《The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind》 CH 1 The imperial palace summer ball was always held in the most beautiful of the flower gardens, Lection Pavilion. Her mind was filled with doubts. ¡®Why did the emperor personally invite me to the summer ball? This glittering dress was even gifted to me.¡¯ No matter how much she thought about it, she could not understand the emperor¡¯s actions. However, she could not decline the invitation. ¡®News about my jewelry shop couldn¡¯t have spread yet.¡¯ Citrina¡¯s jewelry shop was only just opening it¡¯s doors to customers. ¡®It makes no sense for the emperor to invite me. Something is off.¡¯ It was said that the emperor was merely a puppet of Duke Pietro, but he was still the emperor. A baron¡¯s daughter did not have the authority to reject his invitation. Citrina was quick to figure out the situation. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just eat lots of delicious food.¡± Citrina muttered to herself as she picked up her dress a bit. The fabric between her fingers was exceptionally soft. The elegantly woven silk dress shone silver in the light. Citrina tried not to think about the diamonds embroidered into the bodice up to her shoulders. The crowd was packed inside Lection Pavilion. It was a blessing in disguise that Citrina was a little bit late to arrive. She stood in front of the food table, in the middle of the Pavilion. Her stomach rumbled when she saw the desserts in front of her. As she bit into some finger food, the flavor spread through her mouth. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s sweet.¡¯ As she was enjoying the food, Citrina heard a voice behind her. ¡°Over there, who is that lady?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen that lady.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°The dress that lady by the entrance is wearing. The elf made it¡­ isn¡¯t it the only one of its kind?¡± ¡°No way.¡± The chatter was getting even noisier as people raised their voices. The cocktail must have gotten to her. Feeling better, Citrina turned away from the crowd when something caught her attention. At the entrance to Lection Pavilion, an attendant shouted loudly. ¡°Duke Pietro, His Excellency Duke D..Desian Pietro is entering!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Did I hear it wrong?¡± ¡°The duke is here?¡± A noblewoman screamed. Men stopped talking as their faces turned pale. Someone stopped the noblewoman from screaming, but the atmosphere remained tense as people scrambled around. Citrina remained calm in the middle of it. She was lost in thought. ¡®Desian? That Desian Pietro?¡¯ Citrina knew Desian Pietro well. As Citrina was lost in memories, that Desian Pietro slowly entered the Pavilion. As soon as the man himself appeared, the crowd froze as if they had been doused in cold water. Citrina didn¡¯t notice the frozen atmosphere, and instead looked at the duke. Desian was still beautiful with long eyelashes and outstanding cheekbones. He had delicate features, black eyes, and black hair. It was a lazy yet decadent beauty that made even Citrina nervous ¡®Shouldn¡¯t there be a bloody sword in his hands?¡¯ He was holding a bouquet of roses instead of a sword. The original Desian could cause everyone within a 1 kilometer radius to freeze. ¡®I¡¯m proud of how much he¡¯s changed,¡¯ Citrina thought. Citrina did not notice the terrified crowd around her. While Citrina was thinking of the past, Desian came to her side. His gaze on her was unwavering. Citrina slowly looked up from what he was holding to make eye contact with him. ¡°Citrina.¡± The normally expressionless Desian was smiling in delight. Citrina smiled back at him. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Desian whispered as he bent down to put him mouth next to her ear. ¡°My ear tickles, Del.¡± Perhaps it was the proximity or the fact that she called his nickname, but Desian¡¯s smile grew darker. But to others ¡­.¡­ Actually, all of the high ranking nobles around the pair were wondering if they were dreaming. ¡± Is this for real?¡± While Duke Desian Pietro was human, he was treated as an alien species. That¡¯s why his nicknames were ¡®Blood Crazy Duke, The Picture of Death, Iron-Blooded Duke, The Only One Who Would Come Down the Mountain in the Land of the Dead¡¯. No one saw him smiling. The only time his grim face showed a grin was at the end of a war. Who knew ¡®that¡¯ Desian Pietro could act so sweet! He was even holding flowers than the cursed sword he was always carrying! ¡°Those, are those flowers?¡± ¡°I think so¡­¡± Something else surprised them as well. That lady called Desian by his childhood nickname. This alone was enough to surprise everyone. The situation was too much for anyone there to comprehend. Despite what the others were feeling, Citrina and Desian¡¯s reunion in the garden was beautiful and fantastic. ******* Citrina Foluin was sixteen years old when she remembered her past life. Thanks to her baronial family¡¯s fallen circumstances, she had been working to pay off their debt since she was a child. She worked as a companion to noble children and put up with their petty insults. But it had grown more serious recently. She had to deal with the nobles¡¯ pranks, such as spilling filthy water on her. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can deal with it for the happiness of my family.¡± Citrina calmly recited these words to herself. She was doing the same on the day she remembered her past life. Citrina was ridiculed as a disgrace by the nobility. And now the countess was passing her along to another assignment. ¡°If you work as a playmate for the children of the Pietro Dukedom, it¡¯s like a death sentence. But you really need the money, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die and come back alive, okay?¡± ¡°Thank¡­you. Ma¡¯am..¡± Citrina clenched her teeth and answered. It was easy for a noble lady in a position of power to slight the fallen baron¡¯s house. But¡­. She recalled some disturbing rumors she had heard about the Pietro Dukedom. ¡°Then go ahead, lady.¡± The title of ¡®lady¡¯ was another offhand insult for someone from a poor house. Citrina smiled at the insult without flinching. Resolving her situation, Citrina made her way back to the baron¡¯s place. She had no idea that this day would change her point of view 180 degrees. CH 2 The baron¡¯s mansion was old and cramped. It was no surprise. Elaina and Citrina were dissimilar from each other. The family¡¯s pride and hope was their second daughter, Elaina Foluin. So from the time she was thirteen, which was three years ago, she had been working to support Elaina¡¯s dreams. Citrina had been able to stand it. ¡®I¡¯m the first daughter, so it¡¯s natural for me to work. And Elaina¡¯s success is the family¡¯s success.¡¯ ¡°Elaina needs several daily necessities. In a week, you¡¯re going to the duke¡¯s, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Citrina calmly said. ¡°Are you feeling ill? Be careful. You have to be healthy to work.¡± The baroness poured a glass of tonic, pushing it towards Citrina. ¡°That¡¯s right. Who would employ you if you became ill?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Citrina answered neatly Strangely, Citrina had always been frustrated that she had to work silently for her family¡¯s success. Sometimes it felt incredibly unfair. But today, just like all the days before, Citrina pushed her feelings down. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have money to call the clinic, but the fever should go down if she rests, right?¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s not a contagious disease¡­ I¡¯ll leave it to Mrs. Mack for now. Citrina, you need to get well so that you can go to the duke¡¯s in a week.¡± The baroness¡¯s words drifted into Citrina¡¯s dreams as light as water droplets, disappearing from her subconscious. By then, Citrina began to slowly remember her past life. Memories of her past life came back one by one. In her past life she was a confident and indifferent perfectionist. The memories were absorbed into Citrina¡¯s head one at a time. Citrina was a jewelry designer who loved her job in her past life. However, because she died young she was not able to make the jewelry she wanted. Images of a talented jeweler, a dwarf with the knowledge of jewelry-making, and a jewel-loving spirit appeared appeared in Citrina¡¯s mind in this dream-like state. These images were from Citrina¡¯s past life when she read a novel called . ¡®Have I actually been reborn in a novel?¡¯ The heroine of the novel was her younger sister, Elaina Foluin, and the male lead was Aaron Pietro of the Ducal House of Pietro. They meet at the academy and their beautiful love story develops from there. Citrina was Elaina¡¯s older sister, who worked just as hard as the current Citrina was doing, continued to struggle for sister¡¯s sake until her death. The male lead¡¯s older brother and the novel¡¯s villain, Desian Pietro, orders Citrina¡¯s death through one of his pawns. Desian found Elaina annoying, so he killed Citrina first. ¡®Am I going to die in vain just like in the novel?¡¯ Since Citrina was not the main character, the novel continued after her death. Citrina thought her family would mourn her death. However, after Elaina¡¯s success, no one remembered Citrina. Even at the end of the novel, no one mentioned her. No one mentions, thinks about, remembers, or loves her. ¡®The weather is really nice today, mom!¡¯ ¡®Shall we go out for a picnic, Elaina?¡¯ ¡®That sounds great!¡¯ Baron and Baroness Foluin, along with Elaina are laughing and smiling at the end. Everyone has a perfectly happy ending. Citrina, who sacrificed her life and happiness for her family, is not seen anywhere. With the sudden recollection, Citrina felt a horrible sense of betrayal. ¡°What have I done up to this point?¡± So I have just been a tool for their happiness. She thought she had been living for her family. Citrina slowly opened her eyes after going through the decades of memories from her past life as her fever burned. After waking up, her memories of her life as Citrina were hazy. Her recollections of her life as Kim Jooyeon as a jewelry designer felt much closer. It was shocking to think that the book ¡°Elaina¡¯s Flower Garden¡± was the path of her current life. ¡°You woke up! I was really worried!¡± Next to Citrina was the baron¡¯s housekeeper, Mrs. Mack. In the novel ¡°Elaina¡¯s Flower Garden¡±, the baroness was the one who stayed by Elaina¡¯s side and took care of her tenderly. Citrina slowly let out a sigh. Her body . ¡°The baroness will be happy. It¡¯s morning now, so would you like to eat some breakfast?¡± Mrs. Mack hesitated before speaking. ¡°Ah! Today is the day the duke¡¯s carriage arrives.¡± ¡°You¡­haven¡¯t been excused from going.¡± Even though she had been so sick recently, her family would not miss this opportunity to make money off the duke. Citrina smiled despondently. It was the day the duke¡¯s carriage had come. Then, this could be the turning point for her life. Citrina thought of running away, but that would not change the fundamental problem. ¡®I will live as the main character of my life from now on.¡¯ Citrina organized her thoughts. ¡®If the villain could kill me, let¡¯s bring him over to my side. After all, that¡¯s my specialty.¡¯ While working as a companion to noble children, she had seen many nasty children open their hearts to her. Desian Pietro is still a young villain, so she can mold him with her hands and change his fate. Citrina was going to be the main character of her life from this point on. Citrina headed down the the Foluin dining room. She noticed a sense of disharmony in the baron¡¯s dining room right away. A spider web was hanging down from the chair. ¡°There¡¯s a spider.¡± Citrina sat at the table and kicked the spider away roughly with her foot. Objectively, the baron¡¯s situation has fallen a lot. Their finances were in tatters because the baron was addicted to gambling and her genius younger sister Elaina was attending an expensive academy. She could hear the wooden chairs and table creaking. Citrina soon noticed that someone had coming into the room. The baroness sauntered in. ¡°Mrs. Mack prepared breakfast. Be grateful for the meal.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Citrina responded moderately. The toast was pretty burnt, the bacon smelled old, and the fried eggs looked like something you would feed a dog. Citrina slowly muttered something she would have never dared to before. ¡°The menu is different from when Elaina is here.¡± She didn¡¯t consider it before- how much more effort is put into everything when Elaina is here. After realizing it, Citrina¡¯s heart felt like it was freezing over. ¡°What, What¡¯s the difference?¡± Baroness asked, flustered. Citrina looked down. ¡°Ah, never mind.¡± Citrina decided to drop the issue. She was leaving for the duke¡¯s tomorrow anyway and had decided to cut off her ties to the baron¡¯s family. She knew what would happen in the future in this world, and was forming a plan as to what to do next. She¡¯ll become a genius jeweler with the help of the dwarf and a jewel spirit from the story. As she was thinking of the future, Citrina¡¯s heart raced and she began to feel nauseous. Yes, serving the baron¡¯s family was not her purpose in this world. ¡°The duke will pay well, right? It should probably be more than what Count Milleone was paying you¡­¡± ¡°It should be more. But-¡° ¡°..?¡± ¡°Can I ask you one thing?¡± Citrina whispered softly. In response to the unexpected question, the baroness lifted an eyebrow. However, the baroness was not too bothered by Citrina¡¯s next question. The baroness thought of Citrina as her ¡®good but simple¡¯ daughter. Citrina knew all of this, which is why she asked her next question. ¡°Is that really all you have to say to me?¡± This was probably the last time Citrina would meet with the baroness, so she wanted to hear any last words. Is that really all the baroness had to say for herself? CH 3 Citrina¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. **** Leaving the baroness behind, Citrina boarded the Duke of Pietro¡¯s carriage. **** The historic duke¡¯s mansion was elegant and colorful. Crossing through the path and walking along an arched bridge made of marble led to the annex building where the duke¡¯s twin sons lived. ¡°Citrina-nim is the companion of the two young masters, so you will live in the annex where they reside.¡± It was common in this era for low ranked nobles to act as companions to higher ranked nobles. Naturally, the annex would have at least one room for a companion to live. The butler Harold walked a few feet ahead and explained certain restrictions. ¡®I already know all of the contract¡¯s contents, and the main point is to not draw the duke¡¯s attention.