn¡¯t even throw a random joke. That was enough for their act. Selena found a person disappearing into a dark alley as she trudged toward the mansion. ¡°Huh?¡± It wasn¡¯t someone she did not know. ¡°Someone just went over there. I think it was Juna.¡± ¡°Juna? ¡­¡­.Oh, her.¡± ¡°She was also in charge of Irelle, and she used to gossip about her a lot.¡± Selena and Kalcion looked at each other at the same time. Dion¡ªwho was escorting one step behind¡ªalso caught their eyes. ¡°To enjoy the festival, many would have come out in the boulevard, right?¡± It was suspicious of her to secretly enter the alley alone. ¡°Should I track her?¡± The alley was situated between two main buildings. The main roads in front and back of the alley were packed with people coming and going. ¡°Would you remember everything she says in a conversation if you track her?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s only possible if we hire someone who specializes in tracking.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just follow her and find out.¡± There were many passers-by anyway. It might also be a case where she got intoxicated with the atmosphere of the festival and went the wrong way into the alley. Kalcion and Selena¡ªwho bought two masks from a nearby stall¡ªchecked each other. Thanks to the masks covering their hair and the upper portions of their faces, their faces stood out unrecognizable. Many people were walking around wearing masks like these, so they were not particularly noticeable. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°We have to be lovers who want to get away from people¡¯s eyes and stick to each other.¡± ¡°How?¡± Instead of answering, Selena hugged Kalcion¡¯s waist. ¡°Passionately?¡± There was no time to hold operational meetings to explain it one by one. Selena pushed Kalcion toward the alley. ¡°Ha¡­..!¡± He reflexively tried to keep balance. However, it was already after being pushed into the alley. Indeed, Juna was secretly meeting another person inside the alley. The person was also a woman of similar age to Juna. ¡°Oh, darling!¡± Selena hugged Kalcion¡¯s neck with one arm and rubbed his cheek with the other before they looked at each other closely. ¡°W-Wait.¡± Passionate lovers didn¡¯t need a moment to wait. ¡°Why, you don¡¯t like me? You don¡¯t like me doing this with you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kalcion, who was pushed against the alley wall, could not say or do anything regardless of whether his mind and body were frozen at the same time. Nevertheless, Selena didn¡¯t expect him to act like a passionate lover from the beginning. ¡°People.¡± The opponent glanced toward Kalcion and Selena, who had stormed in impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s better to go somewhere less crowded.¡± ¡°They¡¯re busy anyway, they can¡¯t even hear us. Just say it.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time, I somehow managed to get out of the mansion. The Duke will be back soon, so be quick. I have to go back.¡± Thankfully, Juna urged her opponent without being wary. Meanwhile, Selena buried her face in Kalcion¡¯s neck and her hand found its way to his hair. Unable to stand it, Kalcion covered his face with his palm, a low cracked groan erupting from his throat. His reaction wasn¡¯t bad because he seemed like a shy man who couldn¡¯t beat his enthusiastic lover¡¯s offense. It had been a while since she teased him like this. Since he came to the Capital, he had been adapting well to acting, so she spared him the teases. ¡°Mhm, darling¡­¡­¡± Kalcion¡ªwho found it difficult to accept the fact that she was acting¡ªseemed like he could die due to her soft body pushing into him. He stared at the sky as he clenched his jaw. ¡°Okay. Next is the tea party of the Hice family. The Lady is going to the invitation. Since it¡¯s her first time receiving it,¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hice. Selena memorized the family name. She thought that was the end of the important conversation, but it continued. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a crazy b*tch.¡± That was Juna¡¯s voice. So, the one she cursed was Selena. Selena¡¯s hand, which was flirting with Kalcion¡¯s body, stopped. ¡°Like Irelle, she can¡¯t stay quiet, she wants to explore everything. I don¡¯t know where the Duke picked her up, but she does whatever she wants. Oh, really, I think I¡¯ll have to go back because of that b*tch.¡± ¡°You must be having a hard time. Any weakness?¡± ¡°It seems like she buys a lot, but she doesn¡¯t take anything. I guess she rolled in from a brothel where she used to seduce guys.¡± Learning people to make such insults about you behind your back was the worst. Meanwhile, Selena was almost on the verge of tears because of such criticism. Kalcion quickly took hold of Selena¡¯s shaking fists in his hand and hugged her tightly. It was too radical to be a lover¡¯s hug, but it was perfect to calm her tremors before she lost herself. ¡°Shh¡­¡­ Calm down.¡± Coincidentally, it was also appropriate for him to soothe his exasperated lover. Juna¡¯s opponent turned away after having a brief look at the ones ¡®having fun¡¯. ¡°The Duke of Renbird got caught in her traps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Mrs. Janet seems to have not overcome it. You heard what happened to the butler the other day, right? That¡¯s a piece of her art.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡­ Would the Duke listen to her again?¡± ¡°Listen? I think they also make mischief at night. The Duke has become crazy for her.¡± Kalcion coughed to hide his accidental laugh. Crazy. It wasn¡¯t that wrong. What else could they call him, considering he was crazy enough to be doing it in a ridiculous disguise in a dark alley right now? ¡°Then she could be more promiscuous than Irelle. You said she was fine.¡± ¡°Irelle used to rush after men like ghosts. But, she is so clingy to the Duke that she can¡¯t see another man in the proximity.¡± ¡°It was once. If you remember Irelle, she used to shake while touching a man at first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Selena¡ªwho was now away from the desire to twist Juna¡¯s neck with superhuman patience¡ªpaused. Men. They were talking as if Irelle had a thing with men. Selena and Kalcion¡¯s eyes met in the dark. His eyes shone sharply as if he was having the same thought like her. Their short chat was quickly over. ¡°Where¡¯s our next appointment?¡± ¡°On the day of the tea party. Come to the cosmetic store when the tea party starts.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get going.¡± Juna turned around first. There was also a road on the other end of the alley, but she chose to turn this way. Selena hurriedly grabbed Kalcion¡¯s neck and buried his face within her arms. Luckily, they did not get caught by Juna. Without paying much attention to the suspicious man and woman, she hurried out of the alley and toward the mansion. After a while, Juna¡¯s opponent also left the alley. Kalcion flew a signal toward the roof. Soon, the light footsteps of Dion found them. ¡°We finally caught the tail.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve stationed a tracker, it¡¯s only a matter of time before we find the body.¡± In earnest, they began to search for the criminal. Now that Selena caught Juna¡¯s secret meetings, she could suspect her with a little more confidence. ¡°Now, through Juna, we can trace back what the criminal is thinking. If we participate in a recommended party, wouldn¡¯t we be able to figure out a way?¡± ¡°I guess so. Rather than catching them right away, we¡¯ll have to get to work after a while.¡± Anyway, Juna was the tail. If they caught the tail before finding the body, the tail could be cut off. In that case, the body to which the tail belonged would be lost forever. ¡°Yes. We have to wait and see how much the tail wags.¡± Selena¡¯s lips drew into a forced smile, her eyes full of hatred. She just had to smile like this in front of Juna for the time being. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 79 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 79 Stepping on the Tail Each of the employees in the mansion greeting Selena and Kalcion, who returned home on foot, could not hide their surprise. ¡®Your Highness?!¡¯ The distance between Kalcion and entertainment was proportional to the distance between the Capital and Silenza. They couldn¡¯t believe that he came back after enjoying the festival on the street because the palace banquet wasn¡¯t enough. It was something similar to stars in the sky rolling themselves around gravel on the ground. ¡°Today was fun thanks to you, Duke.¡± Selena placed a light kiss on Kalcion¡¯s cheek before she went into washing. It felt like old times. It was fun to walk around the streets where the festival was held, and catching Juna¡¯s tail at the last minute was a big harvest. Even if she wanted to dance, she was so happy that she could die. Kalcion, startled by the gesture, looked back at Selena as if she were a cat with a tail. ¡°You¡­..didn¡¯t hate it, did you¡­..?¡± He was so surprised that even Selena¡¯s eyes opened wide. Luckily, their gazes at each other were short, but the flush up to his ears was visible only to Selena. ¡°Pfft.¡± Selena covered her mouth and drew her lips into a smile. Even so, she was already mocking in joy. ¡°I¡¯ll wash up. See you later, Duke!¡± This time, it wasn¡¯t her lips, but her arms squeezed Kalcion¡¯s neck before she turned around. Kalcion froze like a stone like before and was left unattended in the hallway alone with his focus out of the world. Selena hummed as she headed to the bathroom with cheerful steps. ¡°My, how are you two so sweet, even after using the same bed every day?¡± ¡°I know right. Isn¡¯t it so cute to see someone, who doesn¡¯t let you fall off the bed for a moment, harden in front of people¡¯s eyes?¡± This wasn¡¯t acting. It was actually the truth. It was now her daily life to get out of bed tangled up every morning. She was never surprised unless their faces were too close to each other. However, their bodies touched closer in some place other than the bed. The training ground. Kalcion¡¯s swordsmanship was close to mixed martial arts, so she not only faced swords but also had to use her body to train. Selena also had an experience of learning this and that for acting in action scenes, so she dealt more actively. They did spar to the point of rolling on the ground. However, at that time, Kalcion¡ªwho did not lose a single breath¡ªcould not dance in private. ¡®It¡¯s okay so far, but we¡¯ll have to be more natural with touches in the future.¡¯ I can¡¯t be young forever. The bathroom was already prepared. Thanks to this, she was able to take off her clothes and go straight into the bathtub to warm up. Juna removed her makeup and washed her hair. ¡°How was the party today?¡± She didn¡¯t forget to sneakily ask. Selena was glad she was closing her eyes because she was washing her hair. If they had been open, she would have sent a contemptuous look. ¡°Wow, it was so good. I never imagined such a fancy and wonderful banquet hall.¡± ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Fun¡­¡­ Hmm, I had fun¡­¡­ too.¡± She pretended to think. Juna¡¯s eyes shined as she came closer. ¡°Yes, yes. Did something happen?¡± ¡°I met His Highness, the Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Gasp! Wow! You must be glad! He¡¯s handsome, right!¡± ¡°How did you know that he¡¯s handsome?¡± Juna looked like she was dreaming, her cheeks colored as if the prince was right in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him from a distance. And, I was told that Irelle was thirsty for him.¡± ¡°Irelle¡­.. She met the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. At first, she was worried that he was a little scary, but later she couldn¡¯t sleep because she fell in love with his appearance. Even when she was about to be engaged.¡± Irelle¡¯s gossip continued. However, it was the first time that Selena heard Irelle and the Crown Prince were connected. If Irelle was specifically intertwined with an individual like ¡®the prince¡¯ himself, it meant that there was definitely something required to be seen. ¡°I should be careful not to do that.¡± She deliberately said, but Juna was bright, unaware that Selena was digging behind her. ¡°Oh my, but you shouldn¡¯t cut off His Highness¡¯s kindness.¡± Juna rambled on. However, Selena could clearly see where Juna was chasing. In every case, she tried to gain Selena¡¯s consensus by swearing at Irelle, but she secretly changed her words because a person couldn¡¯t be completely flawless. She was working hard. Selena smiled coldly while Juna turned around to get the fragrance. ¡°Mmm¡­¡­¡± Selena tried her best to open her sleepy eyes. Her eyelids, which were about to close again, shot up towards the eyebrows. Today, for some reason, she caught Kalcion¡¯s neat side profile beside her. Selena also slept less and woke up easily, but Kalcion was at a different level. When she opened her eyes, she rarely saw him lying next to her. In most cases, he woke up first and strode to the training ground or sat on the sofa drinking tea and looking at the documents. ¡°What¡¯s up with you today?¡± ¡°You¡¯re up earlier than usual.¡± His response came immediately after her question. His voice didn¡¯t sound hoarse. ¡°Oh, am I¡­..¡± Selena was awake, but she was too lazy to get up. She closed her eyes again and tried to get a nap, but she opened her eyes again to the shadow hanging over her head. ¡°Ah.¡± As soon as she opened her eyes, she found Kalcion¡¯s face approaching her, and her sleep ran away. ¡°Shall we train after a while?¡± Kalcion tried to get back up. ¡°No.¡± She pulled his thick arm. Kalcion, who was gently dragged, laid down half again. She grabbed his shoulder and took her lips to his cheek. She wanted to place a light kiss in order to make him used to these light touches. As his cheek got closer, the air became heavier. It became suffocating and stiff. His heart crawled to the end of his brain and jumped between both ears. The moment she placed her lips on Kalcion¡¯s cheek while listening to the pounding of his heart, as usual, his body felt electrified. Selena¡¯s lips met his cheek and made a light frictional sound. The sound was cutely suitable for the fresh start of the morning, but it also contained a hint that it would become sticky and heavy if it was too late. ¡°¡­..Good morning.¡± As soon as her lips touched, Selena quickly fell back. When she approached him, she felt like she was walking to a star, but when she retreated, it was as fast as falling from the star. She didn¡¯t mean to do this, but her body moved on its own. Kalcion looked at her, who returned to her previous posture, and slowly got up. ¡°Good morning.¡± Listening to his retreat, Selena pretended to be sleepy again and buried her face in the pillow. When her ears were pressed against the pillow, she could feel her heart pounding vividly in her head. Her heart slowly rode to her neck, passed through her collarbone and returned to her chest only after hearing Kalcion leave the bed behind her. ¡°Ughhh¡­¡­.¡± Selena wrapped herself in a blanket. At first, it started with half teasing, but as it was repeated, the position changed for some reason. At first, when Selena declared that she would say good night with a kiss, Kalcion looked like he wanted to say, ¡®I will put a sword through your head and put you to sleep forever.¡¯ ¡°Do you have to do that?¡± That was the first thing he said. ¡°The reaction of the Duke, who gets stiff even after he sleeps with his lover every night, is suspicious.¡± Kalcion himself was fully aware of it, so it was convincing. Whatever it was, it was difficult at first and grew to be easy at the end. Kalcion¡ªwho used to be nervous and opened his eyes as if he saw a sword hurting at him¡ªwas able to relax his stiff body as such touches were repeated. Even when the maids came in, they were no more surprised with the lovers¡¯ interaction and were able to show their faces calmly. But the next problem was. The same was true for Kalcion, who was quick to learn. Now he felt like he was enjoying the soft touches of Selena¡¯s lips. Whenever she took off her lips and opened her eyes, he met her eyes, and her eyes couldn¡¯t be more deep. At first, Selena also liked it, saying, ¡®Ohh, finally, my Duke.¡¯ But now, she forgot about the teases. Like a couple begging for kisses. Naturally, Selena became a kisser to practice her lover¡¯s control over his shyness. As a result, everything turned out fine at the end. Because she got another card that could be nibbled in front of people. But it was not good for her heart. He was already handsome. Whenever she thought of his face slowly loosening toward her, an unidentified feeling rose from her lower stomach. As a result, their morning and evening kisses were getting more and more burdensome. They kept getting more shy. Kalcion was looking at Selena, who had not changed her hairstyle from under the blankets even after changing her clothes. He didn¡¯t usually react with any gesture or nagging no matter what she did, but today he had a major schedule. ¡°Do you remember that people from there are coming today?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Selena, who was flirting, jumped up. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Today was the day Baron Zion decided to visit. Kalcion had already spoken to him several times, but he had not found any specific peculiarities related to the incident. So it was concluded that Selena should approach him, which would be the most uncomfortable for Baron Zion. ¡°I¡¯ll wear something gentle today. Same with my makeup.¡± ¡°Are you going out?¡± Juna asked in a frightened voice. Baron Zion¡ªfather of Irelle, and Selena¡ªthe new woman of Kalcion. It would be an uncomfortable meeting. As usual, Selena shouldn¡¯t be stuck in the room and just breathe. ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± She had to know if Baron Zion¡¯s purpose for the visit was money. Otherwise, he was the only person with a clue about Irelle. The hallways were busier than usual after a simple renovation. ¡°There, clean it up a bit more!¡± ¡°There¡¯s dirt on the entrance. Wipe it carefully.¡± ¡°Move the light green leaf pot, the symbol of Baron Zion, to the front.¡± Even if it was a simple visit to only move the furniture, the servants were excessive with their work. On behalf of the butler who was yet to be recruited, Mrs. Janet walked around the place and ordered. As she pointed to the curtains in the hallway, she found Selena alone. She thought she would say something, but Mrs. Janet just greeted her lightly with gestures and turned her body around. ¡®So you¡¯ve decided to let go of me completely now?¡¯ Selena¡ªwho was clearly convinced that Mrs. Janet knew something¡ªwas slightly disappointed. If she kept picking up fights, she would spill a word by mistake. At that time, she heard Baron Zion¡¯s carriage enter the main gate. Even after passing through the gate, there was time to arrive at the entrance. The servants who were working in their respective places quickly organized cleaning tools and stood in line at the entrance. At the end, stood Mrs. Janet. Selena slipped back into the room. It was not yet time to show herself. Baron Zion¡¯s visit was not an invitation from Kalcion, rather it was made on his request. Therefore, although he was politely welcomed, the owner was not required to entertain him in person. So, Kalcion was locked up in the study. Selena, who entered the room, held her breath with her ears pricked toward the hallway. Mrs. Janet said something formal, and the Baron responded briefly. Then, he went straight up the stairs and headed to the room where Irelle used to live. He was followed by several heavy make footsteps, perhaps his servants. The noise of furniture being moved came right after. The sound of heavy wood dragging on the floor continued. Selena counted for her turn and opened the door. The servants were carrying furniture such as a closet and table down the stairs. Mrs. Janet was away for a while, and the Baron was alone with his servants. ¡°Hey, be careful of the corners! If it gets stamped on the wall, its value will fall in half.¡± Leaning against the door, Selena waited for the Baron to notice. ¡°Be careful when you pass by the door¡­..! Gasp.¡± Finally, his eyes landed on her. Selena made way to the servants passing by the furniture and slightly bending her knees toward the Baron. ¡°I heard a loud noise, so I came to see. It is good to see you again.¡± ¡°I had no intention to disturb your quiet daily life. Irelle¡¯s furniture will be moved over soon. I ask for your understanding until then.¡± ¡°You may take your time. I just came out to see what happened.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± He showed no emotion even when he saw Selena. They might have been hidden between the many eyes at the party, but he didn¡¯t need to intentionally do so even when the two of them were alone. ¡°I hope my presence doesn¡¯t make you feel uncomfortable.¡± As she said, Baron Zion nodded his head with one eyebrow raised. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be uncomfortable about.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯m taking your daughter¡¯s place?¡± Once again, his eyebrows moved. However, he still showed no apparent agitation. ¡°I doubt there¡¯d be any change if I regretted over the place of my deceased daughter.¡± This time, Selena tilted her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Then what is it you meant?¡± ¡°Emotions. They don¡¯t come from calculating with your head.¡± Baron Zion was shaken for a moment, but her heart was repaired this time. Even though she had been explained by Kalcion in advance that it was because of money, she thought he might have lost his feelings because he lost his own child. Even if he didn¡¯t cry, she thought he would still be emotional upon seeing someone in his daughter¡¯s place. The Baron only acted like a person who came to find the things he had entrusted and showed no feelings for Irelle. ¡°What do you want to hear from me?¡± The Baron came one step closer with a cynicism. ¡°Hey, Lady.¡± She only thought of him as a skinny, shabby old man, but there was also coldness in his eyes. It was what everyone at the party saw. ¡°Just live your life. When we all want the same thing, someone falls and dies, while someone luckily catches it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need my permission to take that position. Or do you want me to hug a girl and cry because she thinks of my daughter? Will you feel comfortable? If I do that to you, will you take care of my expenses as my daughter did?¡± Again. Money, money. Though she heard the Baron¡¯s family was economically poor, it was now free from the worries of making a living right now because of Kalcion¡¯s support. However, the Baron only knew about money. ¡°I thought you would be sad because of your daughter.¡± ¡°I am sad! Do you know much money would have come into my hands if she hadn¡¯t died in vain! I was going to be in-laws with the Duke! It¡¯s all gone! Do I not seem sad to you?!¡± He screamed. There was not a grain of sorrow for Irelle¡¯s death. ¡°¡­..I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡± She didn¡¯t even know if Irelle was good or bad. She never saw her face. Still, the Baron was a person involved in her life in the past. Whether it was suicide or murder, her death was sad, but no one seemed sad. Even her birth father. The fact was terrible. Selena endured the nauseous feeling and turned around. ¡°May I give you advice, Lady?¡± She paused as he said. ¡°I live by following the theme. You will get hurt if you¡¯re not aware.¡± Is it about Irelle or something he says to himself? But without going into details, she bowed her head. ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± Then, she finally escaped from the scene. As soon as she hurried to walk away from the room, she became annoyed. ¡°¡­..This guy.¡± It was uncomfortable, yet the disgusting feeling of nausea did not leave her body. She went back to the room, rubbing her stomach, and just in time, Kalcion was back. ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable?¡± He suddenly asked. ¡°That¡­..¡± Selena sat down next to him with a long sigh. Putting down the documents he was holding, Kalcion looked back at her. She only vomited one word while choosing to calm down first. ¡°It¡¯s so strange. How can a father feel nothing when he takes out furniture from the room where his daughter died?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± Kalcion fiddled with his jawline with his finger. Selena raised her head when he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°¡­..Isn¡¯t this weird?¡± ¡°Perhaps not in the noble society.¡± ¡°This world is weird.¡± Selena was twice as shocked that even Kalcion did not curse Baron Zion together with her. ¡°But his child died. He¡¯s been raising her for two decades. How can he be so fine? Is everyone like this?¡± ¡°There are, of course, people who love and care about their children very much. But children are usually considered tools in most families.¡± When he said it, it reminded her of what he said when he was playing as a patient. A childhood where he never expressed pain because he was the Duke¡¯s successor. Maybe he understood because he grew up similarly. ¡°Marriage is also about conditions. Parents see them as tools for their families. Is there anything called affection in this world?¡± ¡°There must be, somewhere.¡± At least it was not around Kalcion. In his heart, as expected. ¡°Her passing was unjust, but no one is sad.¡± ¡°Death comes to everyone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not sad about Irelle¡¯s death?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have such a relationship to be sad.¡± Selena¡¯s heart was twisted once more by his calm recognition. ¡°You look like everyone in your world has grieved over your death.¡± ¡°Indeed, compared to here. If I were dead, countless fans around the world would have been very sad. They¡¯d cry a lot.¡± It reminded her, who was retelling what she took for granted. There was no doubt that people in her world would be very sad. But so? Then? How long would they remember her? With new characters coming into the scene, the thoughts about missing characters were always blurred. As if nothing had happened. Decades later, they¡¯d just say, ¡®oh, there was a person like this¡¯ when they look through an old photo album. Selena also had no one personal like she had Kalcion here. No family, no friends. ¡°Selena?¡± ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be very different there.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because my death can¡¯t be everything in someone¡¯s life.¡± She looked back at him with a bitter smile. Coincidentally, Kalcion was the first person to know this deeply about her life. She suddenly became curious. ¡°If I die, will the Duke be sad?¡± His fingers, neatly placed on his lap, suddenly twitched. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Selena¡¯s question was just an assumption. It wasn¡¯t a future that would unfold right before her nor was it a definite prediction. Kalcion wasn¡¯t born in an unstable family. He knew that once he was caught up in anxiety, he could not do anything. Many of the things he had achieved so far were possible because he forgot about anxiety. Because he wasn¡¯t anxious about death and injury, he was able to walk around the mountains slicing down beasts, and because he overcame the anxiety about his family¡¯s defeat, he established himself as a confident Duke even at a young age. This time was no different either. If any unexpected situation were to arise, Selena¡¯s life could have been sacrificed. Since she was not involved in anything and did not affect Kalcion, it was perfectly fine to put her in a dangerous situation. What Selena said was just the death that any human being was supposed to receive ¡®someday¡¯. Even though it was different from the specific death of Irelle, the ¡®sacrifice of Selena¡¯ came to his mind. Long black hair, pale face, and body covered in blood on a white bed. Those red lips¡ªwhich had always looked cheerful¡ªturned blue, and the loss of shine from her eyes. When he imagined it, his hand jerked unknowingly. It felt like a chunk of ice was being pushed down to his heart through his open throat. Even after his heart froze, he could not get rid of the creeping fear in his body. His cold fingers were numb. He clenched his fist and tried to shake off the cold tremor that was spreading in his body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Selena looked into his face and asked anxiously. ¡°¡­..Nothing.¡± He shook his head. Selena¡¯s face was lively and clear as always. His fluctuating chest gradually subsided as he looked at the silent black lake in Selena¡¯s eyes. It was such an absurd imagination. Selena was not the one to do that on her own. She wouldn¡¯t even let others hurt her like that. That was impossible. The tentacles of anxiety digging into Kalcion¡¯s mind collapsed one by one. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make it so obvious that you can¡¯t think of anything, Duke. Because I know.¡± Selena grunted, embarrassed by his lack of performance. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for expecting someone who just stares at a girl who fell into his territory before she¡¯s about to be executed.¡± ¡°No, back then¨C¡± ¡°Back then, what? You were very surprised, but you were calm on the outside?¡± When she sarcastically said and teased, Kalcion blinked as he recalled. How did I feel back then? He remembered being so angry at the beasts for breaking into his territory again, and feeling uncomfortable when he saw Selena. It was similar to when he saw an injured soldier in battle, but looking back now, it was a little different. However, he had yet to understand what was different. Selena waited with her eyes shining as if she had yet to hear his answer. How should he explain this? Kalcion¡¯s mind was filled with worries. ¡°Your Excellency, letters have arrived.¡± Just in time, the servant knocked on the door. He was hugging an armful of letters. After a few days since the party, it was time for the next party invitations to fly in. As expected, the amount of letters brought in by the servant was enormous. ¡°These have been separately addressed to Lady Selena.¡± The servant put down a small bundle of letters separately in front of her. Although she was Kalcion¡¯s partner and a guest of the Renbird family, Selena was not a member of Renbird. That¡¯s why some letters were sent to her separately in order to invite her alone. She stopped interrogating Kalcion and rummaged through her bundle. ¡°I thought I won¡¯t be getting any, but surprisingly, this much?¡± There were a considerable amount of letters in front of her. ¡°Even if it¡¯s this much, it¡¯s nothing but speckling compared to what came in Renbird¡¯s name.¡± In front of Kalcion, there was a stack of letters similar to the box Rosalyn brought to Silenza. ¡°These are the greatest and most important invitations I¡¯ve ever received by your power.¡± Compared to what he received, Selena¡¯s letters were just a speck of dust, but it was the most substantial fruit. He inadvertently pushed the letters accumulated in front of him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look where they came from, Duke?¡± ¡°They¡¯re right after the grand banquet, so they probably aren¡¯t from an important place.¡± ¡°But what if the Crown Prince or the Queen sent it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to be sick this time as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kalcion¡¯s insensitivity was the most optimized shield to survive in this harsh world. Selena once again admired today. ¡°Are the letters telling the Duke to come alone or bring me with him?¡± ¡°Probably half and half.¡± ¡°How was it when you were with Irelle?¡± ¡°I think it was half and half, too.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we go to the places you went back then, Duke?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She subsided quietly. ¡°Then let us deal with what came to me first, and if I change my mind, I¡¯ll move on to the invitations for the Duke.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Where did the invitation come from?¡± ¡°Let me see. Marquis Royle? Who is it?¡± As soon as she opened the letter and saw the first line, she gave a little, ¡®Ah.¡¯ ¡°Viorela belongs to this family.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Viorela of Marquis Royle¡­¡­.¡± He rubbed his temple as he fell into thoughts. He memorized most of the family names, but it was difficult to remember their faces. It was natural because he had never seen their faces with interest while having a short conversation. ¡°Drink, drink.¡± ¡°¡­..Oh.¡± He recalled only after hearing Selena¡¯s hint. A Lady who was famous for drinking at every party. He remembered hearing a saying that ¡®alcohol runs if only one person from Marquis Royle arrives.¡¯ ¡°Then, of course, it¡¯s a drinking party you¡¯re invited to.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­ But surprisingly, it¡¯s a tea party?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to prepare a tea that¡¯s healthy (especially for adults who drink it at night). Oh, it¡¯s alcohol.¡± Selena laughed as she saw the date and time of the invitation. It was also late at sunset. There couldn¡¯t be a tea party at this time. There was also a postscript under time. ¡¶ Please come. I really want to meet Lady Selena again. ¡· ¡°Why are you so desperate?¡± She smiled as she folded the letter. Still, it felt good to see someone being true and pure to themselves, not any other topic or her background. ¡°Are you planning to go?¡± ¡°That will be decided soon. I¡¯ll check other things first.¡± The other letter was unexpectedly from Count Orlen. ¡¶ It was impressive to see you appear on a horseback, and according to the rumors, I heard you¡¯re learning sword art from the Duke, so if I have a chance, I would like to have a cup of tea after exercising with you. ¡· ¡°Can¡¯t tea parties be just, hahaha, just for drinking tea?¡± ¡°I heard that¡¯s how she usually meets.¡± When the previous Duchess was alive, tea parties were also held by the Duke. What Kalcion saw then was the last memory of a tea party. It was a boring and static meeting, with all that was to sit down in a sunny garden, chat, and have tea and sweets. As a minor variation, some played an instrument or read a book, and sometimes sat around and embroidered. However, she had never seen or heard of a tea party where you exercise. ¡°Seems like it, but these are non-mainstream.¡± She classified Viorela¡¯s and Orlen¡¯s invites as ¡®non-mainstream¡¯ without hesitation. Is there anything to get from these non-mainstream meetings? Personally, she was interested. If she had to choose according to her preference, she would be willing to attend them. But now, they needed to think about the connection with Irelle first. Did Irelle get invited to a meeting like this? Most probably a no. They sent an invitation because they were interested in Selena, not the ¡®woman of Duke Renbird¡¯. Or else, it should have been considered that there was little direct connection with Irelle. Selena shifted to the remaining letters. There must be someone interested and intentionally invited the Duke¡¯s lover. A strange voice came from outside the door as she tried to identify the sender of the letter. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± The person who came in was not a servant. He seemed to be one of the knights. ¡°Allow me to report the results of the tail.¡± Kalcion had ordered someone to tail the person who talked with Juna the day of the festival. They expected the reports to arrive right away, but it¡¯d been a few days. ¡°It took a long while.¡± Kalcion was the first to point out that. ¡°She has been wandering around for a while since then. Whether it was to avoid the tail, she stayed at a remote area before she came back.¡± ¡°Did you finish tracking?¡± ¡°Yes, I also made sure that she returned to the mansion.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°It belongs to Count Hice.¡± Kalcion¡¯s forehead narrowed. Like Marquis Royle, he heard of it, but couldn¡¯t remember it well. ¡°It¡¯s the family of Lirel. The ginger who first started an argument at the party.¡± Selena intervened. One of the remaining invitations fluttered in her hand. The invitation envelope clearly contained the name of ¡®Lirel Hice.¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°Which one should I go to?¡± Selena looked worried, her eyes swimming over the invitations splayed out on the table. In addition to the three invitations Selena received, were all the invitations sent to Kalcion. ¡°What are you so worried about?¡± Juna, who was brushing her hair, peered over her shoulder at the letters. ¡°From what it seems, there are quite a few invitations that overlap dates and times. All the invitations addressed to me are from those who are older than me, so I have to go to all of them, but I have to choose from the Duke¡¯s pile.¡± Juna smiled as she said, ¡°why do you panic so much at the beginning, Lady Selena? First, you should go where you were invited, and then think about it.¡± Selena, who pretended to look at the invitation, also returned the smile. ¡°Uhm¡­.., is that so? But I don¡¯t think people hold parties by adjusting all their dates.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t invite everyone to a personal party, so they fix the date after setting the schedule of the people they¡¯re familiar with. Then there may be some overlapping dates. Ah, you have to decide that very carefully.¡± Selena looked at the invitations that came to her again and again. ¡°There are parties that overlap the date among the ones I received. Three of them a day.¡± Coincidentally, the invitation dates of Lirel and Count Orlen were the same. She had already decided to go to Lirel¡¯s party, but she pretended to be worried as if she could decide nothing. ¡°Gasp. Really? Do their times overlap?¡± Juna enthusiastically threw herself to help Selena. ¡°One is for the evening and it seems fine, but the other two are for lunch. What should I do¡­..? In this case, I must choose the invitation from the higher family. That won¡¯t break the rule, would it?¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡­, maybe?¡± ¡°Hmm, what should I do? The Duke told me to just throw everything else and go with the one that feels close to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why would you choose that?¡± ¡°Do you think you can judge somebody¡¯s heart from the seal of their letter, whether it¡¯s gold or not?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­.,¡± Juna couldn¡¯t swear at Kalcion¡ªher master¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t even say yes unconditionally. ¡°Yeah, that doesn¡¯t make sense to me. Should I ask Mrs. Janet to decide?¡± ¡°Would she help you?¡± ¡°I have no one else to ask, though. Does Juna know about some families, since you served Irelle last time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of something! I mean, what do you need to know?¡± ¡°First of all, these two families¡­¡­,¡± Selena held out the two invitations in front of Juna, who looked at them. ¡°Hmm, both are prominent families¡­.. Ah, but if I were to go, I would¡¯ve chosen Lady Hice?¡± Of course, as Selena expected. Quickly wiping out her grin, she returned to her worried expression. ¡°Why there? She didn¡¯t seem like a good person at the party¡­..¡± ¡°Oh, really? But Lady Irelle said she was really good. She also said that the party was so big that it was easy to meet new people and get close to them.¡± ¡°A-ha¡­.¡± ¡°If you get close to people first, wouldn¡¯t you be able to decide where to go next?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s possible.¡± Selena thought about spinning it around, but it would become more annoying if Juna noticed and started to doubt. It was never too late to take revenge for bad-mouthing behind someone and manipulating them, even if Juna was no longer needed. ¡°Thanks to your advice, I was able to decide easily.¡± ¡°No problem. You can always discuss these things with me! Since I have experience.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Selena smiled and gathered the rest together, leaving only Lirel¡¯s invitation. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Mrs. Janet how to reply here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you calling her to your room?¡± Selena shook her head, ¡°no, it¡¯s kind of bad to ask someone else¡¯s maid to come into your room.¡± Also, there might always be ears around Selena¡¯s room, but no one was listening into Mrs. Janet¡¯s room. Her room must be a closed room. Without a notice, Selena rushed into her room. ¡°Why did you come all the way to my room?¡± Mrs. Janet was sitting gracefully at the tea table, embroidering a piece of cloth. At first glance, Selena knew they belonged to Kalcion. His absolutely splendid costumes were made like this. Mrs. Janet¡¯s devotion to embroider directly with her hands without leaving it to other maids was enormous. ¡°As a guest of the Renbird family, I wish to receive proper advice not to destroy the Renbird family.¡± Mrs. Janet¡¯s hands paused at her answer. Her eyes were fixed on the work while Selena stood at the door, but this prompted her to raise her head. Although her gaze was not pretty, Selena¡¯s smile looked confident. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Have a seat.¡± Selena walked to the table and sat down as Mrs. Janet taught her. Janet¡¯s evaluative gaze did not falter until the end of the final movement of spreading her skirt, straightening her back, and putting her hands neatly together on her knees. ¡°I¡¯ve been invited to a tea party. Come to think of it, I was prepared thoroughly for a big party, but I don¡¯t know how a tea party is held, let alone be careful of its preparations.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Lady Selena the one invited to the tea party?¡± ¡®So there¡¯s no reason for me to help you,¡¯ was what Mrs. Janet meant. ¡°The Duke also received an invitation. Shouldn¡¯t we go there together?¡± Selena threw back, saying Mrs. Janet couldn¡¯t win against her. Discouraged by Selena¡¯s point of no mistake, Mrs. Janet spoke, ¡°¡­¡­Tea parties vary in the atmosphere and the way they proceed depending on individual tendencies. But you don¡¯t have to match everything¡­¡­. If you are accompanied by His Excellency.¡± It meant that there could be nothing scary in the world if she went with Kalcion. ¡°What if I go alone?¡± ¡°You have to keep the right atmosphere.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, depending on the mood?¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong because the atmosphere was different for each party, but Selena couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling of being sanctioned. ¡°It¡¯s hard to keep up with the mood. The whole party doesn¡¯t feel the same, but it depends on the person gathered in each area.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°If you try to match the atmosphere, it may look strange to people over there. That¡¯s what it is.¡± Like Viorela¡¯s drinking party, but she did not specifically mention it. Visiting Mrs. Janet today was an intention to confirm this. If Janet heard what Selena did at the last banquet, she would¡¯ve collapsed to the floor. Battling the nobles with words, dragging Fionel away, and winning at a drinking game. What Mrs. Janet emphasized in her etiquette education was ¡°not to fight!¡± She taught it clearly that ignorance with elegant kindness was the best choice because you could never save your dignity if you quarreled. If Mrs. Janet heard what Selena did at the party, she would have brought it up. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already experienced it at a party, you have nothing to learn for a tea party.¡± In the end, there was no reprimand from Mrs. Janet for Selena¡¯s problematic behavior at the party. She was not a person to endure even though she knew. It was the biggest party Selena attended with Kalcion, so if Selena¡¯s mistake caught her ear, she could never stand it. Not saying anything meant that she did not know about Selena¡¯s deeds and that she had no connection to the nobles in the party. ¡®At least Mrs. Janet is not someone¡¯s pawn.¡¯ Then there would be no more reason to dig into Mrs. Janet. She was the one who held the biggest clue about that night, but it wasn¡¯t something to ask at the moment. Selena stood up from her seat without regrets. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m done with my business, so I¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°Oh, I have one thing to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tea parties tend to have a strong socialization, so they often hide passwords and signals through the invitations.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°If they used a red envelope, the dress code is red. If they decorate the letter with flower prints, flowers are likely to be used as ornaments.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± That was really a big tip. To the point where it made her wonder. ¡°You¡¯ve never participated in a tea party before, and you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen. If you send a reply asking the host, there is a high possibility that they will inform you in advance, but even if not, it is impossible for His Excellency to be humiliated.¡± As expected, it was not for Selena, but Kalcion. However, she was grateful to know that. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Mrs. Janet continued her embroidery, which she had stopped before, without looking back at Selena. Her fingers carefully brushed over the spot where she sewed, as if touching her child¡¯s cloth. It was Mrs. Janet¡¯s tender smile that Selena saw for the first time. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°As expected,¡± Kalcion just nodded, not surprised. The order of invitations laid out on the desk was exactly like what they expected. ¡°It has become clear that Juna has an informant in the house of Count Hice. She may have a connection to someone above her through the house.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more likely.¡± In the meantime, Kalcion had also completed an investigation on Count Hice. House of Count Hice, like Renbird, had unique mines. It was only after the investigation that it was discovered that many of the jewels on the market came from the Hice family. If the jewels produced by Renbird begin to be released on the market, Count Hice will be hit inevitably. Whether it was to look for a new way or stop the production of Renbird, he had no choice but to move. One more thing to add was that Rosalyn¡¯s family was at the forefront of the export trade network. Whether it meant aiming for overseas export or stopping Renbird, it was natural for Lirel to stick with Rosalyn as her family held the distribution network. ¡°It¡¯s probably Rosalyn, right?¡± ¡°Possible.¡± It was clear that Lirel was currently Rosalyn¡¯s rattle. Otherwise, there would¡¯ve been no reason for Lirel to invite Selena, whom she had argued with. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to write back to the family that I¡¯ll be participating. I¡¯ll have to write by myself, right?¡± ¡°As it should be. Sit here and write,¡± Kalcion handed over his seat and pen to her. She dipped the pen in ink and went to write a reply. ¡°¡­..Oh. Do you have a paper I could practice on?¡± ¡°Practice?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s my first time writing, so I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± ¡°¡­..Ah.¡± There were often times when she read letters, but she didn¡¯t have to write them. She never helped with administrative work, nor did she have to deliver a note to Kalcion. ¡°¡­..It works in writing too, right?¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll write a script for you. You don¡¯t have to worry, do you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Just practice on that letter. The paper is going to be discarded anyway.¡± Grabbing the pen, she stroked the bracelet she always wore. It was like a part of her now. The person who made this was a mage from another world. It really did help her interpret this world¡¯s language. Selena wrote down the words that came to her mind as a test. ¡®Kalcion.¡¯ Her hand moved smoothly. Unfamiliar letters were written in a handwriting similar to Selena¡¯s original handwriting. ¡°It¡¯s working.¡± After her pen stopped, Kalcion lifted the paper and looked at the writing. The first trace that Selena made in this world. And it happened to be Kalcion¡¯s name. Was it okay for someone who would return to her original world someday to leave such a deep trace? Her writing seemed to be exceptionally deeply engraved. ¡°I¡¯ve checked that it¡¯s writing well, so let me write back. Oh, give me that paper. I¡¯m going to wipe the ink residue there.¡± ¡°Wipe it on some other paper.¡± ¡°Why? That paper¨C¡± ¡°You dare dispose of my name as garbage?¡± ¡°No, what¨C then, do you want to keep it as an heirloom?¡± Without answering Selena¡¯s outrageous question, Kalcion moved the paper to his other hand. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of giving the paper back. ¡°Okay, okay. Do whatever you want.¡± It was just a piece of paper with one letter of his name on it. Selena didn¡¯t insist on anything that was insignificant. Instead, she fell into agony as she placed a new paper before her. ¡°Hmm¡­.. What to write? First, thank you for the invitation.¡± She had difficulty in the first sentence, but the reply was completed in no time as she carried on. Kalcion was also watching to see if she required anything to add. Admiring the letters, Selena read aloud once she was finished writing. ¡°The person who made this bracelet is really amazing. It feels like it knows what I want to write.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible that they were such a genius.¡± ¡°Does it necessarily translate to this country¡¯s language? If it works in a different language system, I want to take it back with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re taking it back?¡± Kalcion forgot to breathe for a moment. ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying I will take it. Why are you so stunned? I won¡¯t take it! You told me this was a very important treasure. After I go back, someone from another dimension might need it, how can I take this?¡± Selena chuckled as she fiddled with her bracelet. ¡°After going back¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t take it!¡± Selena was only talking about the bracelet. However, Kalcion¡¯s mind was spinning on a different topic. ¡®Selena is going back¡­¡­.¡¯ He felt suffocated, just like when he thought about her death. Sending her back to her home was a condition he had guaranteed himself. But he had never taken the time to seriously think about it. Selena¡¯s return to her homeworld¡ªlike her death¡ªwas a concept without even a distant future, which had a possibility of happening someday. Blinded by his immediate anger and determination of catching the true culprit made him sign a contract with Selena without giving him much time to think. If Selena found the criminal and their contract ended, she would have to go and look at the mage¡¯s research. Back then, Selena¡¯s return simply meant ¡®end of the operation.¡¯ Just how troops return to their respective homes after the battle. But now, Kalcion felt that her return was a ¡®parting.¡¯ A dull shock hit his head. Even with the news of the death of the former Ducal couple, Kalcion¡¯s first thought was ¡®change of location¡¯ and ¡®possibility of rebellion.¡¯ Parting was never sad or unfortunate for him. Then, as he thought of his parting with Selena, he felt a burning sense of impatience. For some reason, Selena¡¯s vacancy seemed to be affecting him greatly, and he had a foreboding that this sense of loss would follow him for a long time. Kalcion himself could not figure out why he felt that way. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve caught their tail, won¡¯t we be able to find out what¡¯s behind if we carry on like this?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Kalcion couldn¡¯t afford to give a clear answer because of his chaotic mind. He couldn¡¯t even tell if it was his head or his chest. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you responding?¡± Selena put down the paper and looked at Kalcion. ¡°First of all, that reaction wasn¡¯t like the person who wanted to catch the criminal by grinding his teeth. I thought you¡¯d laugh with a fierce glare in your eyes that you found at least one to kill.¡± She was right. It was supposed to be like that. When he rescued Selena in the Sigand Mountains, Kalcion was filled with revenge. The opportunity was approaching for him to slay the one who dared to kill a person inside his mansion and who also despised him. He had to feel the same exhilarating joy as he did while slaying a beast that fled leaving permanent scars on three of his knights. At some point, however, the joy began to falter. He was getting closer to the truth of the incident step by step, but he was indifferent. He didn¡¯t feel obligated to find out. Rather, his patience was shaken when Selena risked herself for gathering information. That was unexpected. He still did not know what to name the aberration, but he was certain that it was a dangerous thing that shook his own foundation. ¡°It can be rather uncomfortable to find out the real reason. Because if you proceed without knowing, you might have to see the filthiest part with your eyes.¡± Selena smiled bitterly as if she understood, comforting Kalcion. No. It wasn¡¯t like that. She had seen filth. Now she would not be hurt if she saw one or two more. ¡°Have you thought about what to do after everything is revealed?¡± ¡°¡­..No, not yet.¡± ¡°Oh. Just in case, my role is to reveal it. It¡¯s not my job to collect evidence or to gather testimonies, so don¡¯t make me do it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Selena stood up from the desk and leaned her face close toward him. At that moment, Kalcion, who was staring blankly at the corner of the desk, came to his senses and looked up at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You look so dazed. Did you not sleep last night? No, you¡¯re not someone who doesn¡¯t sleep well. What are you worried about?¡± Kalcion, again, was at a loss of words. Selena¡¯s eyes looking at him were exceptionally clear. He lost himself in those black eyes that illuminated everything like it was obsidian. He hurriedly fixed his expression. ¡°I was contemplating what I should do with it. What would you do?¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think I would have even thought of digging into the case from the beginning. Isn¡¯t the Duke thinking about how he could kill them?¡± ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m going to kill them?¡± ¡°Just? The specialty of the Northern Duke?¡± Kalcion shook his head. ¡°I need to revamp the image of the Northern Duke.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re not going to kill them?¡± Of course he would kill them. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ¡°Since it¡¯s a tea party in the garden, wouldn¡¯t red stand out in the green background?¡± ¡°Hmm, red¡­..¡± Selena scratched her head with her finger, staring at the dress Juna had chosen. When she learned that it was related to the Hice family, she couldn¡¯t make a simple mistake while choosing the dress. Mrs. Janet¡¯s tips were very helpful. It was fortunate that Renbird¡¯s honor was greater than her hatred of Selena. Just as Mrs. Janet advised, Selena could connect every dot on the invitation to find the hidden clues. For this tea party of the Hice family, the dress code was white, and the accessories would have to be in the shape of white flowers. ¡°Won¡¯t it be a little hot in the middle of the day¡­.?¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it make a strong first impression? Since it¡¯s a garden, you¡¯d be like a big flower.¡± It would have been plausible if Selena didn¡¯t know about the dress code. Even if she wore this red dress and returned with a lot of ridicule, she couldn¡¯t have blamed Juna. The invitation was addressed to Selena, so it would have been her fault not to recognize the dress code, not the maid¡¯s. However, from the beginning, Juna wouldn¡¯t even talk to Selena about the dress code. If she hadn¡¯t served Irelle, Selena wouldn¡¯t have known about her intention. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like wearing red today for some reason.¡± Selena chose a dress herself, ¡°what about this?¡± She didn¡¯t bring up the topic of dress code on purpose. It was because she was curious to see what Juna would say to stop her. She could see Juna thinking hard. The dress that Selena chose was not white. It was a dress made of silver threads running down the skirt with sparkling silver drops connected to them. Silver was eye-catching when it came to white, and white when it came to any other color. ¡°Uh¡­. Er¡­. This is for banquets, so it would be hard to sit in it.¡± But seeing that she was trying to stop her, it seemed she wanted to somehow humiliate Selena. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m good at being patient.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.. ultimately, you will wear whatever you want.¡± When Selena insisted, Juna could no longer press it down. ¡°I will help you prepare. Oh, but this looks a bit complicated. Hold on a second.¡± After a lot of trouble, Juna was finally able to prepare Selena. Not all her dresses were the same, but each time she wore one, the order and method were different. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s done.¡± Selena looked at herself in the mirror, wiping sweat from her forehead and taking a step back, telling Juna that she had worked hard. It felt a bit clumsy, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint where exactly the problem was. ¡®I¡¯ll find it when I wear it.¡¯ It must have been some fabric, so Selena went back to Kalcion¡¯s room, not thinking much of it. ¡°I¡¯m ready. I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± ¡°You said the dress code was white.¡± The development from white to silver was a remarkable one. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it. Come to think of it, the dress code for Royle¡¯s party is ¡®Starlight¡¯.¡± She would be attending the tea party at Hice Mansion for the daytime, and at sunset, she was supposed to go to the House of Royle for their evening tea party. ¡°I don¡¯t have to return to change my dress again, so I¡¯ll be going to leave for Royle as soon as the tea party is over.¡± Only Selena was invited to both parties. The uninvited Kalcion was scheduled to stay home all day long. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I will be out alone for a long time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about since you will have an escort. You will also have secret escorts everywhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± even though she said it, she trembled a little and clenched her fists. She was going to a place where she could have Kalcion¡¯s help even if she screamed. Just thinking about it made her nervous. However, as Kalcion said, her safety was guaranteed. Even in the house, escorts hiding in the shadows popped out and blocked Selena¡¯s front. Most of them were trivial, but you could feel how attentive Kalcion and his guards were. As much as she was nervous, she was able to put her mind at ease. However, today, Selena was responsible for the task as Kalcion was unable to stick by her side. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to get information.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it,¡± Kalcion¡¯s reply was so straightforward that her shoulders rose for a moment. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her reply was equally simple, but it felt awkward. Unlike her, Kalcion creaked like a broken machine. This was because both of them were in a hurry to adapt after their first meeting and do something they would not normally do. The swamp of awkwardness was terrible. There was no way to get out of it. ¡°Ah, then¡­. I¡¯ll see you.¡± ¡°Let me escort you to the front door.¡± It was unknown how many steps it took from the room to the front door, but this kindness was also part of the awkwardness. Clasping Kalcion¡¯s arm, Selena grinned as she walked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem strange that the Duke is suddenly not by my side? Is this the reason why we¡¯re so awkward?¡± Kalcion¡¯s was quiet, staring only at the bottom of the stairs. Yes, it was because of their straightforward behavior. ¡°They say that relationships get better when couples spend time away from each other. Are you going to do some of your hobbies that you haven¡¯t been able to do while I¡¯m away?¡± ¡°No, we actually planned on conducting a weekly evening training session in addition to the day.¡± ¡°What? Well, I hope you have a good day today,¡± she poked Kalcion¡¯s side with her elbow. But it wasn¡¯t his side she poked. ¡°By the way, are you wearing a cape for training?¡± Usually, Kalcion wore neat shirts and outerwear. During training, he changed into a comfortable shirt or military top. Today, he was dressed up enough to hold a parade as it was. Although it looked like a combat outfit, it was much more flashy than what he wore in training. ¡°Sometimes you have to wear this for morale and fight. It¡¯s more cumbersome than the usual training clothes, but it¡¯s necessary to train like this sometimes.¡± Selena shook her head, looking at the scalloped decorations on his shoulders and chest, and the long fluttering cloak. She nodded. If she had to fight wearing a cloak that looped around her body and made her stumble repeatedly, the practice would be essential. ¡°Oh, must it be that cloak?¡± Selena came up with an idea. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s this cloak, why?¡± The cloak around Kalcion¡¯s shoulders was white. The lower hem was embroidered with silver thread and the upper part was decorated with light fur, giving it a feel of the north. ¡°Well, could you lend it to me for one day?¡± ¡°I have no reason to deny,¡± said Kalcion, standing in front of the door, unbuttoning his cloak. He was going to fold it up and hand it to Selena, but he paused. He then outstretched his long arms and wrapped the cloak around her shoulders. The space between them narrowed as she was trapped in his arms. It was as if he felt breathless. He raised his chin to breathe as he took a step forward with the cape. He was able to breathe again. His long, hard fingers, which tied the ribbon of the cloak, moved back and forth in front of her nose. Even though it was nothing, Selena watched them work until the end. ¡°Then, I will be back.¡± She looked up at Kalcion and greeted him naturally like his spouse on her way to work. ¡°Have a safe journey.¡± Selena, who was about to leave, suddenly turned around and took a step closer to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°We¡¯re separating like when we fall asleep, so we have to say goodbye.¡± At Selena¡¯s touch, hugging his neck, now Kalcion was natural at leaning down by himself. Her soft lips made contact with his cheek as she kissed him. Then, she took a step back, looked into his eyes, and smiled brightly before she left him standing alone. The waiting escort opened the carriage door. She greeted lightly with a nod and stepped into the carriage. It was also her first time sitting alone in a carriage. ¡°Haa¡­..,¡± she opened her eyes after a deep breath. She opened the window. Her eyes met Kalcion¡¯s, who was still standing on the porch and looking this way. Selena smiled and shook her head pretending to be relaxed. Soon after Kalcion replied with a nod, the carriage departed from the mansion. Selena tightened her grip on the cape with her cold fingers. His warm cape calmed down her tremors. The carriage that left the main gate was no longer visible. However, Kalcion watched from the front door for a long time as if he could see beyond that. ¡°Get me a new cape for the training.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Just before turning around, he took a last glance at the gate. There was nothing to worry about. The guards he sent for Selena¡¯s aide were those with the best skills among the guards, and half of the guards were planted in the shadows. There was no way in which they could not protect Selena unless the invasion of military units. But for some reason, he kept looking back. What would happen if she didn¡¯t return in the carriage like this? His anxious imagination only continued to grow. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The tea party was, of course, as she expected. Everyone¡ªdressed in white outfits and adorned with flowers on their heads¡ªsat like a doll. About five seats at the table were occupied. Though Selena arrived just on time, most people were already in place. AD ¡®Oh, I didn¡¯t think this through.¡¯ She came on time, thinking it was like a grand banquet, but it seemed that she should have arrived earlier at a tea party. All that was left was a seat at the corner of the table that was barely visible to other people. Even when Selena appeared, no one came forward to give her a warm welcome. She knew that it would be like this. Without a slight embarrassment, she approached Lirel, who sat at the center of the table. ¡°I thank you for inviting me. I thought I didn¡¯t have to come on time. Perhaps it was my mistake that I didn¡¯t know unless I was childishly told a different time to arrive, so please forgive me.¡± Lirel¡¯s face hardened all at once, which confirmed Selena¡¯s doubts that she childishly wrote a different time for Selena to arrive late. Next to Lirel sat Rosalyn. Some of the guests were turned toward Rosalyn, as if the party was being hosted by her. She smiled haughtily, her gaze was very natural. ¡°You¡¯re all dressed up today, aren¡¯t you. Lady Lirel was very worried that only your underwear would be white.¡± Some people giggled at the joke. ¡°Still, the Duke worries so much. I¡¯m afraid he tries to buy me clothes whenever he gets time. Even if I wear three dresses a day, he buys me so much that I think I wouldn¡¯t be able to wear all of them in my entire life.¡± In times like this, it¡¯s better to keep silent. Although showing off a man¡¯s affection with a gift was something Selena personally hated, it was the best method when it came to others¡¯ perspectives. The giggles faded away. Selena didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°But what¡¯s the point of buying it for me? I¡¯m only allowed to wear it in front of the Duke. Ah, like how it was today. When he saw me wearing this dress, he wrapped me in his cloak. It¡¯s so pretty that he doesn¡¯t want people to see me in it. So please understand if I appear a bit stifling.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. yes, the cloak¡­. of course, that we understand¡­..¡± The laughter at Selena died down at the mention of Kalcion¡¯s name. Even though he wasn¡¯t present. Selena snorted at the obvious discriminatory treatment and headed for the seat. It was a gathering for people who were forced to come in exchange for power, so one pushed Selena as vigorously as Rosalyn. The tea party decorations themselves were calming, contrasting to the atmosphere of the party at the Rose Palace. A white cloth tent was built between the trees swaying softly in the wind. Bouquets of white flowers were set on the green grass and a transparent vase was placed on the table. The harmonious landscape could be fitted into a portrait to watch. The environment was perfect to relax in, except for the constant attacks Selena faced. All they did in this relaxing atmosphere was eat refreshments, gossip about someone, compliment each other, and brag about something. Selena felt sorry for those beautiful flowers. She didn¡¯t want to stir the mood toward herself. Anyway, she attended the party today to find out if anyone had any kind of relationship with someone and what the atmosphere was like. She didn¡¯t even think about reaching out to expand her network or to receive more invitations. Since she saw Rosalyn sitting next to Lirel, her goal for today was accomplished. She was barely keeping in her yawn when Lirel and Rosalyn sneakily stood up from their seats. ¡°Everyone, I had something to present to Lady Rosalyn, but I have forgotten to bring it with me. Because it is a valuable item, I must deliver it myself¡­.. May we be excused for a moment?¡± ¡°Oh my, of course.¡± The two main characters of the tea party immediately left the scene. The main topic of conversation throughout the party was Lirel, and her guests chiming in. ¡°So, uh, I don¡¯t know if I should ask you this.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When the two figures disappeared, the girl sitting next to Selena murmured. She was one of the many who kept their eyes on Rosalyn the whole time, clapping and giggling alongside her. Selena could barely guess what her status was. ¡°That¡­. the dress you¡¯re wearing inside the cloak, is it from Lumera?¡± Selena was confused since she bought too many dresses at once. ¡°Um, where was it¡­.. I don¡¯t remember¡­..¡± ¡°The designer¡¯s name may have been engraved on the sleeve or on a ribbon at the back. May I have a look?¡± ¡°Yes, well. Go ahead.¡± Since the girl wasn¡¯t suspicious, Selena leaned towards her. The girl carefully searched. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful to see even through the cloak¡­.. If it¡¯s Lumera, it¡¯ll be really expensive, right?¡± The tag wasn¡¯t in the sleeves. So the girl lifted the cloak a bit to look closely at the ribbon behind Selena¡¯s back. Ashamed, Selena whispered. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know the price. Since the Duke merely had to spend any.¡± ¡°Wow, as the rumor has it, His Excellency¡¯s wealth must be tremendous. It¡¯s true then.¡± The lady then pointed to Selena¡¯s back. ¡°But I think the ribbon was tied wrongly. If the fixing pin comes off, you¡¯ll get pricked.¡± The ribbon was hidden by the cloak. If it had stayed that way, it would have been a disaster. ¡®D*mn you, Juna¡­..¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe how evil Juna was. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. I¡¯ll have to go to the washroom to fix my dress¡­.. Do you happen to know the direction of the washroom?¡± ¡°The washroom is in the building over there. Once you reach there, you¡¯ll find a door with pink flowers on it.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t see a maid, just ring the bell that¡¯s there on the right side of the doorway.¡± The guests were appearing to be strangely kind now. ¡®Is it because of Rosalyn¡¯s absence?¡¯ Perhaps these people participated in Rosalyn¡¯s joke so as for their families to receive aid in business and power. ¡®But I don¡¯t need to welcome them right away.¡¯ People did this not because they were weak-minded, but because of Selena¡¯s potential. For they were afraid that Selena, who carried the Duke¡¯s favor, would spill anything, or that she would take the place of the Duchess. They wanted to have an insurance policy just in case. Selena glanced at the building, forcing a smile. The mansion of Count Hice was a little further from the party venue. Therefore, several buildings were placed on a large site and each had its own purpose. Perhaps that¡¯s why it was so quiet with a few people coming and going inside the building. As soon as Selena opened the door, her eyes landed on the stairs. The door with pink flowers was just behind the stairs, but the maid posted was nowhere to be seen. She reached out to ring the bell, as guided by the other guests, but a sharp voice stopped her. ¡°Am I a maid? Am I a dog? There¡¯s a limit to telling me what to do!¡± It was Lirel¡¯s voice. Withdrawing her hand from the bell, Selena turned her head toward the sound. ¡°If she made an appointment, she should be the one to take care of it. Why do I have to come with her? Now look, my dress has been tarnished by grass.¡± ¡°Oh, My Lady. I know. What should I do? I will try to clean it quickly.¡± ¡°How can you clean it? Oh, seriously. Look at my shoes. It¡¯s all messed up. Even my feet are hurting after such a long walk.¡± Her voice boomed all over the hall. It seemed like she was very angry. Selena crept toward Lirel¡¯s room. Lirel¡¯s voice was so loud she didn¡¯t need to kill the sound of her footsteps. ¡°She¡¯s not even as pretty as I am, and she dares to call me ugly? Our time is almost over with her family. Just wait and see.¡± It must have been Rosalyn she was swearing at. ¡®Oh?¡¯ It seemed she was only close to Rosalyn because there was a contract at play. In the lounge on the second floor, where Selena had sneaked up, Lirel was lying on the sofa, chattering with a maid who was looking down at her feet. ¡°She says she will become the Crown Princess one day, and now she wants to be the Duchess. Then why did she go to see the Crown Prince again? Such a weird person.¡± At this point, Selena had heard everything she needed. She came in triumphantly with the spirit of capturing the enemy. ¡°Lady Rosalyn would appreciate it very much if she learns it, wouldn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Lirel sprang up to her feet, pretending. ¡°Y-You, how are you here!¡± ¡°I was headed to the washroom, but your voice brought me here.¡± Selena deliberately walked into the room and sat down on the sofa opposite Lirel. ¡°Sit, we have plenty of time, so let us have a chat.¡± Lirel sat back down hesitantly. The way she took her seat without even resting her back on the sofa looked like a child who was scolded because of a mistake she made. Selena, on the other hand, was seated leisurely with her legs crossed. She gestured to the maid to leave them alone, perhaps because the master¡¯s face was about to be ruined. The maid, confused, went out of the room. It seemed impossible to tell who was the master and who was the guest. ¡°W-What do we have to chat¡­¡­?¡± ¡°What you just said. It was very interesting. I thought you two were very close, but to think, one of you has been *peeling pumpkin seeds like this.¡± {TL/N: *This means talking or doing something behind someone¡¯s back.} ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that! Who doesn¡¯t swear behind someone¡¯s back! It¡¯s just that it feels upsetting sometimes.¡± Though she knew it was too late, Lirel insisted. Some people would usually shrink away after that, but Selena was not that kind of person. Rather, she loved to press more. ¡°Ah¡ªah.¡± She indifferently responded, tucking her loose hair behind her shoulder. ¡°In that case, I think Miss Rosalyn will be able to hear and understand.¡± That shut Lirel¡¯s mouth. She couldn¡¯t let it happen. If this got into Rosalyn¡¯s ears, she would be dead. And that would ultimately ruin the house of Count Hice. ¡°N-No, hold on. Let¡¯s chat for a while.¡± ¡°We are chatting.¡± It was a situation where the spectators watched the owner of the house burn in fire. Lirel felt her mouth dry up as Selena relaxed, folding her arms. ¡°Well, Lady Selena. It¡¯s not just a matter of relationship. Perhaps it¡¯s based on my family interests?¡± ¡°Yes, so?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this originally. However, there are times when families cooperate, and there are times when they compete. That¡¯s why I¡¯m cooperating. It¡¯s just like that.¡± ¡°Yes, but?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not like my heart follows everything I¡¯m supposed to do. So, uh, it wasn¡¯t my intention to greet Lady Selena coldly. I just wanted to tell you that.¡± ¡°Just because it wasn¡¯t your will doesn¡¯t mean it can be forgotten.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true! Of course it can¡¯t be! However, in fact, I wanted to be close to you.¡± ¡°You wanted to, but you did the exact opposite.¡± Selena only snorted at the ridiculous excuses that followed. ¡°That¡­.! I never wanted to!¡± Lirel must have thought Selena would be moved by her excuses. ¡°It was Lady Rosalyn who told you to attack me and flirt with the Duke before anyone else at the Foundation Party, and it was her will that you invited me to a tea party that was laid out to bother me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right. Why else would I torment Lady Selena, whom I don¡¯t even know?¡± ¡°Why did she ask Lady Lirel to do that?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know about that¡­. I just did what Lady Rosalyn wanted me to do¡­..¡± Selena sighed, ¡°So Lady Lirel wanted to get along with me, but she was forced to pick on me because Rosalyn asked her to, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes! That¡¯s it!¡± Selena smiled at Lirel, who kept nodding frantically. At this rate, her hairstyle would be a mess. Seeing the girl¡ªwho was most likely sensitive about a strand of hair sticking out of place¡ªmaking a fuss, Selena went straight to the point. ¡°So, what is it you have that needs Rosalyn¡¯s support?¡± ¡°T-That¡­..¡± ¡°You said you wanted to get along with me. Then let us be friends from now on. Can¡¯t we chat about that when we¡¯re close? I heard you¡¯re allowed to swear at people you don¡¯t like in front of your close friend.¡± Selena said in a friendly voice, but the threats hidden underneath were not friendly at all. If Selena told Rosalyn the truth, Lirel would be the only one to suffer. It wouldn¡¯t matter even if Lirel was her partner, suspicions would arise as soon as Selena relayed the information. Rosalyn had no reason to hold on to noisy people for nothing. It would be a pity for Count Hice, not Marquis Thiolan. Rosalyn had already beaten people to death, no matter how much they were her ¡®friends¡¯. She could slice them off mercilessly if they showed the slightest rude behavior. Even if it was her first love hugging her knee, she would never turn around. Everyone feared Rosalyn and Marquis Thiolan, even if they cursed them badly behind their backs. Now was the time to seize Selena and silence her. ¡°The top of the distribution network that allows us to distribute jewelry belongs to Marquis Thiolan. My family¡¯s large business is at stake, so I have to cooperate.¡± That¡¯s what Kalcion figured out. Selena wondered if there was anything else, but the biggest problem was money. ¡°Then do you have to stay with Rosalyn all your life?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I¡¯m told that we will be able to regain our balance as soon as the amount distributed in Renbird¡¯s mine is determined!¡± cried Lirel in rage. Prior to the family business, Lirel, like Fionel and Rosalyn, had led the crowd. Now it seemed to have been absorbed under Rosalyn for a while, but she could not live like this forever. ¡°Aha¡­.. Then we must get along. I don¡¯t know much, but you never know, do you? I wonder if I can ask the Duke for a small favor when my friend is in trouble.¡± ¡°Oh my, that would be wonderful.¡± Lirel pretending to believe in Selena was very good because she had to agree. That¡¯s why she was the first one to encounter Selena at the grand banquet. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t know what goes on in the business industry. So why don¡¯t you write a letter and let me hand it over to the Duke?¡± ¡°Letter?¡± The suggestion was sudden, so it was questionable. Selena pressed harder at Lirel¡¯s trembling reaction. ¡°If I hand over the letter, there will be no leak of information and the Duke will consider it, right?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± Lirel never thought Selena had such an influence on Duke Renbird. He bought all kinds of dresses and accessories for his favorite, but in the end, he was just a dog on a jeweled leash. ¡°Now that you understand, you should write a letter. Where did the maid go?¡± While Lirel was muttering, Selena called the maid she had kicked out, telling her to bring a paper and pen. ¡°Now, please write it down quickly so I can leave as early as possible.¡± ¡°Um, that¡­¡­¡± Lirel couldn¡¯t think of a reason to refuse immediately. Eventually, she was handed the pen. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Duke will hear about it later how you and Selena became close friends at the tea party. It was a day spent well, and you heard a lot about the Duke. Write this much.¡± What Selena said was insignificant. Even if it got leaked, those words would not lead to much of a big deal. At the end of the letter, which was written in graceful handwriting, Lirel purposefully didn¡¯t mention her name. Since she had no idea how this letter would be used, she tried to avoid anything that might serve as an excuse. She heard Selena was a commoner. If so, it was highly unlikely that Selena could understand what she wrote. ¡°You forgot to write your name at the end.¡± But Selena pointed out the exact mistake. Lirel was very astonished that Selena knew how to read and write. ¡°Oh my, I must¡¯ve missed it.¡± Lirel wrote down her name pretending it was a mistake, but she felt very uncomfortable. She felt like she was captured because she didn¡¯t have a reason to refuse, yet she was leaving something so materialistic. ¡°Looking back, my writing isn¡¯t very sophisticated. I must write this letter carefully and send it to you next time¨C¡± ¡°No need. This is enough for me.¡± Selena caught the letter on the table before Lirel could try to sneak it away. ¡°Your words are very sincere, so how could I throw it away? Since it is a sign of our friendship, I shall cherish it.¡± With that, the letter disappeared inside Selena¡¯s cloak. It was only then that Lirel came to her senses. She had left evidence written with her own hands to acknowledge her friendship with Selena. She bit her lips in regret. It was no good telling the Duke of Renbird. Her secret with Rosalyn was robbed. She might have been able to subdue Selena if her maid helped. Although she did some calculations in her head, Lirel had never lifted anything heavier than her teacup. She couldn¡¯t take the stamina of a commoner who was said to have been rescued from the mountains infested with monsters. Even though Lirel thought hard, she could not find a way to take the letter back from Selena¡¯s grip. ¡°Do not worry. I understand that we both have our positions. Our friendship shall stay a secret between us.¡± Selena winked at her. That wink alone could knock down everyone at a fan meeting, but here it was a warning from the envoy to Lirel. ¡°Oh, and what did you mean when you said she went to see the Crown Prince? Now that I recall, you left the party together.¡± Lirel¡¯s face was distorted. ¡®She needs to go all the way in, this d*mned b*tch.¡¯ ¡°Where did Lady Rosalyn go?¡± Selena¡¯s smile grew wider. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 87 Chapter 87 The County of Hice covered a large area, connecting to a nearby small forest, specifically a grove. However, it wasn¡¯t a desirable place to wander around in a dress and shoes. Lirel¡¯s dress, which she had barely cleaned, was messed up again. No matter how small the forest was, it was still a forest. Even if the route was explained to Selena, she had to take a long walk until she reached the place. Instead of asking for the location, she was wisely guided by Lirel¡¯s directions. How could she have disobeyed Selena with the certificate of servitude in Selena¡¯s hands? ¡°I don¡¯t think the host should stay away from the party for too long. You may go back now.¡± Even if the two arrived at the meeting place, they could not find the Prince and Rosalyn. But since Selena was a spy, she didn¡¯t really need someone to peek at her task from now on. Replying with a convulsive smile, Lirel turned around. Selena could catch a bucket of curses rolling down her lips every time she bumped while walking away. ¡°Now then, where is it?¡± Holding the hem of her dress, Selena walked into the woods. Before leaving the mansion, she had asked a maid to rearrange the pins and ribbons of the dress. After which, she was more comfortable than earlier. ¡®Now it¡¯s easy to move around. I can run if I have to.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t see them, but there were guards Kalcion posted somewhere watching her. Thanks to him, she was able to summon the courage to enter the forest all alone. She found Rosalyn very soon. Rosalyn stood facing the Crown Prince in a vacant lot not far from the entrance of the forest. Selena stepped a little closer to listen to their conversation. The occasional rustling of the leaves from the breeze covered her footfalls. Without making a sound, she hid behind a tree as she approached the pair. ¡°Rosalyn, I thought you were a strong woman.¡± ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± ¡°Have I expected too much from you? I don¡¯t expect you to be so weak.¡± ¡°¡­..Please forgive me¡­..,¡± answered Rosalyn in a small voice with her head down. The Prince¡¯s voice was as sweet as Selena¡¯s memory. However, Rosalyn shrank as if every word of the Crown Prince was stabbing her. The Rosalyn¡ªwho looked so proud and determined in front of everyone. Selena blinked many times because it was so difficult to believe. Still, Rosalyn, who shrank like a bollworm in front of the Prince, did not disappear. ¡°Rosalyn, it does not matter where your name and body stand. It¡¯s the heart that counts.¡± ¡°¡­.I understand.¡± ¡°Then, you know that you¡¯ve been doing well so far. So make sure to carry it a little bit further, okay?¡± His voice was as sweet as a man who coaxed his lover into bed. ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± It seemed like she had nothing else to answer. The Prince, satisfied with Rosalyn¡¯s answer, pulled her into a hug. In return, Rosalyn¡¯s hand was clasped on his back. ¡®What the?!¡¯ Selena could not understand the context of their conversation because she didn¡¯t hear them from the beginning, but from how they spoke to each other felt like they were a boss and a subordinate. Such a business-like conversation was suddenly concluded by a friendly hug. Selena¡¯s eyes grew wide in surprise. She kept seeing things she never saw before. However, her eyesight was very good. Even if she stood far away from the pair, she could clearly differentiate between a hug and a fight. The hug was short. As soon as they separated, Selena¡¯s eyes narrowed to thin slits again. Rosalyn¡¯s face was burning red. ¡°?¡± Selena stretched out her neck like a turtle. She thought she could believe what she was seeing only when she got a bit closer. But her mind was already spinning, filled with confusion. She didn¡¯t know if the confusion was in this world or in her head. Her mouth fell open, stunned at the relationship of the pair. ¡®So Rosalyn and the Crown Prince are like¡­.¡¯ The Prince stroked Rosalyn¡¯s red-painted cheek with his fingers. ¡°Are you going back with that face?¡± Those words made her blush even more. ¡°I will get some fresh air before I go back.¡± Rosalyn appeared too gentle and obedient. Selena couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Rosalyn¡¯s behavior. ¡°How long do you plan on hiding, wild bird of Renbird?¡± It was the Prince¡¯s voice that broke her trance. ¡°Gasp!¡± Selena was startled to her core. ¡®I¡¯m very far away! When and how did he notice me!¡¯ She was so surprised that she almost swallowed her tongue. From the outside, the Crown Prince looked like a man who grew up beautifully, but he was not the norm. In fact, he was quite a monster to compete with the monstrous Kalcion. Selena, who had already been caught, pitifully walked out from behind the trees. ¡°You continued even when you knew someone was watching?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re trying to point out.¡± His ¡®mask of friendly smile¡¯ was still not shaken. He didn¡¯t seem to have been caught even though he was caught based on the circumstance. ¡°I¡¯ve known Rosalyn since I was so young that I¡¯m more familiar with her than any other child. No matter what situation I¡¯m in, she is precious to me, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.. Yes.¡± ¡°She is like a lovely sister to me.¡± If Selena had not spoken to Lirel before facing this scene, she might have believed it. Because the Prince¡¯s words and expressions were quite convincing. Including his charming face and sweet voice. If Selena had not been immune to such handsomeness, she would have been convinced by the Crown Prince that the grave was a gem. ¡°I see. You looked so close that I wondered if you two were siblings.¡± Even if she wanted to say it was bullsh*t, Selena had to dig a little more to find out the truth. Therefore, she matched with the rhythm. ¡°Haha, you guessed it correctly. But usually, the first thing to do is to suspect if it¡¯s a deeper relationship.¡± Although she was curious, she could not say that she heard Rosalyn almost became the Crown Princess. ¡°Rosalyn is very dependent on me. She seems to see me as her own brother.¡± ¡°Ah, Lady Rosalyn must have been through many difficulties.¡± While she nodded outside, she told herself it was nothing but nonsense. ¡®What kind of sister in the world whines at her brother for having a hard time? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯ It was like a cat waking up every morning after its meal was prepared. Which could never happen. Selena¡¯s acting was as good as the Prince playing innocent. Her innermost thoughts never escaped to change her expressions. ¡°Well, I came out to cool my head, but when I heard that you were attending Count Hice¡¯s tea party, I hurried to see you. Occasional coincidences provoke great action, right?¡± He asked as he narrowed the distance. He was now close enough to grab Selena if he reached out his hand. Selena had to raise her head to look at the Crown Prince in the face. When their eyes met, he smiled so brightly as if pollen burst at the spot where a butterfly just flew past by. His smile was blinding, even though he was obviously not a good person when he was involved with Rosalyn. It was not Selena¡¯s thing to say, but the world was not equal. ¡°I appear to have a lot of coincidences with you.¡± ¡°I can see.¡± ¡°They say that these coincidences mean two people are fated to be together.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the Crown Prince, Selena would have ignored it. But he was such a prime suspect. Just as pouring sugar into the sea did not sweeten the sea, no matter how sweet his voice was, the doubts about him only increased. ¡°When coincidences happen, it¡¯s usually because of one¡¯s strong intentions.¡± ¡°Haha, it doesn¡¯t work that way. However, it is a real coincidence for us. Can¡¯t we just be happy about it?¡± Both accidental encounters were caused by Selena¡¯s sudden decisions. The Crown Prince could not have calculated and turned it into a coincidental encounter. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why we must be so happy.¡± ¡°Do we need a reason to be happy to meet someone so nice?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to be pleased.¡± Had the guards caught up with her position yet? Selena was very anxious. The forest was too quiet. Come to think of it, why was the Crown Prince alone? There was no way he ventured out alone without a bodyguard. Even after she had so many enemies. What if the Prince¡¯s escorts overpowered Kalcion¡¯s guards? It could have been a huge crisis for her. The Prince did not follow Selena, who took a step back, cutting him off coldly. Instead, he only smiled. ¡°Right, I forgot that I was the only one who could be pleased. I apologize if I made you feel pressured. It is literally a pleasure to see you.¡± She couldn¡¯t spit on a smiling face, but she could keep a straight face. A layer of frost fell on her face. ¡°Your Majesty already knows that I am the woman of Duke Renbird. I¡¯m aware that Your Majesty hates the Duke.¡± ¡°You know that already? You¡¯re smart.¡± ¡°Though Your Majesty likes me, he¡¯s smart enough to know that it¡¯s not just an affair.¡± She quickly hit the nail that was protruding. It was also because she was impatient with anxiety that her bodyguards might have disappeared. The Prince¡¯s obsequious manners were very questionable, so it made her more anxious. The Prince did not immediately reply to her answer whether or not her criticism worked. However, contrary to what Kalcion said, he showed no sign of anger or violence. ¡°Well¡­.. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°¡­..What?¡± On the contrary, he admitted coolly enough to embarrass himself. ¡°However, relationships don¡¯t necessarily work out that way. There are times when you make mistakes, and there are times when you use absurd boldness.¡± He spoke as if he was trying to make an excuse. Selena waited anxiously for the next remark. ¡°I also know that I shouldn¡¯t be near you. But the moment I saw you, my heart swelled up like a cloud.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Selena blankly stared back at the Crown Prince, unable to reply. His eyes were glistening alongside his bright smile. She tried to deny the possibility, but it was such a clear sign. ¡®Is this man really into me¡­..?!¡¯ Her head was pounding. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¡°In fact, the first time we met, we hadn¡¯t known each other. I guess that is the reason. Except for your background, you really shine, Lady.¡± ¡°Uh¡­. Y-Your Majesty can¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°What have I done? I have done nothing,¡± the Prince stretched out his arms with an exaggerated look of resentment. He had certainly never threatened or frightened Selena. She deserved to be wronged by someone like him. Apart from his innocence, however, Selena felt more burdened and frightened by the Crown Prince, who might be sincere towards her. ¡°Your beauty entices me so much that I want to keep looking at you and approach you. Is that so wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, but Your Majesty has to control yourself. First of all, I¡¯m dating the Duke.¡± ¡°Do you not want anything more than that? Are you so obsessed with the Duke that you can¡¯t see eye to eye with other men? Besides, you¡¯re not married, and you haven¡¯t promised anything else.¡± ¡°She may promise someday in the future.¡± Selena¡¯s iron wall was not the one that the Prince¡¯s pink arrow struck instantly. She turned around hastily at the voice she should not have heard at this moment. Kalcion stood a few steps away. She didn¡¯t know why he was here when she was being cornered. Kalcion approached her and pulled her shoulders, dragging her body helplessly into his arms. His cloak fell, covering her body completely. His heart, embracing Selena, was a sea covered with boiling lava. Though not visible on the outside, he was burning inside. It was not the Prince who ignited the fire. From the moment she stepped out of the mansion, he had his chest already burning. ¡®What if the carriage doesn¡¯t return the way it went?¡¯ His steps toward the training ground were half unconscious, thanks to the freezing reason. After he arrived at the training ground, he couldn¡¯t focus on wielding his sword effectively. Even when he tackled Dion to the ground while dueling, all he could pray was ¡®I hope she doesn¡¯t return wounded like Dion.¡¯ The anxiety that had already touched Kalcion¡¯s heart remained immovable despite the strong waves of reason trying to drive him out. ¡®There is no such thing as impossible. A person was murdered in the Renbird mansion. An assassination attempt while on travel, and a wagon accident.¡¯ With the Clang! of the sword ringing in his head, he remembered Selena¡¯s sharp scream. That roar also smashed what little reasoning he had left. Immediately, he walked out of the training ground, regardless of the next attack of his opponent. When Dion saw him rush to the stable and get on a horse, Dion couldn¡¯t help but follow him with a haunted look. ¡°What happened, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°Something might happen to Selena.¡± ¡°Pardon?! All of a sudden?!¡± ¡°Everything happens all of a sudden.¡± Dion could not keep up with the speed of Kalcion¡¯s horse, and his mind. ¡°But, sir. Hadn¡¯t she just gone to Lady Lirel¡¯s tea party? There¡¯s no way something could happen there!¡± ¡°No, she might be attacked on the way, or Lady Lirel might cause trouble by holding hands with someone.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you posted only the finest escorts anyway! If something has happened, it¡¯s too late to go now!¡± Despite Dion¡¯s desperate persuasion, Kalcion remained steadfast. Afraid that he might never see Selena again, Kalcion¡¯s will to check on Selena himself was too powerful. The appearance of the Duke and his escort Knight, after they reached the county of Hice, left the people in a daze. ¡°A-Allow me to inform the master right now.¡± No matter how unannounced the visit was, Kalcion did not let the butler welcome him warmly. ¡°No need. Where¡¯s the tea party being held?¡± His impatience was enough to empty the mind of the housekeeper of the Lirel family. The butler, who had forgotten all the procedures, immediately led him to the next building. On his way, he ran into Lirel, who had been huffing and puffing with a messing dress. It was not long before he came to Selena after wandering through the woods like a wild dog. When he spotted Selena safe from afar, he breathed a sigh of relief before he was astonished at the sight of her standing a few feet away from the Crown Prince. In addition, the Prince kept saying strange things to Selena. Because the Prince was like poison, he had to defend Selena. Without a second thought, he pulled her body into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be a little more cautious about relationships. But if it¡¯s making Selena nervous, it may give her a little more confidence.¡± Luckily, even if he lost his reason, Kalcion did not show as much expression or a change of complexion. ¡°I was in the middle of a conversation with Lady Selena, not with you, Duke.¡± ¡°I apologize for having taken the liberty of interrupting your conversation. But I have strong possessiveness toward someone who belongs to me. Please understand.¡± Selena seemed to be the only one to be surprised by his appearance, who fell from the sky. The Prince appeared more displeased with his conversation interrupted than being surprised. On the other hand, Selena¡¯s whole body was pounding as if she were a heart. She could feel the vibration of her heart from Kalcion¡¯s palm wrapped around her shoulder. She would have fainted, but his words felt like ice walls rising in front of the Crown Prince and hail thrown at Selena¡¯s heart. Someone who belongs to him, possessiveness. ¡®How can he say such a thing? Did he get acting lessons from somewhere else?¡¯ Those strong words made her heart soft as a well-massaged dough. If he was acting, he was doing very well, but she didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly came here, she didn¡¯t understand why he was so good at saying things like that, she didn¡¯t understand anything at all. Now, from his convincing possessive behavior, her face was burning in his hands. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much, Duke? Selena does not belong to you.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°And you understand that she has the freedom to talk to me, and the freedom to move where her heart is drawn?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you let go of her? It must be frustrating.¡± But Kalcion¡¯s arm tightened more strongly, ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡®Are you crazy? Are the both of you out of your minds?¡¯ Selena was feeling suffocated, and it wasn¡¯t just because Kalcion held her tightly. The Crown Prince did not speak anymore. The frighteningly quiet. Holding her breath, Selena observed them. It was the Prince¡¯s snort that broke the silence. ¡°You¡¯re not a good man, Duke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a compliment.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon.¡± The Prince laughed again at Kalcion¡¯s calm apology. However, he turned around, perhaps losing the will to deal with the Duke anymore. ¡°If you try to grab it too hard, the mountain bird may fly away. Have as many cages as you can to keep the wildcat to you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± Kalcion was unflinching despite the Prince¡¯s provocation that he would accept Selena if she came to him. ¡°I wish the bird well-being today, and I must go now. Are you not even going to let the Lady say goodbye?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± ¡°Lady Selena. I hope you understand my difficulty in not being able to say goodbye. Well, next time we meet, let us talk about coincidence or fate again.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.. Hm!¡± Even when she couldn¡¯t turn her head, she tried to answer the Crown Prince but it ended up with a groan because of Kalcion¡¯s arms tightening on her shoulders. The sound of the Prince¡¯s footsteps faded away. Even after a long time, Kalcion¡¯s arms did not loosen. Helpless, Selena tapped his back with her fingers, ¡°Excuse me, Duke. Until when are you going to stay like this?¡± ¡°¡­.Oh.¡± Only then did he come to his senses and loosen his grips. Selena stepped back, rubbing her face that was pressed against him. ¡°What happened all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Nothing of a big deal.¡± ¡°Then what is a big deal?¡± ¡°I happened to be on my way.¡± ¡°A¨Cha¨Cha¨Cha.¡± Kalcion¡¯s temples were dripping with cold sweat at her fake laugh. ¡°It was a very good performance, but you should have made your appearance when it was required.¡± ¡°I knew that this was the time and place to appear.¡± ¡°To know his desire and dream, I needed to get involved with the Crown Prince more deeply. It was going well. And I was just on my way home anyway.¡± ¡°It was going well? And you were going to take the Prince¡¯s side?¡± Selena blankly stared at Kalcion. ¡°Did you become foolish all of a sudden¡­¡­?¡± ¡°¡­..What?¡± He sounded absent-minded and weak. ¡°Why would I take the Crown Prince¡¯s side? The Duke is the only one who knows all my secrets, and the Duke is the only one who can send me back.¡± Kalcion shook for a moment. Selena, who noticed it, was also puzzled. ¡°How could you forget all of that?¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 ¡°¡­.I forgot. I couldn¡¯t think of anything when I saw the Crown Prince approaching you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just that you hated the Crown Prince, but that you rushed like you wanted to kill him right away¡­..,¡± Since Kalcion wasn¡¯t a person who wore his innermost thoughts on his face, Selena could only guess. She never hated a man so much, and yet, she really hated him. She shook her head in frustration. ¡°Did the Duke come running when he heard about the Crown Prince¡¯s appearance?¡± Kalcion¡¯s clothes were the same as when he was training in the morning. Because it was a military uniform, it was not suitable for a trip outside. ¡°¡­Something like that¡­¡± Selena could not speak, and which she could not persuade herself, Kalcion equivocated. Instead of asking further questions, Selena walked with her arms crossed past Kalcion. ¡°There must be guards near me, so what are you so worried about? Oh, by the way, how are the escorts doing around me?¡± ¡°Fine. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Crown Prince has been escorted, so I was afraid they might have been taken down by his escorts.¡± Kalcion, who was naturally keeping pace with Selena¡¯s steps, stopped. ¡°¡­.I shouldn¡¯t have been anxious¡­.. Haha¡­..,¡± The heated glances of the people around were added to the displeasure that came from Kalcion. Selena admitted that she had made a terrible mistake. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you no matter what happens from now on.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to mess around.¡± ¡°But I have a strong bodyguard who can protect me no matter how much I mess around, don¡¯t I?¡± Kalcion turned his head, but at the same time, she felt the air around her softening. Selena finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Crown Prince knew that I had escorts, but he didn¡¯t mean to hurt me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he would have done anything about it right now. If he had planned it today, he would have asked me to talk somewhere else. It only takes a moment to die.¡± The attempted murder in the bathroom during the journey was similar. Gaps were everywhere. If Selena was in an unfamiliar place, the gaps would get even bigger. Everything about the Capital was new to Selena. No matter where she was and what she did, there was no choice but to create a gap from the moment she left the mansion. Even if the capital¡¯s security was better, it was impossible not to squeeze in one of the gaps if one was determined to aim for it. ¡°I think there¡¯s a reason why he¡¯s being so friendly to me and pretending to have a crush on me¡­. Oh.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was just a crush he has on me, I think he really fell in love with me.¡± Selena¡¯s face turned serious. Kalcion frowned as well. ¡°¡­.What if the Crown Prince really has a crush on me? Would you have a duel over me?¡± Kalcion laughed darkly. ¡°¡­..I would love that. I¡¯ll have a chance to kill him legally.¡± Selena was confused about who the villain was. This man, apparently, was just a recluse who didn¡¯t want to get involved until he was in Renbird. Maybe it was because things were rough, but the person had changed in a while. She wondered what fertilizer spread the bud of hatred toward the Crown Prince that had only been planted in Kalcion¡¯s mind. Kalcion¡¯s sudden change was sickening. ¡°I think we will have to wait and observe the Crown Prince. If I have a chance, I may get closer and dig.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Selena explained briefly to Kalcion what had happened in the mansion earlier. ¡°We have confirmed that Lirel acts at Rosalyn¡¯s will, and that Rosalyn has some sort of connection with the Crown Prince. What do you think? Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was a pretty big achievement for a short time. It was worth being proud of. Selena stretched out her chest and was elated. ¡°Rosalyn was originally after the Crown Princess¡¯ seat.¡± ¡°¡­..Okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big secret. It was an open secret.¡± ¡°Oh, what is it¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it an open secret that Rosalyn still has feelings for the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. Is that important? The Crown Prince doesn¡¯t have any feelings anyway.¡± ¡°Is it such a straightforward question?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable that the Crown Prince goes on having a crush on people. There¡¯s no such thing in the world.¡± ¡®You¡¯re not in a position to say that¡­¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that. ¡°Don¡¯t make any useless guesses about the Crown Prince. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Guesses¡­¡­?¡± ¡°The premise is that the Prince has a real crush on me.¡± She didn¡¯t brag about it. Selena pouted with resentment. I personally experienced the phenomenon and it was so amazing, she couldn¡¯t even speak. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a boast, it was a report on how things could turn this way, and what to do about it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way things could turn that way, so don¡¯t seriously think about the premise itself in the first place.¡± Kalcion still denied that the Crown Prince fell in love. ¡°Just don¡¯t believe everything the Crown Prince says,¡± he added a strange demand. The Crown Prince was a strange man, and he was a person to be careful of, so she knew that even good feelings could be dangerous. ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± It went beyond simply being lazy and unwilling to deal with it. He was angry just from hearing the name of the Prince. The Crown Prince never did anything directly bad to her. So Selena treated the Prince with relatively objective eyes. But as time went by, Kalcion was inflating his ill feelings even more. Once a person begins hating another, their hatred turns more threatening even if the other doesn¡¯t do anything. But now Kalcion¡¯s anger was excessive. At this point, Selena thought he just wanted the prince to be the culprit. ¡°It¡¯s clear that Roseline and the Crown Prince have something to connect with, so why don¡¯t we just call the Crown Prince the culprit and finish the investigation?¡± Selena suggested a brilliant idea. This was good for both of them. Selena would be able to return without further work, and Kalcion would be able to discriminate against the people he disliked and fight for revenge. Kalcion was momentarily shaken by Selena¡¯s suggestion. But his answer was, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°The ¡®real¡¯ culprit and the ¡®story¡¯ of the case must be found out before it¡¯s over. Not until you find out who are the people involved and how far they are entangled, I can¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Wow, tyranny¡­¡­¡± But Kalcion was the only one who could send Selena back. ¡°And not just because you think that person is a criminal. I must know the exact context.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you expecting too much from me? I¡¯m not a professional investigator.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a difficult task that even professional investigators fail, so I¡¯m offering you that kind of reward. If you want the reward, take as much time as you need to investigate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cheap. You¡¯re a bad employer if you expect much beyond your employee¡¯s capabilities,¡± Selena complained, but there was no change in the contract. But there was a slight change in Kalcion¡¯s face. Different than usual, his faint smile was invisible to Selena¡¯s eyes as she walked beside him. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you inside,¡± Kalcion decided. Selena sat inside the carriage while Kalcion led his horse beside it. While he was at the tea party, he was thought of as a lover who galloped alongside his precious. He was a romantic of the century in terms of his actions. This change, which did not match his personality or way of thinking, confused Selena. As her carriage rattled along the road, she wondered if he was still the person she knew. It was not easy to say that he would step out first and escort him into the mansion. Kalcion was a man of good manners, but not kind. The fact that he came to the house of Royle beside the same carriage was more of a kindness than manners, and to escort her further inside was kindness at the level of buying beef. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­.. it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m the only one who is invited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for your own safety.¡± If Kalcion had to go in, the only place he could not enter in the world was the room having the Crown Prince and Rosalyn. Even the royal palace was not important for a person who could cross most places, such as an invitation to a tea party. Rather, most tea party organizers would be grateful just for the appearance of Kalcion, as they would not have been able to send an invitation out of fear. But Kalcion was by no means a man to do it for no reason. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry if you¡¯re up against the Prince¡¯s escort, you said it yourself. So what else are you worried about?¡± ¡°Some guy like the Prince might show up to annoy you.¡± Selena, who was staring at Kalcion¡¯s hand urging her to grab it quickly, made up her mind and asked. ¡°¡­..Where did you go to get those acting lessons?¡± ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m acting?¡± ¡°You never do these things in your right mind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m out of my mind. I think I¡¯m half crazy right now.¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 On the contrary, Kalcion¡¯s admission was what left Selena speechless. ¡°Why would you go crazy all of a sudden-¡± The scariest thing in the world was not an angry person, but a crazy person. This was because it was impossible to predict the direction of the person¡¯s mind. Now, Kalcion looked seriously mad. It was more of a paranoia than overprotectiveness. Selena was quite surprised to find Kalcion behaving so irrationally ¨C not trusting the escorts he sent and rushing to Selena directly by himself. He almost forgot the original contract he had with Selena and even started a quarrel with the Crown Prince. It was not normal unless you were crazy. ¡®As expected, stress can drive a person to extreme lengths¡­.¡¯ Selena¡¯s stress was also severe, but there must have been a lot of pressure that Kalcion had to deal with in the process. He could have gone crazy. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gone mad if you knew the reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Ha¡­. I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t think of anything in my head, and I can¡¯t make a rational judgment.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­. I did become important to the Duke. But I¡¯m not that weak. I can survive well on my own. Look, there¡¯s already been a series of situations, but they¡¯re fine.¡± Kalcion looked at Selena with narrowed eyes. Selena was really fine. ¡°¡­But to feel at ease-¡± ¡°Yes, I see. Go, go. Go and make sure the party is safe.¡± One shouldn¡¯t try to deal with a crazy person with logic. Selena gently took Kalcion¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, my!¡± Viorela shouted in surprise when she spotted the two of them. Additionally, she drew the attention of others who sat together and were busy chatting at once. ¡°You¡¯re here with His Excellency?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems he was wondering what kind of gathering we were having. He asked to escort me inside. He¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Right? Selena looked back, but there was no answer from Kalcion. Instead, he was busy scanning the party venue with cold eyes. Marquis Royle¡¯s garden was not as large as Count Hice¡¯s, because it was closer to the center of the city. Almost all the tables and chairs in the yard were occupied. The party was pretty big. And the guests included both men and women. Kalcion¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Though I wasn¡¯t invited, could you give me a seat?¡± Kalcion asked Viorela, growling as if he had just met a thousand years old enemy. Even if he was the Duke of Renbird, it was a disrespect to barge in without an invitation. But Viorela was an open-minded person who liked to have fun with many people. ¡°It will be an honor for you to be interested in my tea party. Of course, I¡¯ll make room for you. Over there, may I show you to the gentlemen¡¯s table?¡± Viorela responded calmly to the unexpected request. ¡°A seat next to Selena would suffice.¡± The tables were gender-specific, though the party was mixed. Men and women sat at their respective tables. There were no liquor bottles on a table, but a bar table was prepared on one side of the garden like the party at the Foundation Festival. It was a structure where you could naturally talk to other people on your way to get alcohol or on your way back with alcohol. Kalcion had to sit at the women¡¯s table to sit next to Selena. It was a bold attempt that an average man would not even think about. ¡°¡­.That is, if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll get it ready.¡± For the unexpected fun of the uninvited guest, Viorela had a hard time shoving in her laughter. A chair was added to the table for Selena at the behest of Viorela. It was also a table where Viorela sat. ¡°Everyone, we have an unexpected guest. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll all welcome him. As you all know with no introduction, he¡¯s the Duke of Renbird. And this is Lady Selena, whom I had invited.¡± This gathering was half-pleasant without such high expectations, so she accepted Kalcion¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Hello, I didn¡¯t have time to chat for that long the last time we met because I was so out of the box.¡± Surprisingly, people rushed to Selena, not Kalcion, with more interest. Her treatment was completely different from what she received at Lirel¡¯s tea party, which had only been coy in the distance. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so welcomed.¡± People burst into laughter at Selena¡¯s bewildered response. ¡°Maybe others don¡¯t know, Lady Selena was a rookie when we met.¡± Her first impression at the dry international party seemed to have remained as strong for them. It wasn¡¯t that it was out of politeness, but it was overflowing with sincerity. They conversed naturally in a friendly atmosphere. Selena was always at the center of the conversation. As a result, people at other tables who wanted to talk to Selena had to come and talk to her in person. ¡°Lady Selena? Oh, it¡¯s an honor to see you again. You were so popular, that I couldn¡¯t even get close. May I ask for a toast?¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. Of course, I-¡± ¡°That toast, do it with me.¡± Selena¡¯s words, trying to respond to a lightly proposed toast by a man approaching, were cut off. Kalcion raised his glass, revealing his white teeth like a pair of scissors. ¡°As you all know, the Duke of Renbird has an enemy everywhere. You can¡¯t help but be careful when you meet someone for the first time. Since we don¡¯t know what¡¯s in the glass, let me make a toast instead, because I¡¯m resistant to poison.¡± Kalcion, who turned into a human to kill not only Viorela, the host of the party, but also the person who offered the toast, raised his glass calmly. He alone froze the friendly atmosphere. But what could they do? When he was the owner of the cold air and winter itself. People raised their glasses with their arms stiffened by the cold. But fortunately, the alcohol melted the cold away. One or two drinks after, the bottles were emptied, and in the meantime, people¡¯s vigilance was dissolved. Kalcion was still holding out like a huge ice wall. ¡°No, I thought Selena was good at holding liquor¡­. but Your Excellency¡¯s drinking capacity must be incredible!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t expect the Duke to drink that so well,¡± Selena lightly bumped her glass against the glass that Kalcion had put down before she took a sip. The only person Selena could hit her glass with here was Kalcion. It was inevitable because of Kalcion¡¯s awareness. Selena did not protest and followed Kalcion¡¯s stubbornness. This party didn¡¯t need the appeal of a favorite woman of the Duke. These people were more interested in Selena, not Kalcion¡¯s woman. But there was no reason to stop them if they came forward and showed their affection and obsession. Kalcion naturally lifted the glass and emptied it. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re good at drinking when you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to be drunk?¡± It was the same for Selena. If one drank too much, they might feel full or tired, but she didn¡¯t know what it felt like to be drunk. Actually, she had no one to drink with, and she didn¡¯t think she wanted to drink until she was alone. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m a good drinker, but people say it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°By the way, if one doesn¡¯t drink like that, then it¡¯s not fun to drink.¡± It was a drunken man who was particularly curious. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t have been interested in the drinking party. Oh, how did you do this? To be able to bring Duke Renbird to this tea party!¡± The main topics of the table included Selena¡¯s special drinking capacity, a war of nerves at a dry international party, the appearance of the Crown Prince, and the number of invitations she received afterward. But there was a separate topic that people really wanted to ask about. The burning love affair of the Duke of North whom no one could melt. There was no more interesting story in the world. Kalcion answered calmly, drawing curious glittering eyes from people. ¡°This party allows both men and women, and I was reluctant to leave Selena alone at a drinking party.¡± That was a great answer. It didn¡¯t sound very obsessed, and it felt like a lover¡¯s concern. When did he grow up so well? Selena once again admired his outstanding progress. ¡°Oh dear, you must really love her. I mean, how! I heard it hasn¡¯t been that long since you two met! Your Excellency was famous for being as hard and cold as the glaciers of the Sigand Mountains in the north! How is it that you became as hot and mushy as the desert sand in the south!¡± Selena stopped nodding. Why were the questions flowing like that? As usual, once you give a chance to people, they won¡¯t let go until they get the answer they want. ¡°I¡¯m very curious how you, who¡¯s busy and complicated, were so moved!¡± ¡°¡­.What moved me was¡­.,¡± Kalcion smirked and drank casually. What the hell would come out of his mouth? Selena waited nervously for his answer. Like relatives who watched the announcement of the will of a rich man without children, everyone kept silent and paid attention. ¡°Well, her prettiness?¡± In response to his answer, people swallowed their breaths instead of snacks. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Blush! Selena was surprised as the others. Thanks to Selena¡¯s reaction, people who were hardened started to move as if they had just been released from hypnosis. ¡°I thought you hear this every day, so why are you still embarrassed?¡± ¡°I hear it every day, but since the Duke is talking so openly in a crowded place like this¡­.¡± She tried to say her lines, but her heated face was sincere. She knew that Kalcion recognized her beauty, and it was not the first time she heard him say that she was pretty, but the red blush on her face didn¡¯t go away. It seemed like the alcohol she had consumed all her life so far accumulated and then burst at once. There was a big problem with her face, which had never turned red in front of hundreds of cameras. She felt like she couldn¡¯t control herself. ¡°I need to go to the washroom.¡± Selena rose from her seat like she wanted to run away. But Kalcion stood up as well. ¡°Are you going to follow me to the washroom?!¡± Selena freaked out. She was going to stay away for a while because of him, but it¡¯d be of no use if he followed her. The man, unaware of Selena¡¯s thoughts, was serious. ¡°Did you forget about the International Party?¡± The fact that Selena met the crown prince on her way back from the bathroom was Kalcion¡¯s nightmare. The nightmare lasted until the tea party. Who knew if it was going to continue this far? ¡°He¡¯s not going to show up here again. There are a lot of eyes.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the risk factor.¡± Kalcion was stubborn. It was true that there were frequent unintended meetings with the crown prince, but he did not take out his sword and fight. From Selena¡¯s point of view, it was only seen that Kalcion was being too thorny. If the reason was clear, she would¡¯ve persuaded him, but all the reasons for Kalcion¡¯s approach were nonsense. It was as blind as a child¡¯s tantrum. Sighing, Selena gave up going to the bathroom and tried to sit down, but a powerful voice intervened. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing the love affair of Duke Renbird with my own eyes.¡± She was a middle-aged lady who sat at a different table with whom Selena didn¡¯t have a chance to talk. She wore a non-fancy dress and minimal accessories, but Selena kept looking at the strong energy radiating from the person. ¡°I¡¯m a bit late to say hello, aren¡¯t I? The gossip at this table was so interesting that I wanted to talk to you. I couldn¡¯t stop myself.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. yes¡­.¡± ¡°I understand the Duke¡¯s affection, it is so strong that he cannot even send you to the washroom alone, but I can¡¯t wait to see you invade Lady¡¯s privacy. I¡¯ll accompany you to the washroom.¡± She looked like a knight who fought with her bare hands and was as strong as Kalcion. Perhaps that¡¯s why Selena felt like she received an application for an escort from the knight, not ¡°Let¡¯s hold hands and go to the bathroom together.¡± However, it was not enough to suppress Kalcion¡¯s worries. Many of the enemies who had ever attacked him were powerful men who could not be dealt with only by the noble Lady. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough to relieve your concern,¡± the lady said as if she had read Selena¡¯s thoughts. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a weapon with you.¡± ¡°I could hide one or two out of sight. If you¡¯re nervous, you can lend me your sword. Or are you doubting my abilities now, Duke of Renbird?¡± The lady sharply opened her eyes to Kalcion¡¯s lukewarm attitude. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t you let her go?¡± ¡°Worry isn¡¯t that easy to shake off.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t holding onto your worries mean doubting my skills?¡± The illusion of rain and lightning suddenly hit the peaceful garden where the pleasant wind was blowing. The eyes of Kalcion and the Noble Lady were engaged in an invisible battle. Selena intervened before it turned into a physical battle. ¡°Excuse me, but who are you?¡± The lady, who was looking at Kalcion like a beast invaded her territory, became soft when she turned toward Selena. ¡°Pardon me for the late introduction. I¡¯m Count Orlen.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.!¡± So, she was Count Orlen. A hero who was said to have walked on the battlefield. She was also the one who sent Selena a tea party invitation. Selena couldn¡¯t attend her party because of Lirel¡¯s party at the same time, but if she had chosen personally, she would have gone to Count Orlen¡¯s athletic meeting. Meeting someone skillful like this suddenly made her feel both joy and embarrassment. ¡°Hello, pardon me for greeting you late. Thank you for sending me the invitation today. I couldn¡¯t make it, but¡­.¡± ¡°I thought you were embarrassed by the sudden invitation. I only wanted to build up our friendship, so don¡¯t worry too much. Instead, I hope you¡¯ll come next time.¡± ¡°If you invite me again, I¡¯d be happy to.¡± They exchanged short words, but Selena¡¯s heart was already thumping against her chest. Count Orlen seemed like a wonderful person just by listening to her, and Selena liked her personality. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. We¡¯ll be having another gathering soon, so please come.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to visit!¡± ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve introduced myself, shall we?¡± Count Orlen reached out to Selena. ¡°It¡¯s okay to go with a strong person, right? Well, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Selena took the hand lightly and left Kalcion behind. Kalcion¡¯s gaze, which followed her walking away, stabbed him quite sharply in the heart. Out of his sight, Count Orlen chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was so obsessed. Or is he special only to Selena?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s the only one who¡¯s special to me, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m special or if the situation is special.¡± Kalcion had been really strange today. However, I thought it could be because these situations were full of unpredictable variables. As he said, it was true that he became a half-crazy person. When she remembered it, her hot face did not sink easily. She wrapped her hands around her warm face. The heat from her hot cheeks was prominent on her palms. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see Duke Renbird¡¯s flushed face like that, but to think his lover would be blushing like this.¡± She froze. She felt like she was hit by a stone hidden in a soft snowball. Selena lowered her hands and looked back at Count Orlen. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s literally it. His Excellency, the Duke of Renbird, is not a man who can be bothered by women, but it is bothering him. I thought a woman who could grab his heart would have been extremely spiteful, but she¡¯s blushing again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Count Orlen moved again, as Selena rubbed the tips of her frozen fingers. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s bad. You look good together.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes¡­.¡± It was a compliment, but Selena was more concerned than other people¡¯s insults. If what others had was at best a fish-thorn-like bone, Count Orlen had an elephant ivory bone in her eyes. Count Orlen smiled at the stiff figure of Selena. But even when a tiger laughs, it shows off its teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you. It was just a surprise, though.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I enjoyed watching it all at the last party. Lady Selena is interested in Duke Renbird, even if she¡¯s not his lover. You have to meet people up close to see what they really are, it seems.