¡¯ Citrina walked along as she listened to him carefully. The path to the annex common room was bright and spacious. Five people could walk side by side along it easily. ¡®If the annex is this luxurious, what is the main building where the duke lives like?¡¯ Citrina looked around as she leisurely walked along the marble path. ¡®There is a huge difference from Baron Foluin¡¯s residence, like mud compared to marble.¡¯ Citrina was lost in admiration as she passed through a hallway filled with portraits of the duke¡¯s ancestors, beautiful ceramics, and colorful artifacts. She was brought back to reality as the butler coughed. She stopped walking and looked up at him. ¡°Hmm, hmm. As you already know, Citrina-nim¡¯s only role is to act perfectly as the two young masters¡¯ companion¡± He stopped in front of a white door decorated with gold bands. ¡°Yes, I know. I memorized all of the contents of the contract.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes. This is where Citrina-nim will stay.¡± The butler¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before recovering. Passing through a small, ornate door, the butler said briefly. ¡°I¡¯ll return the luggage you brought after the maid completes an inspection.¡± ¡°Yes. When can I meet the young masters?¡± The butler took a few steps without answering and then stopped at a fancy door. ¡°Is it alright to meet them now?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Then let me introduce Young Lord Aaron. As you know, he is one of the twins of the ducal house.¡± As she was about to meet the male lead, Aaron Pietro, Citrina reviewed the contents of the novel quickly. The duke was strangely more obsessed with Desian. She remembered that the duke hit and whipped him. Probably, Citrina would only have a chance to meet Desian when the duke was out of estate for a while. After finishing that short thought, Citrina responded. ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go in.¡± The butler opened the door halfway at her answer. ¡°As I have stated and as was written in the contract, you are not to speak about the duke¡¯s actions. You understand that, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I already went through the contract thoroughly.¡± Citrina nodded indifferently. The butler¡¯s words implied, ¡®don¡¯t pay attention to how the duke mistreats his twin sons¡¯. ¡®I can¡¯t stop the duke¡¯s actions. I am in no position to save anyone besides myself.¡¯ Even if the abused boy was right in front of her, there was nothing she could do to save him. They would wind up dying together if she tried to intervene. She could not risk her life to help others. ¡®Let¡¯s just get along together so that I can live my life after this.¡¯ Citrina shook off her uncomfortable thoughts that clouded her mind. ¡°Then I hope you two have a nice time.¡± As the butler finished speaking, the door opened completely. Citrina Foluin slowly walked inside. She was about to meet the male lead, Aaron Pietro. After Citrina walked fully into the room, Harold shut the door behind her. -Thud- Now only the young Aaron and her were alone in the room. It was time to start to win his favor. CH 4 At the back of the spacious drawing room was a table in front of a brightly lit window. There were two chairs facing each other, soaked in the sunlight. *** An hour later, night fell. Aaron thought for a moment. Citrina seemed to be stuck in the room the duke had assigned to her without much to do. From what he had heard before, she wasn¡¯t to leave the room unless directed to do something. ¡®I want to eat dinner with Citrina. That would be ok, right?¡¯ Aaron stood outside of Citrina¡¯s room for a while, but wound up having dinner alone. ¡®But¡­today dad isn¡¯t here at the house.¡¯ Aaron had quickly caught on that the duke left. This was thanks to the skill he had picked up of reading the environment. So Aaron carefully left his room with a baguette, a wet towel, and a roll of bandages. Aaron¡¯s pace quickened once he was certain no one else was walking around the annex. His destination was clear. The duke had a room under the annex that was more like a dungeon. Aaron ran down the stairs to the dungeon room in a hurry and came to stop at a shabby door. -squeak- The ungreased door opened little by little. The neglect was obvious, as there was dust piled up on the hinges. Aaron staggered through the gap made by the partially opened door. ¡°¡­Brother!¡± [T.L. Note: Aaron calls Desian ¡°Hyung¡±, which is the older brother of a boy in Korea] On a creaky old bed was a boy with a face very similar to Aaron¡¯s, but more serious and mature. His whole body was covered in blood stains and all emotion seemed drained from him. Aaron acted like he was familiar with this situation. He sat next to the boy and spoke softly. ¡°Brother, today I met a friend!¡± Unlike Aaron, who was rambling excitedly, the other boy remained impassive. This boy, Desian, opened his mouth suddenly. ¡°Towel.¡± Aaron placed the wet towel in his hand. Aaron¡¯s brother wiped the blood off of his body and face with an indifferent face. ¡°Desian, please don¡¯t get hurt..¡± The boy with all of the cuts and bruises on his body was the twin brother of the male lead Aaron Pietro and the villain of the novel, Desian Pietro. Aaron¡¯s eyes darted around the wounds, restless. However, Desian did not care about the stinging pain from wiping his wounds. ¡°Is there anything you want to say?¡± Desian asked indifferently. As he continued to clean off the wounds, the bleeding slowed. Aaron . ¡°Desian, guess what?¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Desian said in a monotonous tone as he stared blankly at Aaron. Aaron looked at him blankly before gathering his courage and speaking. ¡°A friend arrived today, and she doesn¡¯t care about twins being cursed! I had never seen such a person before.¡­¡± ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± ¡°Brother, but we talked for an hour. This friend, she might be different.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll reveal her true colors soon.¡± He had a cynical face and cold tone as he spoke. Disappointed, Aaron spoke quietly. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°¡­.don¡¯t trust too much.¡± Aaron did not respond. Aaron instead put the small baguette near Desian. -plunk- It was a careful movement. ¡°Desian, I¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡± There was no response. Aaron closed the door and left. He didn¡¯t eat as he listened to Aaron¡¯s footsteps fade away. When Aaron¡¯s footsteps were out of earshot, he spoke. ¡°¡­different?¡± The boy left in the dungeon muttered. Different. Desian closed his eyes and laughed at himself for finding hope in that word. CH 5 He didn¡¯t trust or love anyone. *** Because of Duke Pietro, peace did not last long in the mansion. This was because the duke, who was the father of the twins and the master of the mansion, had returned. After the duchess died giving birth to the twins, the duke withered away little by little. The duke believed in the curse of twins, which is why he abused his sons. At dawn, the abuse continued as before. The duke had returned from one of his frequent night¡¯s out and went straight to Desian¡¯s underground room. An old and loyal servant of the Pietro Dukedom handed over a whip. Duke Pietro hit the whip hard on the floor as soon as he entered the dungeon. ¡°I¡¯ve really been cursed because of you two and your bad luck!¡± Duke Pietro ground his teeth as he watched Desian stand up straight. Duke Pietro took one step forward. His face that had been hidden in the darkness was illuminated. He had black eyes like his son, under a forehead with light wrinkles. In fact, his face looked so gentle that one would never expect him to behave this way to his son. ¡°Those snake-like eyes!¡± My god! The man hit the whip that had been wound around Desian¡¯s wrist on the ground once more. It made a disgustingly loud sound. **** Meanwhile, Citrina also felt the atmosphere at the duchy gradually changing. She recollected her vivid memories. It was as if someone had delicately carved her past life¡¯s memories and the novel¡¯s contents into her mind. ¡®The duke will soon leave to deal with the shipping problem. Then there will be no one else in the annex.¡¯ These days, she had been meeting with Aaron once a day after lunch. She and Aaron enjoyed slowly talking over friendly matters. Aaron was slowly beginning to trust her. When the duke leaves, everyone but Desian and Aaron will begin to trickle out. Duke Pietro tried to separate the ducal annex completely. He believed Desian and Aaron were perfectly neutralized, and didn¡¯t allow them to focus on anything. Therefore, when he was away, he would minimize the number of people at the annex. He left only a few people and the butler Harold, who knew of the duke¡¯s misdeeds. ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t die.¡± She bit her lips as if determined. She didn¡¯t want to die. Even if she died, it would be after doing everything she wanted to. ¡­Well. What was clear was that the duke would leave and her salary would be paid regularly. For Citrina and Aaron, a few days went by little by little. The week seemed longer than it should have been. As the wind got a bit chilly outside and summer edged towards autumn, there were changes every day. While Citrina was enjoying a leisurely tea time in her room, Harold called on her. ¡°Today, you will be meeting Young Lord Desian.¡± Harold said, looking a little bewildered. Citrina caught on quick. A rushed meeting with Desian. This wasn¡¯t expected. CH 6 Desian¡¯s magic was somewhat unstable and he was openly hated by the duke. Not to mention Citrina¡¯s reputation in the mansion was not very good. It was a book she would show to Aaron later. Harold, who was looking at the title of the book she was reading, answered slowly. ¡°¡­No, you will meet in the garden. Young Lord Desian does not like being indoors.¡± Citrina slowly got up and took a quick look at her clothes. ¡°Yes. Then let¡¯s go now.¡± The butler opened the door for her. Citrina went straight to the garden. Thanks to the clear skies and cool wind, it was nice to walk outside even on a summer day. ¡®Soon I¡¯ll be meeting the original work¡¯s villain, Desian Pietro.¡¯ He was waiting to meet her in the garden. She wasn¡¯t feeling very nervous even though she was meeting a man who could influence her life. ¡®Right, I just need to get along with him a bit. We have a lot of time to get to know each other, and I can help him learn about emotions. If I¡¯m too involved, I¡¯m bound to die in any case and it would be uncomfortable¡­¡¯ Citrina organized her thoughts logically. Citrina was not this world¡¯s god. She knew what would happen in the future, but she could not change the entire world. Anyway, as long as the incident where she died didn¡¯t happen, that was all. Citrina bit her lip. ¡°Citrina-nim, I will escort you.¡± CH 7 The first conversation with Desian had been more normal than she had expected. The main butler, Grendell, called Desian away. Citrina wondered if the duke was getting ready to make his next move. All I had to do was prevent my future death. Looking back at today¡¯s conversation, he was¡­definitely human. That means we¡¯ve been able to communicate to a degree. ¡°Then, what am I to do now?¡± Citrina muttered to herself as she headed to the library. She knew much more about this place than the average person thanks to her past life¡¯s memories. But she was curious about gems. She loved the sparkle of jewels in her past life. Citrina found a book to dive into before long. With her chin resting in one hand, she turned the pages one by one. ¡°Hey, Citrina.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Aaron was the one who appeared all of a sudden, but he was surprised when she was startled. Citrina laughed in embarrassment. Aaron smiled in relief when he saw Citrina laugh. He had licked his lips and clenched his mouth when she first jumped. To cheer him up, Citrina changed the subject. ¡°You must have had something to do in the library.¡± ¡±Oh? Yup¡­¡± Aaron smiled, slightly folding his eyes. It was the first time in his life that Aaron had a friend. Citrina guessed that he probably wanted to spend time with a friend. Citrina looked around briefly. The library was set up in the annex and was very large with few people in it, so she could speak comfortably. Aaron carefully sat in the chair next to Citrina. Citrina, who was staring at him, soon closed the book. Citrina¡¯s hand slipped away from the title. Aaron looked at the cover. A jewelry book? Do you like jewels?¡± He titled his head, wondering at the weight of the hefty book. ¡°I like them. Would you like to read it with me?¡± Big Sister Citrina, It¡¯s Elaina. I was appointed as a knight trainee at the academy, which is one step closer to success. So I think I need a real sword. My academy scholarship is not enough to cover the cost. There is also tuition, but I would like you to send the money for the sword first. The academy said they can lend me a sword, but I think it is better to have a higher quality sword, which is a little more pricey. I¡¯m sorry to ask you this, but I will pay you back if I do well. I¡¯ll repay you plus interest, so don¡¯t worry. So, please. I will wait for your reply. From, Elaina The only reason she wrote was for money. Citrina sighed and grabbed her head. There was one point to clarify from the story. Elaina wasn¡¯t a bad guy. She had her own troubles. It¡¯s just that she really believed that her success would also lead to Citrina¡¯s happiness. ¡®I¡¯ll be dead by the time you succeed and you¡¯ll only regret it when it¡¯s too late.¡¯ No matter how many times she thought about it, the conclusion was the same. Citrina sighed deeply. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± There was an episode in the story where Elaina purchased a sword from the dwarf¡¯s atelier. In that part of the timeline, Elaina visited the dwarf at Ronata Atelier along with a jewel spirit. There was also Adilac Antigone, a genius craftworker who worked as Ronata Atelier¡¯s apprentice. As Elaina is purchasing the sword, she comes across the jewel that contains the spirit. ¡®Time is running out.¡¯ Citrina bit her lip. Could she rehabilitate Desian and arrive at the dwarf¡¯s Ronata Atelier in time? Would she be able to meet the jewel spirit and Adilac Antigone? All that she knew was that nothing had started yet. That reminded calmed Citrina down more than she expected. ¡®What should I do with the connection with Elaina?