¡± The repeated words did not seem to be hiding me. Count Orlen was just a teller. ¡°Thank you for saying that. Usually, some people start to hate each other even before they see each other, they hate each other even more when they meet each other, and they hate each other even more when they talk.¡± ¡°Hahaha. That¡¯s the way it is. If I¡¯m pretty, I curse because I¡¯m pretty. If I¡¯m ugly, I curse because I¡¯m ugly. If you have a better family than them, you¡¯ll be proud of yourself.¡± ¡°Curses, and ignores if you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°The last is not cursing, but ignoring?¡± ¡°It includes cursing of poverty, honor, rusticity, and ignorance.¡± Selena¡¯s eyes widened to the perfectly correct notion. She thought Count Orlen was a person who stayed like a complete outsider in society, but surprisingly, she knew everything about society. ¡°I thought you had no idea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the part I don¡¯t want to see. That¡¯s why I avoid it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re out here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling a little different here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯d like to participate often with a pure heart if I have a chance.¡± Selena didn¡¯t know how long that opportunity would be given. ¡°You¡¯ve been here once, which means you¡¯ll always get invited here.¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m by your side, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already talking out of confidence? I think Lady Selena will be able to establish herself as a guest of another man, even if she can¡¯t promise the Duke the future.¡± Selena laughed aloud at the honest words of Count Orlen, who seemed to be upset from the outside. How could you say that you¡¯d overlook someone who had been burning inside for a long time? Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Count Orlen seemed to be quite pleased with Selena. To build a relationship with a man other than Kalcion, Selena had to finish her deal with Kalcion and give up returning to her original world. No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t imagine it happening. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that Count Orlen welcomes me with an open heart, but that¡¯s not going to happen.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what people think. Men of the Renbirds were very famous for being tough on women. It remains to be seen how much fuel there will be in that mind.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, I wanted to see Lady Selena for a long time. I don¡¯t recommend you switching to another.¡± As a man, Kalcion was getting a pretty harsh evaluation. It didn¡¯t matter if he was devalued, but it made it difficult for Selena to know when or how she would be thrown out. The Duchess of Renbird¡¯s seat was hers at this meeting as well, and she had to stake it out. Kalcion was half insane today, so it was worth expecting a certain desirable reaction. Only one strong memory was enough for everyone. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are people here today who change their words here and there, right?¡± ¡°Everyone does the same wherever they go, don¡¯t they?¡± Selena laughed low, ¡°Good for me.¡± Kalcion, who was left alone, was growling like a caged beast. People couldn¡¯t get close to him, who was openly unpleasant. ¡°How far is the bathroom?¡± ¡°Not too far¡­.¡± ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡± ¡°Well, they might be chatting on the way.¡± ¡°Can you ensure that the washrooms here are safe?¡± Viorela couldn¡¯t answer because it sounded ridiculous. Kalcion¡¯s pushed, ¡°Why can¡¯t you answer? If you weren¡¯t that confident about the washrooms, you should have notified me in advance!¡± Why didn¡¯t he confess that he couldn¡¯t stand it for a second? Whether to talk freely and deal with the anger of Duke Renbird, or endure this moment and have a peaceful night, Viorela¡¯s fell into deep dismay. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fortunately, Selena returned before Viorela made the choice of her life. ¡°Nothing.¡± Viorela¡¯s mouth widened at Kalcion¡¯s cunning coyness. This time, new concerns took over her mind about whether she should reveal it to Selena or not. Selena, sitting down, narrowed her eyes at Kalcion instead of raising her glass again. Kalcion asked, unable to bear the uncertain look, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Duke.¡± Selena called him calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied without any delay. At least he was able to come back because he didn¡¯t think of anything else or look at Selena in front of her. ¡°Cion.¡± This time, he was affectionately called. It was a nickname that was made by force to act like lovers, but it was a contributor used several times to shock people. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Though he still seemed repulsed by the name, Kalcion answered steadily. Selena took a step up. ¡°Darling.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kalcion couldn¡¯t respond to this one. Selena frowned as she called again, ¡°Darling?¡± Kalcion managed to let out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Selena smiled contentedly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink this anymore because it¡¯s not strong. Can you bring me a new one?¡± Selena usually didn¡¯t ask for anything of this kind. There was no reason to ask someone else to bring a drink. He didn¡¯t know much about drinks, but doing anything at Selena¡¯s request was forever valid. Kalcion rose from his seat in silence. People straightened their backs at Kalcion¡¯s behavior as he approached the drinking table. ¡°Come on,¡± Selena said, taking a sip of the wine that Kalcion had brought her, but putting it down right away. ¡°Not alcohol, just water. Get me some water.¡± This time, he might turn the table over. How dare she ask the Duke? People watched Kalcion¡¯s later actions with their eyes wide open. Contrary to expectations that the table might be overturned, Kalcion turned to the table again. ¡°What about ice¡±? ¡°Just three.¡± It seemed safe to call him a faithful servant, not a Duke. Not only did he go to the drinking table and pour water directly, but Kalcion also chose the ice cubes very carefully from the ice bucket. Selena, who was contentedly handed a glass of water, took a sip and put it down as well. No alcohol, no water, it was just for Kalcion. Like people, Kalcion didn¡¯t know why Selena suddenly started to be so capricious as such a wicked lady. However, contrary to the preconceived notion that he would be a fairly small and narrow person of patience, Kalcion asked generously. ¡°Again.¡± Selena chuckled at the permission to do more. ¡°I knew people could think of our relationship as temporary and one-sided.¡± ¡°So.¡± ¡°So I was wondering. How far can you go for me?¡± Selena flashed her eyes with mischief. ¡°¡­.Where would you want me to go?¡± There was no playfulness in Kalcion¡¯s eyes. What he said was true to the very end. Selena pointed her finger at the sky. ¡°Then, my dear. Can you pick a star from the sky?¡± Instead of asking, Kalcion looked up at the sky. ¡°First of all, we need to find a way to access the stars.¡± He didn¡¯t say that he couldn¡¯t. He sounded like he wanted to find a way to pick up the stars until he died. That was enough. It was a good answer compared to asking, ¡°How serious is your heart to me?¡± or ¡°Is that even nonsense?¡± Selena tilted her finger slightly to the side toward the flowers of a tree. ¡°Please pick those flowers today. Next, pick the clouds above the flowers, and then the stars.¡± The flowers were not hanging low either. They were on a tall branch three times the height of Kalcion. Non-athletic people could not reach them. The guests¡¯ eyes turned to the flowers at the end of the tree. How would Kalcion pick a flower from there? Before their expectant gaze could reach him, Kalcion moved. Lightly tapping on the ground, his legs flexibly landed in the middle of a wooden pole. Kalcion¡¯s body flew swiftly through the sky. His fingers brushed against the branches. Despite flying a high distance, his landing was correctly estimated. His cape fluttered down like wings. In Kalcion¡¯s hand was a flower pointed by Selena. There wasn¡¯t a single squashed. ¡°The clouds are going to take a while.¡± Selena smiled brightly, picking up the flowers that Kalcion held out. ¡°I can wait.¡± No matter how long it took, it was impossible. When Selena declared that she would wait until she died, and the two would be together until that moment, people released their breath. Real Love Hot air flooded into the carriage back home. The night air was cool, but the excitement that Kalcion picked flowers did not go away easily. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened!¡± ¡°What?¡± Selena shook her fists. ¡°You did such a great job!¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t even shrug. On the contrary, he felt awkward and coughed vainly. ¡°I did?¡± ¡°Yes! It was perfect! The moment you handed over the flower, I almost mistook that the Duke really loves me!¡± It wasn¡¯t known if he hated Selena¡¯s fussy appearance, but Kalcion spoke. ¡°You said you lost your mind earlier, and you really did. If you keep going like this, I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be any problems wherever I go!¡± ¡°Is this what real lovers do?¡± ¡°Uh¡­., wouldn¡¯t that be the case normally? This is the standard of the world I lived in.¡± Since marriage was quite different in this world, Selena¡¯s idea that there could be a significant difference in views of love flashed through her mind. ¡°¡­.Isn¡¯t that right here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it depends on the person.¡± ¡°¡­.Even if it¡¯s this much?¡± Selena¡¯s excitement subsided in an instant. Obviously, the romantic atmosphere remained the same here, and people¡¯s reactions were what she expected. ¡°If you¡¯re a couple, don¡¯t you just want to look at each other, be obsessed, do everything good for them, and act cute?¡± Kalcion tilted his head. ¡°Well. When I saw lovers hanging out with each other, they seemed to be absorbed in increasing physical adhesion regardless of time and place.¡± There were lovers like that in the world Selena lived in, but not all of them. If you called them your lover, you would basically have affection for them. Selena could feel the difference in the worldview. Then she shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s too light. There¡¯s love and affection in this world too, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°There must be. Someone can be in love with the person they married or in a relationship that includes feelings of love. I think that¡¯s it. The word love itself is not so often used, but it¡¯s unfamiliar every time I say it.¡± Kalcion fiddled with his chin as if the word that didn¡¯t roll naturally in his mouth was uncomfortable. Selena asked in bewilderment. ¡°If you say so, the term ¡°lover¡± could mean that it¡¯s not important, am I right?¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anyone use the word ¡®lover.¡¯ Though I¡¯ve sometimes seen some having concubines or mistresses.¡± Selena frowned at the rejection of the word. ¡°Anyways, the word ¡®lover¡¯ referring to the relationship means little except for the ¡®wife¡¯, and how much the Duke treats me,¡± Count Orlen said. You could give and reap affection as much as you like. The status of a lover was nothing after all. In the end, Selena felt discouraged by the words that everything depended on the affection that Kalcion gave her. ¡°You need to show your love towards me more if you want me to go around and use my strength more.¡± ¡°¡­.Like today?¡± ¡°Today was good, but don¡¯t you think it should be like a once-in-a-lifetime love?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a difficult task.¡± He didn¡¯t know what part of the praise he got today was good for him, but he had to make up for it. It was all over the mountain. He had been doing crazy things because he couldn¡¯t control his emotions, but he was being asked to go crazy more than this? Kalcion, who was wandering in the open sea, asked for help. ¡°Have you ever been in love?¡± ¡°Oh, me?¡± ¡°Yes. I think it will be a little easier for me to understand if you tell me what love is like.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.,¡± Selena¡¯s eyes moved up, down, left, right, and then back up. Kalcion waited, gazing at the flamboyant movement of her eyeballs. ¡°You know¡­.¡± Selena took a long time even though he didn¡¯t ask her to tell the secret technique of swordsmanship that had been handed down from generation to generation. Selena¡¯s words, which she managed to bring up with hesitation, were a wild confession. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never been in love either¡­¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± She acted like she knew everything, but Selena was actually an inexperienced novice. She had shouted like a master of love and now she had been caught. To her embarrassment, Selena added something unquestionable. ¡°Um, I haven¡¯t been in love before, but I¡¯ve acted it out a lot, right? It¡¯s an important time for the Duke to shower his love for me, so I can direct you.¡± ¡°¡­.Yeah, so what is it?¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t have to point out Selena¡¯s career, but moved on. Though he was kind, his manners were respectful as a Duke. ¡°Well, the truth is, what the crown prince is doing is almost the answer. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not sure.¡± Naturally, Kalcion¡¯s face hardened as soon as he heard that it was what the crown prince did. Selena made a hasty excuse. ¡°He¡¯s an example. You¡¯re not on good terms, either, because of the Irelle incident. Won¡¯t you keep getting into trouble while you¡¯re in the Capital?¡± ¡°¡­.What kind of behavior does he show?¡± Looking at Selena¡¯s face, which was obviously depicting the crown prince in her head, Kalcion clenched his fist among the soaring nervousness for nothing. ¡°Well, except for the odd urgency, his eyes twinkle every time he sees me, or his sweet, gentle voice. It¡¯s the most impressive part to use only fine words and not spare any expressions.¡± ¡°Only that?¡± Come to think of it, he was fussing over nothing. ¡°Only?¡± ¡°Yeah, only. Isn¡¯t he getting away with it too easy because you¡¯ve never had the experience?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯ve been shown a lot, so I can make that distinction with my eyes closed.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t know when you¡¯re falling in love.¡± Selena was defeated by Kalcion¡¯s whining remarks. But she also had a means of counterattacking. ¡°It¡¯s not love until and unless you fall without knowing it. Knowing it or not, isn¡¯t it love that can¡¯t be avoided?¡± ¡°¡­.I don¡¯t know.¡± Both were inexperienced beginners, so they couldn¡¯t confirm the answer. ¡°No matter what he does to me, don¡¯t worry about what happens to me. You¡¯re good enough not to be defeated by the Crown Prince, Duke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nothing, I can do better.¡± Selena replied belligerently to the boastful Kalcion. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± She said that with not much expectation. Invitation to parties continued after Viorela¡¯s party. In the Imperial Capital, it was common to organize parties all year round for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The number of invitations Selena received was huge after the founding banquet, combined with the invitation from the people she met at Viorela¡¯s party. If she decided to participate, she could fill her days with parties every day. ¡°What a surprise, it must be a tight schedule just to prepare clothes for these parties,¡± Juna gathered them excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a break for a while. I¡¯m tired, and I¡¯m afraid my skin will deteriorate.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. yes.¡± Lirel didn¡¯t know yet that Juna¡¯s tail had been stepped on. Perhaps another order has been issued. This time, Selena had a rough idea of what the next order would be for Juna. Selena deliberately stood up, turning her head towards the invitation. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to train with the Duke, so could you please organize the invitations in the meantime?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Juna hurriedly began to collect invitations. It would take some time to fold the unfolded letter papers again and find and put them inside the envelopes with the same patterns. Even more, if you couldn¡¯t read. If you knew the text, you could compare the sender¡¯s name at the bottom of the letter with the name on the envelope, but if you didn¡¯t know, you had to match it by looking at the patterns one by one. There were some similar patterns and colors, so it would take a while. Then it won¡¯t be hard to spot a letter stuck between the invitations. Selena pretended to leave the room and left the door slightly open. As soon as Selena left the room, Juna began to search around the room without organizing the letters she was ordered to organize. She forgot to close the drawers she opened properly and didn¡¯t even put the sheets she scurried through. ¡®Thank you for being stupid.¡¯ Selena watched with a wry smile at the uninteresting act. Juna, who had been searching the room for a long time, finally gave up and returned to organizing the letter. Suddenly, she stopped at what she was doing. ¡°Oh!¡± It seemed that she managed to find the one she was looking for. As soon as the letter went into Juna¡¯s pocket, Selena slammed into the door. ¡°Eek!¡± Surprised, Juna couldn¡¯t even pretend nothing was wrong. The time she had spent hiding my identity for a long time pretending not to know anything was overshadowed. Selena demanded. ¡°The thing in your pocket. Give it to me.¡± ¡°W-What, what?¡± Selena reached out with a distorted smile. ¡°Then shall I search your pockets for myself?¡± Juna bit her lips with a scared look on her face. Still, she didn¡¯t put her hand inside her pocket until the very end. Selena reached out, not repeating herself. One warning was enough. In the end, Juna surrendered in a hideous atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was fascinated by the parchment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses.¡± Selena, who caught the letter, shook the letter in front of Juna¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve seen it once or twice.¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°No, how can you not recognize the patterns of the family you used to work for?¡± This was a gamble. There was no basis. It was not likely to hire anyone from the street to work in the Duchy of Renbird. Since she had to keep a thorough secret, she could have been a maid who worked under Lirel. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not! I really don¡¯t know!¡± Her jumping reaction told the answer. Gambling succeeded. In a situation where she was strangled no matter what she did, Juna peeped around with anxious eyes. But there was no way out of this room. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°This is a personal letter from Lirel to the Duke. It¡¯s not like an invitation that you can throw away.¡± And it was also a chain that carried Lirel¡¯s own leash. Lirel must have felt on the spot that writing a letter to show off her friendship with Selena was a mistake. But Juna couldn¡¯t take away the letter that was already in Selena¡¯s hand. It was best to pretend to have lost it if possible. If Juna was a spy, the first order to be issued must be to get the letter back. Selena was on edge every moment to capture the scene. ¡°You¡¯ve tried to steal a letter written to the Duke. And, I haven¡¯t shown this to the Duke yet.¡± Juna went pale and collapsed on the floor. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 ¡°I, I really didn¡¯t mean to!¡± ¡°Yes, you didn¡¯t mean to intercept the Duke¡¯s letter. You only meant to steal Lirel¡¯s weakness from my hands. Right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I was just told to find the letter!¡± In a panic, Juna couldn¡¯t even deny that she was Lirel¡¯s spy. Selina watched the bewildered Juna, then pointed the corner of the letter up like a sword and placed it around her neck. Juna froze as if a real blade was on her neck. ¡°Actually, I knew it for a long time. That you are a spy sent by Lirel.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Do you know how long I waited for a moment like this to happen? You highly recommended Lirel¡¯s tea party, and you deliberately put on the dress incorrectly. It was a sight to behold.¡± ¡°Th, th, th, th, that¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, I guess you did what you were told. How will you be? Unless you¡¯re really mean enough to kill her, there¡¯s no way you can frame Irelle with your own will and put her in a corner, right?¡± Whether it was true or not was irrelevant. It doesn¡¯t change that Juna is involved in all of that. ¡°R-rig, right. I just do what I say.¡± ¡°So, what did Lirel get you to do?¡± Juna closed her mouth, realizing that saying this could blow her neck away. But whether Juna¡¯s neck will be blown away or not was none of Selina¡¯s business. ¡°Are you more afraid to die at the hands of Lirel and not at the hands of the Duke?¡± No matter how, Kalcion is scarier than Lirel. Still, Selina turned to Juna, who shut her mouth one more time, and threw away the last card, which she didn¡¯t want to take out until the end. ¡°It sounds like the only thing you can do is pay off interest with the money you get from Lirel every month.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°You are a slave for life. Debtors, once attached, cannot come off so easily.¡± Juna, who was trembling, finally couldn¡¯t overcome her fear and collapsed to the floor. Selina looked down at Juna with cold eyes. The day she confirmed Juna¡¯s link with Lirel, Selina immediately requested a background investigation of Juna. The answer that came to her was a spectacle. She worked as Lirel¡¯s maid, lavishing on selling stolen jewelry, and she was in debt so much that she didn¡¯t have even enough. It was only because of luxury. She then was caught putting her hand on Lirel¡¯s thing. She thought she would be beaten and thrown in jail, but she was ordered to do what was told rather than to pay money, and she was immediately put into the Renbird faimly. Just in time for Rosalyn to start using her hands, a stupid maid like Juna gets caught up. It, too, would have been a delight. The time came together so well. In any case, there was no room for sympathy for Juna. It was all a result of her actions. Knowing that Selina knew everything about her, Juna excused herself with Lirel instead of grabbing onto herself. ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything! I recommended the tea party, dressed, and just did what I was told!¡± ¡°Is it nothing really? When you first came to the capital, didn¡¯t you do what you were told to go to which store?¡± ¡°Th, that¡­¡± It¡¯s as if she has already expressed her affirmation as she muttered ¡°I want to settle things peacefully with words if possible. Just brush it off. Or, how many times do I have to call the debtors for you to be able to speak?¡± Selina was not an ordinary person in the first place. She was one to really do it. Even if she didn¡¯t go up using Kalcion, she could crush her. Juna, who was completely crushed, opened her mouth in resignation. ¡°What you said is correct¡­ The shop, the tea party, the dress.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know why! It¡¯s true.¡± It didn¡¯t sound like a lie to see her tears flowing while putting her hands together and begging. ¡°Then what were you planning to do next?¡± It¡¯s easy to tell what happened in the past, but it¡¯s not easy to divulge what¡¯s going to happen. Her trembling lips opened as Selina waited for her. ¡°I would have taken you and the men to the meeting place so that it would be a natural meeting.¡± ¡°Ha! How amazing. Where were you going to take me?¡± ¡°I was only told to make sure to come to this hunting contest. The maids also follow the hunting contest, so I¡¯ll deliver the details there¡­¡± Juna hesitated and sighed. The invitation to the hunting contest hasn¡¯t arrived yet. A maid who gets all the news in the world faster than the duke. She couldn¡¯t even laugh. ¡°Did you do these things to Irell too?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°You were the one who drove Irell to get involved with men, but you cursed at me like a crazy person?¡± Selina¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Yes, it was too much. I took her around, but if she¡¯s going to become a Duchess, she should have to be careful. If someone says they like it, she¡¯ll take it right away. For real. Caring about this. It¡¯s pathetic.¡± A sigh escaped. That¡¯s what happens when one doesn¡¯t have anywhere to lean on. Selina knew very well because she had her greenhorn days with enemies all around her too. At that time, she felt how loud every word that she heard from around her was. She clings to anyone who likes her, and she shudders for fear that the affection will grow cold. She doesn¡¯t even have time to guess what kind of person the other person was. Because the only thing that matters is the fact that they give her love. She used that desperate feeling to isolate and insult. ¡°You are a really bad person.¡± Selina even cursed her own feelings. ¡°Did you enjoy driving me to the brink and seeing me hanging on the edge of the cliff? Do you feel like laughing at that?¡± ¡°I was wrong.¡± Selina couldn¡¯t stand her anger and looked up at the ceiling, breathing in hot breaths. Selina was even more annoyed, thinking that she would have to look further and not only say that she was wrong. ¡°Someone died because of you. Are you thinking of doing it again?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do it, I will die too, what should I do?¡± Eventually, Juna screamed and burst into tears. Juna must have suffered by being driven by the debtors, but it was still not enough to buy sympathy. Selina couldn¡¯t have the same sympathy for the person driven by luxury, or the one that was driven just because she was there. She thought she wanted to hit her right now, but she still had work to do for Juna. ¡°Here.¡± Selina put out a letter, which she was holding in front of Juna. ¡°Yes? What, what about this?¡± Selina waved the letter into Juna¡¯s hand, who was crouching and unable to accept the letter. ¡°Take it. That way you¡¯ll be able to keep eating from both sides.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± That meant becoming a double spy. Juna took the letter with trembling hands. She had no choice. She had to unconditionally. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running away. Even if you run away, do you think I can¡¯t find you? I found your debt.¡± ¡°I, I won¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about reporting it to Lirel. I don¡¯t know what Lirel has promised you, but will she be kind to an obsolete maid? Think about it.¡± Juna¡¯s eyes widened. She would have considered speaking to Lirel if Selina hadn¡¯t spoken first. But when she heard it, Selina was right. Lirel was not such a friendly master. ¡°At least I wasn¡¯t involved in the death of anyone. Shall we see?¡± Selina said with a smile. She looks like the villainess she promised to Kalcion from the very beginning. It seemed like it could be a nightmare for everyone involved in this now. As Juna said, the invitation to the hunting contest came. The organizer was the Crown Prince. ¡°Is the Crown Prince holding a hunting contest?¡± ¡°He used to hold it often because he liked hunting.¡± ¡°Have you been there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a sword break or beasts cross the mountain range every time a hunting contest was held.¡± In the end, it sounds like he was never there. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to go, why don¡¯t you go at least once?¡± ¡°For things to happen, once is enough. Wouldn¡¯t it be too dangerous for me to hold a weapon next to him?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± In addition to Kalcion¡¯s dangerous heart, hunting contests are the perfect environment to be framed. An arrow that is accidentally shot away or a sword that is unintentionally swung can be charged as murdering a royal family. Knowing this, Kalcion avoided the situation of having to raise his weapon by the Crown Prince¡¯s side as much as possible. ¡°But this time I have to go. It could be that he was aiming at me.¡± It was clear that there was something in the hunting contest, as she saw that Juna was trying to get her to participate in the hunting contest. ¡°It¡¯s good to find out before you go.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for the hunting contest, it would be work just to find a chance to meet the Crown Prince again. Unlike an ordinary noble, the Crown Prince is not someone they can meet just by visiting. It is difficult to expect a chance to meet unexpectedly somewhere. To participate was an unconditional decision. ¡°Well¡­¡± However, unlike his head, Kalcion didn¡¯t seem to follow his heart. Selina lay on his knees in the unpleasant silence and looked into his face. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like it very much.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s literally a very dangerous place. Accidents can happen at any time, even if it is not aimed at anyone.¡± Selina smiled. It doesn¡¯t seem like he was worried about Selina¡¯s safety because it was such a decisive factor in his matter. There was a gap in Kalcion¡¯s heart, where his humanity seemed to have been sealed in the seabed and coated with steel. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Even if the cat that they used to throw fish one by one as they came and went, moved wrongly, it was bound to end badly. It goes without saying that the person who was always next to him and lived with him would go through something bad, he can¡¯t help but not be okay. Selina asked amiably like a cat lying about on his lap. ¡°Is it dangerous even with the Duke by my side?¡± Kalcion naturally looked down at Selina and met her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a hunting contest, so we can¡¯t stay together.¡± ¡°As long as the Duke fights with your prey, I just need to quarrel with the ladies in a safe place.¡± ¡°What if the ladies get angry and pull out their swords or bows?¡± His habit of worrying. Once the worries begin to creep in, they take root and all thoughts flow only in the direction of that worry. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will lose.¡± Her swordsmanship training with Kalcion every morning was still going on. The combination of Selina¡¯s quick learning ability and Kalcion¡¯s desire to teach her made her progress quite fast. Now she was able to withstand a few numbers against the youngest knight. Since there wasn¡¯t even a trainee in the mansion, there were no weak opponents in the first place. Although the youngest was the weakest, he became a match for Selina, but he was also one of the best in all of Renbird¡¯s forces. Being able to face him a few times meant that her winning rate went up quite a bit against normal men and weak soldiers. So, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to deal with ladies who have never lifted anything heavier than a pen? ¡°As long as they have a weapon, you must not be vigilant even to a child.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He was still sensitive to injuries. In fact, it only happened a few times during morning training with the youngest knight. Every time she confronts another knight, he stares at them with a terrifying expression. He wasn¡¯t just watching, he stopped most of them, saying it¡¯s dangerous. After that, he said that if the skill difference is big, he can predict their movement, thus reducing the probability of injury. Knowing his character, Selina listened obediently. ¡°Even if I want to participate in hunting, I can¡¯t because I haven¡¯t practiced with a bow. I only used a sword. First of all, I hate hunting itself.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s worth learning the bow at least once.¡± ¡°Oh, I know how to shoot.¡± ¡°Did you learn the bow?¡± Whenever training was mentioned, Kalcion was always surprised. Turns out Selina had learned a lot and she knew what to do a lot. ¡°The country I lived in used to shoot arrows well for generations. I learned a few times because I had the opportunity to perform in front of people, and I don¡¯t think it was bad.¡± ¡°Really? Shall we try it then?¡± Kalcion seems to have wanted to see it while they¡¯re at it. He sprinted up. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a bow, you don¡¯t have to change clothes.¡± The sun was already setting. But it was difficult especially when Kalcion was pestering like a child with such excitement. ¡®It¡¯s cute that he¡¯s fussing like that¡­ Ah, what am I thinking?¡¯ Nonsense, no, delusional. Reflecting on herself, Selina got up too. There was no reason not to, so she followed him. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what it would be like to use a different bow here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be good. I just want to see it.¡± Selina shed a small laugh at Kalcion¡¯s more desperate persuasion. It is cute. Selina was in her dress and stood in front of the target. The knights, who had been taking a break as it was in the evening, rushed out when they heard that Kalcion had come to the training ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do this with people looking like this¡­¡± ¡°When you train, don¡¯t they always gather like this?¡± Kalcion wondered as he thought about her usual morning training. As he said, during morning training, everyone watched with their eyes lit up, wanting to see if they could learn something from Kalcion. It was a view so familiar that even Selina, who found it burdensome at first, can now forget the gazes and focus on training. But this morning was different. They are not gathered to see and learn from Kalcion, but to watch her shoot her bow. ¡°Now they see only me¡­¡± The eyes of people who flocked to see her are not scary, but she was also concerned about showing things that she was unfamiliar with. ¡°No need to be nervous. Everyone is equally bad.¡± There was nothing better to say. The knights¡¯ shoulders hearing his poignant evaluation slumped. From tomorrow morning, archery may be included in the training schedule. Kalcion clenched the bow and passed it on to Selina. It looked a little strange, but the structure was similar. Selina glanced at the bow she was holding, and then she tied the arrow to the string. When she actually pulled the string, it felt like it was flexible and moderately strong. Selina¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared at the target. In an instant, the arrow escaped her fingertips. It flew wildly, like a raging heart that went out of control against the master¡¯s will. Her first shot missed from the target¡¯s circle. ¡°Uhmm.¡± She took one shot and forgot her surroundings. Catching her eye on the target, she thought that she had to hit it. The second arrow hit quite halfway. But even that was not satisfactory. Selina, without a word, tied the next arrow in protest. She ran out of arrows as she shot so frantically. Her arms and shoulders were sore because she was wearing a dress, which was unnatural. Even though she wasn¡¯t very happy with the result, it wasn¡¯t bad enough. Selina loosened her shoulders and lowered the bow. ¡°As expected, I don¡¯t even practice¡­ what?¡± Selina stopped when she realized the gazes on herself. Not only the knights, but also Kalcion¡¯s eyes were tinged with astonishment. ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This is bad?¡± ¡°Today was a bit bad¡­¡± Was it that bad? Selina answered in a voice that lacked confidence, rather getting discouraged. ¡°You say this is bad?¡± ¡°If not bad, then is it worse?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You are talented enough here.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± When Kalcion said that, she didn¡¯t know if it was a joke or not, but she couldn¡¯t believe it. At this level, she could not even say that she was particularly good at it. She practiced for several months, and in the yard where there are a lot of people who hit the 10-point score in a row, the result with arrows hitting outside of the target circle was not enough to be praised. ¡°At least here it is.¡± ¡°You are so good at all kinds of martial arts, what¡¯s with the bow?¡± Although the martial arts here are focused on swordsmanship and horse riding, it was surprising that archery was not developed. ¡°It is because the physical part of continuous shooting is more important than the training of focusing on one spot, but your shooting is technically amazing.¡± ¡°I can teach you if you want.¡± She¡¯s not good enough to teach others, but if there¡¯s a skill that doesn¡¯t exist in this world, she was willing to teach it. At Selina¡¯s generous remarks, the knights flocked in shouting oh oh. ¡°Don¡¯t rush in. Maintain formation.¡± But before they could even approach Selina, a seawall called Kalcion put the brakes on their feet. It was a seawall to stop even when a tsunami came. It wasn¡¯t a hunting contest held on a distant mountain, but it was half like a picnic. There was no danger in the hunting contest with animals that had been caught in the nearby forest released. Selina¡¯s body, which was tense at the thought that it could be dangerous just as Kalcion said as this is the place where weapons come and go, was relieved. ¡°It¡¯s just a party.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He, who used to light the torch as if going to war, hid his embarrassment with a short moan, perhaps unaware of such a situation. ¡°Usually hunting contests have a more wild atmosphere. It¡¯s like a miniature version of a beast hunt.¡± ¡°At Renbird?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It is unavoidable to think according to what he saw and grew up with. True to the name of hunting contest, women wore simple dresses or robes. The only different thing was the clothes, and other than that, it wasn¡¯t much different from any other party. At the tables around them, chefs were constantly making new dishes, and light drinks and drinks were also circulating. Even armed men were holding a glass of alcohol without tension. The hunting was an excuse to meet. As she looked around, a group of people approached her with a squealing noise. Before she even looked back, she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Well, I met a precious face.¡± It was the Crown Prince with nobles behind him. They must be the nobles belonging to the Crown Prince faction. Their gaze towards Kalcion was not pretty. ¡°Crown Prince.¡± Kalcion gave a perfect greeting with no flaws on the surface. Selina bowed her head together. Just before she bowed her head, her eyes met with the Crown Prince. Without missing the brief moment, the Crown Prince erased his solemn expression and gave a playful wink. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Selina hurriedly bowed her head, pretending not to see it. When she lifted her head again, the Crown Prince returned to the expression of power he had seen in the Rose Palace. ¡°This time, the untimely beast has not crossed the mountain range this time?¡± ¡°Fortunately, yes.¡± ¡°The sword didn¡¯t even break a week ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I hope the beast I caught this time has stronger bones than the last beast.¡± ¡°I hope so too.¡± It was a calm and gentle conversation, but the observer¡¯s spine was damp. The Crown Prince smiled softly, biting his lips as if he couldn¡¯t think of any more words to bring out in response to Kalcion;s brief reply, which didn¡¯t leave any room. However, he did not hide the blade in his eyes. ¡°Does Miss Selina also go hunting together?¡± In the end, the Crown Prince¡¯s focus on Kalcion turned to Selina. ¡°What? Ah¡­ No, I¡¯m just brightening the mood.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes on Selina in her suit had a never-before seen warmth. It was beautiful, but she was chilled by the oddity of something out of place, like a flower blooming by a frozen pond. ¡ª Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°Well, I was expecting to be able to hunt on horseback with you. But I can¡¯t force a risk for my greed. There are many things to enjoy besides hunting, so I hope you enjoy it enough.¡± ¡°Thank¡­ you.¡± His eyes were sticky, but his actions were not. It was a strange balance that the Crown Prince maintained throughout. If it was a real relationship, it would drive people crazy. Usually, when a person receives a signal from the other person¡¯s eyes or attitude that they wanted themselves, they instinctively expect a friendly action. But if it doesn¡¯t fit, it gets confusing. An example was a person who says they want to see the other person but does not come. Sitting next to each other wherever, and smiles whenever they make eye contact but doesn¡¯t say that they should do something together. ¡®It¡¯s innate, that¡¯s his strategy.¡¯ If a person who has the same appearance and status as the Crown Prince smiles like that, it would be mistaken as smiling at the other person. They would get confused as if the Crown Prince is giving them special treatment. Kalcion clicked his tongue beside her. ¡°Do you still think the Crown Prince was sincere?¡± His voice could not hide its displeasure. ¡°I said it seemed sincere, but I didn¡¯t say it was true.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that seemed sincere.¡± ¡°Usually it is. The Duke should try it too.¡± Discomfort spread from his voice to his eyebrows. The eyebrows were always the part of his expressionless face that showed his emotions well. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering her question, Kalcion hugged Selina¡¯s shoulder tightly. ¡°I think I can do it if I try hard now.¡± ¡®Uh¡­ what is this hand?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t actions more certain than a hundred words?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She knew for sure that he didn¡¯t want to lose to the Crown Prince. How much does he despise the idea that his acting skills popped out? ¡°Why? You¡¯re not sure of me?¡± If he turned his head to look down at her while their sides were glued together like this, his face was close enough as if they could kiss right then. He kisses her cheek in the morning and evening, but Kalcion doesn¡¯t kiss Selina. As his face drew closer, she could even see the shadows of his eyelashes hanging over his eyes. The long eyelashes over his cool eyes. He has silver eyelashes. This is a foul. Those long eyelashes fluttered up and down with each blink, and she thought she was about to get kissed. Her heart was rippling like a stone thrown into water. When Selina didn¡¯t say anything, Kalcion raised his head softly. The moment that stretched like eternity was only a second that passed carelessly. ¡°¡­Hoo.¡± As Kalcion¡¯s face backed away, the breath that had been choked, burst out as if she had gotten off a roller coaster. These days, a life where her heart was not respected continues. From the vaguely squirming Crown Prince, to a bull-like rushing Kalcion. She knows that both of them were not sincere, yet her heart trembles. ¡®Being handsome is a problem anyway.¡¯ In the other world, this would not have happened unless she was engrossed in her role. She thought it was because she was good at sorting out private and public matters, but not really. It was just because the actors in the other roles were not that handsome. Her trembling chest made her fingers restless and wiggling. Having seen it, Kalcion reached out his other hand and held it tightly to her hand. ¡°This is too ridiculous. I am not a sick person.¡± ¡°Am I being ridiculous?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it, but¡­¡± Today is a hunting contest, so the ladies, who are like petals that are in danger of being knocked down by just a brush, are also showing off their lively appearance. Holding her shoulder and escorting her by the hand is enough for a large party where she has to pretend to be a flower. ¡°You have to adapt to the time and place to some extent.¡± ¡°Do we have to choose different ways to express our feelings at different times and places?¡± ¡°If it goes too far, it¡¯s not because I really love you, but because I want to show others.¡± Kalcion, who had paused for a while, made an unexpected counterattack. ¡°In the beginning, I think you were also very fussy. Didn¡¯t the people you met at that time notice that you were doing it as a show off?¡± If there was physical power in his words, Selina had just been struck by Kalcion¡¯s words and collapsed after losing too much blood. Selina admits that her early acting was a bit forced. It was when she still couldn¡¯t understand the situation well, and she had to force herself to settle down unconditionally. Besides, wasn¡¯t it also when Kalcion couldn¡¯t even find the seeds of his acting skills? Selina had no choice but to act strongly as she had to take the lead. ¡°I believe that those people would not have been able to afford to argue because it was shocking that the Duke did what I asked you to do.¡± ¡°Then would you know that it would be shocking just now that I¡¯m doing this?¡± ¡°¡­It might be.¡± It was Selina¡¯s part to get embarrassed. ¡°To sum up, you mean if it¡¯s something I¡¯m willing to do, it won¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°¡­What, what do you mean, you¡¯re willing to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to do this.¡± As if to confirm that there was absolutely no way it would be misunderstood, Kalcion¡¯s hand tightened on her. In the midst of this, he stopped so it wouldn¡¯t hurt. Selina looked up at Kalcion again, repeating her breath, as she couldn¡¯t even take a deep breath. She told him to do it like the Crown Prince, but she was lost in agony for saying the wrong things. ¡°¡­I am a little scared.¡± ¡°Scared of me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s scary when someone who hasn¡¯t been like this suddenly be like this. It seems really crazy.¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s really crazy.¡± Even Kalcion himself doesn¡¯t know why he¡¯s doing this. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. Now that it happened, please go crazy.¡± It is better to accept the incomprehensible than to try to understand it. Selina was willing to welcome Kalcion¡¯s new world of acting. Isn¡¯t it commendable that she pioneered his acting performance? It¡¯s a bit hard to accept, but there¡¯s no reason to stop him if his acting becomes more and more natural. When Kalcion got Selina¡¯s permission, he pushed her body closer and walked towards the tent. In a hunting contest that lasts for several days, each family builds a barracks to eat, sleep, and live in, but today, as it will be held for only one day, only chairs and tables were prepared in the open tent. The Renbird¡¯s tent was placed in front, visible from the central vacant lot. On either side of it were flags of other families fluttering above and in front of the tent, but not many people were seated under the tent of their own family. ¡°Now that we are here, let¡¯s go and give our greetings.¡± Just then, Lirel caught her eye. Perhaps Lirel was on her way somewhere, and she had been separated from the Rosalyn gang. ¡°Hello, Miss Lirel.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Lirel smirked and tried to get past the rough greetings. Lirel got the letter back through Juna, so there¡¯s no reason for her any longer, is it? A smirk crossed Selina¡¯s lips. It was Selina¡¯s bait that she returned the letter to through Juna. She doesn¡¯t know which fish she will catch, but she definitely caught something. Now it was time to pull up the fishing rod. ¡°Did you receive the ¡®it¡¯ I returned?¡± ¡°What?!¡± As soon as Lirell heard her words, she was astonished. It seems she didn¡¯t know yet that Juna had been caught. ¡°Come to think of it, I think that Miss Lirel¡¯s position may become difficult if other people see it. I showed it to the Duke and made sure to return it right away.¡± Selina especially gave an emphasis to ¡®other¡¯. Selina said that she thought of Lirel that was tied to Rosalyn and returned it, but the gist was ¡®she returned it¡¯. Lirel would have thought Juna had ¡®stolen¡¯ it and got it back. Lirel nearly fainted on the spot. It wasn¡¯t a problem that she now lost a single letter. Was she caught? That fact was the most important. But for Lirel to confirm this, she had to meet Juna in person. ¡°Ah, such consideration¡­ Thank you. By the way, did you not bring a dedicated maid with you?¡± Lirel looked behind Selina. Since it¡¯s not a party held at the palace today, she had to bring her own people. The Renbird also brought maids and servants out. But there was no one behind Selina. ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t bring my dedicated maid along because she has a lot to do at the mansion today.¡± Juna is now polishing all the silverware in the mansion under strict surveillance. The silverware in the mansion was endless. Even after Selina returns from the hunting contest, Juna will still have to polish for a while. As long as it doesn¡¯t end, the one who watches Juna won¡¯t go away. Making it impossible to leave for a moment or even contact Lirel¡¯s maid. ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be inconvenient to not have a dedicated maid? I can lend my maid if you need to.¡± ¡°If I need it later. I appreciate your words.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Lirel¡¯s head got entangled like drops of ink that expanded in the water. Was she caught? Was it a coincidence? If she had been caught, would Selina have locked her up too and tried to figure out something? How far did Juna tell Selina? Juna didn¡¯t just confide in everything she¡¯s been up to, right? Then why does Selina laugh and secretly tell Lirel about it? Is it a threat to do something? Juna, who brought the letter, said nothing. As if she had stolen the letter as Lirel ordered. In fact, Selina may have told Juna to run an errand to ¡®return it¡¯. It could be that Juna lied because saying that she stole it made more sense¡­ The assumptions in her head branched endlessly, but nothing was certain. She needs to listen more and get information to understand the situation. Lirel opened her mouth, showing her impatience. ¡°It seemed like you were busy on your way somewhere, but I took too much of your time.¡± But Selina didn¡¯t let her take a breather. ¡°Well then, see you later.¡± ¡°Ah, yes? Ah¡­!¡± While Lirel frowned, Selina had already passed her. ¡°What, what to do? What should I do!¡± Lirel, who was left behind, stomped her feet and bit her lips. What if Juna¡¯s identity was revealed and she¡¯s being held by the Renbird? It will be a domino effect. Lirel gave her maid a stern order to stand by her. ¡°¡­Tell them to catch it. If they can¡¯t, kill it.¡± ¡ª Chapter 97 Chapter 97 She shared the whole details of the situation with Kalcion. While it was a seemingly peaceful chatter, he could read the threats and revelations underneath. ¡°Should Lirel be left like this?¡± ¡°Not yet. There is no conclusive evidence, so we have to be more careful as we are the ones who hold the most things.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s not good to build a real friendship.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Selina was disgusted and slapped Kalcion¡¯s side with her elbow. Lirel was the one who was directly involved in the death of one person, though she was forced by Rosalyn who had taken her weakness. Not stopping there, she reached out to Selina, trying to influence the social circle. From start to finish, she wasn¡¯t just a puppet who did what Rosalyn told her to do, she even went out of her way to harass Selina. Friendship with such a person. Selina wanted to watch it ruin if possible. As she was going to the tent, she heard cheers of people coming from one side. ¡°What?¡± It was on the side of the arena on a side of the vacant lot. As she approached, an old woman waved something like a bead with tassels and shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll bet a prize! I will present this sword ornament to the first place winner! But only for women!¡± In the arena, there were all sorts of targets and scarecrows. They can warm up before the start of the hunt, or people who do not participate in the hunt can gather and have a light game. ¡°Rosalyn, go out.¡± ¡°Right, go out.¡± Unexpectedly, the first person to come out was Rosalyn. She pretended she couldn¡¯t resist being pushed by the people around her, but her face was full of confidence. And there were also Fionel and Princess Jerryel. ¡°There is the Princess too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a royal event, so she can come.¡± ¡°The three of them came out too, so I have to go too.¡± Selina exclaimed resolutely as she stared at the people taking their position in the arena. If only the others know that Rosalyn had tormented Kalcion so terribly. Instead of saying much, Kalcion clasped her shoulders and cheered. ¡°Make sure you win.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Having received the bow from the servant, Selina jumped to the podium at the end. ¡°You have nowhere to come out.¡± Fionel, who first spotted Selina, twisted her lips to reveal her teeth. ¡°The Duke is watching. Shouldn¡¯t you be taking care of your face?¡± In an instant, the type of teeth revealed was eight incisors instead of fangs. ¡°Your Grace! I will do my best!¡± Of course, there was no answer from Kalcion. Still, Fionel steadfastly waved her arm toward him. Instead, only a few who appeared to be Fionel¡¯s followers cheered enthusiastically. ¡°Uwooow! Miss Fionel, the cutest girl in the world! You can do it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t either!¡± ¡°I hope you have everything except the Duke¡¯s love.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have it either?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t give it to you anyway.¡± Selina snorted and glanced at Rosalyn who was on the other side as she tapped the bowstring. Like a veteran actress showing only her prettiest angles, while being unaware of the camera, Rosalyn stood calmly without even looking at the people below the podium. Rosalyn was pretty as she wore her suit and tied her hair together. Judging from her posture with the bow, she doesn¡¯t seem to be very bad at shooting. She¡¯s pretty, and she¡¯s good at archery. She had everything but a heart. ¡°That product looks like a man.¡± She looked ahead and muttered as if she was talking to herself. Rosalyn pretended to be indifferent, but Selina could feel the way she was turning her eyes to see Selina. ¡°I owe something to the Crown Prince¡­ Shall I repay his kindness?¡± Rosalyn turned her gaze forward, pretending not to hear it, but Selina saw her hands tightened for a moment. As expected, she was not mistaken about what she had seen in the forest. The Crown Prince didn¡¯t know, but Rosalyn¡¯s heart was on the Crown Prince. ¡°The rule is three shots each! Shoot in turns! The person with the highest score on the three-shoot total wins!¡± Selina deliberately chose the last turn. Originally, it would be cooler if the victory was decided at the end. It was, of course, a choice assuming her own victory. The skill of the lady who came first was poor. She didn¡¯t even get close to the target and ran out of arrows. After that, it was Rosalyn. Compared to the first lady, her posture while pulling the bowstring was quite on-point. Selina had no choice but to focus on it as well. Bang! The arrow, which flew gently, was not right in the center, but hit right next to the center. Surprisingly, Rosalyn¡¯s skills weren¡¯t bad. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can do this roughly.¡¯ Selina pulled herself together. She wondered if everyone else was okay, but Fionel was just as messed up as the first one, and the Princess couldn¡¯t even pull the bowstring at all. ¡°Why did the Princess come out?¡± Selina didn¡¯t really understand. ¡°I, I need to be able to stand up without trembling wherever I go, so I can grow into a great woman, Mother said!¡± She still looked far from growing into a great woman. ¡°That great woman is right in front of you, so watch and learn.¡± Selina giggled and tied the arrow to the bowstring. Unlike the other ladies before her, Selina¡¯s bowstring drew a much deeper curve. Whip¡ª! The moment the arrow flew, a sharp sound cut through the air. The sound was different from that of the other ladies who made a heavy, thumping sound. Not knowing when it flew, the arrow was stuck in the center of the target. ¡°Wow!¡± People holding their breath and watching Selina¡¯s unusual posture forgot about the ladies they were cheering for and screamed. It was a reaction similar to when she shot her bows in front of the knights. Selina shrugged, lowered her bow, and waited for her next turn. To be honest, it was twice as close to the target than the training ground. This was nothing more than a child¡¯s play. The eyes of the ladies watching from the side were not much different from those under the podium. The most intense surprise came from the Princess. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± She forgot to close her mouth, which was almost drooling, but was saved by Selina raising her chin. ¡°Uhp.¡± The Princess came to her senses a beat later and gathered her expression. ¡°If it¡¯s cool, you can admire how cool it was.¡± ¡°Who is admiring!¡± ¡°Someone who almost drooled before.¡± ¡°N, no¡­¡± ¡°Really? I can teach you if you want.¡± ¡°I can get an archery teacher, too.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know if they will teach you how to shoot as cool and beautiful as me.¡± Because the archery that Selina learned was for broadcasting, the movements were bigger and more flashy than normal people. No matter how ignorant she was, it does look cool unlike others. The Princess¡¯ eyes fluttered. ¡°¡­Can you teach me?¡± Right now, she¡¯s a little girl with nothing but the title of a Princess, so she¡¯ll want to have her own weapon. Selina viciously placed conditions on the Princess¡¯s urgent greed, which was clearly visible. ¡°If you give up the Duke.¡± ¡°What?! I don¡¯t need it!¡± No matter how much talent she wanted, it must have not been enough to give up her heart for Kalcion. The Princess turned her head back to the sound of the wind. She was a hateful and straight-forward Princess, but she was the most harmless of them all. Selina thought indignantly. ¡®Cute.¡¯ Her second turn took place, and this time Selina arrows hit the center. Rosalyn followed her closely, too, but it was closer to the perimeter than to Selina¡¯s center. When it was their third turn, only formal applause rang out for the previous turn. Rosalyn¡¯s stamina was also running, so she hit way off the center. In the end, when it was Selina¡¯s turn, people focused without even breathing. The playful bet on one ornament became quite serious. Bang! The last arrow pierced the center with a striking sound that was cooler than before. ¡°Wow!¡± People cheered, and the old woman betting the prize handed the prize to Selina, as proud as a king who bestowed a sword on a knight. ¡°It¡¯s a relic of my husband I wanted to kill, so I couldn¡¯t throw it away or give it as a gift because it was a good thing. But I¡¯m happy to give it to you as a prize.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± If it is the relic of the husband she wanted to kill, is it a good thing or a bad thing? When Selina received the prize, she could not be overjoyed. But the thing itself looked really good. When she put it in her hand and rolled it, the beads reflected different light depending on the angle it received sunlight. It was a smooth spherical shape on the outside, but inside, it was a strange gem filled with angular crystals. The metalwork surrounding the jewels was as delicate as if they were drawn individually with a pen, and the tassels and knots under the jewels were made of colorful threads of shiny material. After receiving the prize and coming down from the podium, Kalcion was waiting at the landing. ¡°I won.¡± As she triumphantly posed as the winner, Kalcion nodded his head in a dry compliment. ¡°Well done.¡± However, it was evident in Selina¡¯s eyes that he was proud like seeing a grown soldier. ¡°Where are you going to put that?¡± Kalcion gestured at the ornament she was holding in her hand. She didn¡¯t go to the contest with that in mind. Now that she thought about it, she didn¡¯t usually wear a sword, nor have it hang from her dress. In the end, it was something that had to be given to someone. Selina looked at Kalcion once more, then looked down at the jewel in her hand once more. It was beautiful, and it seemed like a good fit for him, but she didn¡¯t want to present the relic of the ¡®husband I wanted to kill¡¯ to him. But, who was she supposed to give it to other than Kalcion¡­? The Crown Prince entered Selina¡¯s gaze as she searched for a choice among the people around her. Intrigued by the interesting sights, he too stood at the arena with his attendants from a distance away. When Selina¡¯s eyes met, the Crown Prince didn¡¯t shy away and smiled at her and said ¡®Congratulations¡¯ with only his mouth. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s perfect.¡¯ It was good in many ways. Up until now, she has only been running away in embarrassment because of the Crown Prince, but what if it¡¯s the other way around? ¡ª Chapter 98 Chapter 98 There was a suitable tool in hand, there was an excuse, and it was also within Rosalyn¡¯s field of vision, who was still near the arena. ¡®Let¡¯s try to make a fire.¡¯ Selina pushed through the crowd and approached the Crown Prince. People looked around with curious eyes. The Crown Prince raised his eyebrows in surprise. However, he soon put on a smile like a close friend that had met again after a few years. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Miss Selina?¡± ¡°Thinking about it¡­ There were things I should be thankful for, and I want to repay the kindness you have given me.¡± ¡°It was nothing. It wasn¡¯t something I was hoping for a return.¡± ¡°Nevertheless. In hunting, I heard that presenting what was caught was a sign of the heart. It¡¯s not a hunt, but I got it by myself¡­¡± It¡¯s been a while since she last acted properly. Selina blushed like a girl confessing to her first love and held out the ornament. ¡°Will you please accept¡­?¡± It was just a tribute, but a smoke filled with hallucinations like, ¡®If you receive this, you will start dating me now¡¯ was overlaid in it. ¡°After all, this is the first harvest of the hunting competition. If you were to give me such a precious thing, how could I refuse? I will gladly accept it.¡± The first step Selina took on her own was welcomed by the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince twisted his sword and held it in front of Selina. In this distance, Selina could draw the sword and stab him, he¡¯s pretty gutsy. ¡°If possible, would you put it on yourself?¡± ¡°It is an honor.¡± Selina deliberately clasped her hands and put the ornament on the end of the Crown Prince¡¯s sword handle. It matched very well as if it was originally his. The Crown Prince waved his sword and looked at the ornament as if he was more satisfied than he had expected. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a talent for dancing as well as a talent for a bow.¡± ¡°This is the first time I know too. I learned it in a hurry because I heard that even people who don¡¯t go hunting can shoot and play like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing. You mean that you have developed so much in such a short amount of time?¡± ¡°I must have been a genius.¡± She purposely smiled like a child, and the Crown Prince smiled wide in a genuinely happy air. ¡°I wonder how far your genius will extend. If you have time next time, why don¡¯t you come to the palace and try it out?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The royal family has an exam that was taken from generation to generation to find out what kind of talent they have. Pitch, aesthetics, all of that. It¡¯s pretty fun.¡± Selina has now only stepped into the door, and the Crown Prince is inviting her to his room. Everything was rushed and intense. ¡°May I take it?¡± ¡°Of course, you are always welcome. I¡¯ll send you an invitation, so come at a time convenient for you.