¡¯ Citrina breathed in and out a few times. And she chose. Citrina¡¯s sacrifices had ended. Unfortunately for Elaina, Citrina no longer intended to be the family¡¯s slave. Citrina opened her tightly closed lips and spoke. ¡°Please block all letters from my family.¡± After speaking, Citrina tore the letter several time horizontally and vertically. The paper ripped with a cheerful sound. ¡°Yes.¡± Harold answered, taking the pieces of letter. His face was curiously blank, like a wax figure. Harold turned around and spoke. ¡°I will throw them all in the trash.¡± He looked at her as he spoke. Citrina bowed her head and thanked him lightly. ¡°Then, I bid you a good day again.¡± Harold bowed politely and closed the door. -click- Citrina caught her breathe little by little after hearing the door close. She tapped her fingers on the table. ¡®I can ignore it like this.¡¯ Suddenly, Citrina thought of the difference between the main characters and the supporting characters. She clenched her fist hard. The tips of her long fingernails pushed deep into her palm. Blood welled up and her palm stung. While Citrina was locked in her own world, Aaron watched it all and spoke carefully. ¡°Citrina, are you ok?¡± Citrina turned towards Aaron when she heard his voice. Aaron paused and put his hand over her own. It was a small comforting gesture without any other intentions. ¡°Yes.¡± Warmth spread from her fingertips. ¡°I just thought of something¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Citrina said she would give me rubies. In return, I remembered something I can give Citrina.¡± He paused for a bit. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Citrina winked quickly. Encouraged by the wink, Aaron continued energetically. ¡°Can I¡­become Citrina¡¯s brother and replace Citrina¡¯s family?¡± He sounded a little hesitant. Citrina looked him deeply in the eye. The boy¡¯s eyes were infinitely pure. It was a boy¡¯s simple promise. But still, it was dangerous to promise the future. ¡®You can¡¯t leave a deep impression on Aaron who has no one.¡¯ Aaron probably regarded her as someone special. Because he was always alone. But Citrina had to think rationally. It wouldn¡¯t be good to give special meaning to such a short, casual relationship. She didn¡¯t want to get too involved in this world. Citrina wanted to live comfortably as a successful jewelry designer. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Citrina bit her lip. Aaron, he would soon be the male lead lead of this perfect world and reach his happily ever after¡­alongside Elaina. They¡¯ll be happy, so I think I can say no. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s not what you want now, I¡¯m okay. Until you¡¯re comfortable with it, I will be the only one who thinks so.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking into the boy¡¯s eyes, Citrina briefly recalled the past. The time when she yielded everything to Elaina. ¡®This dress, I¡¯ll wear it.¡¯ The dress Elaina wanted was a present from Baroness Foluin to Citrina. Baron Foluin accused Citrina of being greedy when she hesitated to respond. ¡®I want to go to academy. Older sister doesn¡¯t want to go, right?¡¯ Baroness Foluin, who wanted to rise in society, told Citrina to give everything to Elaina because Elaina was smarter. Citrina chewed on her lip as she recalled the days when Elaina always came first. This boy was destined to be with Elaina. Though he was 16 years old, Aaron had never been introduced to society, so he spoke clumsily and as naive as ever. Let¡¯s just take something of Elaina¡¯s for once. Citrina had given Elaina everything so far. So this was alright. Citrina thoughts were a little wicked. In a world without support, a little warmth wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Sure, we can do that, being a family. At least now, while I am still here.¡± Citrina responded half impulsively. Aaron smiled brightly as soon as he heard her answer. Citrina didn¡¯t know it, but she had a second family now. This moment would likely never be forgotten. CH 8 While Citrina was busy changing Aaron¡¯s fate, Desian was returning to his place. *** Citrina thought. What does family mean to Aaron? Feeling a bit strange, she decided to exit the library. It was awkward to leave Aaron there. Nevertheless, she slowly descended the circular staircase. The annex was as quiet as the dead. Had the Duke of Pietro left? Strangely, there were only a few people in the ducal annex today. Citrina took out the book she had brought from the library. She was looking for more information about the jewel spirit she wanted to meet. Circling around the annex, she got to the garden. Citrina slowly walked over and sat in a small chair under a tree in the garden. It was cool with the leaves obscuring the bright sunlight. Sitting back in the chair, she slowly flipped out the guide to the spirits. ¡°The jewel spirit, Gemma.¡± The page she wanted was easy to find. At this time, the spirits were in hiding from others. In fact, there was only a crude explanation from the guide. Contracts with special spirits, such as jewel spirits, are made with an equivalent exchange. ¡®I can become a contractor if I give Gemma what she wants.¡¯ Citrina was lost in thought. She can ask for a contract using jewelry as bait. After getting Gemma, she could start her jewelry business. Everything became clear. Citrina took her eyes off the book with a small smile. It felt good under the garden tree, with the shade and sunlight mixing harmoniously. She yawned softly with the book in her lap. Citrina turned her head and saw him. Desian Pietro. He was looking at the sun. With his black hair, black eyes, and black clothing in the beautiful garden, he looked like the only free person in the world. Did he notice Citrina¡¯s eyes on him? He turned his head slowly. They looked at each other slowly, closely but not too closely. It was like a staring contest, ¡°Desian nim?¡± Citrina¡¯s clear voice ended the contest. It was a beautiful and unfamiliar voice that awoke his spirit. Citrina did not understand. Desian¡¯s childhood was not completely explained. However, she knew he had lived a life full of boredom. The brainwashing of the Duke of Pietro and the wizard Toloji was absolute. Therefore he always lived in a prison-like basement without being curious about the world. Being in this place was unexpected. He came over to her slowly and spoke. ¡°Citrina.¡± ¡°What brings you to the garden?¡­¡± Citrina looked at him, slurring her words. She was still sitting in the chair, so he looked down at her while standing. There was a distinct difference here. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Desian¡¯s eyes met hers. Captured in his direct gaze, Citrina bit her lip. She wasn¡¯t doing anything right now. But these circumstances were different from what appeared in the original. CH 9 Desian headed back into the basement before Toloji saw him. Toloji was the one who taught Desian how to hide among the shadows. Desian Pietro felt like a golden opportunity that fell from the heavens to Toloji. Thanks to his limitless amount of mana, he endured all sorts of experiments without dying. He would most likely be Toloji¡¯s most captivating killer soon. There was only one step left. He just had to administer one last potion!! ¡®With all of his emotions deadened, he can do the most beautiful and fascinating murders. I bet he¡¯s the most perfect creature I ever made.¡¯ It had been years since he started administering potions and teaching Desian black magic to turn him into a murder weapon while hiding this from the stupid Duke Pietro. Victory was finally within his grasp. Toloji¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Phew, why did this disaster come into being from the ancient Pietro ducal house¡­¡± Toloji heard the butler muttering in a low voice. ¡®The curse of the twin brothers. The butler has a great deal of faith in that superstition.¡¯ ¡°Did you call it a disaster?¡± ¡°What sort of problem¡­¡± -Twang!- Soon, small, loud explosions erupted around where the duke had imprisoned him. Blue flames poured down. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Desian looked indifferently at the bizarre transformation of the head butler¡¯s body. Toloji clapped his hands slowly three times. -Clap, clap, clap- The claps echoed loudly in the huge empty room. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely perfect. This is the future that I wanted.¡± Desian laughed cynically. ¡°You don¡¯t know the near future.¡± ¡°What about the near future?¡± Toloji¡¯s face subtly hardened. He asked this question with a disconcerting look on his face. He needed to inject the drug before the boy¡¯s mana exploded. All sorts of magic had been cast to cause Desian to lose his free will and become brainwashed to obey only Toloji. The final drug was difficult to obtain, but it was almost complete! There was only one step left. It was supposed to be over soon. Toloji searched through his pocket in a hurry. He touched a round bottle in his pocket. All he had to do was inject Desian with the drug. Toloji¡¯s trembling hand felt in his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s not possible for you to kill me!¡± Desian watched Toloji¡¯s demeanor with a relaxed face. No, not exactly relaxed. ¡°I am the god who made Desian nim like this It¡¯s not possible for you to kill me¡­¡± Desian just watched him. He didn¡¯t touch him or cast any visible spells. Toloji, who had been speaking rapidly, was cut off. Soon after, blood flowed out of Toloji¡¯s mouth. It was disgusting. Just before all the blood in his body had been exhausted, he collapsed. -roll, roll, roll- Something rolled out from inside his jacket. It was most likely the drug Toloji had meant to administer to him. Desian broke the medicine bottle with an indifferent face. A clinking sound was heard. A stream of white liquid flowed under his feet. That drug would have probably haunted him for the rest of his life. Desian looked at the body on the floor and said, ¡°Did I kill God?¡± He had killed them, but he didn¡¯t feel anything. As they had said, it seemed he was a monster. There was a subtle feeling that his world was becoming more clear bit by bit. Desian was the only one left standing in this place. He looked quietly at the men he had killed. Desian thought it was time to go back to Citrina. The original work had changed. CH 10 In the original work, Desian was given the potion to kill off all of his emotions. The dark wizard Toloji was killed as he tried to run away. ***** After Desian left, Citrina went back to sitting in the garden. She thought of the curiosity that had flashed past Desian¡¯s indifferent face. ¡°What was that, I wonder?¡± Either way, the dye was cast and she had no choice but to wait. Citrina slowly began to read books about spirits. Ten minutes, thirty minutes, then an hour had passed. As the evening sun was setting, cold air settled on her arms. Citrina saw a teary, red-eyed Aaron running up to her. The boy who usually didn¡¯t leave the building was shaking. Seeing the tears in his pitch-black eyes, Citrina got up. ¡°Aaron nim.¡± ¡°Citrina.¡± He pointed at his bracelet, which served as his mana¡¯s restraint. It was the same type of restraint as Desian. The bracelet was vibrating strangely. Aaron¡¯s arm trembled. He extended his arm to Citrina. ¡°Look at this.¡± His cheeks were deathly pale. ¡°I think my older brother is in danger.¡± Citrina stared at Aaron¡¯s bracelet wrapped around his wrist. She stood up in a hurry. A bandage fell out of Aaron¡¯s pocket. It was as if it was to warn of something ominous. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous..¡­¡± ¡®Was it the time when Toloji gives Desian the emotion killing drug?¡¯ The villain¡¯s narrative was cruel. Citrina knew how Toloji tormented Desian, but she didn¡¯t know when he would inject the emotion killing drug into Desian. So it made sense not to go where Desian was kept. Agonizing over that, Citrina picked up the bandage. It was almost an unconscious act. ¡°My older brother is underground.¡± ¡°I know.¡± At first, Citrina had not planned to go with him. Desian told her to wait here. Citrina also didn¡¯t want to die, so she wanted to wait here. However, she looked into the Aaron¡¯s innocent eyes. Citrina had seen eyes like this in her past life ¡­. From Spring, the dog she used to care for. ¡°I¡¯ll go there alone. But just in case, you should avoid the place and protect yourself.¡± Aaron spoke in a trembling voice. He seemed ready to die. If Desian¡¯s mana exploded, the whole annex would be in danger. But Citrina doubted that would happen. She thought about the Desian she had seen just a few minutes ago. His image was very human. There wasn¡¯t a single servant along the path as they passed through the corridor, down the staircase, and to the underground cell¡¯s entrance. As they were heading down the seemingly never-ending stairs, they spotted some smoke overhead. The place where Desian was kept was so gloomy and dark that it brought to mind a prison. The air was dismal and thick. In these sorts of conditions, even angels would become devils. She didn¡¯t like Desian very much, but Duke Pietro made her grit her teeth. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± ¡°¡­yeah.¡± Citrina and Aaron moved a little closer. ¡®What is that?¡¯ The sight before her was more gruesome than she had imagined. Unlike what she had experienced as a spectator reading the novel, the sight made her nauseous. Acrid smoke hung in the air of the wrecked room. ¡®The head butler and the dark wizard Toloji are probably dead in here, if I remember correctly.¡¯ After the smoke had cleared a bit, she could see Desian standing with his back to the wall. Citrina was a little relieved to see Desian¡¯s silhouette. ¡®Let¡¯s be calm, Citrina, these people were going to die anyway, and they were bad people who were experimenting on Desian. You just need to change the future a bit.¡¯ She took a deep breath, which boosted her energy. Luckily, this wasn¡¯t the first time Citrina had seen death. Citrina walked into the room with a cool face. Aaron, who had been stumbled with bleary eyes until then, took the lead. ¡°Brother.¡± He went inside with watery eyes. Perhaps he had convinced himself that Desian was dead. What she believed was the head butler¡¯s body was spilled about the floor in a messy way. No, it couldn¡¯t be called a corpse anymore. It just looked like a bundle of rags. The corpse was odd for how extremely pale it was. ¡®The corpse is strange. Anyway, he was evil, and he is already dead¡­¡¯ Disgust rose briefly. She didn¡¯t feel any particular regret because they were all mean people. ¡°Aaron.