¡± It was rather outrageous. Is this really out of love or is this because he¡¯s really crazy? Or maybe it¡¯s because of something he was really aiming for. Selina gave the highest score in the third choice. She turned around after finishing her verbal appointment with the Crown Prince, and the gazes directed towards her face stinged and she nearly closed her eyes. Not one, but two. One was predictable. It was Rosalyn with a lot of desire to tear Selina to death. When Rosalyn saw Selina turn, she turned her body back in a haste, but she was already caught. This was enough cross-validation. A connection as to why Rosalyn was so heartless yet aiming for Duchess Renbird¡¯s position. ¡®The Crown Prince asked her for it.¡¯ There was no reason other than that. And for that reason, everything was explainable. If Rosalyn were to become the Duchess, the Crown Prince would plant his own man in Kalcion. He could use Rosalyn to destroy Duke Renbird¡¯s family. ¡®But does that woman like him that much?¡¯ Trying to make a woman who likes him the wife of a man he hates like an enemy. No matter how formal marriage in this world was and everyone has a separate lover, if they get married, they also have an obligation to produce successors. Like it or not, they had to touch bare skin, and she couldn¡¯t understand that attitude as if that didn¡¯t matter. ¡®He¡¯s either crazy, a real bad guy, or both.¡¯ Selina groaned and turned her body to the other stinging gaze. At least for giving him a gift like that, he wouldn¡¯t think about whether she will revolt or commit murder. Selina smiled and approached Kalcion amongst the piercing stinging gaze here and there. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? That ornament doesn¡¯t even have a good origin story.¡± ¡°But did you really have to do that to him in front of me?¡± There was quite a bit of anger in Kalcion¡¯s voice. ¡®What. Are you really mad?¡¯ She thought just looking at the Crown Prince made him throw a tantrum, but now that she sees it, there is something twisted about Selina too. It¡¯s a big deal if his eyes were turned upside down and he got really angry. There were still a lot of eyes watching the two of them. ¡°Duke!¡± Selina hugged Kalcion¡¯s neck tightly. Although she rushed at him without warning, Kalcion firmly embraced Selina¡¯s body. Selina wrapped her legs around his waist. It was as stable as sitting in a chair, hanging like a sloth, thanks to Kalcion¡¯s arms that supported her waist and thighs. ¡°I did it on purpose to see how Rosalyn would react.¡± Selina hugged his neck and whispered in his ear, pretending to press her lips against Kalcion¡¯s neck. Kalcion¡¯s hand gripped her waist tightly. It felt a little painful this time because he had unknowingly strengthened his arm. ¡°¡­It, it hurts.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Kalcion apologized hastily and released the strength. As she stood down on the ground, Selina saw his earlobe, the only red thing on Kalcion¡¯s face, and sighed. She whispered all over his ear, blowing in her breath, so he must have been surprised like being harassed. She apologized, but it didn¡¯t relieve the mood. Kalcion kept his mouth shut with a puzzled face the whole time. She knew he hated being compared to the Crown Prince, but she had a reason, and she didn¡¯t expect it to be so blatant. The hunting contest might start soon. As she was contemplating on how to fix this, one of the people, who was overjoyed, placed another prize. ¡°Me! I¡¯ll do it too!¡± Selina didn¡¯t even hear what was being played or what the prize was, and just unconditionally raised her hand and ran away. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll win it for the Duke. Please!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Umm¡­¡± Selina couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment as she looked down at the prize in her hand. They presented anything they had as a prize in a game that was playfully conducted by people even when it was a hunting contest. Of course, in terms of the monetary value on the market, the items were of the same value as the price of a commoner¡¯s house, but in the noble¡¯s concept, it was like a toy. And as Selina threw Fionel out, the prize of the ugly scuffle was a tiny jewel-studded ring. ¡°I was thinking of giving it¡­ to the Duke¡­¡± It fits snugly into Selina¡¯s fingers, but is too small for Kalcion¡¯s fingers. Moreover, there was no way that a slender ring studded with delicate jewels would suit Kalcion¡¯s hand. Taking this as a gift for him, Kalcion reached out to Selina, who couldn¡¯t hold it out herself. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Can it fit?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s mine, I should keep it for now.¡± Selina quietly offered the ring because he insisted on having it whether it fit or not. Kalcion looked at the ring, which he would refuse even if they gave him money as consolation, then took off the gauntlet of his left hand. Of course in the index, middle, ring fingers, it was caught in the joints. The last attempt, it fit his little finger. ¡°Oh!¡± Selina shouted and grabbed Kalcion¡¯s hand, amazed that the ring has fitted well on his finger. A thin ring on a strong man¡¯s hand with thick joints and veins protruding from it seemed very fragile, but thanks to the pure white back of his hand and long fingers, it suited him well. ¡°It¡¯s prettier than I thought. The Duke didn¡¯t originally wear jewelry, so I didn¡¯t even think that a ring would look good on your hand.¡± As he looked down at Selina, who was clasping his hand, Kalcion¡¯s face finally loosened. Gradually, it was time for the hunting contest to start, and people were busy. So, very few people saw Kalcion¡¯s relaxed face. It was the same with Selina, who was lost in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s time to start.¡­ I¡¯ll just say I¡¯m hurt.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If I have come this far, I have shown enough loyalty. Whether or not to do more than this is personal choice.¡± ¡°Well¡­ But why? If the Duke is next to me, I don¡¯t need to spend time here either.¡± She turned it around nicely, but in the end, things might not go well even if he was there, so she actually meant for him to stay away a little bit. However, Kalcion did not blink an eye. ¡°No matter how I think about it, it is dangerous to leave you alone.¡± ¡°Everyone with weapons will go out hunting, so what are you worried about? Also, there is an escort, so what are you worried about?¡± She was not alone in the middle of the field. The number of people going out hunting was rather small, so it was more crowded with people in the party-like atmosphere. No matter how many weapons were brought, it was not much different from a normal party. Kalcion¡¯s worries were excessive. ¡°I¡¯ll be digging here well, so you go hunting, Duke. Your name is Northern Duke, so shouldn¡¯t you be out hunting?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not doing this because you¡¯re not sure of me, are you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible, but others don¡¯t know that.¡± Kalcion thought that it doesn¡¯t matter what others thought, but he can¡¯t help but turn around to prepare. Selina, who was standing in front of the tent where Kalcion entered, suddenly thought. Isn¡¯t it a lover¡¯s job to take care of his armor or clothes at this time? It will be even more difficult when other people ask why she was waiting outside. Selina opened the tent back and entered the barracks. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± As soon as Selina entered, she saw his half-naked state, and her eyes met with Kalcion¡¯s, who had stood frozen. ¡ª Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Like Selina, Kalcion wore the suit from the moment he left home. As she thought he would be ready by wearing some armor, she didn¡¯t know that he had to take off his coat and put it on again. There were also servants in the barracks to serve Kalcion. ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I¡¯m going to help you prepare, too.¡± Saying so, Selina approached him, pretending to be calm. It was known that they do this and that in the same bed every night, but at best, they couldn¡¯t show their surprise just by undressing their upper body. He had shown his bare upper body in front of her a few times, though it wasn¡¯t in a strange situation when he was caught taking off his clothes like this. The nakedness of a man was one of the things that she naturally got used to while working as an actress. If someone had just been walking around naked, she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised and would have just passed it off. When Kalcion saw Selina who came in, he stiffened up, and even Selina was surprised. It often happened even on set that the atmosphere became more awkward because of the shy partner¡ªit was just that now. Because of that, she deliberately boldly pushed the servants back and approached Kalcion. ¡°I want to take care of it with my own hands if possible. Can I put this on?¡± Taking something like a leather vest from the servant¡¯s hand, Selina stood behind his back. ¡°Yes, you can put it on from the back and just tighten the strap from the front.¡± The servant who had the vest taken away quickly explained. ¡°Give me your arm this way.¡± After putting the arms around his shoulders, Selina came back in front of him. A glance at his chest and abdomen, covered with smooth muscles, without any loose flesh. She took the strap from the servant¡¯s hand and tucked it into the hole, and her concentration made her naturally put her forehead to his chest. ¡®He¡¯s handsome even up to the belly button.¡¯ Selina thought to herself as she stared at Kalcion¡¯s belly button, which was dented above and below. He¡¯s a good-looking guy by nature, so to think he¡¯s good-looking was just a fact-check. Still, to be handsome up to the belly button¡­ It was true he was good-looking, though this went a little too far. ¡°You have to tighten the strap, so they fit snugly against the body.¡± As the servant instructed, she pulled the straps through the hole tight. Upon the open front, starting from the navel up to the clavicle, this time, his clavicle caught her eye. ¡®¡­Is this a collarbone that can be used instead of a cup? He¡¯s handsome up to his collarbone as well.¡¯ Selina fanned her eyes in surprise once more. Above the collarbone, the uvula protruding from the center of his straight neck, moved greatly. Gulp. ¡®What?¡¯ As she looked with her gaze raised a little further, she met eyes with Kalcion. ¡°¡­.¡± His nervous eyes cast down on her. Selina knew from the beginning that he was weak in skinship, but now, they sleep while hugging and giving each other morning and night kisses¡ªembracing and rolling around during training happen several times a day. ¡­Why was he so nervous now? Although she was just helping with his armor, she felt like an unscrupulous person admiring his naked body. ¡®That¡¯s actually true.¡¯ However, she didn¡¯t touch or rub him like a pervert. Her hand brushed through the straps. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ It was then that she discovered why he was so frozen. She hadn¡¯t touched his bare body since the day she crossed over from the bathhouse to make fun of Kalcion, determined midway through the journey. While she was dressing him, it didn¡¯t change the fact that her hand touched him. The moment she realized that fact, the tension from Kalcion unfurled to Selina as well. She touched him herself¡­ This man. Selina¡¯s neck also moved. Gulp. The vest was all on, but her gaze was tied up and she couldn¡¯t get her body away. As time passed, tension engulfed her body like fire. ¡°You can put the shirt over this.¡± Thanks to the intervention of the ignorant and knowledgeable servant, the tension between the two were broken like ice in the spring sun. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Selina took the shirt and put it on. The two couldn¡¯t raise their faces until she put on the cloak and armor over it. Kalcion prepared the weapon, the last thing, himself. With a large sword around his waist, his hands were as natural as flowing water, with spare knives and daggers slotted into his thighs, calves, and arms. It was said that in this world, a javelin was used more than a bow for hunting. He also carried a bow though he took more javelins. Finally, he put on the cloak embroidered with care by Mrs. Janet stitch by stitch. Kalcion, with his black cloak fluttering, was so cool that it felt like the glory of this world to have such a creature. ¡°You look really cool.¡± Selina praised him frankly. The tip of his lips, which had stiffened at those words, danced softly. ¡°Well, then let¡¯s go.¡± Already outside the barracks, the sound of horseshoes roaming could be heard. When she came out, people were gathering, each with their javelins and bows. Even the people who had gathered to see them off were there, too, so the vacant lot was packed when everyone gathered. ¡°Prepare for departure!¡± People were bustling at the shout of the servant. ¡°I will give you my prey. Will you wish me good luck?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Whether it was a banquet or a hunting contest, the essence was the same. Who was the main character was important. At the banquet, the main character was a person who constantly received requests for dance, but in a hunting competition, the person who collected a lot of prey became the main character. While the number of prey included not only the ones, they have caught themselves but also those they have received from other people. Therefore, they would be able to receive the prey by wishing the other good luck in advance. A lady kissed a lord¡¯s forehead and wished him good luck. Besides them, they were the same sights everywhere. For those who did not participate in the hunting competition, the person who asked for good luck was as desperate as the person who asked for a dance at the ball. Selina¡¯s partner was, of course, going to be Kalcion. ¡°I will give you my prey. Will you wish me good luck?¡± However, there was one person in the middle. ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡± The Crown Prince approached with a red cloak waving, shining in complete contrast to Kalcion¡¯s cold tones. There was no need to limit the number of prey received to just one person. In the case of Rosalyn over there, people lined up to receive her blessing. Selina had no choice but to nod her head, as giving a refusal was utterly impossible. ¡°It is an honor.¡± The Crown Prince bowed his back. She then placed her hands lightly on his shoulders and took her lips when they were about to touch his forehead. It felt like a thorn on her lips. ¡°I wish you good luck. Don¡¯t get hurt, and good luck.¡± Imitating the words spoken around her, Selina smiled formally at the Crown Prince. ¡°I offer you the most beautiful prey.¡± The Crown Prince turned away, leaving a kiss on the back of her hand. Her heart was not shaken by the Crown Prince¡¯s appearance. Selina stroked her frightened chest in surprise and turned her body toward Kalcion. The person Selina had to take care of more than the Crown Prince was him. Suddenly, the Crown Prince intervened, and Kalcion became the backseat player. ¡®To Duke Renbird¡­¡¯ ¡®At some point, did the Crown Prince throw a romantic sign?¡¯ There was gossip all around. Rosalyn¡¯s bloody energy, staring at this from afar, also played a part. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I do something more special than what I did to the Crown Prince¡­?¡¯ She glanced around, but Kalcion¡¯s eyes were already burning, saying, ¡®I won¡¯t let him go if you do worse than what you did to him.¡¯ ¡°Will you wish me good luck, too?¡± ¡°Are you giving me all your prey?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you anything you want.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be an idle boast. It was because if it¡¯s Kalcion, he really would. ¡°The stars in the sky, the prey that I want, the Duke is getting busy.¡± Selina lifted her fingers and pressed her lips to his forehead. ¡°Good luck.¡± She parted her lips and saw the eyes filled with dissatisfaction. Selina groaned and pressed her lips to his left and right cheeks as well. He softened a little. ¡®¡­Is this not enough?¡¯ This time she placed her lips on his right cheek again and pressed it tight like a stamp. Her lip rouge was clearly smeared. Even though the warmth returned to his eyes, he was not satisfied. Usually, Kalcion was the one to be spiteful due to his temperament, but today it was the other way around. ¡®Where is it?¡¯ When a person is obsessed with the desire to compete, his rational judgment may become loose. Selina put her lips on Kalcion¡¯s as if saying if he was still going to make an expression that it wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°¡­!¡± His shoulder, which her hand was holding, suddenly jumped. ¡®Of course.¡¯ It was when Selina, intoxicated with the triumph, raised her lips and tried to lower herself from tiptoeing. ¡°Heup!¡± Kalcion¡¯s hand supported her back, preventing her from falling. Her lips, which were about to separate, were pressed tightly again. She tried to make a slight squeal and was about to back away though she could feel the force in Kalcion¡¯s lips against her. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Their lips parted, and the two looked at each other with eyes lost in focus as they couldn¡¯t believe what they had just done. While there seemed to be a sound of ¡®Oh my gosh¡¯ around them, it passed by their ear. It was an empty vacuum as if there were only the two of them left in the world. ¡ª Chapter 100 Chapter 100 A thin film formed between the world and them, as if inside a soap bubble. The tightness between the two of them caught their breaths. There were the bellows of the servant who announced the departure and the loud sound of the horn. ¡°Depart!¡± Selina, who suddenly came to her senses, pushed Kalcion¡¯s arm with force. How mesmerized he was that his body trembled. A person who can stand still and survive even if she runs and bumps into him with her whole body. ¡°Ah, th-then.¡± The two people, whose language function had deteriorated, could not even exchange proper words and moved away awkwardly. ¡°Yes, have a safe trip.¡± Still, as he went out with a weapon, Selina hurriedly added another word as she felt that he should be careful. Hearing that, Kalcion, who had just grabbed the reins and was about to jump on the horse, came down again. ¡°What can I get you?¡± The Crown Prince was said to give her his most beautiful game. It was clear that he was even concerned about that. ¡°Just anything. Don¡¯t get hurt, and come back safely.¡± He risked his life in any competition he participated in, no matter how trivial it was, so she was indifferent to the prey that Kalcion would take. He even gave her a present, but she couldn¡¯t really get him anything. Kalcion went back to Selina and knelt down on one knee before pressing his still-hot lips to the back of her hand. ¡°I will offer you a game worthy of your value.¡± His eyes gazing up at her were unexpectedly heavy and serious, so she couldn¡¯t give a plausible reply. It was because his lips were too hot. Without hearing her answer, Kalcion got on his horse and set off. As the sound of the horseshoes grew further away, Selina squatted down, covering her face with her hands. Her legs were shaking, and her face was so hot that she couldn¡¯t even stand. ¡­The reason was that she got too hard on the bet earlier. Obviously, it is. On her way back to the barracks, embracing her flushed face, she ran into Count Orlen. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± It was an unexpected person to be here. Selina let out an awkward exclamation without realizing it. ¡°You didn¡¯t go hunting?¡± Everyone who took part in the hunting competition set off. Count Orlen did not drag his horse, nor did he wear armor. ¡°The older you get, the longer your hangover will last. I¡¯ll take it easy today.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Even though it seemed like an excuse, it felt real at the same time. ¡°You have a hangover, but you don¡¯t rest.¡± ¡°I am also a servant of the royal family, so shouldn¡¯t I show my loyalty?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes.¡± Count Orlen was still unspoken. ¡°At the same time, I am getting some fresh air and meeting people. Oh, I saw your performance earlier.¡± ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°Yes, by chance. Considering the skills of people who couldn¡¯t go out hunting, it would have been a fun feast because they were all so arrogant, but thanks to Miss Selina, the level has risen.¡± ¡°If the Count said that you weren¡¯t going to go hunting, why don¡¯t you come out at least for fun?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the skills to act cute in front of you. Don¡¯t let me ruin your fun.¡± As always, Selina¡¯s competitive spirit always slowly lifted its head at his confident remarks. Her pride has been hanging quite high since her archery won the admiration of the knights. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt the Count¡¯s skills, but¡­ I¡¯m pretty good at archery. No matter how good the martial arts are, there are not many cases where they are even good at archery.¡± At Selina¡¯s provocation, Count Orlen¡¯s pride immediately jumped. ¡°Oh, are you betting on me now? If you want, let¡¯s go and compete right now.¡± ¡°I will not refuse.¡± Naturally, their steps were directed towards the archery target. People who went out hunting disappeared, and the rest of the people gathered under the tent to create a tea party atmosphere. Except for the servants serving refreshments, the vacant lot was empty. No one showed interest again in the target that had already been exciting once. She didn¡¯t want to draw attention, so that was a good thing. ¡°How have you been since then? It looks like you¡¯re still doing well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well. The duke is still there.¡± Count Orlen smiled as he took the bow from her servant. ¡°You must have been paying attention to what I said that day?¡± That day, when she came back from the bathroom, it seemed that he thought that Selina used Kalcion as a counter-proof of her anxiety. While she was over-acting, she didn¡¯t expect it to be mistaken for anxiety. ¡°As you said, the human heart is not what the eye can see.¡± ¡°Maybe, I said something wrong. Do you want to shoot first?¡± Count Orlen, who had prepared himself while speaking, was quite relaxed. He seemed pretty confident. ¡°Yes, then I won¡¯t refuse.¡± Selina did not refuse the consideration and took a step forward. ¡°How many rounds will we play?¡± ¡°How many rounds can you do?¡± This time, Count Orlen provoked. ¡°It could be a hundred, but it would take too long, so how about ten?¡± ¡°Good.¡± He accepted it with enthusiasm. While about ten shots were light, that didn¡¯t end there. ¡°It¡¯s not fun to just compete, so how about granting the wish of the loser to the winner?¡± Selina suggested with confidence that she would never lose. ¡°That¡¯s good, too.¡± Count Orlain was also convinced that he would not lose. ¡°What if this is a tie?¡± ¡°Then, we have a rematch at my party.¡± Even if he died, he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of ending it in a draw. Then, Selina blew her first shot. It was a hit. ¡°Your posture is unfamiliar, but your skills are good. Where did you learn?¡± It was also visible in Count Orlen¡¯s eyes. At that, she got goosebumps. ¡°I quickly learned that for the hunting contest.¡± ¡°You must be a genius.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard.¡± Selina walked away and smiled lightly. ¡°Even a genius needs to find a good teacher. Did you learn from him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably it.¡± ¡°Hoo, His Excellency, taught his lover how to shoot. It was unexpected.¡± ¡°It seems that whenever I say something about the Duke, you said that. How was he before?¡± Count Orlen stared at her with thin eyes and answered slowly. ¡°He was indifferent. To all things and people in the world.¡± After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth, ¡°It¡¯s not to the extent it needs blaming. Still, there must have been a lot of people who were hurt because of it because not everyone around him was as strong as Miss Selina.¡± Thwop. Count Orlen¡¯s arrow also hit the center of the target. An unexpected opportunity arose to ask about Irell. Selina took a breath and changed her posture. ¡°Is Miss Irell the one who almost married the Duke?¡± ¡°In my eyes, the Baron Lady had a very soft heart.¡± Count Orlen did not hesitate to mention Irell. Selina could not let go of her concentration as she listened to him. ¡°Since I¡¯m there, I heard from all over the place. But some said that she was like an idiot who couldn¡¯t say a word, and some spoke like a rare prostitute. Which one is more correct?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the social world that spreads rumors that she will invite people to bed just by giving her a glance. No one knows the truth of the rumors.¡± ¡°Then, what was the truth in the Count¡¯s eyes?¡± She could expect the most objective evaluation of Irell in the current situation from Count Orlen since there was no connection and there was nothing to regret. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s not the kind of person I used to be interested in¡­ But, I do remember the rumors that I inevitably had to listen to.¡± As expected, he didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°I remember her as someone who somehow tried to fit into the social world¡­ it wasn¡¯t that easy. I feel like she was being ignored more because she wasn¡¯t confident in herself.¡± ¡°The more easy you look, the more you suffer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In the meantime, she must have needed a place to lean on. When someone who is a little nicer appears, she opens her heart and clings to them.¡± A drowning person wouldn¡¯t be able to tell whether what they have caught was a structure or a seaweed that would drag them into the water. All of the things Irell grabbed and saw must have been seaweed. ¡°I think people deliberately approached her to betray her from the beginning.¡± Selina¡¯s arrows, filled with anger, flew towards the target. This time, it pierced right at the center, sharper than the previous arrow. ¡°Yes, I think so. They seem to be together, though at some point, they get separated from each other. After repeating that, it seems that in the end, there was nowhere for her to go.¡± Her stomach twisted and let out a low murmur. ¡°Then, is there no one left around Miss Irell in the end?¡± ¡°This time, it was the men who got together. They might have been hesitant to say it because she was Duke Renbird¡¯s woman, but after touching her a few times, she must have seemed easy.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± A groan followed, followed by a sigh. How could Irell¡¯s story become this way? Juna¡¯s gossip wasn¡¯t entirely wrong either. It was true that she was a weak person, and it was also true that she was a timid person. She was also a person who could easily fall for even a little kindness to herself, and that was why she got caught up in the minds of so many men. ¡°The situation may have gotten worse.¡± Selina set her sight in front of her clearly. The harshness filled her heart. ¡°Yes, it was so unsettling when I looked at it from the sides. Besides, her reputation has plummeted.¡± Even though it was already too late, she wanted to stop it. Irell took the worst route that took her life to the bottom. She¡¯d rather her hit bottom like that and come back charging with poison. Then, she gave up. The secret of ¡®Be careful of men¡¯ had been revealed. ¡°If there were only one person, it wouldn¡¯t have been that far. If only she had one person to lean on.¡± Apart from uncovering the culprit, humanly, her mouth was bitter. Hearing her murmurs, Count Orlen took his eyes off the target and turned around. ¡°Miss Selina is a wonderful person.¡± ¡°What? Me¡­?¡± ¡°Usually, not many people have good feelings for the person their lover dated before. It seems that you felt very sorry for the Baron Lady.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Did it not match the appearance she had shown so far? Her back stiffened. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even better.¡± Her heart raced from head to toe at Count Orlen¡¯s every word. ¡°You must be careful, especially when dealing with His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± His eyes met with Selina¡¯s wide-open eyes, and they were sharp with a warning light. Intuitively, she sensed that Count Orlen was trying to convey something. ¡°Why? What is happening? No, what happened?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± It was when Count Orlen¡¯s mouth had just opened. A ping was heard, like someone pulling a rubber band from her ear and releasing it. ¡­What? She tilted her head, and it stung in his ear. Like she was bitten by an insect, and her ear was tingling indifferently. When she glanced down at her hand, it was red. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, time in the world slowed down. When Selina blinked her eyes, she could feel the strands of the eyelashes brushing the fold under her eyes at different times as tiny shards of tears splashing from her eyes could be seen scattering in the air. The next moment, there was the sound of something sharp piercing through the flesh. ¡ª Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Selina stretched out her hand to Count Orlen, who was falling backwards, but she was too hasty. Because she couldn¡¯t hold her center of gravity, she couldn¡¯t fully receive him, and they fell down together. The two of them fell to the floor with a loud noise. A stabbing pain ran through her elbow and knee. Only then did the world find its speed. Selina jumped up and looked over Count Orlen¡¯s body. Without looking long, an arrow in his chest caught her eye. Startled by the blood all over her body, Selina tingled with numbness everywhere the blood flowed through. ¡°A-ah, Cou¡ªCount¡­ Count, Count!¡± A beat later, a scream broke out. There was no reply from Count Orlen. There was no expression on his face with his eyes closed. It was as if he had cooled down pale in an instant. In fact, a person was shot and fell in front of her. He might be dead. All she could do was scream. ¡°Please, step aside for a moment!¡± ¡°Come this way!¡± ¡°Lady, come this way!¡± With Selina¡¯s scream as a signal, the escorts around her rushed towards the two of them. As Count Orlen¡¯s escorts shoved Selina, her escorts brought her to safety. Blood and death were familiar to them. So, even in this situation, they calmly did what they had to do. However, Selina couldn¡¯t. It was best to keep her mouth shut and back off when Count Orlen¡¯s escorts pushed her away. ¡®I¡¯m no help here. Don¡¯t even shout, and don¡¯t even stay on their side for nothing.¡¯ The more she did this, the more impatient she felt like she needed to do something. Nonetheless, staying still could help. Pressing down on her desire to move, Selina muttered to herself endlessly. She shouldn¡¯t speak, she shouldn¡¯t scream, and tremble like a shocked blind person here. It was good enough that she didn¡¯t repeat ¡®Is he okay?¡¯, which was not helpful even if she asked for no reason. When something happened, the escorts struggled as much as they did to clear up the situation, and it was to calm the frail nobles who buzzed in surprise. Selina was surprised that her head had turned white in the shock, but she was desperately trying to do something to help the situation. It was something to be grateful for. Once the escorts step forward, this type of attack usually didn¡¯t follow again for the second or third time though they couldn¡¯t let their guard down. The escorts assisted her, who dragged her back, and headed towards the barracks. Selina walked as if being dragged along. She didn¡¯t even know if her legs were moving. At the same time, the footsteps of people running past her were humming dully, like hearing the sound of stone in the water. The horn sounded low like a vibration, announcing the news to those on the hunt. As soon as Selina entered the barracks, she collapsed into the chair. She couldn¡¯t remember anything she saw on the way back. Only Count Orlen, who had fallen before her eyes, and the arrow stuck in his chest, came to mind. It was only after drinking water that the maid brought that she could inquire about the situation. ¡°¡­What happened? Who shot him?¡± The escort guarding her side shook his head. ¡°Nothing is certain. It may have been an arrow that flew out while hunting in the forest, or it could have been a male or female.¡± ¡°Who is the culprit?¡± ¡°It will be tracked.¡± Little by little, Selina was able to think properly in response to the escort¡¯s sensible answer. ¡°Count Orlen. Is he okay¡­¡± Because he was hit in the chest and nowhere else, she wanted to check whether he was alive or dead. As she got up, staggering in the urgency, the escort pressed her on the shoulder and sat her back down. ¡°You can¡¯t even go in now. It will be under control until Count Orlen wakes up.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was then that she realized that the doctor would be treating him. ¡°¡­I guess he hasn¡¯t regained consciousness yet.¡± Selina covered her face with her hands and buried her face in her lap. The breath in her hands was thick as blood. She looked like she was going to drown in the gooey air. At the sound of the barracks fluttering, she managed to raise her head. ¡°Selina!¡± Kalcion, whose complexion looked as if he had been hit by the arrow, came crashing down like a storm and knelt down on one knee in front of Selina¡¯s chair. As soon as he got off the horse, he ran and left the bow while the javelin was still hanging from his body. ¡°Are you okay? Were you injured?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°I heard there was a secret attack.¡± ¡°It was not me, but Count Orlen. In the arrow, the chest¡­¡± The sight of Count Orlen falling filled her eyes. Kalcion¡¯s face became blurred as if it was covered in the background. ¡°Get yourself together.¡± The afterimage that filled her eyes was scattered as he grabbed her two arms and shook them. Kalcion¡¯s figure became clear again, gazing at her with a pale face. ¡°Selina.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± When she opened her mouth to answer, it poured out like she was out of breath. ¡°There is no need to force an answer. Just breathe.¡± It wasn¡¯t until she heard his voice that she realized she was holding her breath. Selina consciously inflated her lungs and repeated the breathing. Meanwhile, Kalcion watched from the other side without taking his eyes off her for a moment. ¡°Hoo¡­ Whoo¡­¡± As soon as her breath returned, Kalcion also got up. The servants clung to him and removed the bow and javelin. However, they left his armor intact as it was still a dangerous situation. ¡°Let¡¯s withdraw for once.¡± She had nothing to take care of, so she got up straight away. ¡°Ah!¡± Even though she thought she had taken care of her mind, her surprised body had not yet calmed down. Contrary to her will, there was no strength in her legs, so she almost collapsed. Kalcion, who was a few steps away, ran faster than the escort next to her and grabbed Selina¡¯s body, and held her. ¡°I¡¯d better carry you.¡± It would be better for him to hold her and walk fast than to walk slowly, supporting her staggering legs. So, Selina wrapped her arms around Kalcion¡¯s neck without hesitation. His body memorized holding her. He moves on a subconscious level by memorizing how much force to put on his arms and shoulders and where to place her lower body¡¯s center of gravity. It was natural enough that it wasn¡¯t much different from wielding a sword. ¡°Oh my God, what is this? An accident?¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re careful, this kind of thing happens once in a while¡­¡± ¡°What happened during the hunt?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± As she stepped out of the barracks, a buzzing murmur caught her ear. There were also a lot of gazes towards Selina, the main character of the accident. Selina buried her face deep in the nape of Kalcion¡¯s neck. She didn¡¯t want to be noticed. However, the gaze, which had already gathered around her, did not go away. She was just grateful to Kalcion, who kept stepping forward as if he didn¡¯t feel anything. Coincidentally, on the way to the carriage, there were the barracks of Count Orlen. The escorts around the barracks tightly surrounded the place. While passing by with a worried mind, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the barracks entrance, and a man who looked like a doctor appeared. If he looked busy, she was going to pass it by, although the doctor sighed at the entrance and straightened his back. Maybe, she can ask a word or two. ¡°Wait.¡± Selina jumped off Kalcion¡¯s arm and ran to the doctor. ¡°The Count, how about the Count?¡± The doctor took a step back at the woman who approached him out of nowhere. Still, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t a suspicious person. ¡°Fortunately, the vital point was missed. All that remains is stamina and resilience.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± She was glad that he was not dead. Selina exhaled a sigh of relief that was pouring out of her depths and leaned her back against Kalcion¡¯s chest, which was approaching her back. As the tension relaxed, she became more dizzy and shaky. ¡°Is he conscious?¡± Kalcion asked on behalf of Selina. ¡°He hasn¡¯t regained consciousness yet. I¡¯ve put a sleeping incense on for treatment, too, so he won¡¯t wake up for a while.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Since he hadn¡¯t regained consciousness and the doctor was even treating him now, there was no reason for the two of them to be in Count Orlen¡¯s barracks. They quickly backed away and helped by getting rid of the disturbance. As she turned around, the entrance to the barracks fluttered once more. Naturally, she glanced towards it. The person who came out of the barracks was the Crown Prince. Surprised by the Crown Prince¡¯s unexpected appearance, Selina hastily bowed her head. ¡°I heard a little bit about it. The accident must have happened right before your eyes.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always the risk of accidents in hunting competitions. No matter how careful we are, this happens every once in a while. It¡¯s a pity that this happened to the Count, who was not feeling well and did not participate in the hunt.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Selina just repeated yes, yes, yes to his words. ¡°It is deplorable that such an unexpected accident occurred at a hunting contest hosted by the Royal Family. If you need anything for the Count¡¯s recovery, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± The Crown Prince gave instructions to the person who appeared to be the Count¡¯s lieutenant. Although it was common sense, it looked rather strange because he was the ¡®Prince.¡¯ The person who warned everyone to be on the lookout was particularly normal and calm in front of Selina. After giving instructions to the lieutenant, he now turned to her with a sad face. ¡°You must have been very surprised. I have brought the most beautiful game for you, but I don¡¯t think you want to be too surprised now, so I¡¯ll give it to you next time.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you.¡± ¡°Then, go and get some rest.¡± It was only when she turned around that she realized that the Crown Prince had not spoken a word to Kalcion. But, instead of arguing about that, she wanted to get out of this place. Following the quick pace as if running away, the Crown Prince¡¯s gaze followed her for a long time. ¡ª Chapter 102 Chapter 102 An escort approached as if chasing after them while they were on their way to the carriage. ¡°The culprit.¡± Kalcion asked briefly. ¡°Committed suicide.¡± ¡°¡­Was it a foul?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The target.¡± ¡°The direction of the arrow was swung a lot by the wind. I¡¯m not sure.¡± At that, Kalcion wrinkled his brow and clicked his tongue. ¡°The suicide method?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same assassin I heard in the room in town.¡± Selina, who was also listening to the escort¡¯s report, took a short breath. The Crown Prince clearly said it was an accident. A similar report must have been given to him, so why did he use the word ¡®accident¡¯? Did that mean he was pretending not to have done it after ordering everything¡­? If it was an assassin belonging to the same group as the assassin who tried to kill Selina in the village, it may have been aimed at her again this time. ¡°It¡¯s not the Count¡¯s silence¡­ but it was after me?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t jump to conclusions. Did you have an important conversation with the Count?¡± ¡°We were talking¡­ about the Crown Prince¡­¡± There was nothing to talk about. It just happened when they were about to talk. It was the perfect time to shut up. It may be the Count¡¯s silence, or it may be aimed at Selina¡­ Still, it was worth a shot for both. Her head got tangled up again. In the carriage, Kalcion pressed Selina¡¯s groaning head to his body. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it now. It¡¯s not a question that can be answered even if you think about it.¡± Selina nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. The dizziness did not subside easily. Chapter 12. The Real Culprit ¡°Did you come? You came back early.¡± In hunting contests, they hunted during the day, and cooked and ate the prey when the sun went down. In addition, drinks and songs flow over a fire, which usually lasts more than one night. It was common to come back only after the sun had set, but it was not even lunchtime yet. Mrs. Janet was also puzzled by the Duke¡¯s hasty return. Nevertheless, seeing Kalcion¡¯s face harden while holding Selina, she quickly retreated. ¡°I will prepare a bath.¡± ¡°What about Juna?¡± Selina grabbed Mrs. Janet as she was about to turn her back. Juna was her full-time maid. No matter if she was doing something else, when she heard the news of Selina¡¯s return, she should have jumped out before anyone else. Her own life was at stake. Now, every single piece of information Juna had in her was important. Still, Juna didn¡¯t show up. ¡­Hopefully, she hasn¡¯t run away. As her nerves were so high that her head became stiff, Mrs. Janet replied indifferently. ¡°She must be at work.¡± ¡°Must be¡­?¡± Selina¡¯s eyebrows twitched. It was a more intense reaction than usual. Her voice was low as if she was about to explode at any moment. ¡°If nothing else is going on, she¡¯ll probably be preoccupied with her excessive work until the morning.¡± She had to polish all the silverware because she was afraid that Juna might escape. It was a method that she came up with out of a dilemma as Juna couldn¡¯t possibly be imprisoned¡ªincluding punishment for what she had done in the past. In Mrs. Janet¡¯s eyes, who was unaware of the circumstances, it could have seemed harsh. ¡°So, she couldn¡¯t come out because she¡¯s working now.¡± ¡°If you need confirmation, I will find out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I should go see myself.¡± She didn¡¯t even have time to haggle with someone who wasn¡¯t cooperating with her. Selina got off Kalcion¡¯s arm and strode towards her kitchen. efore leaving the mansion, Juna was in a closet attached to the side of the kitchen, and she even checked to make sure there was no way to escape. Nonetheless, that would be the case if the surveillance did its work. As she entered the kitchen, the maids who had been standing and muttering turned around in amazement. As she was greeted, she opened the door to the closet. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Inside, the maids who were assigned to work with Juna and who were entrusted with the monitoring role were diligently polishing silverware. Their hands stopped at the same time, startled by the door suddenly opening without warning. Juna wasn¡¯t among them. Red and white paint exploded in her head. She had to blink her eyes at the colors that even obscured her vision. ¡°¡­What about Juna?¡± ¡°Well, she kept going in and out of the bathroom saying she felt like she had an upset stomach today¡­ It looks like she¡¯s¡­ still in the bathroom.¡± The maids spoke, but their words ended up in silence because they were not confident. ¡°What do you mean it looks like?¡± ¡°This had to be finished today¡­ we don¡¯t have time to check because we¡¯re at work¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Selina sighed and touched her forehead. In the morning, Selina brought Juna into the kitchen and told them to ¡®work together¡¯ and ¡®monitor her.¡¯ This instruction was given knowing that the maids were sensitive to the distribution of work among themselves because she couldn¡¯t really say, ¡®just watch her, so she doesn¡¯t do anything else.¡¯ If she ordered it like that, even though Juna was Selina¡¯s full-time maid, Juna got accused of playing and fooling around. They would watch her like a sword as they must have monitored her. This happened because Juna was more sensitive and stronger than expected, and the other maids were soft and gentle. ¡°When did she disappear?¡± ¡°A little while ago¡­¡± ¡°A little while ago.¡± ¡°Oh, it was not long after you left the mansion!¡± In response to Selina¡¯s tough question to not skim things over, the maid screamed in response. ¡°Ha¡­¡± She sighed once more. If it was that much time, even if she had run away, she would have gone a long way. It was not the right time to search around the mansion to find her. It was only her own loss about the inevitable. At that, Selina shook her head and turned around. Mrs. Janet, who had followed her, was staring at Selina, hiding her displeasure. ¡°I don¡¯t know when the guest was given the authority of managing the maids.¡± ¡°Juna is my maid.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you give orders only within the scope of your duty? It¡¯s too much to dig into the mansion management here and there.¡± It was because of her position as a ¡®guest¡¯ that Mrs. Janet didn¡¯t nag Selina. Because of that, she should not have violated Mrs. Janet¡¯s rights as the guest. Although she understood it in her head, Selina¡¯s expression was not as pretty as the fact that her most important witness had gone away. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left the guest to the point where she had to step out and use her own hand.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Before Selina, Juna was a maid who was also deeply involved in Irell¡¯s work. If Mrs. Janet thought of the family¡¯s honor, she should have searched thoroughly to find the string connected to Lirel, or she should have kicked her out. ¡°If you had figured out whom she was working on and what was going on in this house, and if you had taken action, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to come forward.¡± ¡°What, what¡­ What do you mean?¡± It didn¡¯t matter what her inner feelings were that she stuttered. Selina anger soared to the top of her head, and she just wanted to get angry. ¡°They say that Renbird¡¯s honor is the most important thing, but you have no intention of managing the inside of Renbird well, so why not stop clinging to and obsessing over only the Duke?¡± ¡°His Excellency is a Renbird.¡± No matter how much pressure came, she never wavered. Selina turned her head and snorted. ¡°Who are you and decide that¡­? If it¡¯s a maid, I do my best to manage the maids. Don¡¯t act like the Duke¡¯s mother.¡± She couldn¡¯t pick out each word, so she spits out whatever came to mind. As a result, her hidden feelings that she had been holding out came out. Mrs. Janet, who somehow hid the change in her expression, stiffened. Selina, who saw it, was also surprised. She then walked out of the kitchen while Mrs. Janet couldn¡¯t argue with her. Because she felt uncomfortable facing her like this, she just wanted to avoid this place. Selina was able to sit on the sofa only after closing the door tightly and listening to the footsteps of the escort taking their position outside the door. Her tense nerves couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, and she jumped up and roamed around the room. ¡°Duke. What do you think of Mrs. Janet?¡± ¡°A faithful person.¡± Kalcion answered the question steadily even though he did not understand the gist of the question. ¡°It seems to be true. Though in my eyes, it seems that she is more obsessed with the Duke than loyal to the family.¡± ¡°¡­Is it.¡± Kalcion, who was the party involved, did not notice anything. Mrs. Janet was just a person who took care of every nook and cranny in Kalcion¡¯s eyes. Just as a person was unaware of the presence of air with every breath they take, Mrs. Janet, too, was only a natural part of Kalcion¡¯s life. He would never attach an exceptional value to the air and does not think of it with emotion. While he would feel the void if Mrs. Janet was to disappear one day, he wouldn¡¯t know for now. The bodily organs needed to be broken, too, for their presence to be recognized. ¡°Mrs. Janet, how did she get to work at Renbird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while.¡± Kalcion dug his thoughts and pulled the cloak off his shoulder. He had no choice but to take it off with his own hands. It was not a story to be told by the servants. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Selina, who was watching, came and helped. No matter how he could untie the cloak, he needed help dismantling her armor. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to dismantle, as she helped him put it on. She began to remove the armor. ¡°It was before I was even born. In the capital, I heard that my father, the former Duke Renbird, was on his way back to Silenza and saw her.¡± ¡°On the way back?¡± ¡°Even though I don¡¯t know the details, it looks like she was in trouble. He couldn¡¯t leave her alone, so he brought her to Silenza castle, and she said she didn¡¯t want to go back to her husband¡¯s estate at the time, Merin, and begged him to do maid work.¡± ¡°In trouble?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t listened to that in detail, so I don¡¯t remember¡­¡± ¡°Then, he has been living at Renbird Castle ever since then, hasn¡¯t she? As a maid.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still a noble lady, so she can¡¯t be the lowest maid so she was once my nanny.¡± ¡°Once¡­?¡± When one was hired as a nanny, didn¡¯t they usually stay with the child until they were an adult unless something big happened¡­? ¡°Although I was told that mother vehemently objected and she eventually made her her handmaid.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡ª Chapter 103 Chapter 103 ¡°What?¡± Kalcion looked like he didn¡¯t notice anything at all. However, Selina found it too strange, even if the situation and relationship itself were strange. Would his mother, the cold-hearted Duchess, who had focused only on her own parties and decorations, care about a nanny? She made Kalcion grow up pretending not to be sick even though he was sick, but she ended up putting a nanny by his side. ¡°You said they didn¡¯t get along so well, so why did the Duchess has to have her as her maid?¡± ¡°¡­Well.¡± Kalcion didn¡¯t get a sense of it at all. Even though there was an idea crossing Selina¡¯s head, it was groundless. It was not something she could just randomly throw away, and she decided to move on for now. ¡°It is clear that Mrs. Janet has something¡­ I don¡¯t have the means to find out right now, so I¡¯ll have to look for Juna first.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long, so we¡¯ll be able to find her soon.¡± While Selina was moving to her room without speaking, Kalcion had already ordered to track down Juna. ¡°I should have put a watchman on her in the first place.¡± ¡°Our manpower is not infinite. It would have been true if it was Renbird, but the manpower in Myong alone is not enough to escort you and me.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a hunting contest.¡± The timing was bad. It was a hunting contest, so the two escorts could not be loosened. Even with an escort, something like this happened today. Selina noticed the marks caught in her eyes as she grunted and took off his armor. She clearly remembered that when she put it on, there were no marks. However, there were now sharp scratches. When touched with her fingertips, not only were there scratches but also dents in the iron. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± As if he had forgotten, Kalcion reacted slowly. As she came out of the barracks, she remembered hearing the words ¡®something happened while hunting¡¯ among the murmurings. ¡°What happened to the Duke while hunting?¡± The tremors returned to her fingertips, which rested over the scratches on the armor. ¡°There was an attack. It was disguised as a mistake while hunting, but it was definitely aimed in my direction.¡± ¡°What¡­? So, you got shot?¡± ¡°I saw it flying and deflected it. That¡¯s it.¡± Beep¡ª She suddenly heard a ringing in her ears. While Kalcion replied lightly that he had been hit by a bullet during training, that still meant he had been attacked. Her hand, which rested on his armor, fell helplessly. ¡°Selina¡­?¡± Kalcion called, but the strength to move her lips was gone. Her eyes darkened. ¡°¡­Gasp.¡± When she opened her eyes again, Selina was leaning against Kalcion¡¯s chest. ¡°Are you up, Selina?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ up.¡± ¡°You suddenly collapsed.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her vision returned, but no strength entered her body. She then traced Kalcion¡¯s arm. The wounds on his wrist were the same. It was proof that it could have been not only Count Orlen but also him. ¡°The injured place¡­¡± She barely lifted her head, where the strength could not enter, and looked up. However, Kalcion¡¯s eyes were looking elsewhere. ¡°What is this blood?¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes were fixed on the tip of Selina¡¯s hand. He was in a hurry, too. What he would have noticed immediately, as usual, he didn¡¯t see them all the way through the carriage trip. He later discovered the blood on her hands. On top of realizing it late, Kalcion¡¯s face hardened with twice as much anger. ¡°Ah, this¡­ I touched the wound without knowing it.¡± ¡°What? What wound¡­?¡± Suddenly, the voice grew louder. When she glanced at her fingertips, Selina realized that it was blood and patted her shoulder and back. It was not long before she found the wound on her earlobe. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this.¡± ¡°An arrow brushed against me.¡± Selina, who was embarrassed for nothing, answered with a shriveled voice. ¡°The arrows passed you? Why are you saying it so lightly? You¡¯re bleeding like this?¡± As he asked, Kalcion¡¯s voice was filled with anger. His eyes lit up in Selina¡¯s earlobe. ¡°I forgot¡­¡± ¡°Forget¡­? There¡¯s nothing to forget. How could you forget that?¡± Her earlobe was invisible to her eye, so she forgot. She was shocked and didn¡¯t even know she was hurt. Selina shrank after a long time at Kalcion¡¯s burning eyes. ¡°I was so surprised¡­¡± ¡°You were so startled that you asked about the Count, asked the whereabouts of the maid, asked of Mrs. Janet¡¯s past, and even worried about me? Who was hit with an arrow?¡± ¡°It just brushed past¡­¡± ¡°Brushed past is getting hit as well. You should have said it first.¡± Kalcion was so angry that she even felt guilty. She had nothing to apologize for, so it was even more difficult for her to figure out how to release her. ¡°It¡¯s starting to hurt.¡± In the end, she faltered in like a child. Surprisingly, the childishness worked surprisingly well. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s wash it first.¡± Even now, just like this, he immediately shut his mouth and walked away. When Kalcion stood up, holding her, Selina quickly grabbed his neck. He walked unwaveringly into the bathroom, holding Selina as always. In the bathroom, there was only preparation for bathing, and there was no maid to serve. This was what happened after a few attacks on Selina. Sitting her on the massage bed and bringing wet towels and medicine, he poked the towel in her earlobe and at her complexion. ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± He touched it so lightly that she didn¡¯t even know he had touched it. ¡°Yes. Am I paralyzed that I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°But, if I keep touching it, it will hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s a treatment, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Selina resolutely tucked her hair back and put her ear in front of him. At that, Kalcion carefully wiped the blood with her towel. The hardened blood fell off after rubbing it a few times. ¡°¡­Uh.¡± As he continued to touch it, it began to tingle. As she shrugged her shoulders and tried to hold back the pain, Kalcion patted her on the back. As she dug into his arms, he wiped the blood while holding her and applied the medicine. ¡°I wish there won¡¯t be anything like this in the future.¡± ¡°Never will.¡± Kalcion¡¯s words were close to an oath to make sure that would never happen. ¡°Still, if someone is after me¡­ What if that was the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will stop it even by killing the Crown Prince.¡± Selina doubted her ears at those words that popped out so easily. ¡°¡­Excuse me, but wasn¡¯t that treason?¡± ¡°So, I should do my best not to do useless things so that I don¡¯t cause treason.¡± Kalcion replied without hesitation. It seemed that he didn¡¯t know who was the crown prince and who was the duke. ¡°However, there is no confirmation that it is the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°It¡¯s most likely him.¡± ¡°Still, if there is no evidence, there is no way to do anything.¡± Nothing about the assassination and nothing about Irel¡¯s case, it could eventually be resolved only by approaching the Crown Prince and finding out something. If they stopped in this state now, both Irel¡¯s case and Selina¡¯s near-death case would all disappear into a mystery. ¡®However, approaching the Crown Prince will soon be a step closer to the underworld¡­¡¯ Then, Kalcion clasped her hand. What? She looked down and saw that her hand was trembling again. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Facing the fear of death, her body trembled uncontrollably just thinking about it. As Kalcion hugged her tightly, Selina buried her face in his chest and hugged his waist. She had the belief that she would be absolutely safe as long as she was in his arms. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a person fall down like that.¡± She mumbled into Kalcion¡¯s arms, and he rubbed her back as if he knew. Surprisingly, she rarely saw accidents before her eyes in her life. Accident notifications came in from all over the world though it was only once or twice in her life that it happened right in front of her eyes. There were many people whom she would never see until they died. Selina was like that, too. She was as shocked to see someone nearly killed in front of her eyes. It was even more shocking because it was rather engraved on the eye. With the arrow studded, she did not see the blood from her body or Count Orlen¡¯s. Still, she did see the blood stain her own hands. Kalcion¡¯s hand stopped when the treatment was over. Selina pushed his chest and pulled her body apart. He quietly retreated. Selina gazed down at her hand, and a bloody residue that had not yet been washed was stuck between her fingernails and fingers. When she saw it, tears flowed down her cheeks. Just as a child who had fallen and was injured but didn¡¯t cry would cry as soon as they saw their guardian, she burst into tears when she was held in Kalcion¡¯s arms. ¡°In front of me, a real person almost died.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If only one thing had gone wrong, the Count could have been really dead, or, no¡­ I could have died. An arrow got stuck in my head¡­¡± ¡°That never happened.¡± After cutting off her gibberish words, he hugged her body tightly once more. Her thoughts couldn¡¯t go further. Instead, the frozen feelings melted and flowed into the warmth of his arms. Selina wept for a long time as she buried her face in Kalcion¡¯s arms. During those time, he never took his strength away from his arms and held her in a hug while she was shedding tears that made her face wet. ¡°I must have thought that it was too easy. Still, it was a matter of one person dying, and I thought that everything would be solved for me as easily as in a play.¡± It was the same with Kalcion, who thought lightly. Up to now, all the investigations were carried out by his subordinates, not by him himself. He did not know the details of the process, so he only saw the results and judged that it was insufficient. He did the same when Selina made an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse. A good hand appeared, and he swung it easily. No one could have predicted that another sacrifice would be repeated before their eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°Right. I did not do anything wrong.¡± It was not wrong to not accurately predict the future. It was just hard to accept the present and blame the past. They have to blame it because it was an apology for the pain they were in right now. ¡°You did a good job. It¡¯s more than I thought.¡± Praise. Although she was someone with clear reward and punishment, it was the first time that Selina had been praised for all she had done so far. She raised the corners of her lips helplessly and faced Kalcion. He would probably say that it would be okay if she said she wanted to quit now. ¡ª Chapter 104 Chapter 104 The information Selina has uncovered so far has been enormous. She revealed that the Crown Prince was behind them, and she also found out that Rosalyn was moving as a subordinate. In addition, there was a situation in which Irell was driven out, and that it was by the whole social circle, Juna, and Mrs. Janet, who participated in it. They were secrets he would never have figured out if Selina hadn¡¯t jumped in with her body. It was an achievement just for digging up the truth, which would not be known to the world and almost disappeared. So, if she wanted to use her feet and go back, he would actively help. At least, that was how she saw Kalcion so far. He may have thought that it would be better for her to stop at this point, too. The investigation was starting to get dangerous. She really had to risk her life to proceed. ¡°Still, I won¡¯t give up until the very end, until I find out what happened.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush. Now that I know whom to fight against.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to stand it until I fully figure out what¡¯s going on. If I go back like this, I will not know what happened until I die.¡± For Selina to get lost, it meant she was to return to that world out there. She didn¡¯t know when and how things were going to end. ¡°¡­Okay. Follow your choices.¡± Kalcion quietly retreated. ¡°But, don¡¯t get hurt like this again. Don¡¯t risk your life. Never.¡± It was already too late to tie it to the terms of her contract. This was Kalcion¡¯s personal request. She thought that her body had melted in the warm water, and the tremors had disappeared. However, as soon as the cold sheet touched her skin, the tremor rose again as if responding to the temperature. Even if they each lay on their own pillows, they couldn¡¯t help but notice it as long as they were lying on the same bed and covered with the same blanket. Kalcion turned to Selina. ¡°Selina.¡± Even the gentle call became a shocking stimulus to her tense body. ¡°What?! Yes. Yes¡­ why?¡± He silently stretched out his arm and pulled her body. Her light body quickly came with Kalcion¡¯s slight force. The body he held in his arms without effort was exceptionally thin and light. As he was holding her in his arms, her shaking was transmitted directly to his body. Instead of this tremor, he wanted to convey his body temperature though there was no way. He swept her back countless times, praying for the tremors to subside. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide your fear.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look weak.¡± ¡°Pretending to be strong is enough in front of the enemy.¡± The only reliable ally in this world was Kalcion. She had no choice but to take his side unconditionally and someone who would take responsibility for her safety. Besides, he even knew her personal secrets. They were in a temporary relationship as the contract was maintained, but it was clear that he was the most reliable person right now. Selina wrapped her arms around Kalcion¡¯s back and dug deep into his arms. Burying her nose deep and inhaling a breath, the smell of flesh coming in calmed her brain like a tranquilizer. While the perfume he sprayed after finishing his grooming was to her taste, she also liked the original body scent that Kalcion had. It was a smell from the human body, but it was a heavy and cool body scent that made her wonder how he could smell like this. ¡°Are you better?¡± Burying her nose in his chest and taking a deep breath, it seemed strange to even Kalcion¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t mean to scold her, he just asked out of pure curiosity. Selina buried her face deeper, still holding her breath and rubbing her nose. It didn¡¯t make sense, but Kalcion left it alone. If that was how her heart could calm down, there was nothing in his chest he couldn¡¯t give up. It was Selina, who always looked arrogant and imposing. Her frightened look twisted his stomach. How many times had he already seen her frightened and withdrawn? Every time he looked at her, an emotion swelled in his stomach that was hundreds of times the discomfort when his men were injured. If he left it alone, his body would explode. Today was more than that¡­ The discomfort that had been churning over his body went too far and penetrated into his guts. It felt like his gut was about to burst, and it hurt like his heart was being cut out¡ªmore than when he accidentally slipped while riding among the mountains and landed on a rock. His eyes turned white, and cold sweat dripped from his body as he gazed at Selina, who was trembling with fear. Instinctively, he wanted the fear to go away so she could avoid pain. He seemed to be able to do anything if she could forget the difficult memories. A while after he swept her back, he suddenly felt her face lifted from his chest, and he glacned up at her. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on you. Don¡¯t worry, sleep.¡± ¡°I can not sleep.¡± She was like this when she was almost killed by an assassin while on her travels. It seemed that she was unable to sleep because of the extreme tension and anxiety. That time he could deal with it by doing gymnastics, but he couldn¡¯t use that method again this time. Selina had enough exercise, and training each other was no longer new. Even though it wasn¡¯t that she got tired from simple exercise and then was able to sleep comfortably, it would be thanks to the new stimulation. Doing something new distracts her mind. She would get tired relatively quickly, and the nerves that had been tightened for some amount may be released. Was there anything new or unfamiliar to Selina¡­? As he looked at her face and was absorbed in the thought, she suddenly asked a question. ¡°Has the Duke never really dated?¡± ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°For someone who¡¯s never been in a relationship, it seems like you¡¯re very good at comforting and hugging.¡± ¡°Thanks to your teaching.¡± He wasn¡¯t joking, but Selina giggled. It was better looking like that than trembling no matter what. ¡°Well¡­ then not a relationship, but an unrequited love.¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Acting would have been a little easier had she known that, but the answer was no. ¡°Well then, when you were young. When you¡¯re full of life, getting all hot when you see a woman, is there ever a time like that?¡± She was speaking of carnal desire for flesh. As she continued to ask the questions, Kalcion¡¯s head gradually returned to the past. Rather than lightly saying no, he really pondered, ¡®Has that ever happened?¡¯ for a long time. ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever had anything like that to a specific woman.¡± However, he didn¡¯t remember anything either. No matter how indifferent Kalcion was, the memories of some decisive moment would be vivid. Just like meeting Selina for the first time in the snowy mountains. It was that moment when he wondered if she was actually a fairy from the magical mountain that came down like in legends. The fairy now lived in front of him, breathing and sharing his body temperature with that face that sometimes made him forget that she was human. It was not just her looks that made Selina feel like a fairy. The facial features that are slightly different from others by the standards of this world are one of the reasons though her movements like fluttering petals, her voice like the chirping of birds, and her eyes that create the illusion of looking at jewels every time he saw it also played a big role. Looking at those eyes that seemed to contain the night sky, he seemed to understand all the mysteries of the world. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A subtle light shone in those beautiful eyes. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Then, if it¡¯s to a specific ¡®man¡¯¡­?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°No? So, what about a specific ¡®animal¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Objects?!¡± ¡°None at all.¡± He was wondering what she was talking about. As an actress, once the reins of imagination were released, it ran to the end of the world. Kalcion made a grim expression towards Selina, who had made him a paraphilic. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t even stand face to face with him when he did this, but Selina didn¡¯t even take her eyes off him, staring at him. She was both strange and cute. ¡°When I was young, I lived more hectic than I am now. I didn¡¯t even have time to open my eyes to color. From the moment I opened my eyes to the moment I fell asleep, there was no such thing as a spare moment.¡± ¡°I think about it every time I hear it, but by the standards of my time, that was child abuse.¡± At Selina¡¯s grumbling, he laughed a little. ¡°Because it was natural for me. After that time, I didn¡¯t know how it felt like to be bursting with desire.¡± Despite the fact that he had heard it from Dion and knew it, it didn¡¯t feel real. Like Selina¡¯s description of feelings of love, no matter how specific she was because he had never experienced like floating in a cloud. ¡°That¡­ what about the¡­ second generation?¡± ¡°What? Haha.¡± He didn¡¯t expect to hear this question from Selina. It was a question of concern that Kalcion had been asked at least once since he succeeded the Duchy, as he was not so interested in women. At that, he burst into laughter once again because the situation was funny and exhilarating. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I don¡¯t have a problem with my second generation?¡± ¡°How do I know that¡­ Ah.¡± Selina bowed her head as if she realized something along the way as she was speaking. She had no choice but to know. Every morning when he wakes up hugging her, their thighs naturally overlap, and in doing so, she couldn¡¯t help but feel the unavoidable changes in his body. While she pretended not to know, it was an indescribable secret that each other knew. ¡°That¡­ Anyway, you never once told me about that desire. Hasn¡¯t there been such a thing?¡± Selina lifted her head again. ¡°No, honestly, looking at this pretty me, there¡¯s no way you can stop thinking like that, can you? Unless you have a paraphilic disorder.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kalcion, lost for words, could not answer right away. What was he supposed to answer here? It was like a pervert if he confessed that he sometimes got caught up in desire when looking at her face. If he kept on saying no, he would hurt her pride. Was there any answer that could protect his personality and Selina¡¯s pride at the same time? Time passed even while he was thinking about it. ¡ª Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Selina¡¯s face, who was staring at Kalcion, gradually subsided. It started out as a joke but got serious when Kalcion dragged the time out. The answer to this question should be short and quick. If he had smiled at any answer, she would have gone over laughing. ¡°¡­Maybe, I¡¯m not that attractive as a woman. I didn¡¯t know that.¡± He now offended her no matter what he answered. Meanwhile, Selina turned her body around and slipped out of Kalcion¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh.¡± His eyes were dizzy watching Selina, who rolled over to the end of the bed and lay with her back to him. He couldn¡¯t even remember how they slept before they slept facing each other. The space where Selina had escaped from his arm felt like a hole. Countless invisible holes, like needle holes, were drilled in his skin like the wind was blowing through his body with each breath. He had always heard of soldiers with penetrating wounds. The hole was as small as the thickness of a finger, but it felt like the coldest wind of midwinter blew through the hole and seeped into the bones. Kalcion¡¯s heart was like that now. It was invisible, but it was clear that something had pierced him. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have made his heart ache like this. He had to stop it quickly. Even when he pressed his hand against her chest, he couldn¡¯t tell where the hole was. The wind didn¡¯t stop and froze every corner of his body. A cold he had never felt in his life took over his body. Seeing Selina¡¯s small back in front of him¡­ that warm and cozy body when hugged. The next moment, Kalcion stretched out his arm, possessed. ¡°¡­Why.¡± Selina didn¡¯t shake off the arms away as he clasped her from behind, even though her cheeks were complaining. He rather procrastinated and pressed her back to his chest. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Admiration spread through Kalcion¡¯s heart. She finally filled one of the many holes he had. ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s cold? The Duke?¡± He thought it was a funny excuse, so she also responded the same way. Nevertheless, he pretended not to know, and with all his might he lied. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s warm to hold you.¡± Even though it was difficult for him to open his lips at first, now, lies could easily come out. These lips were so heavy back then. He wondered if they were the same ones he struggled with. Kalcion¡¯s acting skills seem to be quite good now. Selina was so surprised that she turned around. ¡°What? Really? Are you really hurt¡­?¡± The hole in his chest narrowed as she turned to face him and warmth rushed in like a breeze of spring. Selina¡¯s quivering movements as she tried to find the injured place by touching his arm made Kalcion¡¯s face warm. The unbearable tenderness he felt without embracing has made him act as he pleases. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A groan escaped from Selina¡¯s mouth as he hugged her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt¡­ My body is cold.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Perhaps because of her concern, Selina tolerated Kalcion¡¯s unruly behavior. Once unbridled, the beast was unruly. He buried his nose behind her ear, where it led to the nape of her neck. It smelled sweet and cute, like the back of a cat¡¯s head. At that moment, he understood Selina¡¯s feelings when she buried her face in his chest and smelled deep. He wanted to lock the smell in the deepest part of his chest. Kalcion took a deep breath, breathing slowly. ¡°Oh, it tickles¡­¡± Selina shrugged him off and rubbed the top of his foot with her toes. Perhaps, she was stuffy and she groaned like a puppy. Still, instead of letting go, Kalcion hugged her tighter. His whole body felt like it had to be touched. ¡°Is your head where you got hurt¡­¡± Selina, who had been squealing, relaxed her body, soon gave up, and rested her head on Kalcion¡¯s chest. The tight body was satisfying. ¡°Maybe.¡± He was out of his mind, so maybe he hurt his head a bit. Kalcion, who regained his composure, looked down at Selina and even smiled at her. It was a trick that anyone could see. They were sleeping in a sturdy bedroom where no wind could seep through, and they slept under a warm blanket, making no excuses for being cold. Even when he thought about it himself, it was ridiculous that it would have made him laugh though what about it? He was just content now. By the way, he can¡¯t believe that Selina didn¡¯t know about this, and was putting up with it without saying anything. His chest, which had a hole punctured in it, this time jumped out like boiling lava. ¡®Is this special treatment?¡¯ Wherever she went, she was in the spotlight. It had nothing to do with being a woman or a man. There were also jealousy and longing eyes, but there were also many men who saw her as a woman and tried to do something. It did, at least in Kalcion¡¯s eyes. Wasn¡¯t the Crown Prince the closest example of that? However, Selina did not allow herself to be close to anyone¡ªto have anyone by her side, not even exchange a single word. Compared to that, being able to hug and sleep with her like this was the perfect special treatment. ¡®¡­I can touch her like this.¡¯ Kalcion brushed her flowing hair, stroking her forehead, and touching her cheeks. Whether he wiped her eyelids with his thumb, brushed her nose, or fluttered on her lips, she stayed still. All she did was gaze up at him. ¡°Why are you fiddling like that?¡± She asked, but did not avoid him or get angry at him. Her lips were soft against his thumb. There was a moment when this touched his own lips. A tingling sensation ran through his mind as if it had been struck by lightning. Just by remembering that, thunderclouds came rushing in. It was an astonishing thrill. ¡°Why did you kiss my lips before?¡± Just before the sudden outing on the hunt, he remembered Selina overlapping their lips. It was he who demanded more than the Crown Prince, but he did not know that she would put their lips together. ¡°¡­U-uh, why are you asking that all of a sudden?¡± The blushing Selina avoided his eyes that met hers. ¡°I¡¯m curious as to why.¡± ¡°Why are you curious?¡± Kalcion, who was contemplating what to answer, frankly knocked on the door instead of turning around. ¡°I want to do it again.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°It was good.¡± At those words, her shoulders twitched. Even in the dark room, he could clearly see the redness of her neck. Her lips, as well as her face, were red with flush. ¡°If there is a reason or if I can guess the reason, then I¡¯ll be able to do it again.¡± ¡°Well, back then, I did it because it felt like I had to do more than the Crown Prince¡­¡± Kalcion was deeply disappointed. He wondered if that was because of this superficial reason. Moreover, he didn¡¯t like the fact that the Crown Prince was involved in the reason for their kiss. Still, he did not give up. There was a goal for the action, and the reason was only possible when they reached an agreement. ¡°Are you used to kissing the lips?¡± Morning and evening kisses on the cheek were very natural. Selina made the proposal first. Although he was fine until that point, as he thought she was used to the lips, he felt uncomfortable in his stomach again. ¡°What¡­?! Ah, no matter how much I am used to it, it¡¯s not that far!¡± Selina jumped. The response was very satisfactory. Kalcion tightened his hand on her chin, turning her head towards him. As she was forced to face him, she rolled her eyes to and fro before meeting his gaze. The eyes were as red as cherry blossoms. It seemed to taste sweet when licked. However, what was more coveting were the lips about to burst. Kalcion¡¯s face was skillfully drawing closer as if he had noticed it. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we try to get used to it now?¡± ¡°Why, why?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re lovers.¡± ¡°But, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to do it in front of other people¡­¡± Selina mumbled and went back and forth. Still, she did not actively push him away. Her confused attitude made Kalcion even more impatient. He slammed her into his torso. ¡°Can¡¯t we ?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t, though¡­¡± He wanted her to be honest when she was pushed to an alley she couldn¡¯t get out of. Kalcion drove Selina to the end of the alley. ¡°No?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± ¡°Then, can I?¡± At the end of the alley, Selina closed her eyes tightly. Nonetheless, she did not forget the kind consideration, which put her head out so that he could find her lips. Kalcion slowly lowered his head. The moment their lips touched, the lightning that he had remembered fell. The numbness of the lightning that pierced him from the tip of his head to his toes seemed to have passed on to Selina, who was touching him. Her hand that was holding Kalcion¡¯s arm tightened as their lips touched, slowly biting the open lower lip, and gliding through the teeth with the tongue. His clothes were pulled tight enough. ¡°Uhpp¡­¡± Kalcion¡¯s lips, which started with a soft encounter, gradually revealed the true color of the north wind. He cradled the back of her head and almost laid her on the bed, overlapping their body and mingling with her lips more deeply. Her soft body, wriggling under his body, encouraged his aggression. ¡°Hup, ah!¡± The unbearable Selina shook her head and pulled their lips apart. ¡°Ah, haa¡ªhaa¡­!¡± Selina squeezed Kalcion¡¯s chest as she let out rough breaths. Her breath, which was more rough than usual, leaked out of his pushed mouth. At the same time, the lips that had just met were seen again. It was drenched in saliva that they didn¡¯t know whom it belonged to, and it was glistening in the dark. It seemed like the only light to follow in the lost forest. The second kiss did not require permission. ¡ª Chapter 106 Chapter 106 The two of them had an early morning. As usual, Kalcion got up before the sun came up and went to training, and Selina woke up slowly at the sight of him getting up. She usually opened her eyes when sunlight shone through the curtains. Today, she woke up much earlier than that, almost at the same time as Kalcion. It was because of the feeling of her lips being touched. Even when she fell asleep, she woke up in shock. Last night, she was drowning in the atmosphere and repeated a few kisses, but she was still far from getting used to it. In addition, the sensation of touching his lips was still unfamiliar. Why was he overlapping their lips as soon as he opened his eyes in the morning? As he said, was he doing everything that a real lover would do, to get used to it? Kalcion did not leave the bed even after kissing her. Meanwhile, the sun grew brighter and brighter. Even though her eyelashes trembled under the sunlight, Selina deliberately pressed her eyelids shut. Her eyes were trying to open on their own, but she persevered. ¡®Hurry up and get out of here.¡¯ If it were normal, she would just wake up with her eyes open. She would, but from last night¡¯s events to the morning kiss¡­ She was not confident to seeing his face. Meanwhile, Kalcion must have noticed that she pretended to be sleeping. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have felt that staring gaze. The trouble was that she fell asleep with her face close enough to rub her nose on his. If she had slept on his shoulder, she would pretend to have a sleeping habit of burying her head. No, her sleeping position was not the problem. In fact, it was because of Kalcion. This was because the people who would usually make the bed without even knowing if she was going out were staring at her tenaciously enough to wake her up today. He would pretend he didn¡¯t know that Selina was awake, but she still didn¡¯t know why he¡¯s holding on like this. While this continued, she was putting more and more strain on her body and started to ache here and there. Her inhalation and exhalation rattled. Then, a slight snort reached the tip of her nose. She couldn¡¯t stand the tickling anymore, and just before burying her face in the blanket¡­ ¡°Good morning.¡± His lips touched her forehead with a soft voice. Although she thought that maybe she should never meet his lips, it was such a refreshing and light touch that she became resentful of herself. The embarrassment would be evident on her face. It seemed that all the red color all over her body was pulled on her face. Even if she opened her eyes, she couldn¡¯t see it because it was on her face, while when she closed her eyes, the dark vision was stuffy. As she was contemplating one way or another, there was a sign that Kalcion had left the bed. Selina opened her eyes only then, but his figure had already disappeared from the bed. He was very fast in the morning. It was only when there was a sound of running water inside the bathroom that she relaxed her body and rolled the blanket over her body. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Who was the one who was trembling from fear, rather than dying or living, before she fell asleep yesterday? ¡®It¡¯s unlike me, what¡¯s going on?¡¯ With the original Selina, a kiss or two that touched her body parts would not unnerve her, and she would settle the situation coldly. So now, she couldn¡¯t understand why she was blushing red and, at the very least, why she was expecting their lips never to touch again. Perhaps because her world had changed, the strange phenomena that could not be helped even by her own would often occur. ¡®Get yourself together¡­!¡¯ There were many cases in which she became too invested in the role ¡ª Except for her sleeping hours, she spends almost every moment trying to understand her role, and when she¡¯s with her partner ¡ª there was an emotional exchange as well. She would be wiped away the moment she thought that ¡®emotions sprouted.¡¯ Selina was an excellent listener to her seniors. Even though she shook a few times, she was always centered like a sword. Her roles had different weights then and now. Because she didn¡¯t just act in front of the camera, she had to act every moment she opened her eyes. ¡®I¡¯m deceiving myself now¡­ it¡¯s absolutely not from my heart. This is a temporary sway, and I can get over it soon once the work ends.¡¯ There was no need to blush like this and try to slow down her heartbeat. It was because these were not her ¡®real¡¯ feelings. After this long play was over, it would be an illusion that would disappear together. ¡­Yet Selina could not get out of the blanket until Kalcion left for the training ground. ¡°Good morning, Your Excellency!¡± Today, a loud voice filled the training ground. Kalcion, with a sword, stood at the center like a fish that slowly cut through the water. He usually nodded his head or simply replied ¡°Yes,¡± and immediately ordered, ¡°Start training.¡± However, today¡¯s Kalcion was a little different from usual. He said nothing when he was greeted. With his sword stuck to the floor like a cane, he stared at the toes of the members of the guard. The owner of the toes, who received his fervent gaze, became increasingly tense. ¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s wrong with my shoes?¡¯ ¡®Is my standing posture a problem?¡¯ ¡®Did I do anything?¡¯ ¡®Is my existence just a problem?¡¯ Even though they asked for help with earnest eyes everywhere, of course, no one knew the answer. The guards, who were frightened, could not bear the pressure and wanted to apologize first though Kalcion¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°Um, good morning.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The guards were frozen at the same time. Without knowing it, they asked a stupid question that they should never ask. While he gasped and shut his mouth at the question that leaked out as if his breath had escaped, it was too late. Today¡¯s training would be death. As he closed his eyes tightly, there was no scream that was supposed to come strangely, and it was silent. ¡°¡­.?¡± The members of the guards, who glanced at Kalcion, felt their breath suffocate. This time, he, who was staring blankly at the tree trunk, suddenly smiled. At that, the guards were frightened as if a ghost had sat on the tree trunk. What the hell was in that tree trunk¡­? ¡°¡­Excuse me, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± They were afraid that his soul would be stolen by the tree trunk, so they called out carefully, and then the flash returned to his eyes like a person waking up. ¡°Begin march.¡± He had now returned to the usual Kalcion. Immediately, the guards began to run in confidence¡­ But, it lasted only for a while. At the same time, they could that the tip of Kalcion¡¯s lips, who was running alongside them while keeping the pace, rose along with his heart rate. Moments later, when the maids came in, opened the window, and started preparing breakfast, Selina pulled her face out of the blanket. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you want to wash and dress up right away?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The maids moved mechanically. As one person cleaned the room, another person brought the toiletries while another person set the table and mirror. It was easy even if she didn¡¯t give directions or consult with each other about who would do what. As their daily routines repeat themselves, they would have to get used to the division of roles. Likewise, their faces began to get vivid in Selina¡¯s eyes. Because of the subtle position of a maid and a commoner lover, she didn¡¯t intentionally be kind as she did to Juna. She didn¡¯t know their names, although she wouldn¡¯t find out in the future either. Nevertheless, even if no one said anything, she could feel Juna¡¯s emptiness. There were several repeated moments when they paused, thinking that Juna was supposed to be doing what they were supposed to. ¡°Is there any news from Juna?¡± Juna was supposedly ostensibly ¡°running away¡± from overwork. The maids glanced at each other and shook their heads. ¡°Not¡­yet.¡± ¡°Juna doesn¡¯t have anyone she contacted or close friends with¡­ right?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t¡­¡± The maids could not lie, and smiled vaguely and affirmed. The master¡¯s favor made the servant¡¯s breath stronger. Since she had been holding out as Selina¡¯s closest aide, it was apparent how important Juna must have been. Selina clicked her tongue and wiped her from her head. Regardless, Juna was not found just by thinking. Even at this moment, Kalcion¡¯s investigators would be chasing after her. First, she has to wait. Count Orlen was shot by an arrow. It was not an invisible damage such as bullying or swearing from behind, but an incident directly related to life. In the future, the situation would quickly turn in either direction. Witnesses against Lirell and Rosaline¡¯s lobbying are relatively narrow, and it meant that Juna was not that important. Selina relaxed her mind and looked into the mirror. She would wait for the time being unless she hears the progress about Count Orlen or someone reaches out first. ¡°Should I do your hair for training today too?¡± When they finished her basic makeup, the maid asked through the mirror. Usually, Kalcion did personal training with her before sunrise. He did his training with her when she came out early after sunrise and watched over the guard¡¯s training. If sometimes she came out late, it would go the other way around. In the beginning, when he woke up, Selina tried to get up and go out too though it was not a human thing to do, so she gave up. In addition to that, when she went out with eye boogers at dawn and wielded her sword, rumors circulated that ¡®She is not a lover but a hidden agent,¡¯ so she at least had to dress up as a lover and went out. The maids who formally asked if it would be the same today as usual stopped their hands and glanced back at her, who gave no response. ¡°Why is your face suddenly red?¡± Selina was restless as she suddenly turned red, as if summer had arrived in the room. ¡ª Chapter 107 Chapter 107 ¡°Are you on your period?¡± Exercise should not be an excuse. After all, if they wanted to exercise only when they were in good shape, had a good time and had good digestion, they would do it a few times a year. Selina, who was strict with herself, never gave any reason except when she was on her period. She knew the cycle because every time she was on her period, there were people who helped with period supplies. It was definitely not that day, but apparently, they had no reason to think other than that when she said she was taking a rest. They knew that her period was still far away, so the maids asked. ¡°No, just¡­ There was an accident yesterday at the hunting ground¡­ I don¡¯t want to see anyone cutting blades for a while because I¡¯m surprised.¡± She couldn¡¯t confess, ¡®Last night, there was a profound incident that reduced my physical distance with Kalcion, and the repercussions continued until this morning, and I¡¯m not confident to see his face without embarrassment.¡¯ So instead, she quickly brought up a reason though it fit perfectly. ¡°Aahh¡­¡± The servants who accompanied her yesterday nodded, feeling sorry for the rumors. ¡°Then, what will you do next?¡± ¡°I have nothing today.¡± If there were, it would be canceled. In a hunting contest hosted by the Royal Family, a nobleman almost died. If she went around and played as if nothing happened even though the condition was not known yet, it would be like confessing, ¡®I am your enemy.¡¯ She had heard that there were some who were hostile to Count Orlane, but most weren¡¯t, so it would be quiet for a while. ¡°Then breakfast¡­¡± ¡°I will do it in the dining room.¡± Most of the breakfast was simply served in a nearby garden after training. She was not going to training today, so there was no need to simply do it in the garden. ¡°Okay, so would you like to choose a dress first?¡± Every day, dresses and accessories were chosen by Selina herself. Although she wanted to leave in moderation, she couldn¡¯t because Juna often tried to play tricks. What she was good at and what she enjoyed were different. Because she had a prominent job, she always had to pay attention to it, so her senses developed. ¡°I¡¯m going to be at home anyway, so I¡¯ll be wearing just about anything. Can I leave you to it?¡± Juna was not here now, and people wouldn¡¯t notice anything today. To test the maids¡¯ eyes, Selina grinned as she decided to leave the troublesome work to them. ¡°Of course!¡± Did they think of this as a promotion? The maids were excited and rushed out. After a while, the dresses they had in their hands were not what she would wear at home at first glance. Selina asked the reason for their incomprehensible choice with calm eyes¡­ Were they indirectly saying they want her to die of discomfort in suffocating, cumbersome clothes? However, the maid¡¯s response was completely different. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a long time, because I think this dress will suit you really well. Still, you¡¯ve never worn it before.¡± It was a passionate look. She seemed to be saying that seeing her in this dress was her lifelong wish. She remembered that not all maids always wanted to take over the master¡¯s title or make a fuss. Some could purely support her¡­ because she was no one else, ¡®the prettiest girl in the world¡¯ Selina! For a while, she was treated like a rude commoner, so she almost forgot her own identity. It had been a long time since she looked at the person that called ¡®Selina¡¯ with such a longing. ¡°Then, shall we try it on?¡± Because it was from the heart, whether in pajamas at home or in bearskin, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t wear in front of the eyes that wanted it so much. ¡°This one!¡± ¡°No, this one!¡± The maids rushed in front of Selina, who stood up with graceful gestures like a veteran actress. It was even cute, like fans, who asked to receive their gift first. ¡°There is a lot of time, everyone. Slowly, one by one.¡± Selina cleared the maids¡¯ enthusiasm with a veteran actor-like stature. ¡°Won¡¯t fresh flowers look good here?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s put it in.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I think a little more colorful flowers would be better. Or should I attach jewels to the petals?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, too.¡± Amazing events in the world sometimes happen. It was ¡®somehow¡¯ that Selina fell into this world while filming, ¡®somehow¡¯ that Kalcion caught her eye, ¡®somehow¡¯ they kissed, and ¡®somehow¡¯ that the maids created a masterpiece of a lifetime. Even if she went to the Rose Palace party right away, ¡®somehow,¡¯ the decoration that would shine the most beautifully had been completed. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Art was a field that pursued beauty. The maids were intoxicated as they admired the beauty they had created with their own hands. ¡°Ah¡­¡± On the other hand, Selina, who couldn¡¯t just admire herself, showed a somewhat toned-down admiration. Even though she had no objection to how beautiful the finished look was, she remembered once it was finished. ¡®¡­Where am I going after this?¡¯ She was going to the dining room. While the dress was not appropriate for the time and place, it was a waste to undo it again. ¡°I hope the Duke¡¯s eyes will find it good.¡± Although it didn¡¯t fit the situation, it fit the position of the lover, who fed on the Duke¡¯s love. ¡°He won¡¯t even be able to eat because he would be staring at Miss Selina!¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s fuss, Selina wondered with a low laugh. ¡°Eat, please eat.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­¡± Surprisingly, the maids¡¯ predictions came true. No matter how hard she was dressed, her original face didn¡¯t go anywhere. The background was Selina, and things were just pasted on it. Still, she didn¡¯t know he was going to be blown away like that. An illusion was sometimes overlaid on the human eye. It was seeing the shell of the imagination, regardless of the actual phenomenon. Those who guess that Selina had a bubbly personality would see it better with her convex lips and raised eyebrows. Those who focus on her splendid appearance would see the accessories and large features well. However, it was different for those who were used to her bare face, like a tree in front of their house. Even if the tree bloomed, it became a flowering tree. Or, even if its leaves fell, it still became a tree ¡ª no matter how pretty the outfit was, the person would be the same, and no matter how suited the outfit, the person stayed the same ¡ª such things. From the moment she came to this world, she spent almost every moment with Kalcion. She showed more of an unpretentious look. She now yawned and rubbed her eye boogers away, twitched her puffy eyes, and fell asleep while listening to their conversation. She didn¡¯t have to go far, every morning, she got sweaty and rolled around in the dirt. Now, wasn¡¯t it a little late to fall in love again? ¡°The bread is good today.¡± ¡°Aahh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s moderately sweet.¡± ¡°Aahh¡­¡± They say that the only thing that was really late in the world was going back to being a child. ¡°Oh, but you didn¡¯t forget what I said, right?¡± ¡°Aahh¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Yes, I think you remember.¡± It was then that Kalcion suddenly came to his senses. His focus, which had been digging deep into Selina¡¯s skin, finally receded. The focus returned to her dazed eyes. ¡°Where do you plan to go today?¡± ¡°Nowhere.¡± ¡°By the way¡­ you look good.¡± His tone of voice returned to normal. Selina loosened her back, which had been stiffened by the tension, hearing the familiar voice. ¡°The most important schedule for me is to look pretty to the Duke.¡± As the tension relaxed, she was able to speak lightly as usual. It was the same when Kalcion returned to his usual tone. ¡°Pretty.¡± In a simple and clear tone of purpose. ¡°¡­Now, those words come out very easily.¡± Selina was dazed for a moment, and then the words came out a beat slower as she took hold of her mind and answered. ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of not liking it or not¡­ is it that I am very used to it, or that I was just pouring out words that I did not need to say before?¡± ¡°Is it a problem?¡± ¡°Not a problem, of course, but¡­¡± Usually, it was something to applaud and cheer for. It was almost as if he was born again when she thought this man was the one who couldn¡¯t say a word after practicing for hours. As Kalcion said, it was a change that could only be understood if he thought he was out of his mind. ¡°If it¡¯s a problem to say pretty things are pretty, I¡¯ll correct them.¡± ¡°No! No¡­!¡± Selina hurriedly waved her hands. The operation was still going on, so they shouldn¡¯t stop acting as lovers. ¡°Yes,¡± Kalcion smiled and skillfully spread the hard-to-peel fruit flesh on the plate. It was a fruit that she often used as a means of being childish in public. ¡°Eat this.¡± Instead of putting it on her plate, he took it with his own tableware and brought it to the front of Selina¡¯s lips. She reflexively opened her mouth to eat, then realized¡­ it was the tableware that touched Kalcion¡¯s mouth. She didn¡¯t let her eyes fall from the sinking tableware that had slipped through her lips. Kalcion, whether doing it as a ritual or not, naturally put one in his own mouth, too. The tableware disappeared between the soft, smooth lips. Her throat tightened at the smoothness of the tableware pushed through the gap between his closed lips. Selina¡¯s throat went dry. She didn¡¯t know how she was chewing it in her mouth, but after chewing for a while, she gulped it down on its own. Kalcion, who recognized it quickly, took a piece of the flesh and put it out with the tableware he had pulled out of his mouth. ¡°One more?¡± ¡ª Chapter 108 Chapter 108 At that time, she used the same fork to solidify herself with Kalcion in the cake shop. Was it like back then¡­? The cutleries, which she usually didn¡¯t care about, took up all her mind. ¡°Wa, wait.¡± As she hesitated, pondering an answer, Kalcion suddenly reached out and touched her lips. ¡°You have something.¡± His fingertips lightly touched her lips. This time, her eyes did not fall from his fingertips, not from the cutlery. ¡®No way¡­ Noo way, no way.¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect it to go into his mouth, but luckily he rubbed it on a napkin. Her stiff shoulder, which was about to touch her ear, fell down. She even wondered if he was doing this to make fun of her right now. So now that he was gotten used to it, he was starting a counterattack. ¡®Then, I can¡¯t lose.¡¯ Looking up into Kalcion¡¯s eyes, Selina tightened her eyes and rearranged her expression again. Their eyes met. However, the fight didn¡¯t happen. It was because she lost her will just by seeing that deep gaze towards herself. ¡°¡­.¡± It was invisible to others though Selina could see it. The unrestrained affection was so clear in those eyes. The warmth towards her was unbearably feverish. The kiss was not an accident. It wasn¡¯t even impulsive. The thought, which she had not been able to recognize until now, was pushed out by the word ¡®acting,¡¯ so she had been deceived. ¡®¡­Since when?¡¯ As the sky changed color with time, it slowly faded into color. It was impossible to pinpoint the exact moment when it was night and when it was day. Still, the distinction between the two was always clear. Embarrassment rushed over. She would return any time. Emotions beyond work would only leave scars. Even if Selina¡¯s heart changes and the two of them agree, she cannot dream of a happy ending. Kalcion was the Duke. Here, she was nothing without the pretense that she was his lover. She could never choose the option to stay here even if he guaranteed a luxurious life. ¡®I need to get my act together.¡¯ Selina gathered her heart. Kalcion is an attractive person. If such a person looks at her and expresses himself with the eyes of falling in love at every moment, she will fall apart no matter how hard she tries. She wasn¡¯t even confident that she wouldn¡¯t be shaken. However, she still had to refrain herself from swaying. ¡°Did Count Orlen contact you?¡± When she changed the topic to the incident back then, the warmth escaped from Kalcion¡¯s eyes. Seeing how he quickly changed to work mode and regained his composure, it seemed that he wasn¡¯t completely obsessed with her yet. ¡®Should I say this is a relief?¡¯ The day would come when he would give up his love for her. ¡°You didn¡¯t even train in the morning, so how about a walk instead?¡± There seemed to be an important story related to the Count of Orlen. Selina quickly noticed. ¡°Yes, I like it. The weather is good¡­¡± Looking out of the window, there was an overcast. In the morning, she couldn¡¯t even sleep because of the bright sunlight, although the sky was now dark. ¡°¡­It¡¯s usually better to go for a walk on a cloudy day.¡± It didn¡¯t matter which way she went as long as she had a clear purpose in mind. As she walked out of the porch with her arms crossed, the sky was getting darker, and it looked like it was going to rain soon. While the damp air was wet, the wind was blowing, and it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. The hem of her skirt fluttered to and fro in the wind. After confirming that there were no people around except for the escort, Kalcion slowly opened his mouth. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from the Count yet. Still, other information came in.¡± ¡°What information?¡± ¡°It seems that the escorts who were there at the time were reassessing the situation and found something.¡± Kalcion let out a small sigh before speaking his words. ¡°It seems that the direction of the arrow was not entirely aimed at Count Orlem.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Lava erupted from her terrified chest. ¡°Then, it was originally aimed at me?¡± ¡°Looking at the strength and speed of the arrow, it was immature and could not take lives. It is highly probable that they originally aimed at you, but hastily changed the target to Count Orlen.¡± ¡°Perhaps, Count Orlen got hit instead of me.¡± There were escorts around, but they kept a distance between the two. It was Selina who could see and feel the situation up close, but she was so startled that her memories were jumbled up. It was difficult to tell the difference between what she saw and what she thought. She was confident that what she had seen was right. ¡°If it were for me, it would be simple. However, if there were a sharp turn to Count Orlen, it would be when the conversation we were having was interrupted.¡± ¡°What were you two conversing about?¡± ¡°He said I should be careful when dealing with the Crown Prince, so I asked what happened.¡± For that moment, she thought that the key to all solutions was in front of her eyes and focused her nerves. Thanks to this, the memory about Count Orlen right after the arrow was shot was blurry though the conversation was clear. ¡°Crown Prince.¡± Kalcion cleverly got the most critical word right. ¡°We ended up conversing about that while talking about Irell.¡± ¡°Irell?¡± ¡°Did you know that men approached her after being ostracized by women?¡± He didn¡¯t even know that Irell had been bullied, so he wouldn¡¯t even know that. Kalcion shook his head honestly. ¡°Only the parties will know how far they have crossed, but at least from the outside, it seems that they have crossed the line that could be criticized.¡± It was before the engagement ceremony, not even after getting married and producing an heir. ¡°She was just rejected here and there, but in the meantime, they kindly approached her and took care of her so she must have fallen for it.¡± ¡°Everything was going on under my chin.¡± Just before the engagement ceremony, she went out with other men, no matter how free-spirited the noble society was. Even if he had known, he could have simply said that he wanted her to take care of herself before the wedding, yet that didn¡¯t happen. Now, it had become a complicated feeling that he could neither be angry for. Selina, who looked into Kalcion¡¯s complicated face, sighed as her chest tightened. It was a series of misfortunes from Irell¡¯s point of view, but a series of handshakes from the point of view of the third party. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that the Crown Prince may have gotten in.¡± Even though it was understandable up to the first part, the Crown Prince¡­ Kalcion¡¯s head tilted to the side. ¡°Why the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t the Crown Prince a playboy?¡± His head tilted to the other side as if he was thinking about it. ¡°No, the Crown Prince prefers to beat up women.¡± ¡°Your personality looks the exact opposite, but that¡¯s similar to the Duke.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Among Kalcion¡¯s faces she had ever seen, that was the most vivid. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was a slip of the tongue.¡± Selina immediately apologized. ¡°You¡¯re not interested, and the Crown Prince is wary of the dividing power. Absolutely different.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s different. It is fundamentally different.¡± His face softened slightly at her response. ¡°Despite that, the Crown Prince is very aggressive towards me. He had something to do with Irell before me.¡± As she was talking, there was a point that just connected. ¡°¡­He¡¯s trying to steal because¡­the Duke¡¯s woman?¡± ¡°¡­Ho.¡± To think of it as a coincidence, the only thing that Irell and Selina had in common was that they were the ¡®Kalcion¡¯s woman.¡¯ The two were different in appearance, personality, status, and origin¡ªeven their position in the social world. ¡°If these assumptions were true¡­ First of all, the Crown Prince is behind everything, and it may be the decisive cause of Irell¡¯s death.¡± ¡°It seems to be a fact that he is already involved.¡± ¡°Then, are the lines connected like this? Rosalyn moves for the Crown Prince, Lirel, whose weakness is Rosalyn, and Juna is sent by Lirel.¡± A picture was drawn roughly. At the same time, the people who entered the suspect list were also classified into different categories. Fionel was the first to be excluded from the list of suspects. Once things were settled, she was clear of the charges. ¡°Fionel¡­ Now that I think about it, I think it was a warning, not a threat. It must have been true that she hated me.¡± ¡°What did Fionel do?¡± Even though he had come to the point of falling in love with her, he was still dull when it came to a woman¡¯s heart. Especially when it came to other women who were no different from roadside stones. She was sorry for the first time to Fionel, who was in the midst of one-sided love. ¡­When she returned to her original world, would Fionel take the place of Duchess? Dressed up like the Duchess, she pictured Fionnell laughing joyously, crossing her arms with Kalcion. She would look down on the world with a triumphant smile as if she had it all. Will that be all? She would do worse now than what she, who was pretending to be his lover, would be doing. In a public place, hugging, embracing, carrying, leaning, Kalcion would kiss the back of her hand. He would kiss her on the cheek in the morning and evening¡­ If he went out hunting, he would kiss her on the forehead, and if he had to, he was sure that he could even kiss her on the lips¡­ ¡­At night, the two of them go to the same bath to wash each other, put on the see-through pajamas, and go into the same bed, deeply overlapping their lips, doing this and that¡ª! There was a feeling of discomfort, as if her stomach got twisted. She hated to even think about it. Fionel and Kalcion¡­ She hated it so much. ¡®I don¡¯t like her either.¡¯ Selina continued her words, erasing the unpleasant imagination from her head. ¡ª Chapter 109 Chapter 109 ¡°It must not have been for me but because she was worried about the Duke¡¯s honor. The fact that Irell was swept away by this man and that man without the Duke¡¯s knowledge was foolish for the Duke.¡± Pre-marriage and post-marriage were important here. After marriage, after producing an heir, if they care about and meddle with the spouse¡¯s lover, they would become a disgrace. However, before marriage, they become a fool who can¡¯t even take care of their spouse. Kalcion didn¡¯t even know he was a fool. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be better to say that you know from the beginning?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how Irell died. Unless he¡¯s the culprit, that¡¯s all speculation.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s just that she had an affair with the Crown Prince.¡± She didn¡¯t want to understand and took sides with Fionel, but it made sense to convey it in the form of a warning. ¡°I don¡¯t think she could have said that far to save her own body. The whole world knows that Fionel follows the Duke though if I suddenly avoid the Crown Prince, it is clear who blew it.¡± If the Crown Prince intended to approach Selina from the beginning, it would be a hindrance to his will. Fionel could have suffered the wrath when things didn¡¯t go his own way. ¡°If Count Orlen was silenced, there is no way that the same could not happen to Fionel.¡± Count Orlen got beaten even though he was a strong man himself. Fionel was a fragile human who had to wriggle while picking a flower. While she was frustrated with what Selina was doing and threw hints, if Fionel had spoken in earnest, it would be unknown when and where she could have been hit. ¡°The Queen and the Princess¡­ To be honest, it seems like he can¡¯t afford that. They¡¯re someone who doesn¡¯t even need to keep their mouth shut, so this has moved them even further from this incident.¡± In the first place, they were the furthest from the line of suspicion. She wondered if it was because of the urgency of the Queen¡¯s situation but that it was rather a double-edged sword to cling to Kalcion as the matter progressed. ¡°Finally, Mrs. Janet gets caught¡­¡± ¡°Is Mrs. Janet still innocent?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not the culprit, but I think it¡¯s just my feeling. The loyalty that is close to obsession with the Duke is uncomfortable.¡± After all, Kalcion, who was too familiar to know, simply nodded his head. The evaluation of that part had to depend entirely on Selina. ¡°Let¡¯s keep an eye on it.¡± ¡°Yes. From what has been revealed so far, it¡¯s probably one of the two. Either Rosalyn did the job alone, or she did what the Crown Prince told her to do.¡± ¡°It could be both.¡± ¡°Yes. But even so, almost all the causes seem to come from the Crown Prince.¡± Even if Rosalyn¡¯s excessive affection was an issue, she had a feeling that the Crown Prince made things happen and pushed her from behind. Selina asked cautiously. ¡°What¡­ would you do if the Crown Prince was the real culprit?¡± Kalcion¡¯s mouth shut heavily. The opponent was the Crown Prince, not an ordinary noble. So, unless there was decisive evidence, if he raised an issue prematurely, he would only give an excuse for an attack. Private revenge was even more difficult. If even the tip of a needle touched the Crown Prince¡¯s body, it became treason. Looking at the full story of the case, it was the result of Kalcion, who was indifferent to Irell, and Irell¡¯s actions, who was helpless. The result was the same as Irell¡¯s tragic death, but it was different from the analysis at the time that she took her own life for no reason. If Irell had been murdered because she was supposed to be the fiance of the Renbird family, she deserved to be avenged for the family¡¯s honor. ¡­Nevertheless, was this really a case of honor? Kalcion couldn¡¯t answer yes as decisively as before. If it was the case of a poor woman named Irell, not Renbird¡¯s prospective fianc¨¦e, there was no reason to take revenge for Renbird¡¯s honor. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± However, he did not say that he would give up her revenge. If he ended the investigation like this, it would be no different from the first time when he didn¡¯t know anything. The curtain on the play with Selina had not yet come to an end. He couldn¡¯t stop. The sky looked dire. Thinking it was going to rain soon, so he turned back to the building and saw a running horse coming in. ¡°I¡¯m glad you contacted me as soon as he woke up.¡± Selina stroked her chest in the carriage headed for County Orlen. It was the servant of Count Orlen who rode the running horse. The servant said that Count Orlen had come to his senses and welcomed her visit at any time. He had not yet recovered enough to sit at the desk and write, so instead, the servant delivered it verbally. As soon as she heard the news, she expressed her desire to visit immediately. The servant who ran like fire was in his tail came again with the Count¡¯s short message. ¡®Then, you can come right away.¡¯ With those words, she literally got ready right away. The flashy outfit of this morning was not worthy of a visit to a sickly person, but it took a little time to find something worthy of the visit. Still, it must have been the quickest preparation a lady had ever had, the maids unanimously said. The gatekeeper of County Orlen was also amazed. ¡°I was told that you would be visiting during the day, but I was surprised that you came earlier than expected.¡± The carriage stopped in front of the central building, passing through the main gate and through the winding path of the garden, decorated like a forest. Selina, who was looking at the building through the carriage window, saw a carriage parked in front of the building. It wasn¡¯t just one. ¡°I think there are other visitors besides us.¡± If it was Count Orlen¡¯s carriage, he would have kept it in a separate storage room, so it must have been an outsider. Was it cumbersome to have multiple people come and go, so he asked them to come at once? Or did she come earlier than expected, and the time overlapped? When Selina said so, Kalcion, who was looking out the window of the carriage, slammed the carriage wall and signaled to the coachman. ¡°¡­Wait. Stop.¡± ¡°What? Yes!¡± The coachman hastily stopped the horse. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­Of all things.¡± Selina also drew her head and looked at the carriage¡¯s crest. Nonetheless, she still didn¡¯t know how to distinguish the family crest. It was a crest she had seen a lot. In particular, such colorful crests were not common¡­ Both of them had the same crest side by side. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± When she saw the person getting off the carriage, she could immediately recognize him. It was the royal crest. It was the Princess who got off the carriage in front. Looking at the Princess¡¯ dress as she got off with her handmaid, it seemed that she had come to visit though she could not enter right away and stood idly near the carriage in the back instead. After a while, a man got off the carriage behind as well. It was the Crown Prince. ¡°The two of them didn¡¯t seem to get along, but they came together¡­ Gasp!¡± A loud bang was heard all the way here. It was the sound of the crown prince¡¯s fist hitting the Princess¡¯s head. She could not even scream and stumbled to the floor. It seemed that she was walloped so badly that she couldn¡¯t even control her body. The handmaid hurriedly supported the Princess, but before she could lift her up, another foot flew towards her. The Princess¡¯s body flew over as the foot hit her. At the same time, the handmaid who was supporting her was also struck along with her. The two fell, tangled, and groaned on the floor for a long time. The Crown Prince coldly threw something at the two people who were wallowing on the floor, then spat before disappearing into the building. It was only after he left did the Princess got up with the handmaid, stumbled. However, she sat down again and burst into tears. As the handmaid next to her also burst into tears, the cry soon became two. ¡°¡­Haa.¡± Selina, who had been frozen and immobilized by then, sat down as if flopping into the chair. Placing her hand on her forehead, her heart was racing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ I was a little surprised.¡± She saw the violence right in front of her eyes. Furthermore, an adult man unilaterally assaulted a young girl. It was an unbelievable scene, and her heart pounded with anger and shock. ¡°The Crown Prince¡­¡­, that¡¯s what the word ¡®wretched personality¡¯ meant.¡± ¡°This is not enough.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not enough?¡± ¡°Killing him on the spot?¡± ¡°¡­Haa.¡± Now, she could believe that it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. He was so violent that she believed he could kill someone with anger. ¡°Because she¡¯s the Princess, he let her live. If he becomes king, he¡¯ll undoubtedly kill her since he finds her annoying.¡± The Queen¡¯s recklessness was understandable. Since her life is really at stake, shouldn¡¯t she use all she can? ¡°Shall we go back?¡± Today was not the only day she could visit the Count. Besides, the visit was not urgent. After confirming that the Crown Prince had arrived and had seen the situation with Princess, it was better to avoid the place. Instead, Selina clenched her fists. ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s an opportunity.¡± Because the Crown Prince had a clue, she must approach. That way, she might find it and hold it in her hand. ¡°If the Princess talks about it, something more may come out.¡± Kalcion crossed his arms with a dissatisfied face and gazed at her face for a while. Still, it wasn¡¯t a fight he could win from the start. ¡°¡­Go.¡± With Kalcion¡¯s sighing command, the coachman immediately drove the horse. The Princess, who noticed the approaching carriage, got up to her feet hurriedly. Unlike Selina, she recognized Renbird¡¯s family crest from afar. As the carriage stopped, Selina swiftly opened the door of the carriage and jumped before Kalcion could come down and grab her hand. ¡ª Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Naturally, the Princess and the handmaid, who expected Kalcion to appear first, widened their eyes in surprise at the same time. Selina looked at the Princess¡¯s body first, not paying much attention to their reaction. Fortunately, there were no visible injuries. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She had just been crying, but she wanted to pretend to be strong in front of her. Selina clasped her hand as the tears were about to leak out. Seeing that a teenager, no matter how much she hated the Princess, was so beaten up in front of her, she felt sad and worried. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m okay¡­¡± The Princess, who could not continue her words to the end, eventually cried again. It was because she noticed that Selina¡¯s eyes on her were with sincere concern. She was upset as the one who had those eyes was her rival. Even though she was grateful, she hated herself because she was weak. ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°He¡­he hits me if I catch his eye whi-while passing by. He, feels¡­feels bad.¡± The Princess said to Selina, dripping with tears. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two coming together today? I thought you were because the carriages were standing side by side.¡± ¡°N-no. His Highness doesn¡¯t like me going around. Just today, His Highness was away, so after going to the County in a hurry, on the way, he found my carriage on the road. So¡­ Kuht.¡± ¡°So, he dragged you all the way here and beat you?¡± ¡°No, no. I think he followed me. He told me what kind of trick I was going to do without his knowledge and told me not to even dream¡­¡± If not, how did they meet on the way? ¡°You were unlucky¡­¡± ¡°I always do. I¡¯ve been unlucky since I was born¡­¡± When she competed for Kalcion, she looked like a strong person, but now that Selina looked at her, she was just insipid. The shock of the blow was so great that self-deprecating words continued from the Princess¡¯ mouth. ¡°So, every time I see it, I am unlucky, and because I am unlucky, everyone around me will die because of me¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me? Dear God, who says that?¡± No matter how unstable the Princess¡¯ position was, what kind of recklessness was to a child? Selina raised her voice with genuine emotion. ¡°The Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Ha! That absolutely crazy punk.¡± The Princess¡¯s shoulders shook at the savage remarks that burst out of Selina¡¯s mouth. ¡°Can you say something like that?¡± ¡°Why not? He deserves to be called that.¡± ¡°Then, can you do it in front of him?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t! My life is precious as well.¡± Even as she retreated, the Princess¡¯s weeping stopped at Selina¡¯s imposing impudence. ¡°If you cry and laugh¡­¡± The Princess, who couldn¡¯t speak until after that, shut her mouth, but by that point, it had already come out of her mouth. ¡°What happens when you cry and laugh?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve grown up.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Princess looked like she had realized it and nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve grown up now.¡± Selina came to her senses a beat late and clung to Kalcion¡¯s arm. ¡°I said you¡¯ve grown up, but I haven¡¯t said you¡¯re an adult yet. So, not my Cion.¡± ¡°¡­Tsk.¡± At those words, her lips pouted out. However, the harshness in her eyes looking at Selina was certainly less severe than she had before. She was such an innocent child who gave her heart so quickly. Unknowingly, Selina looked at the princess with a pitiful heart. The Princess was in the process of sorting out Kalcion in her mind, and she shuddered again. ¡°As expected, I wouldn¡¯t be chosen by anyone¡­¡± Here we go again. A child must not give up all her dreams and hopes so easily. Selina took a deep breath and placed her hand on the Princess¡¯s shoulder. At that, she glanced up at Selina, startled. ¡°Princess. You might get mad at me for being rude, but can I talk to you as someone a little older now?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes¡­¡± The Princess nodded her head startled, pushed by Selina¡¯s atmosphere. She forgot to point to her hand on his shoulder. Selina took a deep breath and cleared her throat before opening her mouth. These were the words that had been engraved on her bones, but she was trembling when she tried to say them to her others. ¡°No matter how hungry you are, don¡¯t pick up poop and eat it.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± The Princess, startled by the harsh words, raised her head that was looking at the ground endlessly. Selina grinned as the princess¡¯ eyes turned to her as her tears faded away. ¡°People have a good side and a bad side because they¡¯re human beings. So, there is no need to listen intently to gossip that only shows the bad side.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t have dust when they¡¯re shaken? If a person who speaks bad things is shaken, more dirty things will come pouring out. Those guys are shamelessly doing well, so why is the Princess the only one who has such a hard life? I would rather you speak badly like them? And, even take revenge.¡± ¡°They are stronger.¡± The Princess¡¯s answer was more clever than expected. At a young age, she already knew the function of power. For a moment, Selina was almost speechless. ¡°You can still take revenge.¡± ¡°¡­How? I have no power.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything right now. Still, don¡¯t give up on revenge. They said so harshly, so why forgive them? The time will definitely come.¡± ¡°When¡­¡± Even if she said this, Selina would also feel helpless if she had been in the Princess¡¯ position. Nevertheless, it seemed she wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°It feels good if you succeed in revenge by putting dog poop in their shoes. If you don¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± It was thrilling and fun revenge just thinking about it, wasn¡¯t it? Selina laughed as she watched the princess burst into laughter. The world was not at stake for others, but her world was at stake. A world where even a single mistake or rumor would cut her off from her job, and once she was cut off, it would be difficult to enter the industry again. In order to survive there, even if it was dirty and lethal, she had to endure that moment. Nonetheless, Selina never lived only by enduring. She didn¡¯t even humble herself as they were trying to suppress her. In front of their eyes, she pretended. She acted and waited only for the day of vengeance to come someday. With heaven¡¯s help, Selina¡¯s day of revenge came one by one as she ascended triumphantly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is the right way or the right thing to do. However, that¡¯s how I survived and endured.¡± ¡°So, was your revenge successful?¡± Selina chuckled. ¡°Almost all.¡± ¡°There must be a revenge that you haven¡¯t done yet.¡± ¡°Well¡­ recently?¡± Come to think of it, she thought it was still acting, but if this was the real Selina¡¯s life, there would not be just one or two people on her revenge list. ¡°There is the Princess who I was afraid to take away my man.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Selina said with a smile, but the Princess¡¯s face was rather afraid. The tenacious veracity faced head-on was quite terrifying. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m going to do anything right now, but if you reflect on yourself and apologize again, I may forgive you.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Still, the Princess¡¯ persistence was formidable, too. She knew that. Selina grinned inside and raised her eyebrows softly. ¡°You don¡¯t seem willing, so shall I add one more debt?¡± ¡°Debt?¡± ¡°Princess, did you come here to visit the Count?¡± She nodded her head. ¡°The Crown Prince was trying to prevent that.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t a visit be revenge?¡± The Princess¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Send the carriage somewhere else for a while, hide in our carriage, and then go in when the Crown Prince returns.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Then, I can drive you to the place where the carriage has been sent, and from there, the Princess can go back to the palace. It won¡¯t take that long to visit, so you can just use the excuse that the road was a bit blocked.¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a debt.¡± She didn¡¯t even have to help her out like this with the relationship they¡¯d had so far. Debt was half an excuse. She wondered why the Princess had come to the County without the Queen. She didn¡¯t even have to do this, the Princess could just get on the carriage and pretend she was back, and then go in when the Crown Prince returned. The Princess, who was crushed by the Crown Prince, who thought she should not do what he said she should not do, just couldn¡¯t come up with it. ¡°Then, get in the carriage for now.¡± Selina, who kept the servants guarding the porch of the mansion and the handmaid tight to silence them, also got into the carriage. ¡°If possible, it would be better to act as if we had just arrived, right?¡± To ensure perfection, she dismissed the carriage back to where it had just stopped and then approached after confirming the Crown Prince¡¯s return. ¡°Oh dear, to see you like this. I wonder if this is fate.¡± The Crown Prince, unaware of the circumstances, saw Selina getting off the carriage and approached with a bright smile. The contrast was so sharp that it could not be considered the same person as the person who assaulted the Princess a while ago. Even though Selina felt nauseous, she did not show it. She smiled and bowed her head towards the Crown Prince. ¡°Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Raise your head. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to say now, but it¡¯s nice to meet you like this.¡± The Crown Prince was dressed in splendid attire that did not look like a visitor at all. From head to toe, it was evident from the beginning he had no purpose to visit Count Orlen. However, Selina still turned a blind eye and bowed his head. ¡°Forgive me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait when our time overlaps.¡± Kalcion intervened in a timely manner by hitting the wall. ¡°I¡¯m about to go back after my visit, so you can go in, Duke. Oh, but before that, can I talk to Lady Selina for a moment?¡± Saying so, the Crown Prince sent a meaningful glance to her. ¡ª Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¡°What kind of¡­ talk?¡± She thought the Crown Prince would talk about anything, though when he suggested that they have a private conversation like this, Selina got instinctively wary. She saw a person fall by an arrow right in front of her. Now that she firmly believed that the person who ordered it could be the Crown Prince, she couldn¡¯t act like before. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was openly saddened by Selina¡¯s refusal to accept the offer. ¡°Oh no, after our repeated fateful meeting, why are you moving further away?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to ask for an apology. Rather, I wanted to see you because I wanted to apologize.¡± ¡°¡­Apologize?¡± Selina raised her head to see the Crown Prince when he said something completely unexpected. He erased his sad expression in an instant and smiled brightly like the sun. It was a smile that brightened the eyes. ¡°You must have been very surprised at the hunting ground. You are also a victim, so I want to apologize for the circumstances of the incident.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± How kind and caring he was. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think it¡¯s okay to say it right here.¡± Kalcion intervened and interrupted. ¡°I have my own pride, so it is not easy to apologize in front of others. It¡¯s impossible to take pride in the position of the one apologizing, but can¡¯t you understand that it¡¯s my destiny as a royal family, Lady Selina?¡± It was a defense against Kalcion¡¯s point, but again, the choice was placed in front of Selina. She knew by example that the princess, despite a royal family, was not someone to be wary of. However, at least the Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t put the effort into acting like this if he was going to beat or kill Selina. Selina nodded her head with difficulty. ¡°¡­Yes. It will be a moment, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to take your time too long.¡± Saying so, the Crown Prince stretched out his arm to Selina in front of Kalcion. Kalcion¡¯s eyebrows twitched with displeasure. ¡°I¡¯ll go quickly.¡± Even though she spoke to Kalcion to console him, he didn¡¯t answer and only had a dissatisfied look. But now, she had to accompany the Crown Prince to hear anything. Without waiting for his answer, Selina placed her hand on the Crown Prince¡¯s outstretched arm. An exhilarating satisfaction flashed in his eyes. She was going to let him enjoy it this time. Selina glanced at that face and even gave him a grin. At the same time, Kalcion¡¯s eyes that touched the side of her face were stinging as if they had a blade on them. ¡°Then, shall we go?¡± The Crown Prince took a gentle step. Although Kalcion had some rough parts, he was delicate in unexpected parts, but the Crown Prince was gentle on all sides. From the width of his steps to the height of his arms and the distance from his shoulders, he calculated and adjusted it moment by moment. If she had been escorted without knowing it, she would have just thought, ¡®It¡¯s comfortable to be with the Crown Prince¡¯. However, knowing that this was the result of calculations when it came together, it was rather suffocating because of the lack of humanity. It was even more so when she considered that the arm she was holding onto was the arm that hit the Princess¡¯s head. ¡°Would it be comfortable to stop here?¡± It was enough to see Kalcion staring at her from a distance. A short distance to run, too. ¡°Thank you.¡± The Crown Prince was considerate once again. The more he gave consideration again and again, the worse she felt. ¡°You gave me your precious time, so I¡¯ll repay as much. Of course, if I wanted to, I would like to hide it from your eyes forever.¡± ¡°Is that a foreshadowing for a crime, Your Highness?¡± As Selina asked in a joking-like tone, the Crown Prince laughed out loud. It might have felt like a sting and stabbing, but he passed it on like the world¡¯s most generous monarch. ¡°Can I?¡± In the same way, the eyes that asked playfully were twinkling. Are you playing with fire right now? He seemed to say that. If she had been a normal lady, she would immediately have a torch lit in her hand. ¡°No way. I want to live a stable and quiet life.¡± ¡°What a pity.¡± Selina¡¯s game of tug-of-war was very different, she raised her hand after giving a stab and immediately backed away. As the awkward atmosphere was relieved with a light joke, the Crown Prince coughed lightly to set the mood. He managed to secure a meeting in someone else¡¯s house. The maze-like garden was filled with various kinds of flowers everywhere, and the Crown Prince took a seat under a lilac vine that was lush like a midsummer rain. His bright blonde hair and the lilac lavender color matched very well. When the wind blew, the branches of flowers that fluttered like a seductive hand tickled her. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± Since the Crown Prince did not know that Selina was injured, the question was about the shock she felt that day. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡± Hearing those words, her ear wounded by the arrow throbbed. Still, the bandage on the wound was covered with her hair and would not be visible. There was no reason to hide it, but it seemed to reveal a weakness, so she hid it without knowing it. ¡°That day¡­ It was an unexpected accident and I was too busy, so I couldn¡¯t take care of you. Could you understand me?¡± ¡°How dare I dare to complain to Your Highness. That is not your duty.¡± ¡°I thought you would say that.¡± The Crown Prince smiled sweetly as if he had a lot of honey in his mouth. Selina¡¯s mouth got even more bitter. ¡°By the way, it was an unexpected accident. Are you saying that there are predictable accidents?¡± Her twisted heart kept throwing meaningless words. Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t provoke the Crown Prince in this way, offensive words came out to the person whom she had already hated. ¡°Some accidents are predictable. Whenever I hear rumors that the families are tussling, there must be an accident at the hunting competition.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s patience was stronger than she thought. He might have felt scratched enough by this, but he gave a benevolent smile and kind explanation. ¡®What are you aiming for?¡¯ He must have a purpose, that was why he was patient. Selina doesn¡¯t know if seducing her was the goal in itself or if there was something else he was aiming for after that. Selina smiled innocently like a fool, hiding her feelings. ¡°Oh, I see. Though I heard that it might have been aiming for me, wasn¡¯t that a predictable accident?¡± ¡°¡­Well, after all, that story has reached your ears as well.¡± The Crown Prince muttered bitterly without denying it. ¡°Yes, it was an accident that the Count was shot by an arrow because it was an arrow aimed at you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± The purpose of the crime that no one could reveal, the Crown Prince summed it up in one word. ¡®What does this mean¡­?¡¯ A whirlwind ran through her mind. Knowing the purpose of the assassin meant too much. It meant that he knew who sent the assassin, why the assassin was sent, and even why they used an assassin¡­ In front of the confused Selina, the Crown Prince took a step closer. As if he was going to tell her a big secret that no one could know. She could not stand back from it. As the height towards the Crown Prince¡¯s approaching eyes increased, she had to look up. ¡°Selina. I am very sorry that I had to tell you this.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I know the culprit.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Was there another culprit other than him? There was only one name that flashed through her mind. Rosalyn. ¡°Actually, it was Rosalyn.¡± The name came out of the Crown Prince¡¯s mouth. The name Rosalyn itself was rather obvious. Was there anyone other than Rosalyn that the Crown Prince would blame? Of course, there were more, but the easiest and closest person to relate to Selina was Rosalyn. But, she was surprised at his audacity to blame Rosalyn with so much pride. He said he cared for her like a sister¡­? Did he know what care was? Selling such a person¡¯s name so easily? A stunned laughter was about to pour out first, but she managed to gulp it down her throat. Selina played along as if she knew nothing. ¡°What¡­? What do you mean?¡± She didn¡¯t know that she would have a tight match with the Crown Prince in terms of acting skills. ¡°Where to start¡­ If I had to find the cause, it was my fault for not stopping Rosalyn properly.¡± With a genuinely sad face, he acted like an older brother who cared for his sister. ¡°Remember what I said last time? To me, Rosalyn is like a younger sister.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes.¡± ¡°Rosalyn seems to have grown up while naturally thinking she would be the queen. So, I guess she thought she should marry me. But it wasn¡¯t easy for me. In a dilemma, I suggested Duke Renbird.¡± It was completely different from the reason for Rosalyn¡¯s approach that she had heard from Kalcion. ¡°Ahh.¡± Still, Selina nodded her head as if she understood it. A good audience only needs to move her head well. ¡°There are no single men of the right age among the royal family¡­ I was looking for a family with the right level, so I just caught the unmarried Duke Renbird. Marriage of nobility is bound to be of the highest priority. Will you understand?¡± ¡°¡­Roughly.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re smart.¡± He must¡¯ve wanted to praise her for being naive and stupid, as expected. From the Crown Prince¡¯s expression as well as his mouth. Mentions of Irell were completely absent in the story itself. As if from the very beginning, it was decided that he and Rosalyn were to marry. He was so natural that she would have been fooled and deceived if she had not learned the truth. ¡°From the point of refusal, I was just trying to find a better match though it seems that Rosalyn misunderstood that. As if I had ordered her to become the Duke¡¯s wife, she suddenly began to act blindly. She starts approaching the Duke recklessly¡­ at that point, you appear.¡± He was really good, too. The same passage of time, the same situation, he adapted it perfectly from Rosalyn¡¯s point of view. Even though it may have actually happened, it was clear that it would be a completely different story if it was recreated for Rosalyn. ¡°She was hasty. How uncomfortable your presence must have been when she thought my suggestion was something she ¡®must do.¡¯ So, I heard that she¡¯s been insulting since the beginning.¡± ¡°You¡­ heard? Did you hear from Rosalyn?¡± ¡°Otherwise, how would I know all this?¡± The Crown Prince asked Selina as if teaching a child 1+1. ¡°She was so emotionally stressed about what happened this time that she cried and confessed. So. I knew everything about it.¡± ¡­Rosalyn was crying? It was equivalent to saying that Kalcion cried. ¡ª Chapter 112 Chapter 112 ¡°¡­What did she say?¡± ¡°She hated you so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same with me, but it was the first time we were in agreement.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ It¡¯s because you¡¯re so beautiful and smart. Since you are a commoner and the Duke is not one who settles for women, she said she thought you would just remain as a mistress for a period of time.¡± Most people thought so. ¡°By the way, it seems that she has received information that the Duke is bringing you to the Capital.¡± Even the existence of a hidden informant was exposed. How far was he planning to shift the blame? Selina raised her eyebrows and waited for the next words. ¡°When you come to the capital with the Duke, it¡¯s like a formal introduction, so she thought she¡¯d have to deal with you before that. Did you meet an assassin on the way?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡­Even until this point? She was surprised that the information the Crown Prince had revealed was deeper than she expected. ¡°Yeah, it was from Rosalyn.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± How should she react? She couldn¡¯t say that he was the one who actually ordered Rosalyn to go. Still, in the corner of her mind, another thought occurred. ¡®It really could have been Rosalyn¡¯s plan.¡¯ ¡°After that, she didn¡¯t have time to aim for a second. You have already entered the Capital, so it seems that whenever she sees you in the social world, she gets tormented.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Gossiping behind the scenes, spreading gossip. I never dreamed that such a thing would happen. How could you have been able to smile without any fuss over something like that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was all because of Miss Rosalyn. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a commoner, and that¡¯s why everyone hates me¡­¡± ¡°Oh, dear¡­ You are so pure, it seems that even malice could not hurt you.¡± Saying so, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes, who sighed and looked at her fondly, were burdensome. Selina covered her cheeks and bowed her head, pretending to be overwhelmed by his exaggerated praise. Now, her mental strength was exhausted. She wanted to quickly purify it with Kalcion¡¯s serenity. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying because she couldn¡¯t stand me, she targeted me during the hunting contest?¡± Selina urged him to quickly state the conclusions. ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t that a good place for accidents? Originally, she was aiming for you, but the Count must¡¯ve been polished through the battlefield. He instinctively blocked you.¡± ¡°I heard that the Duke also had an accident.¡± He passed over the Duke¡¯s matter as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but maybe, it was related. ¡°Yes, I forgot that. I don¡¯t have to take care of the Duke¡¯s well-being.¡± The Crown Prince frowned bitterly. Even in the midst of this serious talk, he was relentless when it came to Kalcion. ¡°That¡¯s also Rosalyn¡¯s work.¡± ¡°¡­.Why is the Duke?¡± ¡°I only found out later, but the relationship between the two families was not good. Had I known that, I wouldn¡¯t have recommended it in the first place. When she failed to separate you, she thought that the order to marry would be revoked if the Duke was gone as well.¡± Indeed, it was a radical solution befitting Rosalyn. It was the reason why she nodded her head. At first, when the Crown Prince spoke out, she thought how amazing the nonsense he spoke would be, but as she listened, it became more and more plausible. She doubted herself for a moment like she was caught up in his splendid speech, though there was no hole in his words except for the lies in the beginning. At least the Crown Prince was an accomplice in the matter. He knew all of this and admitted that he was connected to Rosalyn. However, at the end of the story, she was acquitted. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be too upset with what I said. Still, as long as you are the party involved, I thought you should know.¡± ¡°The Duke is also the party involved. Why won¡¯t you talk about it?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to deliver it to him anyway? I had the opportunity to meet you face to face like this, so I don¡¯t want to put the Duke in.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She admired his tenacity to even squeeze in when he saw a gap. When Selina didn¡¯t say anything out of absurdity, he quickly erased the playfulness from his face. The Crown Prince was a sharp person. ¡°And, there is something I would like to ask you separately.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± She hoped it was not something like a date. However, the words that came out of the Crown Prince¡¯s mouth were completely unexpected. ¡°Can you wait for Rosalyn¡¯s punishment?¡± ¡°¡­Punishment.¡± They had such a causal relationship that was too obvious, so Selina couldn¡¯t comprehend it well in her head. The idea that the Crown Prince and Rosalyn were already united with illegality and slander had solidified. She thought that even if people died one by one, they would disappear quietly in the Crown Prince¡¯s power. As for what Rosalyn had done, she thought a few words of apology would be enough. Nonetheless, when the word ¡°punishment¡± came out of his mouth, it sounded inappropriate. ¡°It was revealed belatedly. But she tried to kill you twice, and one person was injured. Once I know this, I can¡¯t just bury it and move on.¡± ¡°It is¡­¡± She didn¡¯t think he would say that. ¡°Still, there is no evidence other than Rosalyn¡¯s confession, and there is also the matter of courtesy for Marquis Tiolan. Of course, it¡¯s not going to be taken lightly since it¡¯s a matter of human life. However, on the other hand, as it is the work of a great noble, the punishment may be less than expected.¡± She was confused. So, was it a warning for Selina not to bite Rosalyn, or was it a consolation to give Selina peace of mind as Rosalyn would be thrown away? ¡°The reason Rosalyn confessed to me was because she had faith in me as a human being. Just by telling you this way, I had betrayed it.¡± If Selina had not known that the two were a good match, she would have moved and pressured them at the same time. How soft it was to be treated like ¡®only you are special.¡¯ If the person gave her the ¡®special treatment¡¯ like the Crown Prince, no matter how hard they may be, their heart would be swayed in an instant. ¡°¡­I-is this a secret even to the Count?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him because it was a real accident for the Count. Though if you want to tell him, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Unconsciously, the Crown Prince slightly tilted the scales of responsibility towards her. Selina was only looking at the scales, so she knew that this was also the Crown Prince¡¯s trick. But now was not the time for an expos¨¦. She was fighting in the dark, wielding a sword. She had to check later to find out whether the sword she wielded went to her leg or hit the opponent¡¯s heart. ¡°I won¡¯t tell him either. If I tell him, won¡¯t you be in trouble?¡± ¡°That is probably going to happen.¡± ¡°Then, I won¡¯t tell him anymore.¡± Was it his ultimate goal to get these words out of Selina¡¯s mouth? His face brightened as if he had let go of all the congestion in him. ¡°We have a secret between the two of us.¡± A secret whisper fluttered in her ears. A secret between the two of them¡­ How thrilling and romantic. Could he have captured Rosalyn with such sweet and dizzying words? ¡°So, am I safe now?¡± ¡°Of course, in my name, you are safe.¡± Selina smiled like a paralyzed hostage. She didn¡¯t even know which hand she was in right now. ¡°Since the secret story is over, it¡¯s a pity, but I must return you to the Duke¡¯s arms.¡± The Crown Prince escorted Selina back as he would the first time, turning to the side where Kalcion was. She was so focused on the story that she didn¡¯t even look at him. Kalcion turned around and stared at this side with tremendous momentum. Was the Crown Prince taking the time naturally while she was feeling that way? He was truly a scoundrel. Unlike Selina, who shuddered when she had done nothing wrong, the Crown Prince was even more excited. ¡°Now that the Count has regained his consciousness, the party will begin again. I would like to invite you to my personal, very small gathering.¡± He had been anxious to call Selina to the Palace from the last time. What the hell is he trying to do? At least, It seemed that he had no intention of killing her in a place where no one had been summoned. If it¡¯s a personal, very small gathering, it¡¯s tempting to do something secretly just for the two of them. ¡°It is an honor.¡± Okay, let¡¯s see where it goes. Selina gladly made eye contact with him and curved her lips. It was when she almost reached in front of Kalcion¡­ ¡°Did the talk go well?¡± ¡­He growled and grabbed Selina¡¯s wrist and dragged it towards him. As if to hide her behind his body, Kalcion dragged Selina down and then released her wrist. ¡°When the Duke was not present, we could talk intimately, and we could communicate very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Even though Kalcion said that, she wondered if there was any meaning in him exhaling energy from his whole body. A woman moved away a mountain by carrying small stones¡­ The person who was like an old tree grew younger and younger, and now, like a five-year-old, he couldn¡¯t hide his emotions. She wondered if this would be okay to act like this in front of the Crown Prince, but he seemed satisfied. That one was also five-year-old. He rejoiced in seeing the people he hated getting annoyed because of him. Selina, who was caught between the two five-year-olds, sighed alone. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave you.¡± ¡°Be careful on your way back.¡± ¡°See you next time, Lady Selina.¡± The Crown Prince did not forget the courtesy of pressing his lips on the back of her hand until the very end. If only it had been a second longer, Kalcion would have responded with action again, but he released Selina at the right time and climbed into the carriage. As soon as the Crown Prince¡¯s carriage had left, Kalcion grabbed Selina¡¯s hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Disinfection.¡± Kalcion took out a handkerchief and rubbed Selina¡¯s hands, and then he threw the handkerchief away without picking it up again. ¡ª Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Hearing those words, the hand that touched the Crown Prince¡¯s body felt even more unpleasant for nothing, as if his gloomy and dark energy had transferred. Selina put her finger on Kalcion¡¯s lips. ¡°Here, too.¡± Kalcion¡¯s eyes shone dangerously. However, more slowly, he grabbed her wrist and covered the back of her hand before pressing his lips against her fingertips. The soft lips didn¡¯t go well with his firm fingers though a creepy feeling ran through her body as if she was being eaten from the fingertips. ¡°It is okay now.¡± Selina, whose ears were red, pulled her hand back, but Kalcion wouldn¡¯t let her go. ¡°There will be seeing eyes, so why¡­¡± Turning her head to say that there were also servants at the entrance, she saw the Princess with her mouth wide open as she looked at them through the window of the carriage. At the same time, Kalcion, who turned his head, hardened like a stone. Apparently, their actions just weren¡¯t something they should do in front of a child. They almost went above the appropriate level. Selina hid her hands behind her furiously and laid a sheet of iron on her face. ¡°The Crown Prince has left, so come out.¡± Nothing happened. It was just the way it was. Hearing the coercion and intimidation in her voice, the Princess nodded heavily. Surely, the dumped Princess¡¯ pillow would get wet tonight. ¡°Because I am not used to the social world, I do make mistakes like this. I am sick, so please forgive me.¡± Count Orlen lay on his bed and begged for an understanding. Before he could calm down as he was surprised by the Crown Prince¡¯s visit, the Princess and Selina came together at the same time, so of course, he would be baffled. Originally, the Princess had sent a message saying that she wanted to visit urgently while he calculated that Selina would come to visit him in a leisurely manner after meeting her. However, thanks to the Crown Prince¡¯s appearance, everything was twisted. The frightened Princess took the time she could to the Count, and Selina, who was in a hurry, arrived sooner than she expected. ¡°You have to be sick to know where your position really is. I guess my reputation wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± ¡°It must have been good enough to be a joke.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about one arrow. I was just looking for an excuse to go back to my estate.¡± Count Orlen smiled like it was no big deal and patted his bandage with his fist. However, his eyebrows were slightly contorted as if he was also being pretentious. Even if he smiled straight away as if it wasn¡¯t hurt, it was showing on his face. Count Orlen, whose bravado was ignored due to his privilege of being a sick person, was faithful to the role of the sick person again with his hands down and lying down. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t know the Princess would be with you. When did you become friends?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not friends.¡± When the Princess looked around, Selina turned her head to the other side and let her tongue out. The exasperated Princess opened her mouth wide. It was childish even in her childish eyes. Seeing her like that, Selina¡¯s eyes smiled slyly as they met. Once again, the Princess laughed. Still, laughter was also laughter. When the two laughs met, the laughter doubled. Then, she shyly avoids her eyes at the same time. Count Orlen, who was observing the situation, summarized it briefly. ¡°I think you¡¯ve become close.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not close.¡± This time, the Princess spoke first. She likewise stuck her tongue out towards Selina, too. At that, Selina laughed. ¡°I wish the Count¡¯s speedy recovery.¡± The Princess set the bag she had prepared and set it down next to Count Orlen¡¯s place. ¡°This is a present, prepared with mother and my worries.¡± Count Orlen raised his eyebrows slightly, looking thoughtful, and he lifted the bag. It didn¡¯t look heavy. ¡°Can I open it here?¡± The Princess turned to Kalcion and Selina, and she nodded her head sternly. Soon, Count Orlen moved his hand indifferently. The knot in the bundle was easily untied, and a small box appeared inside. It was a pretty expensive-looking box. ¡®Where have I seen it¡­?¡¯ Selina tilted her head at the shape of the box that her eyes were familiar with. Opening the box was a twinkling jeweled hairpin inside. It was not very suitable as a visitation gift. Count Orlen groaned in embarrassment; perhaps he had the same idea. ¡°Well. This.¡± ¡°This is an item that mother instructed to handcraft and added a design to. I guess she saw the one she was most familiar with as she picked from places she could reach.¡± The Princess answered again. It was a more powerful voice than usual. Selina looked at the jewel, the Princess, and Count Orlen in turn. He looked at the jewel for a while and then let out a long sigh. ¡°It is a beautiful jewel. It¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t even see in my estate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an item, you can just fill it.¡± ¡°Even if the number of rare items increases, I wonder if an outsider like me can manage it.¡± ¡°You just need to have someone to manage it with you.¡± ¡°How should the people¡¯s labor be calculated?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be enough to just feed them and put them to sleep?¡± It was only then did Selina remembered where she had seen the jewels. She saw it in the same place as the necklace that was hanging from her neck. A small jewelry store she found on her way back from shopping with Kalcion, where the owner¡¯s identity could not be revealed¡­ She saw there. ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯ She discovered the basis of the fluttering conversation between Count Orlen and the Princess. Somehow, her words didn¡¯t sound like hers and were awkward. The Princess had now come to find one more way for her to live. No matter how, it seemed that it would be difficult to get close to Kalcion, so it seemed that she was looking for another place and scored Count Orlen. Anyone who knew would have known. Who was the owner of the jewelry store, or what was the Queen¡¯s hobby? It was a known fact that the Queen, who deliberately held a fancy party and stole money through the back hole, must have secretly saved up the money. Still, no one knew in what form she had collected the money. In this world, especially the noble society, the production and distribution of jewelry seemed to be quite important. At least it was in a position where it would not be destroyed. She didn¡¯t know about Count Orlen¡¯s wealth, but it seemed that he was moved by the Queen¡¯s jewels. He even asked, ¡°How far do you want me?¡± When the Princess answered that she would be satisfied if she spared her life, what would Count Orlen really say? ¡°I have to think about it a bit. Now, the warehouse is full, so it¡¯s difficult to just fill it up.¡± ¡°I hope you build a new warehouse soon.¡± As Count Orlen was still procrastinating his answer, the Princess persisted. ¡®That¡¯s pretty good.¡¯ She acted like a child for a while though she was quite mature when it came to risking her life. Even the Princess¡¯ appearance was brighter than she expected. It was extraordinary. Even if the Crown Prince really tried to wipe out the throne, she wanted to survive somehow. ¡°I¡¯ll go out first, then.¡± The Princess was quick-witted. She went away first, leaving only Kalcion and Selina. There was no need for the Princess, who was superior in status, to do so. However, she was already living in a world where status was not everything. It was after learning the laws of the world that people begging for their lives should be at the bottom, and those who regretted it should bow down. After the Princess retreated, Selina changed her expression and sat down. ¡°The Princess is smarter than I thought.¡± Despite her reckless remarks, Count Orlen shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Crown Prince, she would have grown up better. It¡¯s a pity.¡± Remarks that could lead to treason if left unattended, Count Orlen uttered recklessly without fear. ¡°Your guts, Count Orlen, are really great. It¡¯s amazing to see that you didn¡¯t shrink at all, even after being hit by an arrow.¡± ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t an arrow that flew at me.¡± Kalcion crossed his arms, listening to Count Orlen, who also did not speak back. ¡°¡­Are you sure? Didn¡¯t they just shut your mouth to say something to me?¡± ¡°When I saw the strength of the arrow, it was never a mistake by immaturity. It was a mistake caused by the target mixed-up until the very end.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°There may have been two orders, and the person next to them may have been confused.¡± In other words, they may be trying to kill Selina but hurriedly silenced the Count instead. At those words, the air became heavy. Selina exhaled her breath with difficulty. ¡°I thought what you were going to say that day would be so great that you were silenced.¡± ¡°Silence. Looking closely, it might be the case. I didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal. It¡¯s just that the honor of others is at stake, so I shouldn¡¯t talk about it easily.¡± ¡°What were you trying to say that day? There was no need to hide it anymore. Count Orlen answered easily. ¡°I was trying to tell you not to be too friendly with the Crown Prince. It¡¯s because Lady Irell had a big problem right after she was connected with the Crown Prince. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s related, but I wondered if the same pattern would be repeated for Lady Selina.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± After that, it wasn¡¯t much. However, after Irell and the Crown Prince, another new relationship was discovered. ¡°Is Lady Irell friendly with the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°At least where there is no human eye.¡± ¡°How did Count Orlen find out about that?¡± ¡°I happened to pass by and saw the two of them hugging and kissing. However, I was not interfering, I was quiet, so I completely forgot about it.¡± Count Orlen glanced at Kalcion. Selina looked back at him in surprise. Kalcion didn¡¯t even move. It had already been revealed that Irell was involved with other noblemen, but she didn¡¯t expect her to go to the Crown Prince. While she doubted whether Irell was the person who was timid, she also understood that the Crown Prince¡¯s sweet speech could do anything. Another assumption fitted the condition again. ¡­The Crown Prince had approached the ¡®Kalcion¡¯s woman,¡¯ not Selina. ¡ª Chapter 114 Chapter 114 ¡°Then, are the arrows from the Crown Prince¡¯s side?¡± The arrows are the surest proof. Since it was directly embedded in the body, it couldn¡¯t be counterfeited. ¡°There are no arrows.¡± However, Count Orlen shook his head. ¡°As soon as I opened my eyes, I checked and it was already gone. It must have been a hand from the barracks.¡± It reminded her of the Crown Prince who had just come out of the barracks. It wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to sneak an arrow through the frantic medical staff. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Selina sighed in pity. The most important piece of evidence was missing. If so, now they had no choice but to piece together the clues and trace them. ¡°I met the Crown Prince at the entrance earlier. He told me it was all Rosalyn¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Lady Rosalyn?¡± ¡°She did it out of jealousy and excessive loyalty. She loved him too much.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ That makes sense. It is right that she acted for the Crown Prince, and she does not care about the means.¡± Count Orlen agreed lightly. Nonetheless, it seemed that he knew nothing more than that. ¡°What did the Crown Prince say about this incident?¡± ¡°It was a formal consolation. It was a hunting ground, so there would be arrows from someone inexperienced, and he pretended it was bad luck.¡± Count Orlen was not directly involved in Irell¡¯s case. He was really unlucky. ¡°It¡¯s a warning to stay quiet.¡± As Selina laughed out loud at the choice of words, Kalcion also gave a chuckle from her side. Count Orlen also laughed together, so apart from the conversation, a fairly friendly atmosphere was created, although the content of the conversation was serious. ¡°When I thought about it, I talked quite a bit. I kept in touch with the queen, made friends with Renbird through Miss Selina, and tried to openly talk about Miss Irell¡¯s affair.¡± Count Orlen smiled. ¡°I thought I was holding my breath in my own way though I guess I couldn¡¯t avoid the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes because the sound of my breathing was louder than the others.¡± ¡°So, do you plan to go down to the estate?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want to be arrogant. I need to get some rest. I won¡¯t be able to go out and play until my body recovers.¡± Even though he said it as if he was going on vacation, it was more of a runaway from the Crown Prince¡¯s pressure. Was this what the Crown Prince wanted? He was like a servant who goes when told and comes when called. If that was what he wanted from Kalcion¡­ The expected ending would only be a catastrophe. The carriage the Princess was riding in had been arranged to wait in a nearby forest. The roads that carriages could go on were limited, so it was easy to find. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± Right before changing carriages, the Princess hesitated, then spat out a word, sat down in the carriage, and turned her head. ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, pay off your debt next time.¡± As if she did have any intention of repaying back, the Princess quietly turned her head this way. ¡°If there is a way to pay it back¡­¡± ¡°There is a good way to give up on the Duke.¡± At those words, the Princess reflexively opened her eyes, but the force was not what it used to be. ¡°Someday I will¡­ when I become a cool girl like Selina¡­ then¡­¡± She wondered if he would throw a challenge, but in the end, it was a compliment to Selina. It seemed that in the Princess¡¯s heart, Selina had settled down as a better person than Kalcion. Selina pursed her lips tightly as laughter seemed to roll away. ¡°By that time, the Duke will already be an old man.¡± ¡°No¡­! Even if the Duke is old, he won¡¯t be like those uncles!¡± Immediately, the Princess screamed and slammed the carriage door with her hand. Staring at her departing carriage, Selina nudged Kalcion in the side. ¡°Really, the Duke Renbird won¡¯t be like uncles even when he¡¯s old?¡± What an important question that is, Kalcion earnestly recalled the face of his ancestors. ¡°They seem younger than the average age group.¡± She never thought he would have a real good bloodline. ¡°It would be nice to have someone to live with.¡± There was nothing particularly good or bad about oneself as long as one did not live by looking in the mirror, checking if one¡¯s face was handsome or ugly. It was a benefit to those who always saw that face. Hearing those words, Kalcion fell into thought once again. ¡°I don¡¯t think my mother thought it was very nice.¡± It was a joke, but a serious family affair came out. Nevertheless, thinking about it, wouldn¡¯t the previous duke look similar to Kalcion? Still, it was an unsatisfying marriage. ¡°Your mother must have been more concerned with the character than the face.¡± Selina was truly sorry. If the previous Duke had been a little more friendly, or if the previous Duchess had shown her face a little more, they would have lived moderately well together. Kalcion, the young one in the middle, wouldn¡¯t have grown up too strict. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°A face like this is enough to exceed my taste, but if I didn¡¯t get along well with this face and money, would there be anything more than your personality?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± When Kalcion naturally held out his hand to Selina as she climbed into the carriage, she naturally took his hands. Looking at their clasped hands, he suddenly remembered a piece of his childhood memory. His mother was like this, too. Although she always treated the former duke with a cold face, she naturally accepted this kind of escort. She wasn¡¯t surprised by his hand wrapping around her waist, and they danced together at her ball. Even so, when she opened her mouth, she was dissatisfied. Even though every time she went to the capital, she made a new lover, her dissatisfaction with her husband, the late Duke, did not go away. Suddenly, he wondered what Selina would be like. No matter what happened, he still vividly remembers saying that she didn¡¯t like men like Kalcion, though his mother didn¡¯t marry to her liking either. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Both.¡± Selina answered immediately without even thinking. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the right answer in this case? If you were the previous duchess, what would you have been like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have gotten married in the first place.¡± Again, her answer was short and straightforward. Those who were firm in their thoughts did not have to ponder for a long time. ¡°Marriage is a matter of intertwined family interests, so it¡¯s not something you can choose as you like, right?¡± When it got to that point, she was finally troubled. Well¡­ Selina, who was dragging her words, answered before long. ¡°Still, I would have run away without getting married. My view of marriage is really clear.¡± ¡°What kind of marriage is it?¡± ¡°Marriage is never something to do.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What did he expect? Kalcion quietly sank into silence. Meanwhile, Selina, unaware of that, ranted alone about why she shouldn¡¯t get married. ¡°People think they would die if they get separated from each other and get married, then get married and get annoyed by the sound of going to the bathroom at dawn. Marriage is real life. However, is it really happiness for two humans to live side by side for the rest of their lives? I think that is a complete illusion.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Kalcion, who had a simple view of marriage: marriage was only a process for maintaining and prospering a family, had no opinions to put forward. The idea of marriage from the other world that he had never heard of in his life was fresh. ¡°Is it really possible for a person to match their appearance, personality, finances, hobbies, and lifestyle? And live in harmony? You can live happily and safely on your own, so why bother?¡± ¡°There is no need to do that.¡± Therefore, even if married, the couple must respect each other¡¯s privacy. Kalcion also actively agreed with this part. ¡°In the Duke¡¯s case, you have to marry out of duty, like going to the battlefield for the sake of future generations or the survival of your family. But if I have to get married out of duty, I¡¯d rather pack up my money and run away.¡± In every word, the view of marriage that Kalcion had been thinking about all his life was like that. All of the married life that he had seen since birth was nothing more than ¡®duty,¡¯ a tedious duty. He would like to avoid it if he can. Forcing to match with someone was annoying. Since he could not produce an heir himself, the final ¡®duty¡¯ he had to fulfill was marriage. It would be enough to clap his hands and agree with Selina¡¯s words, but Kalcion¡¯s mood was endlessly miserable. ¡°You seem to hate the very form of marriage.¡± ¡°I think marriage to other people is a beautiful thing. It¡¯s just that in order for me to get married, I have to meet someone as miraculous as I have come to this world moving through dimension¡­ Oh?¡± Selina¡¯s words, which continued until the carriage entered the city, suddenly stopped as she passed through an alley. ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­!¡± Selina slammed the wall of the carriage and stuck her head out the door. Because of that, the carriage hastily stopped. She tried to stick his head out, wondering what was going on, but Kalcion pulled her body. Tang! A sharp sound of blades colliding with each other came from the alley. He instinctively grabbed the sword at his waist. ¡°Duke, wait!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. What is it?¡± Kalcion asked as he hid Selina behind his back. The situation outside the carriage was unusual. ¡°Your Excellency, what shall we do?¡± The coachman urged in an anxious voice. He seemed to want to leave this place soon. The sharp friction sound didn¡¯t end once. The horses stamped their feet impatiently at the sound of a series of rustles. ¡°Well, I think I saw Juna!¡± ¡°Kyaaak!¡± Almost simultaneously with Selina¡¯s cry, a scream erupted from the back of the alley. ¡ª Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ¡°Check it.¡± Kalcion glanced at the two guards standing next to the carriage. The two, who were attached as escorts, immediately drew their swords and entered the alley at Kalcion¡¯s command. As soon as they entered the alley where the scuffle was taking place, they recognized one of them was a familiar face. It was the search party that was sent to find Juna. The other side that was fighting them was equally familiar. The way they moved or the way they protected their bodies. It was the same as the assassin who tried to kill Selina and the assassin who shot an arrow at Count Orlen. After quickly assessing the situation, the two guards immediately jumped into the scuffle. In the midst of a tight fight, the two intervened, and victory and defeat were quickly decided. As soon as they realized they were out of luck, the assassins scattered in all directions. Two went in pursuit, and the others cleared the situation by giving a glance at each other. It was a fierce battle, but the skills of both sides were equally outstanding, so they could not inflict injuries. It was because there was no gap enough to inflict fatal wounds on each other. The guards saw Juna crushed in the corner of an alley and raised her up. ¡°Kyaaaak! Save me! It¡¯s my fault! Please, forgive me!¡± The struggling Juna, covered in tears and snot, was pulled out of the alley by the guards. Juna soon knelt in front of the carriage in which Selina was riding. They just put her there, but her legs gave out, and she collapsed. The carriage door opened, and Selina crossed her legs in her seat, looking down at Juna. She was already crouching on the ground, but the moment she saw Selina¡¯s face, Juna lowered herself even further. ¡°Sa-save me! Please forgive me!¡± The pale Juna begged. Her body, lying on her stomach, trembled. Looking at her appearance, it seemed to show the hardships she had been facing. It was probably unknown if Juna had slept or eaten, let alone washed. In just a few days, she looked like a beggar that was going to die. The body, which was covered in dirt and filth, looked like murky soup would flow just by getting water sprayed on her. Even though she was far away, she could smell the sourness from Juna. Still, there didn¡¯t seem to be any injuries anywhere so she wasn¡¯t particularly sympathetic. ¡°What¡¯s the point of running away so cunningly?¡± ¡°I-I ran away to live, really!¡± ¡°Who wants to kill you?¡± ¡°Miss Selina won¡¯t kill me! However, someone else might come to kill me!¡± ¡°I think it would be much safer at the Renbird¡¯s mansion than wandering the streets like that. But well, if you think so.¡± Selina eagerly tried to close the door of the carriage. Though Juna, who had crawled across the floor of the carriage and got entangled in the carriage, grabbed the door and clung to it. ¡°Oh, no! Right! Miss Selina is right!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m letting you go. Go where you want to go.¡± ¡°No¡­! I want to go to the Renbird mansion! Even if you lock me up, I¡¯ll be quietly locked up! I won¡¯t even dream of leaving!¡± Confinement now was protection. Despite this, she continued to paraphrase her words in favor. Although it was out of necessity, Juna was Irell¡¯s closest confidant. She may have seen many things others did not. She probably didn¡¯t consider it important herself and skipped over many of those things. For that reason, Juna was an advantageous hand to hold. Selina was going to take her to the mansion anyway, but when Juna obediently listened to her as Selina wanted, her stomach got twisted. ¡°Why-why don¡¯t you go and tell Lirel the same thing? You¡¯ve been loyal for so long, can¡¯t she just keep you locked up?¡± ¡°No! Miss Lirel would do nothing but kill me. Uhhuu¡­¡± ¡°Why would Lirel kill you? You are a good loyalist with great acting skills.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! How can I know what¡¯s inside the Lady? Is it because I know too much¡­? I went near the mansion, but when I heard that the soldiers were looking for me to kill me, I immediately ran away.¡± Listening to what the soldiers said, it was not a hasty guess to say that Lirel gave the order. The authenticity could be discussed later, but if true, Juna has become an outcast even in Lirel¡¯s eyes. Then, the one more reason for Selina to take good care of Juna had disappeared. ¡°It seems Lirel is also very fickle. By the way, do I have to save you because you¡¯re pretty? Didn¡¯t I already save you once before?¡± Juna was caught while running away though it was an undeniable fact that Selina saved her. Selina became more condescending. ¡°Please, save me one more time!¡± ¡°What will you do if I save you?¡± ¡°Anything!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Selina looked troubled, and Juna¡¯s eyes shone even more eagerly. ¡°I will really become Miss Selina¡¯s loyalist from now on! Whatever you ask me to do!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± She smiled and refused. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± At this point, she thought Selina would accept her. After being hit in the back of her head, Juna looked dazed. Even her hands, which had been grabbing the carriage, were drained of strength. That was what betraying people¡¯s trust was like. Selina looked at Juna with cold eyes. ¡°How can I trust you and make you work again? You have nothing to do now.¡± ¡°That, that, that¡ª¡± ¡°Even so, what? You¡¯re useless to me now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m useful! There will be some use of me¡­!¡± ¡°Which one? Where?¡± ¡°I have something very important! I¡¯ll give you that!¡± She was about to get Juna into slavery and accept her, but she suddenly brought up a completely unexpected story. ¡°What do you have?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t tell you that right now¡­¡± Again, Juna was looking at an opportunity. She hated it so much that she even thought about throwing her away. ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying it on purpose. Seriously, anyone who hears will die¡­¡± Even as Juna spoke, her eyes glanced around, were tinged with fear. It didn¡¯t seem like a lie. When Selina didn¡¯t want to follow her willingly, it was Juna who got impatient. ¡°I said it was very important that it could cause a stir if it came out into the world. At least, enough to send some people flying!¡± ¡°Is this a joke?¡± Hearing it, it was not like Juna was threading the waters. ¡°Show it to me, then. If you can¡¯t talk, just show it yourself.¡± Selina held out her hand towards Juna. ¡°Not now.¡± But this time, she kept her mouth shut and shook her head. As Selina asked more, she shifted her weight to the side. Seeing her reaction, it really made Juna want to cry. Selina really won¡¯t let her go to the mansion, even by gritting her teeth. ¡°Then when?¡± ¡°Can, can we go to the mansion and talk slowly for now?¡± Juna watched like a mouse hiding in a hole. She was desperately looking for a way to live. No more squabbles on the street. Selina pretended to give up and made a chin gesture. Once they go to the mansion, whether she hid or lied down, she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave. ¡°Ride next to the coachman. Oh, what is this curiosity?¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Fearing that Selina might change her mind in the meantime, Juna moved and quickly rode beside her coachman. ¡°Ugh, the Miss¡¯ smell¡­¡± She could hear the coachman¡¯s anguish, but she couldn¡¯t put Juna in the carriage. When she arrived at the mansion with Juna, who looked like a beggar, everyone in the mansion clicked their tongues. It was the perfect misunderstanding that Selina dragged her after rolling in the gutter. Selina made her way to a small room, tightened her stomach, and spoke. ¡°You would be punished for tampering with your master¡¯s property, and then stealing the master¡¯s property and running away¡­¡± ¡°When did I¡­!¡± ¡°¡­As expected, should I kill you?¡± ¡°¡­I did. I must have gone crazy and forgotten. I stole everything and ran away. Please, just save me.¡± She had to make Juna a sinner in order to keep her in the mansion for a while. Rather than talking about being a spy of a certain family, the maid who stole the master¡¯s things and ran away was more realistic. Juna jumped reflexively and covered herself in mud, but it was a thousand times better off than dying. Soon, she was placed in a small room. It was an abandoned room with a window the size of a palm, unable to be used as storage because of the humidity. In the dark and shady, Juna opened her frightened eyes. ¡°Okay, now that we¡¯re at the mansion, shall we talk quietly? You can give it right away.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have it right now.¡± ¡°Huh, all your answers are like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. I hid it on the way to Renbird. They might have taken it away from me.¡± ¡°So, where is it?¡± Juna confided that she had hidden it near the first village she stopped by over the border of Renbird, but she said it would be hard to find unless it was her. It was because she knew that she couldn¡¯t live forever while imprisoned in the mansion and that she would have to go to the Renbird estate to live because she was already being chased. The day was not far off when she would return to Renbird anyway. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t find it there, or if it was nonsense¡­¡± ¡°No! Absolutely not! It¡¯s really true¡­!¡± ¡°I know I will bury you in the spot I couldn¡¯t find. Never forget that you are now in front of the Duke Renbird, who can actually do it.¡± The Duke of the North¡¯s notoriety wasn¡¯t just in Selina¡¯s head. As soon as Juna heard her words, her face became pale as if even the last drop of blood had disappeared. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not intentional, but was really lost?¡± ¡°Is that my business?¡± Selina smiled kindly. Juna looked at her with a lot of resentment. Half of her eyes were swearing. Of course, Selina didn¡¯t even budge. ¡°So, what is it?¡± Now, she could ask. Juna swallowed a gulp with a determined look before eventually opening her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Lady Irell¡¯s will.¡± ¡ª Chapter 116 Chapter 116 ¡°¡­.!¡± Selina and Kalcion held their breath at the same time. She couldn¡¯t even imagine that there would be such a thing. Kalcion, of course, thought it was a murder, so he thought there wasn¡¯t, and Selina didn¡¯t mention it. It was wildly unexpected that someone might have stolen it and hidden it. Selina glanced back at him, wondering if he might have forgotten, but he shook his head like he had never heard of it, too. She then slowly inhaled and exhaled her breath. Kalcion was slow, like someone who had been beaten. It was clear that his mind was also a mess occupied by the surprise. It was the same with Selina though it was time to question the truth. She uttered more sternly, squinting her eyes at Juna. ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to save your life right now? You can¡¯t even read. How do you know it¡¯s a will?¡± ¡°I heard orders to look for it after Lady Irell is dead! It must have fallen in the wind and got under the bed, so I found it later!¡± If Irell had told her to find it right after she died, it would have clearly been a will. ¡°But, why do you have it?¡± ¡°Thinking about it, I could stay silent, yet I had it because I thought I could use it at that time. I told Miss Lirell that I didn¡¯t have it. It had not been confirmed whether it was a real will or just a letter or memo. However, given the circumstances, it was highly likely that it was a will, just as Juna had said. ¡°They made a fuss when they said they couldn¡¯t find it, that it shouldn¡¯t happen, that it would be a real big deal if it were found later, and that everyone would die! It is definitely right!¡± Selina gave no answer, so Juna seemed impatient and poured out words. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll trust you for now.¡± ¡°You must trust me, not just for now! With this letter, Lady Selina could become the Queen of society!¡± Juna, oblivious to the circumstances, fussed, but none of it reached Selina¡¯s ears. Her eyes were staggering, and it was difficult to keep herself centered. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She even thought she had deceived him, though not in Kalcion¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t miss even the slightest stagger, even after hearing her reply that she was okay, a firm hand wrapped around her waist. Selina rested comfortably on his arm. She felt more secure than when she was standing alone. She pretended nothing was wrong, even placing the bodyguards at the door as surveillance and telling the passing maids to send anything they didn¡¯t want to do to the closet. The maids, who had been bothered by the usually arrogant Juna, would pamper themselves to their heart¡¯s content instead of Selina. Unable to bear the time to return to her room, Selina asked out of the blue. ¡°Is it a real will?¡± She pretended it was not a big deal, but the words that came out of her mouth made a huge impact that would shake their relationship. ¡°Since she can¡¯t read, she might have stolen the wrong papers.¡± It could be. ¡°Still, what if it¡¯s a real will?¡± The very existence of the will completely destroy Kalcion¡¯s claim that it was a murder. Why would she leave a will if she was not to be executed? ¡®Suicide¡¯ becomes the correct answer, except for the rather far-fetched guess that she was left alive¡­ They only need to confirm the words of the will as the reason why she committed suicide. The reason for the death and the person who drove it could be found at once. Kalcion¡¯s reason to keep his contract with Selina was gone. As long as it was a real will, the case investigation was completely closed. The end suddenly flew right in front of her eyes without warning. The end of the case was the termination of the contract¡­ That meant that her love affair with Kalcion was also over. Her heart shook. ¡°¡­The first thing to do is to check. You can¡¯t jump to conclusions about anything.¡± Kalcion was right. The first thing to do was to check if there was a will, and if there was, whether it was correct. It was a grace period until she got her hands on it. If the will were fake or could not be found, the contract would be extended. In preparation for that time, they would have to maintain this state for a while. The strength drained from her shoulder, where she had put so much tension. Her white, hardened head also began to work again. ¡°Then, are you going to send Juna first to find the will?¡± Kalcion shook his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s best from our side. It¡¯s okay to disperse the troops to do tracking work in the city though it will take more troops to go up to Renbird. It is safer to travel together.¡± ¡°So, am I going back?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t leave you alone here.¡± ¡­To come back. Even though she expected the matter to be over soon, she was also returning faster than expected. ¡°¡­Going back.¡± To Renbird, and soon to the original world¡­ the day she was going back was, in fact, far off. ¡®Someday.¡¯ There was a difference between going back ¡°someday¡± and going back ¡°right now.¡± She didn¡¯t know that someday would come so soon. The night view of Renbird and the festival of Renbird, which she would see ¡®someday,¡¯ could be seen for real. She wondered if Kalcion understood that, too. He just nodded his head quietly, not much different from his usual expression. ¡°It¡¯s faster than I thought, so I¡¯m a bit surprised.¡± For Kalcion, sending Selina would be more laborious and troublesome. To give her a few pennies and set her up to live well, it would be easy. ¡°When the whole incident is revealed¡­ revenge is my job.¡± Selina had nothing to do with it. As she had decided at the beginning, Selina¡¯s place, even after the matter was coming to an end, was to ¡®dive into the social world and gather information.¡¯ Neither the position of Kalcion¡¯s lover nor the bed they shared every night could become Selina¡¯s ¡®place.¡¯ ¡®¡­Isn¡¯t that what I wanted?¡¯ Just doing clean work and returning to the original world without messy feelings. She had to jump all over the place for joy. Still, it felt rather heavy, as if a weight had been put on her heart. Selina pressed hard against her chest. Like a pit clumped up together in her body, making her stomach upset. If she vomited, she would feel refreshed, but there was nothing inside her, and she felt frustrated. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°¡­I must have been a bit nervous earlier. I feel uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Shall we go for a walk?¡± The cool breeze might cool her down a bit. Selina grabbed Kalcion¡¯s arm and walked down the street leading out of the building. The corridors she had never paid attention to because she always saw them pass by were densely engraved in her eyes. To return to Renbird soon, and if she returned to her original world, this would be her last memory. She thought every moment that this was not her own world, yet when it was time for her to let go, her fists, which she had already clenched with all her strength, could not straighten. ¡°Are there people at the training ground right now?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for a break.¡± ¡°Then, can I take a look around?¡± She wished to see once more the places where she had spent so much time. It seemed that she had been putting her feelings down one by one at some point in the training ground, where she rolled around every morning without even realizing it. If she didn¡¯t pick up that heart again, it seemed that she would have to take a heavy step back to her original world. Kalcion did not ask for a specific reason and went there obediently. It was a place she always goes though it was new as she was in a different mood. He walked quietly without saying anything. Selina ran her fingers through the crevices between his muscles that she could feel underneath his clothes. Even Kalcion¡¯s hard forearm that touches her fingertips could now be touched to her heart¡¯s content without tension. There were times when she feared that this forearm might break her own neck. The familiar light movement. She had already clung to it and dug in, not knowing when it came. Perhaps on purpose, their pace was languid today. It was about one step per breath. As she thought if perhaps the road to the training ground had been this far, he started talking to her. ¡°What kind of world do you live in?¡± ¡°If you suddenly ask me that¡­ Well. What should I answer first?¡± ¡°Anything. Whatever comes to mind.¡± ¡°Why are you curious about that? You¡¯ve never asked that question before.¡± ¡°Because you miss it so much and yearn to go back. I want to know what is there and how it is different from here.¡± Selina realized it belatedly from Kalcion¡¯s words. Did she really want to go back? No¡­ She had never indicated that she wanted to go back. She was just always thinking of the day she would return. What if Kalcion thought of it as ¡®counting the day to return¡¯? He wouldn¡¯t have thought of staying here in the first place. He would only think of sending her back one day. Although it was not a distance that she could run for a few days, a place so far that she didn¡¯t know if she could go back or not¡­ A place where once she returns, they will never see each other again. Not being able to see each other again, like death. A fool who gave affection to a person who was about to die was not common¡­ The mind was as precious as money. Don¡¯t recklessly invest in someone whom you couldn¡¯t get it back once you gave it away¡­ ¡­It was a better thing for each other. At least, it would hurt less. ¡°There and here¡­ Well. Surprisingly, things like climate are similar.¡± Selina deliberately raised a bright voice. ¡°Um.¡± ¡°Instead, things like trees and flowers have slightly different appearances. Roses don¡¯t have saw blades like this, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a purple lily.¡± She just said whatever caught her eye as she looked at the landscaping that was decorated on the way, but Kalcion, as soon as he heard her words, decapitated the purple lily. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Are you already packing what I need to bring?¡± ¡°Since you might miss¡­ the time you spent here.¡± ¡ª Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Selina rolled the purple lily in her hand. If she really wanted to make it in the other world, she could add color to it though it wouldn¡¯t feel like this here. Under the warm sunlight, under the shade of a tree with a cool breeze. The purple lilies picked by this handsome man could never be replaced by anything. She then took one deep breath of the floral scent and exhaled a long breath as if to shake it off. ¡°If you¡¯re going to go, leave everything behind. Don¡¯t live with such lingering feelings.¡± ¡°You call that lingering feeling.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity to hold it desperately after remembering that it¡¯s already left your hand.¡± ¡°Then, if I can¡¯t go back to that world, will there be many lingering feelings of that world?¡± Kalcion said he would help to find a way to go back, but he didn¡¯t say she could definitely go back. Although she might not be able to go back. Selina looked up at the sky and once again thought of the world she had lived in. Even though the sky there and here seemed to be the same, there was a very subtle difference that invaded the realm of familiarity. Although she couldn¡¯t pinpoint and explain what and how it was different, it was different, just like the smell in the air felt different. However, she could remember the sky over there. ¡®How was the sky originally?¡¯ In the meantime, she got used to the sky over here. Likewise, she couldn¡¯t quite remember the many things she had left there that she couldn¡¯t give up. After thinking about it, she was able to recall the things she had one by one. ¡°I have a house, I have a car¡­¡± ¡°Car, do you mean a carriage?¡± ¡°Yes, it is similar. I had a nice car that everyone looked at when I rode it.¡± ¡°You were rich.¡± The person who had the greatest wealth in this world praised her for being rich¡­ Selina laughed as lightly as dandelion seeds that flew away. After she said it, she felt that the things she had in the other world were nothing. Did it change just because she lived a life where money was not important next to Kalcion? The moment she held them in her hands, she was happy, as if she had achieved all of her worldly goals. She was born poor and climbed up there with only her ability. At the time, she felt like she had won a battle against the world that had been tormenting her. ¡°Yes, I was rich. It wasn¡¯t as much as people think. I earned a lot, but my family took it, and I paid off their debts, so I didn¡¯t have much left.¡± It was a common story, a family putting burdens on the backs of their successful children. ¡°Still, I have a very nice house to live in, so I am rich enough. Oh, if you put it here, it¡¯s about a small castle.¡± ¡°To buy it by earning it on your own, you¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Of course, I was good at acting. How much would I be scolded if I couldn¡¯t even act even if I had good looks? I even have a good eye for script selection.¡± ¡°There must be many people who feel sorry for your absence.¡± If she had a great castle, good carriage, beautiful appearance, and excellent professional skills, there would, of course, be many people looking for her. Kalcion¡¯s thought flow was extremely ordinary. ¡°¡­I suppose¡­?¡± Still, Selina smiled like a flower that had dried up all winter and was being blown away by the wind. ¡°It¡¯s not it?¡± Kalcion tilted his head at the strange feeling. ¡°No, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re probably right. In that world, I¡­I was a celebrity that more than half of the people in the world knew about. I told you that I am a great actor. I was special wherever I went.¡± Even now, she lived a special life. It seemed that she was destined to live a remarkable life wherever she went. She was the only lover of the Northern Duke, who was famous for not being interested in women, and a troublemaker who turned the social world upside down. It would be difficult to find such a person twice in this world. ¡°Looks and attention always followed. Even if I drank a sip of water, rumors spread about the water I drank, and even if I looked at a flower while passing by, there was an uproar, saying, ¡®Even Selina fell in love with that flower!¡¯¡± ¡°The whole world is looking at you.¡± She was still receiving the feeling that the whole world was watching her. This was a fate that she had to go through because she was a person called ¡®Selina¡¯ before she was an ¡®actress¡¯ Selina. It had become so natural that she felt sad if she didn¡¯t have it. Thanks to that, there were times when she was happy and fulfilled, but there were also times when she felt cramped and suffocated. ¡°Yes, it was.¡± ¡°You said that you are used to being loved at first, so you can recognize awkwardness at once. Since the whole world loved you, it must have been so.¡± Kalcion spoke to himself as if he had finally grasped what love was. Rather, Selina forgot what love was in his words. Not all love was beautiful¡­ While public love was sometimes surprisingly hot, it also cooled down just as quickly. Love had often turned into hate. They expected a lot from Selina. They wanted her to please, they wanted her to show the wonderful appearance that they couldn¡¯t achieve. She never complained about it. It was a price for the many things she had been able to enjoy, and she thought this was what she was supposed to do. Although they expressed interest and expectation as love, it was not the kind of love that compensated for all the hardships of her life. But now, she spoke as though it was that kind of love. Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t have much on that side either. She didn¡¯t feel like she would die if she didn¡¯t have the love the people gave her there, and it was not something she could never lose. Putting it like that, she would have no reason to return. ¡°Here, you didn¡¯t get that love, so it must have been very difficult.¡± Selina laughed. ¡°You look like someone on their deathbed. Are you sorry that there were many things you couldn¡¯t do for me like in the past?¡± ¡°Is there anything I should be sorry for that I couldn¡¯t do for you?¡± ¡°Acting skills?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± As Kalcion apologized without hesitation, she burst into laughter again. He never tried to make her laugh. Even so, when they were together, she burst out laughing without even realizing it. It was amazing to see a face that was like a statue. Come to think of it, she laughed quite a lot in this world. The beginning was hard, but there were a lot of fun things. She did all the luxuries and even attended a party in the gorgeous Rose Palace that made her eyes roll. Among the ¡®real¡¯ royalty and nobles, not acting, she even danced with the ¡®real¡¯ Northern Duke. For the first time in her life, she fell asleep in the same bed with a man in his arms, and she woke up in the morning satisfied with the warmth of his body temperature. It was good¡­ all those times. The moments when her life was at stake, the things that made her really angry, everything was shining so brightly that it felt like the past was no big deal. ¡°If you go back, I hope you can receive that love again.¡± ¡°Of course. How hard I worked to get that love.¡± ¡°You must go back.¡± ¡°It should be. If only I could go back.¡± ¡°You can go back. Because there is a record that he went back.¡± ¡°The wizard who made this bracelet?¡± ¡°Yes. He went back and forth on his own, leaving a record. So, take a good look at the records, and we will find a way back.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just a rough guess that there was a way to go back somewhere. There was a certain way, as there was a record and there was even evidence with the bracelet. It was clear enough for Kalcion to say that. Like she said at the beginning, she had to let it go. It¡¯s not her life anyway. If she enjoyed the experience, that was it, and leave it. Selina struggled to recall the public¡¯s fervent gaze directed at her. The eyes of people who looked at her with ecstatic eyes, as though all the flowers in the world bloomed just by her smiling once. What were their eyes like? Was it bright, or was it dazed¡­? She couldn¡¯t remember what their eyes were like towards her. As she thought so, she glanced back at Kalcion. He was already looking at her. His mouth said he would send Selina back, but his eyes didn¡¯t. If his eyes had power, it was hot and intense, as if he would wrap his whole body around her and stick it to his body and not be able to separate it. Any glances directed at her would have been weaker than those of Kalcion looking at her now. She noticed long ago that his acting was starting to show feelings. However, she didn¡¯t know that it was already on the verge of overflowing. ¡­Flowers had blossomed in his world. Ah, flowers that have already bloomed did not return to buds. Either it bore seeds, or it withered and died. Kalcion would be hurt after she left. She didn¡¯t even know why she was hurt, too. When she thought of his pain, she felt as though her insides were burning. It was sad and pitiful. But there was nothing she could do. She could not remain in this world where she was nothing. She had to go back. Only then could she become ¡®something.¡¯ Selina smiled bitterly as she faced Kalcion. She pretended not to know and smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He also answered politely. Knowing nothing about his heart, it was clear that he did not know how painful the wounds he would suffer would be. Selina didn¡¯t know that either. ¡ª Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°That¡¯s in the carriage over here!¡± ¡°Carry with care! I told you not to cover it because it will break!¡± For several days already, the mansion has been noisy. Selina stared out the window at the servants carrying the goods to the carriage. It was mainly Selina¡¯s things. ¡°Are you never coming back to Mion? You usually buy it and wear it when you come back, right?¡± ¡°How do I know if we can come back or not? You have to carry it around as much as possible.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is.¡± What the maids said was not very wrong. As Juna said, the will is real, and if she found it, Selina would never come back again. She could leave the dress, but she plans to take the jewelry. She told them just to pack all the dresses as well as all the jewelry. It was also annoying for her to designate what to take. ¡°As scheduled, the advance party is scheduled to depart today.¡± Kalcion came behind her and looked at the servants who were carrying the luggage. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be okay if the escort was minimal?¡± ¡°Anyway, the targets are only you and me, so the servants will be fine. Even if they are targeted, they will only be targeted by thieves who don¡¯t even recognize the family crest. They can handle that much.¡± The number of people going back was minimal when they went, just as they were minimal when they came. Being separated from the attendant was nothing inconvenient, as it was only one day of galloping at full speed. Even if the advance team set off first because of the increased load, it would not be much different from when they arrived at the border of the territory. One day at most. The decision to return separately was due to the news of Count Orlen¡¯s recovery party, that arrived yesterday. ¡°If you want, you can skip the party and leave now.¡± It was a word out of consideration in case she wanted to return to the original world as soon as possible. Selina shook her head. ¡°No, but I still want to see their faces one last time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to delay the departure as much.¡± This time, his considerateness went in the opposite direction. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°As much as you like.¡± Looking back at the serious Kalcion, Selina laughed teasingly. ¡°If I¡¯ll be here forever, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She was supposed to say something teasing, but only her mouth opened, and no words came out. Selina opened her mouth awkwardly, then she just shut it. She was speechless because she knew that Kalcion was not one to say either empty or joking words. She could make fun of his immature acting a hundred times out of a hundred, but she couldn¡¯t make fun of his sincerity. When she didn¡¯t make fun of him, unlike the usual, Kalcion looked at her strangely. ¡°Then it could be a real disaster.¡± She had to go back to acting. Now it was not a role to melt the scary northern Duke, but pretending not to know his heart, ¡®acting as a lover as usual.¡¯ ¡°Is there anything disastrous about you being here for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°What are you going to do if I wanted the biggest extravagance among Duke Renbird¡¯s women?¡± ¡°Then, I should be the richest duke ever. It¡¯s already the case.¡± It was a pretty solid defense. Pretending not to know Kalcion¡¯s heart, she quickly forgot a part of her heart that was uncomfortable with it, and a sense of victory flared up. If he was confident about things like that, she had to show what a person couldn¡¯t really handle. ¡°I want to have my own soldiers because the dress and jewels aren¡¯t enough. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to. More troops is a good thing.¡± ¡°What if I ask you to wipe out all the monsters in the mountains?¡± ¡°Good idea. If we clear the land beyond the mountain range, the resources will be abundant.¡± In the meantime, she hoped he wouldn¡¯t think about it seriously. ¡°What if I ask you to build a castle because you don¡¯t have enough houses?¡± ¡°There is nothing I can¡¯t do for you.¡± There came the limit of her imagination. Kalcion was a huge person more than she thought, and the road to approaching his limits was far. It was difficult to come up with a way to make him in trouble as long as it did not betray humanity. ¡°Will you give it to me if I ask for Renbird¡¯s castle?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t give you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just talk.¡± ¡°Instead, there will be a few conditions.¡± He laughed softly, showing what he was thinking. Did he just laugh in front of the robber who asks for the Renbird¡¯s castle? ¡°No conditions. Just that.¡± ¡°Alright. Keep it.¡± When he laughs, it is as meaningful as if he is putting on a huge condition but then gives it up again. Since when did our northern duke become so bland? ¡°¡­This is all just words right now, right? Could it really be like that?¡± ¡°As much as you like.¡± No matter how much she tried to make it difficult, Kalcion¡¯s composure did not disappear. Selina, who got angry, was even thinking of even abandoning humanity. Then, she blinked and crossed the line. ¡°What would you do if I told you not to get married and live alone and then cut off Renbird¡¯s future generation? What if I want you to act as a lover for the rest of your life and stick to me?¡± As soon as she popped the question, Selina observed him. She wondered if she might have opened the eyes of someone who had been unaware by asking these questions. ¡°I will.¡± Kalcion did not hesitate and answered lightly. ¡°What? Does that make sense? Marriage and future generations are the duties of the duke, right?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do it, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Are you abandoning Renbird?¡± ¡°Even if I throw it away, there will be many people who will pick it up. What else will you ask for?¡± ¡°¡­Haa.¡± He looked not troubled but rather amused, and awaiting the next challenge, Selina succinctly admitted her defeat. She couldn¡¯t sway this man with just her own wits. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t originally this generous, was I?¡± Looking at Selina grumbling while admitting defeat, Kalcion laughed once again. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± However, shortly after giving his answer, his laugh soon subsided. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right?¡± He repeated his answer once more, looking at Selina. ¡°Why? I¡¯m generous to you endlessly. It¡¯s not just words, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any regrets if I actually do what I¡¯m saying now.¡± Her mouth went dry. Too bad this dull, stupid man had yet to find a name for this feeling. Curiously, his heart didn¡¯t swell well until he realized it. ¡°If it¡¯s not just a throwaway comment to make fun of me, but if you really mean it, I can negotiate the terms of the contract again at any time.¡± Since when did the Northern Duke, who used to get into trouble when he opened his mouth, started pouring out only pretty words when he opened his mouth like this? Each time she spoke, a flower bloomed everywhere. It was clear that she was intoxicated by the scent. Selina sought Kalcion¡¯s lips as if attracted by a magnet. While she wrapped her arms around his cheeks and brought their lips together, he would have had enough time to evade or shove, but Kalcion stood still and waited. Rather, their lips met. The soft lips overlapped as if they were sticking to each other. Each other¡¯s breath tickled their cheeks, and the eyelashes of their closed eyelids shimmered in the blurred gaze that had been lowered. Kalcion¡¯s touch, clasping Selina¡¯s waist and the back of her neck as he rubbed her lips, was now natural. Selina even felt a tingling sensation from the palm of his hand skillfully brushing her waist. Like new sensory organs sprouting from her lips and tongue, a strange feeling she had never experienced since birth changed its shape every moment and knocked on the inside of her skin. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± She felt that if she continued, something would explode. Selina couldn¡¯t stand it and pushed his chest. Kalcion held out for a few seconds before loosening his arm. Unlike him, who could control anything, it was uncharacteristically greedy. Pushed to the limit in that brief moment, Selina¡¯s face turned red. Her legs trembled, and she felt like she was going to fall down. Kalcion also breathed through his mouth, his wet lips parted. Even after running dozens of laps around the training ground, his breath, which did not become rough at all, was now as rough as Selina¡¯s. Like hot water running down the top of the heads, the warm energy soaked the two of them. It was the moment when he could not avoid the eyes and had to deal with the consequences of his impulses. ¡°May I ask why?¡± Kalcion asked softly. ¡°Just so.¡± Because your heart was so tender and warm to listen to anything I want. ¡°If your lover says something pretty, that¡¯s usually what lovers do.¡± ¡°Aahh. I see. If your lover says something pretty and does something pretty, you kiss them.¡± Like learning another lesson, Kalcion nodded his head, and their lips touched again. This time, he pushed Selina until she was about to suffocate, but then, unable to hid his regret, he lets go. She was going crazy. Every time this person instinctively coveted her like this, she lost the confidence to take the center stage. Whether it was hugging or kissing, the initiative that she had never missed kept getting passed to Kalcion. Whenever that happened, her body and mind seemed to vibrate on their own. Her body turned red, and her heart fluttered. As she forcibly stopped her racing heart, it seemed that a burnt smell was coming up from the sudden brakes. ¡°Seeing how the Duke¡¯s acting is improving day by day, I feel proud. There is no better acting than acting that has become one with life.¡± Selina feigned a relaxed smile with all her might. ¡°Is that so?¡± Kalcion seemed to accept Selina¡¯s words without questioning her. Stupid. Selina muttered into her mouth. ¡ª Chapter 119 Chapter 119 This party was held at the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, not the Rose Palace. It was a private party held by him, claiming that he felt responsible for the unfortunate occurrence of a hunting contest that the Royal Family hosted. The party was prepared as a place to celebrate the end of the hunting contest and Count Orlen¡¯s safety. Since that was the cause of the party, it was held in the courtyard in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, not indoors, conceivably trying to create an atmosphere similar to that of the hunting competition. Just like that time, cooks were grilling meat everywhere, and thanks to that, the atmosphere of a bustling hunting ground was recreated again. Selina munched the meat and looked around the party hall. As she glanced around, even though the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace did not have the delicate beauty of the Rose Palace, it was indeed majestic and splendid. ¡°¡­It looks like the Crown Prince himself.¡± Selina let out a sigh of admiration as she looked up at the end of the pillar, to which the gilded flower vine fragments coiled. ¡°Glamorous, authoritative, beautiful, yet terrifying.¡± ¡°Is there any reason to express it so well?¡± ¡°Just the tyrant type.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± When Kalcion only then nodded in satisfaction, Selina let out a ridiculous laugh and shook her head. ¡°Why would he make it like this?¡± Unlike her, who only admired her Crown Prince¡¯s palace, Kalcion clicked his tongue in displeasure as he looked at the tall trees surrounding the garden. ¡°Isn¡¯t it to create the hunting ground¡¯s atmosphere?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Still, if it¡¯s surrounded by trees on all sides like this and beyond that is a maze garden, wouldn¡¯t it be undetected if anyone disappeared?¡± ¡°¡­Would the Crown Prince go that far?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not the Crown Prince, it¡¯s worth trying if you want to do something like murdering someone out of sight.¡± ¡°At the Palace, where you can¡¯t even bring an escort?¡± ¡°He could kill it himself. And for a weapon, you can sneak a skewer over there.¡± It was a story that was completely out of touch from this loud and bright atmosphere. But Selina, who had no choice but to accept it more realistically than anyone else, increased her tension and was wary of her surroundings. The Crown Prince had not yet appeared. Like the previous party, it seemed like everyone gathered and appeared like the main character. Seeing that, Selina walked slowly through the party hall while examining the faces of the people she would never see again. Some come up to her first and greet her warmly, while others turn away as soon as they make eye contact with her. The majority was still the people who glanced and whispered. When she went in thinking it was acting, she was unexpectedly emotional. However, when she thought about leaving, she felt like it was just passing by. It was just comical. Even if she didn¡¯t try to pull it down like that, they would have disappeared soon. She didn¡¯t even have to see their faces for the last time. When she faced the people, her eyes were blurred, like someone watching through a foggy window. The muffled voices didn¡¯t even reach her ears, as if the dimension had already split. This world was also not her own¡­ there was no one left that she regretted not being able to see. As she wondered if she had taken a useless step, Fionel caught her eye. At the same time, the focus that had gone loose came into focus. Even though there may not be any regret, the resentment was clear. As many things were intertwined, it seemed that there were many emotions that were intertwined before she knew it. ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the bathroom in a minute with Fionel.¡± ¡°Go with me.¡± Kalcion showed a strong intention that he would never separate from her this time. Not anywhere else but inside the Palace, and moreover, as it was the palace of the crown Prince, he was even more stern. Selina understood, but this was where Kalcion shouldn¡¯t be involved now. ¡°I have something to deal with Fionel, so I can¡¯t do that if the Duke comes with me.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll follow you invisibly.¡± ¡°Um¡­ I hope that no one will find out.¡± Aside from Fionel not talking properly because of Kalcion, it was embarrassing to think of the Duke following her all the way to the bathroom. ¡°I will.¡± He obediently nodded, perhaps if he was confident in following and hiding his presence. As Selina took a few steps towards Fionel before stopping and turning around, Kalcion was still standing there with his arms crossed, looking at her back. Still, she emphasized once more, just in case. ¡°You can¡¯t come out unless someone catches me and tries to kill me.¡± Showing her not to worry, Kalcion nodded his head. Only then did Selina feel safe and approach Fionel. How could she give her a chance like this? It seemed that Fionel was going somewhere alone, away from the group of followers who surrounded her. ¡°Hey.¡± It¡¯d been a while since she had picked a fight with Fionel first so a thrill of pleasure lingered on her fingertips. Meanwhile, hearing the rude call, Fionel turned around with a frown. Seeing Selina, she jumped. ¡°Why, again, what!¡± It seemed that she ess allergic to her. Fionel reacted irritably as if she was getting on her nerves. ¡°No. I want to talk.¡± Actually, Selina wanted to bother her though she was so disgusted by it. ¡°What talk? What kind of talk?¡± Fionel¡¯s bristling thorns did not subside easily. ¡°Just talk. Everyone is talking.¡± Even though she didn¡¯t do anything, Fionel treated her like a walking tiger. That was too much. Selina forgot her achievements for a moment. ¡°Miss Fionel, why are you putting up a wall against me like that? I was going to ask you to go to the bathroom with me.¡± Saying so, Selina quickly crossed her arms and strengthened them. Fionel, who had already been captured, had to be dragged along without being able to move. ¡°Why the bathroom? What are you going to do?¡± Fionel, frightened by the strength of her forearm, braced against it with her heels, but even so, it was as easy as threading a wire through a cotton doll. ¡°Do I have to tell you what I¡¯m doing in the bathroom? Do you want to hear something like that?¡± Oh, my gosh. It was fun teasing Fionel while she made that expression. It seemed like she was already leaving the party due to the sudden confusion caused by the sudden soft tone and physical attack. Since she left the party, Fionel must have given up on the idea of running away as her resistance ceased. At one point, Fionel, who started walking on her own feet, grabbed Selina¡¯s arm. She wandered around the corner and pulled her in the opposite direction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the bathroom?¡± ¡°This way?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You know the way. I think you live in the palace.¡± ¡°I was the Queen¡¯s handmaid for a while. I live here then.¡± That was the first time she had heard of it. After Fionel got out of the line of suspects, she didn¡¯t bother to hear more about her personal information, so it was information that hadn¡¯t come in. Selina had gathered information about the people Kalcion was involved with before, but she might have forgotten about it. ¡°But, why not now?¡± ¡°I saw a lot of dirty things.¡± At those words, Selina looked around for a moment. There was no one. There was a carpet, so voices couldn¡¯t be heard as well. ¡°¡­Did you see it, too?¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Irell and the Crown Prince.¡± Fionel glanced around in surprise at Selina¡¯s words. Even though she confirmed with her own eyes that no one was there, she seemed to feel uneasy. She then grabbed Selina¡¯s arm and dragged her away eagerly. The place they arrived at was a resting room and bathroom that looked similar to the one they had been to at the Rose Palace. Unlike then, it was not as deep in the building as Selina thought. ¡°¡­Did you take me away on purpose to mess with me like last time?¡± ¡°Are you going to argue about that now?¡± Fionel didn¡¯t even let go. ¡°Thanks to that, I got entangled with the Crown Prince, so it¡¯s worth arguing about.¡± ¡°What, really?!¡± ¡°Then, couldn¡¯t I have thought that I was crazy and ran?¡± ¡°You are a bit crazy by nature.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Selina thought about her image in the eyes of others. It was a worry that she didn¡¯t have to do because she lived in the other world, showing only good and pretty sides. It had been proven how wonderfully self-indulgent she had been on this side of the world. ¡°¡­Anyway, what do you want to talk about? Here, no one will be hiding.¡± ¡°There was no one before.¡± ¡°It could have been. How sensitive is the Crown Prince? Ugh.¡± Fionel lifted her shoulders as if just the thought made her shudder. ¡°I was going to ask if you, too, saw Irell and the Crown Prince meet.¡± ¡°Me, too¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, someone else saw them.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, indeed. There¡¯s no way I could be the only one to see them. Still, you really shouldn¡¯t go anywhere and talk about this. You¡¯ll really die.¡± Selina looked at Fionel with a strange expression as she listened. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to die?¡± ¡°Yeah, I wish you could die.¡± ¡°Either you worry or you curse me, do one thing.¡± Like she didn¡¯t really want Selina to die, her lips pouted instead of answering. It was not easy to hate someone enough to really want someone dead. Fionel was not the kind of person who would do such a difficult job. ¡°I hope you suffer enough to die, but don¡¯t really die¡­¡± Selina laughed at that honest joke, but she didn¡¯t take Fionel here just to make a joke. As she thought so, she straightened up and got to the point. ¡°I think it was right that Irell was affectionately close to the Crown Prince. They couldn¡¯t she have stayed with him?¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Fionel snorted. ¡°Do you think the only one the Crown Prince met at that time was Irell?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡ª Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Thinking that Selina knew enough, Fionel generously poured out what she knew. There were too many secrets for her to keep to herself and forget. ¡°I met Rosalyn, Irell¡­ and there were others.¡± ¡°¡­Wait a minute. Didn¡¯t he think of Rosalyn as his sister?¡± ¡°What kind of brother slept with his sister?¡± ¡°They even slept¡­?!¡± Selina screamed in exasperation. Well yes, she was too clingy to be a sister. Rosalyn alone couldn¡¯t have been like that, but at that moment, the Crown Prince¡¯s performance was so believable that she couldn¡¯t even doubt it. ¡°Sleep with Rosalyn in the morning, and sleep with Irell at noon.¡± ¡°Crazy, crazy¡­¡± The word really crazy should be used in this case. Did he live like that with a face that looked so righteous? The Crown Prince¡¯s image fell, even after hitting the earth¡¯s surface. She saw him beating the Princess with her own eyes. So even though she knew he was a bad guy, Selina didn¡¯t expect him to be this dirty. ¡­He was not just tyrannical and selfish, he was even obscene. ¡°The Duke said the Crown Prince was not interested in women¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that he was not interested in women. He sees them as prey, not women. He was not interested in marriage and he was not interested in dating, the only thing he was interested in is ¡®Can I destroy them, too?¡¯¡± Selina shook her head, looking completely fed up. ¡°No, isn¡¯t it normal that people don¡¯t know? Why don¡¯t they know? No, they know, but if they get caught talking behind his back, the Crown Prince would kill them to shut them up?¡± ¡°They do shut up because they¡¯re scared, but¡­ only women who¡¯re not in much interest become the prey. It wouldn¡¯t have been much.¡± The looks, the status¡­ Just as it was with Kalcion, with those two, the people who look with eyes thinking ¡®maybe¡­¡¯ would pile up and overflow. It was so natural that he became interested in people whom he wasn¡¯t, and thought of flirting as a game. It was a very common and obvious ending. ¡°By the way, you know very well?¡± It was quite detailed information for someone who had been observing while coming and going. While it was a thoughtless question, Fionel flinched and averted her gaze. This was plain to see that she was hesitating as she rushed to come up with an excuse. A person¡¯s creativity tended to burst at unpredictable moments. Selina¡¯s creativity exploded right now when she didn¡¯t expect it at all. ¡°You¡­don¡¯t tell me¡­ it¡¯s your experience?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Fionel, who had been stabbed in an area she hadn¡¯t defended against, shriveled up. That attitude meant affirmation. ¡°Hey. So, it¡¯s not only towards the duke. You acted as if it was fate from the very beginning of life.¡± ¡°How, how long is life¡­! I¡¯m talking about my childhood. Still, I wasn¡¯t left out?!¡± ¡°There must have been nothing worth not leaving out.¡± Due to her personality, there was no way she would have just let the chance pass. There was a 100% chance that she jumped over with excitement. The Crown Prince had already achieved his goal, so he would have let go of her hand cleanly. It was quite a good thing that things weren¡¯t hard because of her personality. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t ask for anything too much so I wasn¡¯t left out. Greedy ones like you were left out, and they cried.¡± ¡°What greed?¡± ¡°The Crown Princess position or something like that? I don¡¯t fall in love for things like that. Love is just doing it because you like that person.¡± Although she hated Fionel, she acknowledged her subjective views on love. ¡°Do you love the Duke that much, too?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Even if the Duke goes bankrupt and loses all of his territory, no money, and even his position?¡± ¡°That is enough for me. At that time, I will feed him and look only at him. Oh, I wish that was the case.¡± Her face, which was so tense at the story of the Crown Prince, quickly melted away as if it was good just thinking about it. For a moment, Selina thought about the vacancy beside Kalcion after she had left. She wondered if it would be better to have Fionel, who genuinely loved him. ¡°In that case, as soon as he opens his eyes in the morning, I would clean his eye boogers with my hand, brush his teeth with my hand, and feed him breakfast with my hand. A duke who wears only the clothes I give him and eats only the things I feed him¡­ Ah!¡± ¡­She¡¯s crazy. Selina blamed herself for thinking even for a moment that if it were Fionel¡¯s pure love, it would be okay. Her pure love was a piece of sh*t. It was just the crystallization of possession and obsession. ¡°Give up early because there will never be anything like that in your life.¡± Selina glared at Fionel, not hiding the displeasure that emanated from inside her. She was getting worried about the future. There were only people like this around, so she wondered if Kalcion would be okay after she went back. ¡°You don¡¯t know what will happen to people, don¡¯t let your guard down. At best, I can be a lover.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even be a lover at best. First of all, won¡¯t Rosalyn win first?¡± On top of the rampaging Fionel, there was Rosalyn, who treaded well. Fionel, who was always pushed aside in terms of family, wealth, and beauty, jumped up and down in pain from being stabbed. ¡°I will definitely wait and see how long you will last!¡± Fionel screamed and ran out of the break room. With a voice like that, even if someone were listening outside, they would have thought they were here for a fight. Selina wondered if she should make up an excuse for being alone in the break room with Fionel, but it worked out. As she stopped by the bathroom while she was there, she left the break room leisurely. ¡°Oh.¡± As soon as she opened the door, she was confronted by the Crown Prince. She was frozen and couldn¡¯t greet him right away. Before Selina, who hastily regained consciousness, could greet him, the Crown Prince smiled broadly and opened his mouth. ¡°Is my face so amazing?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you in front of the break room?¡± ¡®Please, don¡¯t say he has heard everything about Fionel¡­¡¯ They had been talking about something directly related to the Crown Prince, so they whispered as low as possible. Even if there were people hiding in the break room, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to understand what was going on unless they put their ears directly. It could be that meeting the Crown Prince was a real coincidence¡­ still, Selina couldn¡¯t believe it was a coincidence. ¡°Are you going to say that this is also a coincidence?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Crown Prince smiled confidently. ¡°There are a lot of eyes in the Palace, especially since this is my space. Since you and Fionel looked unusual, I tried to stop you if there was a fight.¡± He said, ¡®eyes.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t just mean many people were watching. It must mean that there were people planted by the Crown Prince everywhere. Selina recalled the ¡®coincidence¡¯ that kept repeating over and over again. As she started to doubt it, everything from the beginning seemed suspicious. There was absolutely no way that Fionel and the Crown Prince were working with each other, so this must have been the work of hidden eyes. Then, from the moment she appeared, the Crown Prince¡¯s goal had already been set. Selina¡¯s curiosity, which she had forgotten for a while, increased. The reason why he tried to kill her, was it Rosalyn¡¯s intention, or was it the Crown Prince¡¯s intention¡­? ¡°As expected, we had a great fight.¡± ¡°You were shouting loudly.¡± ¡°¡­I am ashamed.¡± ¡°Your voice was not heard. It¡¯s difficult for it to cross the gates of the palace where voices fluttering like a spring breeze are loud.¡± Selina laughed lightly. ¡°Are you on my side now?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the world always on the side of the beautiful?¡± ¡°Do I even need the world? In my life, having one person on my side was enough.¡± ¡°It would be an honor if that could be me.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s flirting continued, giving no time to rest. Selina laughed again. She left the Capital after today anyway. It was not difficult for her to suppress her reluctance, thinking that she no longer had to see his face. ¡°That¡¯s something we¡¯ll have to wait and see, right? Now, I hope you will be by my side as I return to the party.¡± ¡°Gladly.¡± As soon as the Crown Prince grabbed her outstretched arm, she saw Kalcion at the end of the hallway. As Selina said, he couldn¡¯t be a pervert Duke who followed her to the bathroom, so he must have hidden in the hallway and watched but then jumped out when he saw the Crown Prince arm in arm with her. He looked like he was going to grab the Crown Prince now. Selina shook her head imperceptibly in his impatience. ¡®He¡¯s not trying to kill me!¡¯ Conceivably feeling her sense of urgency, Kalcion frowned and then disappeared beyond the hallway wall. Meanwhile, perhaps not noticing it, the Crown Prince started walking, looking down at Selina with a smiling face. ¡°Huh? Where are you going?¡± It wasn¡¯t the direction she came from. This was the Royal Palace. If the Crown Prince put his mind to it, he could drag her somewhere unknown and do whatever he wanted. Selina, stricken with anxiety, looked for Kalcion with her eyes though he had disappeared from her eyes. ¡®Still, he should be hiding somewhere and watching¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t ask him to go away at all because Kalcion was meticulous when it came to safety. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want an escort to the party?¡± ¡°Is this the way to the party?¡± Would he take her to some shady place and do something like, ¡®This is just the party with just the two of us partying¡¯? Contrary to Selina¡¯s concerns, what came out at the end of the long hallway was a special entrance prepared on one side of the party hall. Since it was the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, there was an entrance for people entering from outside and an entrance connected to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. The entrance connected to the Crown Prince¡¯s palace was, of course, for the Crown Prince¡¯s appearance. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince enters!¡± The shouts of the attendant with a good voice split the party hall. The people gathered at the attendant¡¯s shouting all bowed their heads and waited for the Crown Prince. With Selina at his side, the Crown Prince marched forward proudly and was greeted by the people. It was like getting proposed in a public place. Selina had cold sweat running down her back. ¡®What is he doing¡­?!¡¯ ¡ª Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Even though she was horrified inside, it had already happened. Selina smiled shyly and clung to the Crown Prince¡¯s arm. ¡°Ah. Your Highness, you surprised me.¡± ¡°You asked me for an escort, and now you¡¯re so surprised.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± A pleasant smile lingered on the Crown Prince¡¯s lips. It was a good thing. It seemed that he was trying to drive Selina into her corner. Meanwhile, Kalcion was blowing the winter wind alone from a little distance away. While Kalcion, who did not yield at all to the Crown Prince, was still Kalcion, the Crown Prince, who pretended not, was really evil. Even though he usually appeared alone without a partner, he did the same thing as announcing that ¡®I¡¯m interested in this woman.¡¯ ¡­Especially with Kalcion¡¯s public lover. If this was not a quarrel, what was it? It was as if he slapped Kalcion on the cheek first, saying that whether he owned this woman or not, the Crown Prince could keep her by his side if he wanted to. On the contrary, for the sake of justification, anyone could be a partner, whether it be the Crown Prince or anyone else, so the one who argued that it made them feel bad would become the narrow-minded fool. Fortunately, there was no sword on Kalcion¡¯s waist. Although there must have been at least one weapon hidden somewhere in his body, he thought somewhere that there was no knife to pull out right away. Still, not having a knife does not mean there are no problems because he was glaring at the Crown Prince with his eyes instead of a knife. As he was attacked by Kalcion¡¯s bloody eyes, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes were curved in satisfaction. The feeling of being used as a tool to touch Kalcion¡¯s temper was just dirty. But at the same time, Selina was also thinking of using the Crown Prince, so she was fine with it. As she thought so, Selina, who did not forget her original purpose and saw Rosalyn, smiled with joy quietly. Rosalyn was glaring at Selina with eyes that were worse than Kalcion¡¯s. ¡°Oh my, what is it? Why is His Highness with that woman¡­¡± ¡°What is this? The one who always entered without a partner¡­¡± ¡°Even if he was going to bring a partner, it should be Miss Rosalyn. How can that be? She is a low-class vulgar woman.¡± The people around Rosalyn whispered, but she smiled. She didn¡¯t even seem to be in the mood to respond. However, seeing Rosalyn¡¯s trembling fists even from a distance, it was obvious how hot she was on the inside. Nonetheless, her accumulated resentment was not so shallow that she was satisfied and withdrew. ¡°How can I dare to act like Your Highness¡¯s partner?¡± ¡°If you are the one who won first place in each competition, shouldn¡¯t you be able to take my escort, who is the highest in status, as a matter of course?¡± ¡°If Your Highness says so¡­I guess so. I can just be comfortable with it, right?¡± Selina squinted at Roselyn once more, who was slightly biting her tongue and shrinking her shoulders. While Selina felt sick to her stomach at her excessive charm, which did not fit her personality, seeing the shaking Rosalyn was refreshing. There was no other reward better than this. Even though she wanted to do more, she stopped because she felt it would be a battle of patience between Kalcion and Rosalyn if she went any further. This was enough to provoke Rosalyn. ¡°I am thirsty, so I will go get something to drink. Thank you for the escort, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Yes, see you later.¡± Saying so, the Crown Prince kissed Selina¡¯s hand and turned away. People immediately surrounded him and lined up to say hello. In the meantime, Selina stepped out of the crowd, took a glass, and wandered around the garden where it was relatively secluded. Perhaps she had been waiting, Rosalyn approached. ¡°You¡­!¡± It was a growl. She knew Rosalyn was agitated, but it looked like her eyes were turned upside down as she didn¡¯t keep her politeness as she usually was. In the unusual atmosphere, the attendant who was guarding the table quietly noticed and withdrew. ¡°Oh, Miss Rosalyn. What can I help you with?¡± Selina laughed innocently, the way Rosaline always did. ¡°I can¡¯t let you see someone who doesn¡¯t know your place any longer. How could someone like you hang around next to the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Someone like me?¡± ¡°Do you still have to ask? It is still impossible for you to understand your place. You act like a duchess, but you¡¯re not engaged, you¡¯re just a mistress. Mistress.¡± As long as she knew Kalcion¡¯s heart, it tickled her to hear those words. She wasn¡¯t hurt at all. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for you that you couldn¡¯t even get the position of the Duchess, Miss Rosalyn? By the way, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get that spot just because I¡¯m looking for another spot.¡± Rather, those words were also Rosalyn¡¯s weakness. The Duchess and the Crown Princess, all of which Rosalyn was aiming for but could not get. Selina, someone who didn¡¯t need to be considerate of her, dug into her sore spot without mercy. ¡°I turned it down because I knew my place, but is it okay just to keep refusing? As you said, the Duke and I are not married. After all, you have to go to the wedding hall to know whom he will end up with.¡± If Rosalyn took the place of Duchess Renbird as she originally planned, someone would surely become the Crown Princess. Still, it seemed that she couldn¡¯t tolerate it if it were Selina. Rosalyn finally exploded. The glass she was holding flew toward Selina. ¡®Normally, isn¡¯t it just the contents that come flying at times like this¡­?!¡¯ If she had been splashed with water, she would have been hit even if she had stopped though the glass flew, and Selina was able to evade the whole glass. The glass on the back of her hand flew towards Rosalyn. Rosalyn, unlike Selina, didn¡¯t have the motor nerves to stop the flying glass. Fortunately, the angle was off, and the glass hit the chest of her dress, not the face. As it was made of thing glass, the glass shattered with a crash sound as soon as it touched her chest. ¡°This, this¡­¡± As Rosalyn¡¯s dress, dressed in an innocent white, was stained with reddish stains, she got tearful. ¡°You dare! How dare you¡­!¡± She yelled like a madman and lunged at Selina with her arms outstretched. Selina had expected it from the archery context the other day, but even Rosalyn seemed to have learned some martial arts, so she thought she would attack with brute force. Unfortunately, Selina was no ordinary lady. She was the owner of unusual stamina and skills, training every morning with Kalcion, the strongest in the world. Because of that, she easily avoided Rosalyn¡¯s attack by moving one foot. Rosalyn¡¯s hand, which should have been grabbing Selina¡¯s hair, lost its direction, and she fumbled. However, Selina had no reason to help her. ¡°Uuhh, uh!¡± Falling on her torso, Rosalyn¡¯s arms outstretched like a little child. It was so shocking that the haughty and elegant image she had built up so far collapsed at once. Meanwhile, it seemed that she couldn¡¯t get herself up, as if she herself was in shock as well. ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± Although they were in the back where people could not see them, there were also people who leisurely wandered around the garden. Those who happened to pass by and discover the disaster were surprised to see Rosalyn lying on the floor but did not come to help. One person was surprised to see the scene, while the others were like, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± and flocked. Only then did Rosalyn get her body up in haste and disappear behind the tall garden trees, running away. ¡°Oh my God, what is that supposed to be?¡± ¡°There is nothing more unsightly than collapsing on your own while overdoing it.¡± She heard people whispering. People were already feeling keenly that Rosalyn¡¯s power was getting weaker and weaker. Naturally, their unconditional support was bound to fade. It was a criticism to her opponent, but Selina didn¡¯t want to hear it either so she walked away. It felt bitter. The Crown Prince appeared in front of Rosalyn, who was wandering through the garden. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Rosalyn ran with a tear-stained face. She forgot that her face and dress were covered in dirt. Her face, in particular, was a mess, as if she had washed her face with mud as it was smeared with tears and snot. The Crown Prince stopped one step ahead and glanced at her with a troubled look. ¡°Rosalyn, what is wrong with you?¡± ¡°That, Selina¡­ Selina insulted me and took her glass and threw it, and even tripped me over.¡± Rosaline wept bitterly. ¡°She did something so violent? As expected from where she is from, her behavior is also unbelievable.¡± The Crown Prince cursed Selina, frowning. Even though he didn¡¯t come and hug her, the comforting words that flowed from his mouth were as sweet as always. Gazing at the man in front of her with white clothes, Rosalyn couldn¡¯t bear to rush in and hug him. Whenever she wanted to meet him, he always allowed her an audience and he smiled and forgave trivial grievances, but his kindness ended there. She never asked for more¡­ no, she couldn¡¯t ask for more. Rather than getting rejected, she didn¡¯t do anything to get rejected. No matter how intimate they were, there was a line that couldn¡¯t be crossed. The line existed between parents and children as well as between husband and wife. It was a very natural line. Suddenly, she wanted to cross that line. Wasn¡¯t she close enough to say that she and the Crown Prince were close? They were a solid union of destiny that couldn¡¯t even be concluded with light words like lovers. ¡°How long are you going to leave Selina alone? It is very difficult for me to endure this humiliation.¡± Selina was just a means to annoy Kalcion. She was a passing woman. He could fool around with her and when her usefulness was over, he would throw her away¡­ He would throw her away someday, so there was no big deal if the date was sped up a little. ¡°Well¡­¡± However, the Crown Prince did not give an immediate answer. Rosalyn blinked her eyes in disbelief when he smiled vaguely as if troubled and blurred out his words. ¡°¡­Your Highness? Why don¡¯t you give me a confirmation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it.¡± ¡°Thinking¡­about it?¡± The world in her head that had found its solid foundation cracked. ¡ª If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Her anxiety grew even more when the Crown Prince gave a reaction different from her thoughts. Since she was the Crown Prince¡¯s most important partner, Rosalyn had a firm belief that there could be no entity with a stronger bond than her. Before cracks arose, small holes had already been dug in the surface of her faith¡­ the holes were created by anxiety. It was different from Irell¡¯s time¡­ It was different from the other women he had messed with before. Rosalyn was well aware that the Crown Prince would approach a woman who was not swayed by him for fun. When she was young, she knew it, and it hurt her like her chest was burning. Still, as she grew up, it was okay. Rather, she even cooperated with the Crown Prince and helped to drive the women. ¡­Because only she was ¡®special.¡¯ It was thanks to her family and her own influence that the ability to continue trading with the Crown Prince. Rosalyn could be more special than anyone else as long as she had that ability¡­ as long as it confirmed her own specialty, she didn¡¯t care about the woman passing by. However, Selina was different. The Crown Prince showed genuine interest towards her. Rosalyn watched his eyes that were looking at Selina change from day to day. And eventually, her nervousness reached its peak. ¡°It won¡¯t change anything now, even if we drag on more time. That girl is just enough to satisfy your greed. We have nothing to do but take her out of the hands of Duke Renbird!¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to dirty Your Highness¡¯s hands. Then, if she really covets the Crown Princess¡¯ position, won¡¯t it be annoying?¡± As she desperately persuaded him, the Crown Prince instead imagined it in his head and smiled before he parted his lips. ¡°¡­Will it be fun?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Think about it, what if a commoner girl with nowhere else to go ran away because she said she wanted to be the Crown Princess better than the duchess? How does the Duke feel?¡± The Crown Prince was genuinely amused. On the other hand, Rosalyn was seized by an uncanny chill as if she had fallen into the icy water. ¡°Are you kidding¡­? Still, how dare you put such a commoner in the position of Crown Princess?¡± So far, the Crown Prince has avoided commenting about the Crown Princess. Rosalyn thought it was good as she left it empty to bring down Kalcion and that she would set up a puppet Crown Princess. After that, when he succeeded to the throne, the Queen¡¯s crown would, of course, return to her. ¡°No, it¡¯s not bad, right? If it doesn¡¯t matter who sits in it. It¡¯s better to have a kid with no backing and fun to play with, to sit there.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­ isn¡¯t it enough to just play with her and throw it away?¡± Even if the Crown Prince wanted to play with her and throw it away, Selina was a variable. She was fundamentally different from ignorant ladies who swayed around as he waved. Even now, she persisted in the place next to Kalcion, but when she tasted the place next to the Crown Prince, she didn¡¯t know how strong she would endure. Rosalyn¡¯s throat burned. ¡°I was worried about what would happen if she annoyed Your Highness later on because she was so tough, like a leech. I think it would be better to just take her off in advance.¡± Even though she spoke with a laugh, it felt like her stomach was swallowing stones one by one. The Crown Prince was not someone Rosalyn could control. It was a gamble. ¡®Please, smile and say, ¡®Well, you¡¯re right¡¯.¡¯ Despite her plea, what came to her was cold silence and sharp eyes. Rosalyn caught her breath in surprise. ¡°¡­Your Highness?¡± She had often seen him look at others like that but rarely at her¡­ because she was special. But this time, those eyes turned to her. Her specialness was stripped away in an instant, and a hot tension ran down her stomach, burning her intestines. ¡°Rosalyn. I decide what I will do.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± No words came out as if her mouth was glued together. If she said, ¡®Yes, I understand,¡¯ he would have passed it on. Still, her stomach burned, and the heat accumulated turned into anger that climbed up again. ¡°You decide what to do, but¡­ I¡¯m the one helping Your Highness the most. Can¡¯t I give you advice?¡± ¡°Who told you to give advice?¡± Fear and anger met in her belly. ¡°¡­Do I not have that right?¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s expression hardened visibly at her words. ¡°Right¡­? What do you mean by right? It was out of favor and love that you started helping me. When did we sign a contract?¡± Rosalyn bit her lip. ¡°You¡¯re right, but I am special to Your Highness. Did you forget that until now, thanks to my help, Your Highness was able to achieve what he wanted?¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°I will continue to do so. I¡¯ll help you sit on the throne, I¡¯ll help you deal with annoying political enemies, and silence socialites¡­ Can¡¯t you give me the right to advise?¡± Rosalyn might be feeble if she was counted as only one person. However, Marquisate Thiolan was completely on the side of the Crown Prince. The foundation on which the Crown Prince could run amok without paying attention to the world was Marquisate Thiolan. Even if the Crown Prince went wild without a care, he would not be able to ignore Marquisate Thiolan. Rosalyn finished the calculation with her life as collateral. The Crown Prince let out a long sigh and looked at her, who was arguing with agitation. ¡°Rosalyn.¡± Were her calculations correct? The Crown Prince¡¯s voice, which had risen with excitement at the same time, calmed down softly as usual. Seeing that, Rosalyn, too, took a breath before drooping her shoulders. Did he finally think about listening to her¡­? ¡°It was my goodwill and my right to allow you to do something for me. Will you pay it back like this?¡± ¡°Allow me to do something¡­¡± Hearing the words sounding so absurd, a ringing came in her head. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince laughed at her reaction as if it was even more absurd. ¡°Of course. Isn¡¯t it an honor in itself to be able to work for me? You say you love me, so I repaid that love.¡± ¡°Love¡­¡± The words dispersed like smoke before they even left her mouth. ¡°Is using me repaying my love? Then, at least you should have given me love¡­!¡± Although he kept her most close, it was not affection. She prided herself on being closer to him than anyone else though she closed her eyes to the fact that it wasn¡¯t love. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me what love is, can¡¯t you at least guarantee a place for me?¡± ¡°Why me?¡± The Crown Prince asked like a child who really didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting as you please until now, and now you want me to repay you? Why should I repay you?¡± Rosalyn was stunned and only moved her lips. He never asked for help first. In the first place, she approached him first and said she would help, and she asked him to just leave it to her no matter what. As the Crown Prince said, it was she who acted as she pleased. Nonetheless, at some point, the Crown Prince also relied on her. He entrusted and relied on her for so many things. Because he was special to her, just as Rosalyn was special to the Crown Prince, so¡­ Rosalyn realized that saying those words wouldn¡¯t work for him because she was nothing special to him. Just like giving a name to a passing cloud, it was enough just to turn his eyes away. ¡°¡­You cannot do this to me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t intend to turn the social world and Marquisate Thiolan into enemies.¡± In the end, all that was left was the deal. Rosalyn couldn¡¯t give up everything just because she loved him. She was born to become a queen. After passing through as a duchess, she could become a queen or become the second wife. It was a process, no matter how, as long as she can sit there, it was just fine¡­ ¡­Yet, if she wasn¡¯t guaranteed that, now she had to threaten. The Crown Prince immediately cleared his expression, his eyes shining like those of a wild beast. ¡°How dare you make arrogant threats to me?¡± ¡°If you take it as a threat¡­ That must mean I was playing an important role for Your Highness.¡± Rosalyn was also keeping a straight face without losing. The Crown Prince would stumble if Marquisate Thiolan withdrew his aid. As she believed it was clear, she was not intimidated. ¡°The absolute kingship that Your Highness desires, the Throne, will not be possible without me¡­huhp!¡± However, Rosalyn¡¯s words did not continue until the end. ¡°Wh-what is this, kehk!¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s fingers digging into her neck were firm. She really felt the will to kill her. Rosalyn struggled, clawing at his hand. However, the Crown Prince¡¯s hand was more powerful. ¡°As a daughter of a marquis, how dare you? No matter how strong you are, you are a dog under the throne. You need to know your place.¡± ¡°Ke, kehk¡­!¡± ¡°Throne? Did I look like I wanted the throne right now? Am I sitting as the Crown Prince because I can¡¯t get rid of a senile or crazy old man?¡± ¡°Ka-huhk¡ª!¡± Rosalyn¡¯s fingers, which scratched the Crown Prince¡¯s arm, lost strength. Still, he did not stop. ¡°I can¡¯t bother a dead person! Do you think I¡¯ll kill him nicely because of that senile old man who can¡¯t guard his lower body¡­? To say that in the end, the throne is occupied by the strong one? Ha, bullshit. Royal blood is special from birth. The special is only in the Royal Family!¡± ¡°¡­Kkurkk¡­¡± As Rosalyn¡¯s arm eventually dropped, the Crown Prince¡¯s excited shout also stopped. When he released the power from his hand, Rosalyn¡¯s body slumped to the floor. ¡°F*cking bitch. I indulged her and she climbed up without end.¡± Saying so, he kicked the corpse of his long-faithful dog and turned around. With her limbs stretched out and her eyes wide open, Rosalyn¡¯s body no longer functioned as a creature. ¡°Annoying.¡± It was his only impression. The Crown Prince, who was about to head to the party, turned to the person he had forgotten about in the excitement. ¡°Oh, there you are.¡± ¡ª If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 The person who jumped up in surprise from behind the garden tree couldn¡¯t even get away. Shortly thereafter, the Crown Prince smiled as he checked the face of the person who was dragged by the bodyguards and prostrated herself. ¡°Just in time. If I kill another one, it¡¯ll be a hassle to deal with.¡± ¡°I¡­ I-I didn¡¯t see anything, Your Highness!¡± Lirel fell on the floor and trembled while answering in a scream. She came along to watch for a while but then got caught up in a terrible thing. If he could kill Rosalyn of Marquisate Thiolan casually, he¡¯d treat her like something comical. The Crown Prince sat down on one knee and grabbed Lirel by the shoulder. ¡°Hiick!¡± Then, his hands gently patted her shoulder. ¡°Calm down, calm down. Breathe.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t see¡­¡± ¡°No, we have to see the facts as they are. What was your name?¡± ¡°I, I am Lirel, I¡­ Your Highness. I didn¡¯t see¡ª¡± ¡°Right, Lirel.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, yes, Your Highness.¡± As the Crown Prince grabbed her chin, fixing her face, he met her eyes. Lirel couldn¡¯t avoid it and looked into his. He had such a calm and warm look in his eyes that it was hard to believe that he had just committed a murder. So, she was even more scared. The Crown Prince kindly asked Lirel, who was shaking uncontrollably, once again. ¡°So, what did you see?¡± Tears ran down her nose. He didn¡¯t seem to want her to say she didn¡¯t see it. Lirel couldn¡¯t even move her face and answered with trembling lips. ¡°Your, Your Highness, str, stra-strangles¡­ Mi, Miss, Rosa, Rosalyn¡­¡± ¡°Yes, what next?¡± ¡°Miss, Miss Rosalyn is de¡ªdea, dead¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You saw Rosalyn dead, then what should you do?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, yes?¡± ¡°You saw Rosalyn strangled in the Palace, but you¡¯re just going to say ¡®oh, I see¡¯ and move along?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± The Crown Prince clicked his tongue in frustration. Lirel was definitely dumber than Rosalyn. He regretted killing Rosalyn for nothing, but it had already happened, so he couldn¡¯t help it. He should use her even if he had to teach her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you normally scream at times like this?¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­!¡± ¡°And you heard there were people who saw the two of them fighting earlier. So, who is the prime suspect?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lirel, who finally understood the meaning of the Crown Prince¡¯s words, nodded until her neck would break. ¡°Okay, so can you do well?¡± ¡°Ye-yes, yes!¡± Even Rosalyn, who went against the Crown Prince¡¯s will, ended up dead. She could have been killed if the Crown Prince didn¡¯t like her answer. Fortunately, he gave a passing grade to Lirel¡¯s enthusiastic answer. ¡°Then, I look forward to your cooperation.¡± The Crown Prince released her chin and disappeared. Moments later, Lirel was left alone with Rosalyn¡¯s corpse, whose eyes were wide open. A tearing scream pierced the party. It wasn¡¯t a shriek made lightly as a joke. ¡°KYAAKK! AAAAHHHK!¡± It didn¡¯t end at once, so the people at the party glanced at each other and became agitated at the continuous screams. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± It was the same with Selina and Kalcion. Because he was inside the Palace, the guards were unable to accompany him, so his hands and feet were tied. Anxiety instinctively rose in the unusual atmosphere. It seemed that someone had approached the direction where the sound came from. After a while, the screams became two. ¡°WAAHH! Murder¡­!¡± ¡°Murder?¡± Surprised, Selina turned to Kalcion. Kalcion shook his head. There was no foreshadowing of what might happen. If someone had a plan and plotted it, some information would have come in though there was no such thing. It just happened suddenly. People rushed towards where the screams came from. Selina approached it as well, thinking she would have to check it with her own eyes. Her heart quivered with anxiety with each step she took forward through the maze of tall garden trees. ¡°Waahh!¡± The screams of the people who went to check burst out one after another. Reaching the source of the sound, she was astounded by the sight before her and froze like a statue. Rosalyn¡¯s corpse was splayed on the floor. And beside her, Lirel was sobbing with a guard supporting her. ¡°Heuk¡­ heeuungg.¡± Lirel, who was trembling all over her body and howled, couldn¡¯t even get her words right. Everyone knew that she was a weakling who couldn¡¯t kill a fly properly, let alone murder. Although she may have been the first discoverer, she was unlikely to be a suspect. Soon, people who came to their senses belatedly began to hum. ¡°What is going on here, Miss Rosalyn?!¡± ¡°Anyone from the Thiolan family!¡± ¡°Today, only Miss Rosalyn from the Thiolan family participated. Aahh, how could this happen!¡± There was nothing good about being in this atmosphere for a long time. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s leave for now.¡± Selina grabbed Kalcion¡¯s arm and tried to escape through the people, muting her presence. However, at that moment, Listening to the guard¡¯s question, Lirel glanced up at Selina with her eyes pouring out tears. ¡°Th-the last thing I saw Miss Selina¡­ Miss Selina was arguing with Miss Rosalyn¡­!¡± One by one, people¡¯s eyes focused on her. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Selina hesitated at the completely unexpected flow and took a step back. Quite a few people saw the fight between Selina and Rosalyn in one corner of the garden. Since then, she had been at the party all the time though people¡¯s heads must have already started to be framed with misunderstandings. Her chest sank, and she grabbed Kalcion¡¯s arm with strength. As if to reassure her, he stroked the back of Selina¡¯s hand with his other hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Kalcion¡¯s consolation could not change the current situation. ¡°What is going on?¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s voice, who appeared a little late, came from behind. ¡°Your, Your Highness¡­! Something unpleasant has happened inside the Palace.¡± ¡°¡­Rosalyn?¡± The Crown Prince hurriedly examined Rosalyn¡¯s body. However, Rosalyn¡¯s body, which had already stopped breathing, only swayed helplessly. ¡°¡­Unbelievable. How could this happen?¡± As someone whispered cautiously to the Crown Prince, who staggered with a pale face, his gaze turned to Selina. ¡®D*mn it.¡¯ Selina muttered a curse in her mind, wondering if she should turn around right away. Nonetheless, there were guards standing around the two of them already. ¡°¡­Your Highness, now this is.¡± She spoke to the Crown Prince, but he gave short orders, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Catch anyone suspicious.¡± Then, he left without even listening to her story. She didn¡¯t know what he ordered, but the guards approached several people besides Selina. ¡°What?! Why me!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you let go of me?!¡± Even though people were indignant, they couldn¡¯t shake off the guards. As long as they are here, they must all be from prominent families, although it was a matter of justification. This was the Palace. If they protested or wouldn¡¯t cooperate here, they could even get accused of the assassination of the royal family. No family, no matter how strong, could oppose the Crown Prince head-on. Except for one family, Renbird. ¡°You dare to drag my woman down in front of me?¡± When Kalcion resisted the Crown Prince¡¯s command without blinking an eye, the soldiers were perplexed by the unexpected situation. ¡°This is under the name of His Highness the Crown Prince. If you refuse, it may be treason.¡± ¡°Did His Highness tell you to bring ¡®Selina¡¯?¡± Selina noticed the soldiers¡¯ attitude as they turned to each other, even more flustered when he pointed her name. Even though she didn¡¯t know if Rosalyn was really dead or not, she wondered if this was a trap to set her in. On the other hand, it could have been a trap to bind Kalcion. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take her. Bring more proof.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t come, we may use force.¡± Seeing the soldier held on tightly but did not back down, Kalcion¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he soon saw their hand reaching for the sword at the waist. ¡°You dare threaten me with a sword right now?¡± There was no one who did not know Kalcion¡¯s swordsmanship. The story of how he single-handedly defeated the beasts of the Beasts Mountains with a single sword was a legend that even a five-year-old child would know. For martial artists, they were arguing in front of a living legend. Still, they could die this way and die that way so it was the same. If they couldn¡¯t take Selina with them, they would be killed by the Crown Prince¡¯s sword. The atmosphere got unusual, the soldiers who were in charge of the other side also came and surrounded the two. They calculated that even Duke Renbird would not be able to handle this large number of people alone. ¡°Do you think anything will change significantly if the number of people increases?¡± Kalcion got into his position in earnest. In case of emergency, he was ready to steal their weapon and go into slaughter. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± Selina hastily tugged at his arm. ¡°Why?¡± Kalcion asked without taking his eyes off the soldiers. ¡°I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°What?¡± Finally, he looked back at her. Selina clenched her teeth to calm herself from trembling before raising her lips, pretending nothing was wrong. ¡°You know. This is a trap, expecting the Duke to run amok.¡± ¡°On the contrary, it could be a trap to make you think about it and willingly give up instead.¡± Kalcion did not fall over it easily. He rather pulled her shoulders over him and locked her in his chest. An anxious heartbeat echoed towards her. Has Kalcion¡¯s heart ever beat so uneasily? Selina gritted her teeth and closed her eyes tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think they were trying to kill me now. At the very least, they intended to scratch the Duke¡¯s pride. But raising a matter here is treason. It gives them an excuse to kill us both.¡± ¡°If they tried to kill me, do you think they could kill me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± For the people who literally believed in the word ¡®that there was nothing scary in the world,¡¯ they would have changed their thought after witnessing the scene right here. ¡°Then, there could be a real war.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kalcion couldn¡¯t even say anything like war. ¡°If you think something will happen to me, please come and save me then¡­ but not now. Please let me go for now.¡± As Selina pushed his chest, Kalcion held out for a while and was reluctantly pushed away. ¡°I¡¯m letting you go now, not because I think I¡¯ll lose or because I¡¯m afraid of the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Because you asked me to let go of you.¡± She held her breath and glanced up at him. ¡°My Cion listened well from the beginning.¡± She didn¡¯t know if she would look cute even when she was like this. Selina smiled bravely. ¡ª If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Kalcion once again embraced Selina. ¡°I¡¯m really going¡­¡± The next moment, his hand moved quietly inside the cloak. Out of sight of the soldiers, the dagger hidden behind his back slid into her sleeve. Even though she was taken aback, Selina moved her fingers as he put it before tucking the dagger fully into her sleeve, hiding it. After confirming that the dagger was completely hidden, Kalcion released the arm that had embraced her. ¡°You have to come back safely. Don¡¯t hold back thinking you¡¯ll find out something, and don¡¯t even stand it.¡± Kalcion once again asked her earnestly. ¡°Yes.¡± Selina smiled and nodded her head. In the first place, the Crown Prince¡¯s threat was different from listening to a few swear words to get information, so she had no intention of putting up with it either. Eventually, she turned her body towards the soldiers. The tiger den was right in front of her. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Selina tried to catch her breath, which was getting more and more rapid. Although she had confidently played along, she couldn¡¯t completely relax once she realized that the Crown Prince was a madman¡­ he was one who could kill because he didn¡¯t like her headdress. Nonetheless, as she went deeper into the Palace, her tremors grew stronger. She didn¡¯t nearly die herself, but she saw a dead person. It was the death of Rosalyn, whom she had been arguing with until just before that. The death of someone she knew, even though they were sworn enemies, could never not but be shocking. She couldn¡¯t believe that people could die so easily. The fact that her own death was not far off gave her fear. Eventually, her legs trembled as she took each step. Come to think of it, wouldn¡¯t she be put in jail if she was taken as a suspect? Prison¡­ She was a model citizen who had never been to a police station since she was born though it was terrifying to think that she was going to prison all of a sudden. Moreover, there would be no detention center here, so there would only be the stagnant damp, and dirty water in the basement of the Royal Palace¡­ the vibrating smell of mold and gutter, and scurrying rats and bugs were full¡­ ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have said I was going¡­?!¡¯ A regret that was already too late came over her. Why did she stop Kalcion so ambitiously there? If she wasn¡¯t going to lose anyway, she should just fight and win and ask to go back, and even if there was a war, Selina thought he would win regardless. Still, it was a useless guest. As she thought so, she grabbed her hair. However, because of the guards pressing in front of her and on both sides of her, her steps steadily moved forward. No matter how much she trained every morning, she didn¡¯t have the confidence to beat and run away from the well-built guards working in the Palace. She was bound for prison¡­ Nonetheless, after passing through the dark and long corridor, beyond the winding corridor, the place where she arrived was a bright and clean palace with colorful lanterns hanging from it. Another guard stood guard in front of the large door with ornate carvings. As she approached, they shifted and opened the door. It was different from jailers opening the prison bars. ¡®¡­Is it here?¡¯ Selina looked bewildered at the guards who had brought her. Seeing that they firmly nodded their heads, it seemed that the destination was here from the beginning. ¡®As expected, there was an ulterior motive after all.¡¯ She just didn¡¯t know that the plan was to serve her in such a nice place. She then glanced around with fearless eyes as she stepped in, step by step. After escorting her through the door, her guards joined the other guards and guarded the door. As she took a few steps, there was a thud behind her back. When she turned around in surprise, the door was closed. It was a heavy door that seemed like it wouldn¡¯t open, even with the weight of her body. Selina turned around and moved forward. She thought she was inside a building, but when she passed the door, she was outside again. During the fuss, she could see the sky darkening as if the sun had set. White flowers bloomed profusely on both sides of the road leading to the white building in front of it. Whenever the wind blew, white petals flew up in the air. A pink sky, soft lighting beneath it, and white petals flying. It was a dreamy sight as if it had been staged on purpose. The first floor of the building connected to the end of the road had only pillars and was open on all sides. Each pillar was decorated with flowers, and a sofa, chair, and bed were placed in the center to avoid crowding. A translucent white cloth hung around the bed and moved around. The Crown Prince was sitting on the long sofa beside the bed. ¡°¡­You¡¯re here?¡± As Selina approached, he welcomed her. Rosalyn was dead¡­ was this time to set the mood with a smile now? His smiling face was more frightening. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± The Crown Prince approached and gently grabbed her hand. He even handed Selina a glass of cider as he sat down on the couch. ¡°The witness was too sure. I know you¡¯re not the kind of person to do that, but if I denied the charges right on the spot, there would be a problem of equity. Still, how can I put you in a prison-like place? So, I secretly brought you to my villa.¡± ¡°Villa¡­¡± Somehow, it felt like she was far away from the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. ¡°Unless I call, even the attendant can¡¯t come in without permission, so don¡¯t worry.¡± As soon as Selina sat down, she made it clear. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°Really?¡± However, the Crown Prince did not show much interest. ¡°Yes, if you guess the time Rosalyn died, the alibi will be clear, and I was with someone the whole time.¡± ¡°Yes. I guess so.¡± The Crown Prince listened intently and lifted it towards Selina as if toasting her. ¡°Still, in cases like this where there are no witnesses, the most suspicious person tends to be the culprit.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Everyone knows that you and Rosalyn are not on good terms. You even had a physical fight today. Besides, aren¡¯t you physically superior to the other ladies?¡± Because of that, she was the easiest to become the culprit. ¡°¡­Does that sound like Your Highness is going to make me a murderer?¡± ¡°If I feel like it, I can.¡± Saying so, the Crown Prince smiled and put the glass to his lips. With his sleeves rolled down, showing his forearms, Selina noticed the countless marks of nails on his forearms and the backs of his hands at that moment. She almost screamed. It was the Crown Prince himself who killed Rosalyn, yet he calmly laid the blame on her. Because of that, even if he was a criminal, he could not have been caught. ¡°Are you going to do that?¡± Selina forced her eyes off the Crown Prince¡¯s arm, pretending she wasn¡¯t nervous. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know yet.¡± The Crown Prince still answered playfully. Even though he had just killed a person, he was as bright as ever. If he were going to kill her, he would have already killed her so he was overconfident in assuming that he would be okay¡­ This madman was the one who killed even loyalists because of his feelings. ¡°¡­So, how long do I have to stay like this?¡± ¡°Well¡­ until I feel like letting you go?¡± ¡°Not until the real culprit is caught?¡± ¡°What if I can¡¯t get caught forever? If you want to stay by my side forever, welcome.¡± No serious conversation ensued. Selina was anxious and nervous about this situation where the two of them were alone, but there was no progress in the conversation, so a fire broke out inside. ¡°I¡¯m the Duke¡¯s lover, how can I do that?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It seemed that the word ¡®Duke¡¯ was a forbidden word. At that moment, the smile disappeared from the Crown Prince¡¯s face. He rested his chin and stared at Selina, but she didn¡¯t feel good. ¡°The Duke seems to be doing pretty well, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­Why is that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing to see that he doesn¡¯t waver even in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s favor.¡± The basic premise was that if the Crown Prince showed interest in you, Kalcion would definitely come over to him. It was absurd, but she didn¡¯t show it was absurd because her life was precious. ¡°I know my place.¡± ¡°Aha. Does the Duke promise something certain?¡± It was only now that he showed interest as he straightened the back he was leaning on, waiting to hear the answer. ¡°Yes. He guaranteed a house, money and a maid to take care of me until the day I die.¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with just that?¡± ¡°In my situation, that much is tremendous.¡± ¡°What if I do more than that?¡± As always, the Crown Prince persisted. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Do you need a reason?¡± ¡°There are many people who love Your Highness. I am nothing¡­ I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this to me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t one reason that I like you not enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already in love with the Duke. There is no reason enough to betray that love.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ love.¡± Listening to her words, the Crown Prince twisted his head and smiled as he glanced up at the ceiling. ¡°Your love is quite expensive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not worth that much to Your Highness.¡± ¡°Well, I can give you more¡­ I¡¯m now starting to think about whether I should do it. Anyway, now you are in my hands.¡± Selina¡¯s smile, which she had been forcing herself to lighten the mood, froze. A chill seeping from the Crown Prince clung to her like moisture during the rainy season. Still, she braced her legs so she could get away at any moment. ¡°What are you going to do with me in your hands?¡± ¡°What shall I do? Right, I wanted to see you drooling over me like his ex-woman. Why aren¡¯t you so greedy?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Ex-woman¡­ he would be referring to Irell. It seemed that he brought out the words so casually that she couldn¡¯t connect if he were talking about Irell or not for a moment. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know? There was a woman the Duke brought with him, saying it was his betrothed. She¡¯s from a lowly family, so she never had a proper social experience. I gave her some room¡­ and it was worth seeing her clinging to me. She was so clingy even in bed.¡± Even though she knew it, hearing it directly from the Crown Prince¡¯s mouth made Selina even more terrified. However, her desire to know the truth suppressed the urge to cover her ears. ¡°If you know she was the Duke¡¯s¡­ why did you give her room, like you did for me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± Answering her, the Crown Prince laughed loudly, apparently liking Selina¡¯s response. ¡ª If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 ¡°When their woman is taken away, isn¡¯t it the man who gets the most upset? Not that great a reason. The pleasure you feel when you take it and hold it in your arms is quite great.¡± In the Crown Prince¡¯s head, Irell wasn¡¯t even a person. She was a thing called ¡®woman¡¯¡­ an item that he thought the Duke would be pissed off if taken away as he needed to protect it preciously. It was no different than a child taking or destroying another child¡¯s toy. ¡°Why are you so anxious to beat the Duke?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bother the Duke first. He started it.¡± ¡°The Duke?¡± ¡°Yes. He was not even a member of the royal family, but he pretended to be proud in front of father in order to catch his eye. He was impatient to crush me.¡± ¡°¡­The Duke?¡± Selina couldn¡¯t understand it, so she kept asking again and again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me? He must have been quite shy in front of you. Didn¡¯t he crush me in a spar because he learned some swords? He even ignored my tactics, saying he had learned some tactics. If he is a vassal, he should also know humility. Doesn¡¯t that mean he actually had a heart for treason?¡± ¡°When was that?¡± ¡°It was when I was ten years old, I think? He was about nine.¡± Since the two of them were said to be of similar age, Kalcion must have been around that age. Still, ten years old¡­ It was the age when children did what they were told to do. How did he know the word treason? Selina¡¯s expression didn¡¯t even catch his eyes, and the Crown Prince was agitated alone and talked about the story after that, which she didn¡¯t even ask. ¡°Still, with the monarch¡¯s generosity, I overlooked the insolence. Yet after that, after he started ruling the country on behalf of father, he even threatened me that I couldn¡¯t collect taxes, and that if it weren¡¯t Renbird, monsters would come down to the Capital¡­ As a monarch, a disobedient subject had to be stepped on.¡± While the Crown Prince was sincerely upset, Selina shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know about complicated politics¡­ I mean, so you deliberately seduced Irell to bed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tempting. She was said to be the Duke¡¯s woman, so I was just curious and said a few words. As a man, I just couldn¡¯t refuse and accepted it when she was the one who turned her eyes.¡± ¡°You said a few words just like you did to me¡­ So, are you saying it is Irell¡¯s mistake to get excited?¡± ¡°As expected, I like you because you¡¯re smart.¡± Even though it was a sarcastic remark, the Crown Prince smiled brightly and praised Selina, whose fatigue set in. While he was crazy, this madman was the most powerful person. ¡°Still, in the end, one woman¡¯s life was ruined.¡± ¡°The problem is that she is the Duke¡¯s woman. If she didn¡¯t like it, she should have given up the Duke.¡± ¡°I heard that Irell gave up and joined Your Highness.¡± ¡°In that case, she should have been completely loyal to me but choosing this and that¡­ If she wants to win my heart, she will definitely ask for something.¡± ¡°¡­What did Irell ask for?¡± ¡°Marriage.¡± ¡°¡­With Your Highness?¡± ¡°She dared.¡± ¡°Did you give that much of your heart?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how she feels though her attitude suddenly changed after she got pregnant. It would have been fun to see her become the Duchess while carrying my baby. It was a pity I didn¡¯t get to see it.¡± An alarm rang in her head. Irell, Crown Prince, pregnant¡­ The piece of the puzzle that could not be found was, of course, found with the culprit. ¡°Irell died the day before the betrothal.¡± ¡°I had no intention of killing her. But, she kept saying that she would die if I didn¡¯t marry her, that she would die if I didn¡¯t see her.¡± ¡°¡­So, you told her to die?¡± At her question, the Crown Prince shrugged his shoulders. He didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of guilt or regret. ¡°And, you went to me right away?¡± ¡°You are not her. You¡¯re not even the same person, so why are you acting like you resent me? Did I kill you?¡± As he asked that, the Crown Prince suddenly rose from his seat and strode in front of Selina. Grabbing her chin, who was startled as she wanted to rise from her seat and run away, the strength of his grip on her chin was tremendous. Selina¡¯s jaw felt as if it was about to break. That alone gave an overwhelming difference in power. Although Kalcion was powerful, he had never let her feel his strength. Disgust arose at the stark difference. ¡°You are very special. Is it because you already gave your heart to the Duke? I feel like you really don¡¯t want anything from me.¡± ¡°If there is something I want, may I dare to ask for it?¡± ¡°Ask.¡± ¡°I ask you to send me back right now.¡± ¡°Even in the middle of this, you still have unusual things to say.¡± The Crown Prince admired as he stared at Selina¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t good news. Even though she should have been more modest, the Crown Prince¡¯s nonsense got on her nerves that even Selina couldn¡¯t restrain herself. If she could, she¡¯d like to crush that proud face. ¡°Would you be able to say the same thing with my seed in your belly?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± It sounded ludicrous, but she had no choice but to ask a stupid question. All the words the Crown Prince said today were things that made her reason disappear from beginning to end, and kicked out her spirit. ¡°That woman failed before, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll die easily. How will the Duke react to his woman who has another man¡¯s seed in her womb? At that point, will he admit that everything is in the palm of my hand¡­? I am curious about that face.¡± Still, the Crown Prince kindly spit out the villain¡¯s line as if to patronize her. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of putting that into practice, are you?¡± Selina turned blue. ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t run to Your Highness and hold you.¡± ¡°Soon, you will be.¡± The Crown Prince rose from his seat and took a step closer to her as Selina prepared to run, half-raising herself from the chair. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Everyone said no at first, but once they did it, they just clung to me.¡± Her blood ran cold ¡°No way, by force¡­¡± ¡°In the end, you¡¯re going to say you¡¯re going to die for how good it is? Trust me.¡± ¡°No, Your Highness. I don¡¯t want to do it regardless of trust.¡± Selina flatly refused. Nonetheless, the Crown Prince¡¯s approaching steps did not stop. ¡°I said you would, but you dare¡­¡± They were not exactly communicating. When she quickly pushed the chair and tried to run away, unfortunately, the Crown Prince was as agile as Kalcion. ¡°Let go! No¡­!¡± As his hand clasped her arm, Selina used all the self-defense techniques she had learned so far, but she couldn¡¯t use them properly while she was in a panic. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince dragged her and threw her onto the bed. Her light body plummeted to the bed as she flew through the air. ¡°Argh!¡± Even as she screamed, she twisted her body into a good position to get away. The Crown Prince rode over Selina¡¯s waist. ¡°It¡¯s quite fun to tame a lively creature like you.¡± He wasn¡¯t trying to scare her, he really meant it. Contrary to the rough throw, the Crown Prince removed each strand of her hair off her pale face. ¡°It would have been a pity just to kill you.¡± His fingertips, which had been brushing her forehead, grabbed Selina by the collar, and he was about to rip her clothes off. There was no reason to wait any longer. Selina gritted her teeth and struggled to get away somehow, recalling the knife hidden in her sleeve. She then grabbed the handle of the knife, taking advantage of the moment when the Crown Prince¡¯s attention was distracted while tearing her clothes. ¡°You filthy bastard!¡± She waved her sword with a cry. In the meantime, she shouted curse words that she had wanted to do and went down. Her stance was unstable, so the knife could not go deep. Regardless, she managed to dig through the clothes off and pierce into the flesh to see blood. ¡°Kugh! This b*tch!¡± Selina slipped out of the bed as the Crown Prince crouched his body. The villa was as small as a house. Even if she hid in here, it was only a matter of time before she got caught. In addition, the wall was so high that it could not be crossed unless she had wings. The only way out was the massive door through which she entered, which had to be opened by the guards. Seeing the Crown Prince, who did not fall even after being hit by the dagger, stagger towards her, Selina had no choice but to run through the door, even if it would open or not. As she rushed toward the door, she hoped that if she slammed it with her whole body at her speed, it would open. However, just before her body touched the door, the door swung open. ¡°Oh!¡± She was about to hit her door, so her body, which she was preparing for, flew through the air. Losing her balance, her body fell over. If she stayed like this, she would hit the floor hard and roll on the floor. As she thought so, Selina closed her eyes tightly in preparation for the shock that would soon follow her though a firm yet elastic body embraced her. With her running speed, it must have been quite a shock, but the body embraced her without moving from the spot he received her. She could feel the familiar body odor in the firm embrace, and Selina lifted her head and checked the face. It was Kalcion, from whom she had a heartbreaking farewell a moment ago. ¡°Duke¡­?!¡± There was a mixture of joy, surprise and gladness. Although she pleaded with him not to come forward until something happened, Kalcion, who had listened to Selina until now, defied her for the first time. ¡°Be patient until something happens to me.¡± ¡°¡­Something almost happened.¡± ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t until the time the Duke started to make a fuss. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t do something.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°¡­.¡± It was the correct answer. This time, Kalcion¡¯s feelings were correct. Since she was in the rescued position, she could not blame him for why he did it. ¡ª Chapter 126 Chapter 126 When Kalcion saw Selina¡¯s dress crumpled after being grabbed by the collar, he frowned. ¡°¡­What did that guy do?¡± ¡°I was going to escape by myself before that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Still, this isn¡¯t what he was supposed to do.¡± ¡°So, I cut him with a knife.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Hearing her words, his face softens a bit. While praising Selina¡¯s achievements, Kalcion did not lower the sword he was holding. Seeing that it wasn¡¯t the terrifying sword that was familiar to him, it seemed that he had stolen it from the guards. She glanced around and saw the guards rolling on the floor. If there were no more additional personnel that came running, there would be no force to stop the two. It was something that he could have done alone. She was grateful for the moment, but Selina¡¯s escape and Kalcion¡¯s attack were of different importance. How should she handle this situation now? It was dark ahead. ¡°You, you bastaaarrrds¡­!¡± When Kalcion appeared, the Crown Prince became even more evil. ¡°How dare you be here now?!¡± In the Crown Prince¡¯s hand, who came running screaming, he also had a knife hidden somewhere. However, the wound on his shoulder was quite deep and his body tilted. Perhaps he was afraid to cross swords with Kalcion with his injured body. The Crown Prince stopped a few steps away, pointed his sword, and screamed. ¡°Are you holding a sword in front of me? If you don¡¯t put down that sword right away, it¡¯s treason! Duke, she hurt me. If you don¡¯t lay down your sword and hand her over, you¡¯re doing treason, too!¡± The word she was trying to avoid, treason¡­ the words eventually exploded. Selina blacked out and closed her eyes. However, Kalcion¡¯s voice, which she heard soon after, was so light that it was very clear. ¡°Yes, treason.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± Selina and the Crown Prince simultaneously raised their heads. The only one that was relaxed was Kalcion. He had the villain¡¯s grin stolen from the Crown Prince¡¯s face, with one arm around Selina and the other aiming a sword at the Crown Prince. After receiving the gazes of the two dumbfounded people, Kalcion put the words into her ears. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore because it¡¯s dirty. Since you seem to want my treason, I will rebel as you wish.¡± He even spoke casually. ¡°Wh-what, what¡­?¡± ¡°Next time I come, I will aim for the neck properly, so look forward to it.¡± Kalcion, who finished his words one-sidedly, took Selina¡¯s hand and turned around, and started running. ¡°What, what is it? You must be crazy. Crazy¡­!¡± Selina let out her screams as they ran along. The hairs all over her body stood up and seemed to escape from her pores. ¡°I think I¡¯ve been crazy for a while, but haven¡¯t you gotten used to it yet?¡± Seeing that he even jokes in the midst of this, it was clear that he was totally lost it. ¡°If you want to go crazy, can¡¯t you go crazy with a little consistency? What kind of lunatic asks to deal with the lunatic¡­?!¡± ¡°This one beside you.¡± ¡°Aagh! If there¡¯s a real war like this!¡± ¡°Be careful in front.¡± As he lifted her waist and lifted her over the fallen soldier¡¯s body, Kalcion then put her back down and ran. Selina didn¡¯t fall to the beat and jumped right up. In the meantime, additional troops were running from the end of the hallway, noticing the anomalies in the villa. ¡°F*ck! Catch them! Catch those f*ck*rs!¡± The sound of the Crown Prince¡¯s roar from behind echoed through the hallway. The footsteps of the guards rushing at the sound quickened. Selina kept her mouth shut for the first time in her life and focused on running. Fallen soldiers lined up in the running hallway. Did he do it alone without anyone? Once again, she became suspicious of his species. As she accelerated, her shoes felt uncomfortable. she ran, kicking off her shoes and tightening her legs. The sound of the guards following behind her was loud, and her heart tightened. No matter how fast the heavily armed soldiers ran, they couldn¡¯t beat the barefoot Selina. When she came in, it was a twisting hallway that she couldn¡¯t quite memorize. However, when she got out, it was easy since she only had to run towards the soldiers lying on the floor. Unlike when she entered, she left the building in an instant. The place they came out was behind the Crown Prince¡¯s palace. The moment she stepped out of the building, she saw Dion riding a horse. The cavalrymen followed behind him. As soon as she came out of the building, arrows flew. Dion threw a rein to Kalcion, who slashed the arrow with his sword, and handed it to Selina. ¡°Get on!¡± Selina got on and spurred the horse on. The horse jumped frantically as if it knew of the urgency. Kalcion, riding the horse after her, protected her from behind, and Dion was in front as if to guide her. It was painful to keep her eyes open when the cavalrymen were running in front of her approach. It was like facing death. Still, death was taken away by the hands of the two before it even approached. The bodies of fallen soldiers strewn about everywhere they passed. The castle gate was already in a devastated state. Except for Dion, the rest of the guards knocked down all the soldiers at the gate. However, the soldiers who heard the warning bell were coming back again and again. As soon as Kalcion and Selina passed through the gate, the guards surrounded them and started running. It was a new feeling to ride a horse on a road that she had always ridden in a carriage. After leaving the palace, she had time to look around. However, that leeway did not last long. Soon, the cavalrymen followed. ¡°Take care of them!¡± At Kalcion¡¯s command, the surrounding escorts changed their formation and slowed down. In the meantime, Selina, Kalcion, and Dion accelerated through the city. Because it was downtown, no matter how fast they tried, they would get stuck in the middle because of carriages and people blocking their way. Though it was the same for the cavalrymen. In the meantime, as they fought against the escorts, the distance widened. ¡°How far are they going!¡± The Duke¡¯s residence was right in front of them. Regardless, as long as they came with a chase behind them, it wouldn¡¯t end just by closing the door. ¡°To the boundary!¡± Oh, there was no time to let out a scream. It was a real life-and-death chase. It was not about acting as if one¡¯s life depended on it. Even when she was acting, in the chase scene, she filmed with the feeling of being chased. But, in the end, it was still a feeling. It felt like lava was gushing out of her heart. It felt like fire was spewing out of her nose and mouth instead of air. At the same time, the muscles all over her body were roaring, and only the bones were left creaking. Still, she couldn¡¯t stop. Selina couldn¡¯t even remember how she got out of the city. As she ran frantically, at some point, the building in front of her disappeared, and an open field appeared. She was about to sigh that she had barely escaped the busy city, but Kalcion¡¯s fierce whipping did not give her time to rest. ¡°The chase will still go on while the field of view is open. Don¡¯t slow down!¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­!¡± Now, it seemed that her body had gone and only the soul remained, running with the horse though she had to take her soul with me. As Kalcion said, as soon as they reached the field, the formation of the escort changed again. A sharp metal sound hit the back as if they were engaging in a close battle with the pursuers. The horse, startled by the sound, sped up. Fortunately, no other pursuers joined. Even inside the Palace, they were in a hurry and couldn¡¯t make it on time. The escorts who had slain the pursuers surrounded them again. It ran for several hours in that condition. The horse¡¯s mobility was obviously faster than the carriage. Compared to running with a carriage, the time was reduced by half. The boundary where they had some guards left in the distance began to appear. Even the soldiers who were already on guard had signs of a fight as if they knew the situation beforehand. Of course, it was Kalcion¡¯s soldiers who won. The horse maintained its speed until the moment it passed the boundary, then stopped abruptly. The waiting soldiers came over and took the horses by the reins to calm them down. ¡°Whoa, whoa!¡± The stamina of a horse that ran for a long time was also at its limit. However, they couldn¡¯t handle the excitement, and even after stopping, they didn¡¯t stand still and went on a rampage. Selina clamped her feet together with her legs, trying to keep herself from falling. However, her body was already at the limit as well. ¡°Ha, haa!¡± The taste of blood rose from her throat, and she lost power. Her light body flew away from the rampaging horse. She barely survived until here and ran away, but she was going to die by falling off a horse? She smiled dejectedly as she flew through the air, but Kalcion¡¯s arms embraced her as if he had waited. His reflexes were amazing. Selina let out a laugh even as she seemed to die. ¡°How many times have you saved me today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kalcion¡¯s body was also shaking with lightly rough breathing as if it was an unprecedentedly violent escape. The unusual smell of sweat rose from his body. ¡°Please, let me down. It¡¯s fine now.¡± Still, Kalcion did not untie his arm. ¡°I still have the strength to play around,¡± said Selina, gazing up at him as she met his shiny, deep sunken eyes. It was wild eyes. ¡°I saved you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°As long as you are in my arms, you are mine. Right?¡± She didn¡¯t know what he was possessive of, but it was clear that at least she did not belong to the Crown Prince or anyone else. Nevertheless, as long as she existed in this world, the person who would protect her and save her again and again was Kalcion¡­ He was the only one. ¡°Yes.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Trust and affection for only him¡­ Kalcion, who read it in Selina¡¯s eyes, did not wait any longer. It wasn¡¯t enough just to have her. He took her lips as if to swallow her soul. ¡ª Chapter 127 Chapter 127 ¡°Hu-uhp!¡± Changing the angle several times, they overlapped their lips. It was tenacious and deep enough for Selina to eat away at her fear. As she shook her head, he fell off for a moment though he didn¡¯t give her a chance and came straight to her lips. The longing for the kiss was so intense that it would wet Selina from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Just like a beast without reason, he licked her whole body, expressing possession of her and smearing his own scent. The impact that started from her lips pierced her heart with a punch. She wondered if Kalcion¡¯s name was engraved in her soul at that moment. ¡°Uhp, wait¡­!¡± Selina¡¯s request was simply ignored. In her mouth, her voice soon faded thinly as Kalcion¡¯s arms wrapped around her body like vines. She felt a strong sense of possessiveness. As her body shrank from visceral fear, he attacked fiercely as if to swallow that fear. The other person¡¯s mighty will shook Selina. Caught in it, she opened her lips as he wished, Kalcion¡¯s passion permeated once again through the loose gap that had opened up before she knew it. I want to have it. I want to keep it inside of me. His lips spoke incessantly. He really put up with it a lot. Until now, he had barely endured the Crown Prince¡¯s numerous provocations, and in the end, he even had Selina taken away from him right in front of his eyes. Selina¡¯s mind could change, and he would have gone mad even if she had gone to the Crown Prince, but she was dragged away because of the crown prince¡¯s threats. As a result, he really almost lost it all. He almost couldn¡¯t protect her. Even though she could come out because she was strong, Kalcion was nothing in the process. The anger and helplessness of the moment when a person who was confident that he would not lose to anything in the world had to helplessly hand over his belongings. As they were pressed down, they exploded even more violently. He stood at the end of the road back to Renbird to let go, but his clenched hands were tighter than before. How could he let go? He didn¡¯t know when he caught it, he didn¡¯t know how to let go. If there ever came a moment when he had to let go, it would be when his arms were cut off and he was forced to let go though that moment wasn¡¯t now. ¡­She was now in his own land, in his arms. Then, she was his. Every blade of grass and even a single bird that grew on Renbird land belonged to Renbird¡¯s master, Kalcion. In principle, everyone who lived on Renbird land rented his land with his permission. While they may have a private home or livestock, they must give it up if Kalcion wants it¡­ Even their own body. The rights to the first night*, which have now disappeared and remained only as records in history, still remain legally. If the lord wanted, they could take the bodies of everyone in the territory. The lord¡¯s power was just as strong. The law, which ridiculed people in the past for being greedy, was now getting greedy in itself. This kind of selfish greed was funny. Still, it didn¡¯t make him laugh. What overlapped was the lips, but what he wanted was to entangle even their souls. He was hungry as much as he lacked, and he hurriedly devoured her. However, they were only persistently connected to the extent that it could not be reached. ¡°Ready to move.¡± Unable to wait, Dion urged. Only then did Selina find herself freed by Kalcion¡¯s desire. ¡°St-op¡­¡± She gasped for breath and turned her head. Couldn¡¯t he hear Dion¡¯s voice? As his tenacious lips came again, Selina once again pushed Kalcion¡¯s chest with all her might. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have to.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was only then that the arm that had been constricting her body was released. Even after their lips had fallen, the look in his eyes was menacing. Selina deliberately turned her head away, pretending not to see it. Meanwhile, Dion quickly brought in a new horse. Kalcion, perhaps his reason had finally returned, took his eyes off Selina and took over the horse. He checked the condition of the reins and the saddle, even Selina¡¯s horse, before jumping on board. ¡°Let¡¯s leave right away.¡± Looking at him, who returned to his usual cold eyes, Dion swept her heart. He was almost nervous about how long he had to watch that fever dream in an urgent situation. Despite passing the Renbird border, it was only a few hours from the Capital. Right now, they had dropped the chase, although the second team would be following them. Perhaps, the whole army was on its way. Crossing the boundaries of a territory when there was no reason is an act of military provocation. Even if they were the royal family, they couldn¡¯t be reckless. But now, things were different. Kalcion engaged in a swordfight inside the palace, and Selina wounded the Crown Prince and fled as a suspect. Selina¡¯s being a suspect in Rosalyn¡¯s murder didn¡¯t matter anymore. However, even raising a sword inside the palace could be considered an assassination attempt towards royalty. She was a traitor who needed to be caught and killed right away because she hurt the Crown Prince with her own hand. In order to catch the two royal assassins, going for them, even passing the boundary, was not a big problem for justification. The pursuers wouldn¡¯t be able to go that far because of Renbird¡¯s military might, but they wouldn¡¯t be relieved until they joined their forces. The immediate priority was to move to the military city with the first line of deterrence in Renbird. Selina, who was just about to mount her horse, nearly fell over because of her long skirt. ¡°Ahk¡­!¡± When she had just set out, she did not know in what spirit she rode on the horse, in such urgency that she did not know. Wearing a dress and riding for a long time, she felt tired as if she had been running with weights all over her body. The dress she chose was the problem when she should have dressed up like a hunting contest day, and since it was a party at the palace, everyone would have dressed up to give off a hunting atmosphere. She only gave off an active ¡®vibe¡¯ and was actually uncomfortable at its peak. Even if Selina thought she was going to say goodbye, she still didn¡¯t want to be pushed by others, so this was the result of her giving her utmost attempt to the end. She should have just put on her training clothes and gone. It was a belated regret. With the dress on, she couldn¡¯t even breathe freely, so she looked around to throw it off, but everyone was already on the horse. In the urgent atmosphere of having to leave immediately, she couldn¡¯t procrastinate as she was the only one needing to change clothes. ¡®Because with a bit of patience, a resting place will appear soon.¡¯ It would be possible to endure a little longer since she has been riding and enduring it so far. Selina gathered her determination and started the horse. The horse must have been bored because it couldn¡¯t run all day because it was the horse that was kept by the guard as a reserve. Unlike her horse, who was panting as if about to collapse at the end, the current horse flew. It ran so well that if she didn¡¯t hold on tight and brace her legs, she would fly off. Even Selina, who was a good rider, felt inferior compared to highly trained soldiers. Throughout the journey, she could feel the consideration around her, matching her pace. She would have cried, at least if it was a filming location where she was the main character, but now everyone¡¯s lives depended on it. If, by any chance, the pursuers caught up and a crisis situation arose, she was to blame for the slowness. In a battle with the pursuers, the guards would be the first to risk their lives and she didn¡¯t want to risk other people¡¯s lives because of her. Bracing herself, Selina rode faster. How far would she have gone from the boundary? She rode well enough for an hour, though. No matter how much she pushed herself, her body was pushed beyond its will. ¡°Haa! Haa, aahh!¡± Selina¡¯s gasping breath burst endlessly as it felt like her dress was crushing and digging into her ribs. The skirt wrapped around her legs was heavy. The feeling that her whole body was collapsing made her sway several times, and then she came back. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Her condition, which seemed strange, made Kalcion ask. The moment she heard the voice, her heart was put at ease. She was pulled so tight, like one side of a rubber band, which was about to break, then came loose. ¡°Ah!¡± Even though she said she would give her strength, her legs gave out. So were her hands that held the reins. Selina¡¯s body bounced off like a sheet of paper. She belatedly struggled to seize the reins, but it was already too late. The feeling of her body flying through the air gave her goosebumps. She anticipated the shock that would send her whole body running as she plummeted to the ground. ¡°Selina!¡± However, as she half expected, there were her arms clasping her body. In the blink of an eye, Selina was in Kalcion¡¯s arms. He stopped her horse. The horse blew out wild breaths. Selina was hardly different as she caught her breath too. ¡°Ah, sorry¡­¡± ¡°Take your breath first.¡± Kalcion held Selina still for a while, giving her time to calm down. Some of the guards, who had run ahead because they couldn¡¯t match her speed, returned and surrounded them. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break.¡± ¡°We have¡­to hurry and go.¡± ¡°We made room by now. You can go and rest.¡± If you had time, it was best to take a break. Only then did Kalcion leap from his horse, holding Selina, who had lost the power from her body. While listening to the conversation between the two, one of the guardsmen spread an emergency blanket on the grass. In front of them, a meadow without a single tree was spreading endlessly as if indicating that it was not yet far from the boundary. At the end of the far horizon, the Seindart Mountains were barely visible. As he set her down on the blanket, Selina sighed and caught her breath, but her uncomfortable dress was still a problem. ¡°I need to take off my dress. It¡¯s hard for me to breathe because of this, and it¡¯s even harder because it¡¯s wrapped around my body.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Kalcion only then recalled the light of frustration on her face. It was something he didn¡¯t even realize until he heard her say it because he had never worn a dress in his life. ¡°A change of clothes right away¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to take off the dress because I¡¯m wearing a lot of underskirts and underpants under my dress.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t say yes or no and shut his mouth. Even though it was Selina¡¯s freedom whether she wore what clothes or not, he didn¡¯t like it when the other members of his guards saw it. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only It was something he wanted only him to see. ______ *) right of the lord/first night is the legal right for the lords of lands to bed the subordinate women, particularly on their wedding night (thus ¡®first night¡¯) ¡ª Chapter 128 Chapter 128 ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all so thick you won¡¯t be able to see any of my skin¡­¡± Originally, whether or not Kalcion was reluctant, if she wanted to take it off, she¡¯d take it off regardless. So, even if she could clearly see what was going on in his mind, Selina would ignore it. Still, she couldn¡¯t ignore it. Seeing Kalcion¡¯s reluctance, running in an underskirt was about to feel like a big deal. ¡®There were times when we slept tangled up in my see-through pajamas, but now I¡¯m reminded of it.¡¯ Though she thought about it in her head, she was willing to take off the dress, but she could not take out her hands. Selina was embarrassed by her body and mind not being able to move at her will. It felt like her limbs were moving on their own. At that moment, Kalcion suddenly began to take off his coat. As his cloak fell to the floor, his coat fell on top of it. He then took off the scarf that was tightly wrapped underneath and took off his shirt as well. In an instant, he finished undressing his upper body. ¡°This would be enough to wear and run it.¡± Saying so, he held out the shirt he had taken off. A shirt tailored to his massive body would become a one-piece for her. There was an underskirt and underpants underneath, so there would be no problem. When Selina nodded and took the shirt, Kalcion again put his coat over his bare body. Wearing a suit with splendid embroidery, flamboyant decorations, and decorative tassels loosely over the bare body gave off a different, disheveled feeling than usual. Was it because of the unfamiliar feeling? It was awkward, like standing in front of a man she was meeting for the first time. To dispel the awkwardness, she deliberately confidently turned his back and pretended nothing had happened. ¡°Just loosen the ribbon on my back, please.¡± ¡°This one?¡± ¡°Yes, that.¡± Kalcion stood behind Selina¡¯s back. Although she had dressed disheveled in front of him, he had never touched her clothes. Selina stopped her breath, which she inhaled, the moment Kalcion¡¯s hand caught her ribbon. She could feel the tension in his hand on her back. His fingers, which had always moved smoothly and gracefully, creaked. Correspondingly, her breath was cut off as well. The windless fields were calm. Occasionally, there was only the small sound of blades of grass brushing against each other, and even the sound of each other¡¯s breathing was so quiet that it rang in their ears. The sound of the fingertips brushing against the ribbon was stark. All the nerves in her back became sensitive as if they had become ears. She brushed it off again. The more Kalcion¡¯s fingers plucked the ribbon, the more her breathing became easier. The sensitive nerves that were on edge also subsided. ¡°¡­It¡¯s done.¡± Only then did a long sigh escape from Kalcion¡¯s mouth, who untied all the ribbons and took a step back. He hadn¡¯t even been able to breathe properly. Even with the ribbon at her back untied, the dress was knotted here and there. Selina stood and looked around and began to untie the knot herself. ¡°Wait.¡± All of a sudden, he blocked Selina¡¯s hand and lifted his cloak. Because to keep their guard up, he couldn¡¯t order the guards to look elsewhere, so some of the eyes were looking this way. There were a lot of clothes tucked under anyway, so it didn¡¯t matter, but he didn¡¯t even have to show it. A simple dressing room was completed as Kalcion stretched out his arms in a circle, like holding Selina, unfolding his cloak. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Selina whispered softly and bowed his head. She felt strange as she tried to take off her clothes while facing Kalcion in his arms. Even if she was wearing something underneath, there was a nuance that the act of ¡®taking off her clothes¡¯ itself gave. She undressed herself in front of Kalcion¡­ Even her own heart seemed to be falling apart. Even though she had nothing to hide, she thought, she kept wanting to hide something. Just like that, her head kept moving downwards. Meanwhile, Kalcion¡¯s chin, raised towards the sky, also hardened. As Selina pulled her arm out of her sleeve, her fingertips brushed his bare chest. His twitching eyes try to look down, then back to the sky. Startled, she glanced up at his face and saw that his neckline moved greatly. The tension was contagious and doubled. It was easy to take off compared to the struggle to put on her. All she had to do was untangle the knot here and there and pull it down. She even took off the wide petticoat to make her dress puffy and her body felt cool. The wind brushing her bare shoulders refreshed her, and she sighed and put on the shirt. Selina took a step back. Naturally, Kalcion¡¯s arm came and the emergency dressing room collapsed. As she slipped out of his arms, her breath, which had been tight, became free like a body freed from the shackles of the dress. Even after buttoning up the buttons, he was staring at the sky the whole time. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± He listened to Selina¡¯s words before lowering his head. Still, he couldn¡¯t look at her. A look of hesitation, a fretful attitude¡­ At first, he was a fearsome person who even threatened to leave her in a mountain range teeming with witches. A person who was so hard had changed like this. Although his face was equally expressionless, the nervousness beneath it was clear in Selina¡¯s eyes. Now she was going to go back soon, and her role as his lover would be over. What if he kept spilling sincerity like this? If something touched her back and she looked back, there was a sincere heart¡­ who wouldn¡¯t mind seeing that? The affection warmed her heart. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± Kalcion turned his eyes to her. This time, it was Selina who couldn¡¯t keep eye contact with him. She hurriedly turned her body to her horse with her back feeling warm. Heat seemed to pour from all over her body as her body temperature rose, like a little girl encountering her first love. Originally, she was supposed to be acting as a lover, but she was confused as to how far she was acting. ¡®¡­Until the curtain falls.¡¯ The play was bound to end at any moment, and the actress, who was intoxicated with their acting, would soon come to her senses and be able to return to her daily routine. Selina never cared about her own mind. A lot of love acted that she had acted so far. There was never a time when she couldn¡¯t get out of it, no matter how attractive her co-star was. That was what she believed. 14. Love. As she threw off the uncomfortable clothes, she moved much faster. They ran until they came out of town almost without stopping, except for a few quick bites in between. The group stopped at the entrance of the village, looked at the movement, and slowly entered the village. It was a small town. It was so small that they wondered if there was a place to stay, but fortunately, the guards who ran ahead came back with good news. ¡°There is an accommodation where the advance party stayed. Accommodation seems to be settled there.¡± ¡°Tell the advance team not to stop and come back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, one of the guards looped his finger and blew a long whistle. From somewhere, a chirping bird flew in, similar to a whistling sound. It was much larger than the bird she had seen before. Having seated the bird on his shoulder, the guardsman wrote a short note in charcoal while sitting on his horse, put it in the bird¡¯s ankle, and flew the bird again. ¡°The accommodation is over there.¡± It was a building that was not very different from the lodging they had stopped by before. A shabby two-story house was similar to other houses in the neighborhood. A wooden sign hanging above the door was the only thing distinguishing it as a lodging. Since the whereabouts of the two had to be hidden as much as possible, they did not rush to inform them of the Duke¡¯s visit in advance. Therefore, there was no such thing as a village representative¡¯s reception. Even if he didn¡¯t reveal his identity, the owner of the inn seemed to think it was a visit from a passing nobleman, so he bent down until his nose touched the ground. ¡°Prepare the bath water and meal right away.¡± Kalcion naturally commanded as he entered the room. Usually, these commands don¡¯t have an answer other than ¡®yes.¡¯ However, this was not Renbird¡¯s castle, nor was it the mansion. There was no Mrs. Janet to arrange in advance. ¡°Meal is possible, but bath water is difficult, Master.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Even though he just asked why, the inn owner¡¯s waist was bent even deeper. ¡°It¡¯s not winter now, so I don¡¯t have a lot of firewood¡­ I will bring firewood, light a fire, fetch water and boil it, but it won¡¯t be ready in the middle of the night.¡± The owner of the accommodation was embarrassed. ¡°Just prepare a towel and water, please.¡± She couldn¡¯t ask for a perfect routine while on the go. Selina understood the situation and politely asked for something else. ¡°Of-of course! I will prepare it right away!¡± When the noble lady, who he had been expecting to be the most picky, understood it without being nervous, the owner of the accommodation became brighter like someone who had struggled with murderous energy. Immediately there was food and water to wash hands. Nonetheless, because of the lack of appetite, there was no speed in bringing in food. Even if she breathed, the dust fell from their our body, so she couldn¡¯t tell if she was eating food or dust. Selina finally gave up and put her hands down. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it without washing.¡± ¡°Should I prepare the bath water right now?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s too much. I think it will be better if I go to the well and wash my hair.¡± He didn¡¯t express it, but Kalcion took a towel and went out together as if he felt uncomfortable as well. While they were eating dinner, the sun was already going down. It was a very sparsely populated village, so few people came and went. As she was looking for someone to talk to, Selina saw a man carrying a water pitcher from the other side. ¡°Are you going to the well? We only dug the well in the middle of the village because the creek is close, but the creek is closer here.¡± If the creek was close, that was better. ¡°You can go all the way this way.¡± The guide ended by pointing to one side of the field with the hand not holding the water jug. However, in an open field, that was enough. She went a little in the direction he pointed, and soon she heard the sound of water. ¡°Wow!¡± She felt refreshed just by hearing the sound of the water. As she ran to the water¡¯s edge and dipped her hand in the running water, immediately, a refreshing sensation permeated from her fingertips to her shoulders. The air wasn¡¯t very cold, perhaps because she hadn¡¯t gone to the Sinedart Mountains yet, so the water temperature was good enough for her to enter. Selina glanced around quickly. The sun had already set, and the night sky was black. In addition, there was no way anyone would come to draw water in the middle of the night, and it was not a street corner where people were passing by. A little further up, she found some overgrown areas. While she originally thought to wash her hair only, she thought she could take a bath with this. ¡°Can I just go into the water and wash it?¡± Kalcion, who looked at the water, picked up a stone and threw it into the water. It let out a light pop as the stone fell into the water. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°The depth of the water seems shallow, and the flow doesn¡¯t seem high, so I think it¡¯s okay.¡± His permission was also granted. Selina hesitated as she tried to throw off Kalcion¡¯s shirt that she was wearing excitedly. As she glanced back, her eyes met Kalcion¡¯s. ¡ª