¡± CH 11 Just as in, Duke Pietro went out to inspect the ship disaster and Desian killed the head butler and the dark wizard . Their death¡¯s were completely covered up. *** Meanwhile, Desian ended tea time in a somewhat muddled, possibly confused mood. That day, he was troubled. He thought of the afternoon tea time, the conversation with Citrina and Aaron, and the various meaningless things the duke and Toloji told him. For someone like him who had lived indifferently up until now, it was like a wave crashing over him. Desian felt the need to clarify this situation. ¡®What is it to like?¡¯ He didn¡¯t feel anything for other people. He didn¡¯t feel anything when he killed Toloji. But why did he feel so strange when he saw her? Was it because she was the first person he met after feeling like he had been trapped underwater? His consciousness had slowly emerged after Toloji had been gone for a long time. And he met up with Citrina after killing Toloji. He ran into her when he first felt like he had broken out from under the water and gotten free. It was the sharpest first encounter after a world of emptiness. ¡®It¡¯s quite¡­. a headache.¡¯ His expression was still languid. He was still troubled by the side effects of that time. His thoughts rang in his ears. Along with the peculiar ringing in his ears was the question about what it was to like, which he had never considered before. ¡®How does everyone know this feeling?¡¯ Citrina asked if he liked summer roses¡­ and the way she answered made if sound as if she liked them, so he had answered ¡®maybe¡¯ because she interesting. Aaron on the other hand, made it clear at tea time that he like Citrina. Aaron had said as much. Desian liked Aaron and Citrina both. However, something was bothering him. His feelings for the two, were they really the same? It was a question that gnawed at him. Desian shook his head once. He decided to go to the library. There had to be something in the library that would help him answer the question. The room he was staying in temporarily and Aaron¡¯s room were separated, so he thought they would not run into each other. That did not seem to be the case today. ¡°Brother, where are you going?¡± Aaron asked as he laughed when encountering a silent Desian walking through the hallway. Aaron seemed to become brighter everyday as he got away from the duke¡¯s influence and spent more and more time with Citrina. ¡°The library.¡± Desian replied quietly as he looked at Desian¡¯s spotless bright eyes. ¡°Ah¡­Brother, but you know what!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go into the prison, Citrina too¡­tell her.¡± Desian¡¯s voice was cold. Aaron seemed unconcerned even though he was deliberately interrupted. Rather, he replied with a big smile. ¡°Yup! Thank you for your concern, Brother.¡± ¡°Concern?¡± ¡°Yup, concern.¡± The more he faced Citrina and the more he talked to Aaron, the more tangled his thoughts felt. Desian was determined to not answer him and remain silent. He turned to continue his path to the library. ¡®The prison still shouldn¡¯t be opened, that¡¯s all.¡¯ Inside the prison were two corpses that would not decay. The one who had tried to given him the potions-the dark wizard Toloji and the head butler, they had already died and become corpses. Why don¡¯t we let the duke discover them in the prison? He was curious what the duke¡¯s reaction would be. In the end, his dreadful fear that the monster he had brought into the world would ruin everything would be realized. How will the duke feel at that time? How would Desian feel? There was a different kind of displeasure sitting weakly at the tip of his tongue. Desian sluggishly opened and closed his eyes. He was outside of the duke¡¯s control for the first time. He didn¡¯t feel bad. Desian entered the library after his brief chat with Aaron. He glanced at the neatly organized bookshelves, the tables with signs of use, and the sunlight streaming through the windows. His feet led him to the shelf with the book he was looking for. It was his first time in the library since childhood. Actually, his memory was blurry. The only thing that was clear was the recent past and the present. Desian began to read through the titles with languid eyes. His mouth twisted at the sight. The level was extremely infantile. Besides, he had already mastered black magic. ¡®It¡¯s just¡­not a useful book.¡¯ Walking slowly past several books, he stopped in front of a particular bookshelf. He didn¡¯t need help with magic, but¡­he was interested in this bookshelf. Desian slowly opened the second book about emotional expression. Human Emotional Expression? He leaned against the bookshelf and began reading about a novel topic for Desian. He slowly flipped through the thick volume. He didn¡¯t know how many minutes passed. Desian absorbed the contents of the book. It stated there were many ways one could like someone. The interest of the person could range from a light affection to deep love. ¡®So to like someone is to have affection for them?¡¯ Desian finally had a definition for his feelings. However, it was not a perfect explanation. His feelings for Citrina, they were a little more affectionate ¡®¡­to put it another way, it¡¯s more of a heated feeling.¡¯ Something like the summer heat when he first met her. Soon, Desian¡¯s gaze stopped further down on the page. A sentence had caught his attention. ¡ª¡ª Everyone has boundaries. They show interest to those inside of their circle and are indifferent to those outside of the circle. ¡ª¡ª It was an easy to understand concept for him who was indifferent to most everyone. The contents of the book were really interesting for something left in the abandoned annex. Desian skimmed through a few more pages of the book. Soon more interesting content appeared. ¡°The most obvious way to show affection is¡­ ¡± What was this? ¡°¡­normally, to smile brightly.¡± Desian read out loud. There was an illustration next to it titled, ¡®Laughter, Smile¡¯. It depicted a person with the corners of their mouth raised. Aaron¡¯s expression that day had looked the same. When Aaron smiled, Citrina smiled back at him. So did the two of them have feelings for each other? Desian¡¯s face twisted subtly for a moment. ¡®Is this a smile?¡¯ A way to show your likable, to smile. He couldn¡¯t tell the subtle differences in other people¡¯s feelings, but he was beginning to understand happiness. Those joyous feelings were too far away from his way of thinking. ¡®But it feels like the fog has lifted a bit.¡¯ He walked away from the bookshelf with the book in hand. It was a good thing Toloji had not given him the last potion. Unlike others, Desian did not really know what affection was. And he had never learned how to smile to express affection. Therefore it wouldn¡¯t hurt to give it a try. That was Desian¡¯s method. To face something directly. CH 12 The opportunity to test what he had found in the library came easily. -knock knock- Then, there was a knock in front of his room. Desian had very weak expectations for this. ¡°Brother!¡± And this was a bit more disappointing. Aaron looked in at Desian who was lounging and reading his book from yesterday. Aaron poked his head into the room and said, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s have lunch together in the dining room. What do you think?¡± It was an exceedingly doubtful proposition. The annex was completely isolated now, and he had mind-controlled the attendants to bring meals to their rooms. Aaron had no reason to visit the dining room. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. But I wanted to eat lunch together, so I prepared a meal. Ah, should we invite Citrina as well?¡± Aaron¡¯s expression became even brighter as he mentioned Citrina. Desian nodded, staring at the smile on Aaron¡¯s face. That smile was the sort of expression you make you are fond of someone. Desian decided to express his affection for Citrina. For the first time, people did not seem like inorganic things. Curiosity was seeping into his mind. ¡°Yup! See you later, Brother!¡± Desian sluggishly closed his eyes, listening to Aaron talk. It was strange. Thinking of her, emotions swelled up in his lungs. Was it true what had been said about him liking Citrina? In that case, he is¡­. *** Citrina overslept for the first time in a while. It was Aaron that woke her up. She blurrily opened her eyes when she heard a knock on her door. Knock, knock, knock. Aaron knocked slowly on here door ¡°Citrina, are you sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes. I woke up just now.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. Perhaps, then, do you want to eat lunch together?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be right out, Aaron nim.¡± Citrina got out of her comfy bed, took off her pajamas, and put on a cotton dress. It was an outfit that showed the impoverished conditions of the baron¡¯s house. Even though they had known Citrina was going to the duke¡¯s house, a dress had not been prepared for her. Citrina didn¡¯t care. In any case, she would succeed in becoming a world-famous jewelry designer, and then she would be rich. She would buy a lot of clothes when she became a really rich person, ¡°I don¡¯t need it either, but it¡¯s nice to have a mirror here.¡± The baron¡¯s household did not have a mirror. A mirror was a precious object, so it was expected that the baron¡¯s house would not have one considering they couldn¡¯t even afford to have many servants. Once Citrina was all dressed, she checked herself in the mirror. ¡°Alright. This is pretty good.¡± By the time they finished the meal, the atmosphere was more harmonious than she would have imagined. Desian¡¯s demeanor was also mild. He didn¡¯t even seem to be blackening or turning into a villain. The table was neatly cleaned. All of the tableware was taken away by the attendants brainwashed by Desian. They had eaten all of the appetizer, and the stew was certainly delicious. The warmth and fullness made her feel languid. Citrina was happy. Except Desian¡¯s attention occasionally, no often, was on her. And just then, Aaron¡­ ¡°Oh, wait, I¡¯m going to bring my cookbook back to the library !¡± ¡­walked out of the dining room without saying another word. ¡°Yes, Aaron nim?¡± Aaron¡¯s attitude was somewhat unnatural. There was no need to bring the cookbook to the library. It seemed more like a trick in order to get Citrina and Desian alone in the same space. ¡®It¡¯s a misunderstanding, right?¡¯ Aaron was already out the door before Citrina could retort. Only empty echoes rang out through the dining room. ¡®This leaves me and Desian alone together.¡¯ The circumstances were not bad. But when Desian began to speak to her, a little bit of tension caused her to straighten up. ¡°Citrina.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It seemed like you had something to say. Before.¡± Come to think about it, there was something she wanted to say a minute ago. Aaron had interrupted her skillfully, but Desian seemed to have remembered it now. It felt strangely like consideration. CH 13 It was the day Citrina had promised to meet Desian in the garden. She thought. You can change your future just as easily as you can change your style of dress. Citrina opened the door to the garden. ¡®Will Desian be here already?¡± By the time she arrived, it was a little bit past the hour. The garden was still beautiful even though no one would have been here to care for it in the past few days. No, it wasn¡¯t quite right to say it was still beautiful. Even the trail to the garden and the bushes along the trail remained perfectly unchanged. ¡®I left my book here last time.¡¯ had been left on a garden chair by a tree, right next to where they had previously sat . She decided to retrieve the book later. ¡°We¡¯re meeting at the cabana in the garden.¡± Citrina crossed the path and reflected on the details of the promise. Citrina turned her gaze around. The only thing that caught her eye was the bushes. No, they weren¡¯t bushes. Was it because of the hot weather in summer? Was that why there was a haze blooming from the ground? The mist surrounding the spring looked like a mirage. All together, it was as beautiful as a fairy spring. On the first day she met Desian, she hadn¡¯t seen the cabana. It was a place she had heard of in snippets of conversation from the servants, but it was more beautiful than expected. Citrina stepped into a magical space that looked like it was hidden by the bushes. And then Citrina saw Desian. ¡®Found him.¡¯ He was standing in front of the water. He was standing with his back to her like on that first day. Citrina took a step towards him. ¡®Let¡¯s talk to him now.¡¯ It was a sticky, loud noise that was easy to hear. It was strange. She had a hunch that it was something in the water, especially since it was a windless day. ¡®What was that? Ghosts? A corpse? A person?¡¯ A few possibilities flashed through Citrina¡¯s mind. After coming up with a number of scenarios, Citrina laughed quietly. She doubted it could be any of those things. Apparently, she¡¯d watched too many gory movies. Citrina didn¡¯t know that Desian was looking at her closely. ¡®If I¡¯m curious, I can check it out.¡¯ She was turning her back to look at the water. ¡°Citrina.¡± However, as she turned her head, Desian called her. Desian was looking at her with a painted smile. It was a little decadent, but the smile on his drowsy face was beautiful. But at that moment, Citrina felt a sense of discomfort. ¡°Desian nim, by any chance¡­did you hear a sound?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± CH 14 Returning to the ducal house from the cabana, Citrina could not hide her mixed feelings. Desian was a very courteous escort¡­ ¡®Good, I¡¯ll think of it like Prince Maker. We are starting out in teenage delinquent mode where sensitivity is still developing and morality is in the negative.¡¯ As Citrina recalled the game ¡®Prince Maker¡¯ from her previous life life, she bit her lips hard. I don¡¯t know how it happened, but it seems as if Desian has developed a degree of feelings. Besides, he seemed to have some affection for her. ¡®I think he likes me a little, so now I need to figure everything out.¡¯ Citrina didn¡¯t trust people¡¯s hearts. Their feelings were shallow and could easily get swept away. Desian¡¯s kindness that could be hanging by a thread needed to be resolved quickly. Citrina¡¯s job now was clear. ¡®I¡¯ll use storytelling that moves people¡¯s hearts. Let¡¯s try to curry Desian¡¯s favor by turning the story around in a roundabout way.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t do it alone. Desian needed another partner that he believed in. So Citrina decided to call in some backup. Her backup was Aaron Pietro, the male lead. ¡®I should ask Aaron and Desian to have dinner with me, and then meet in the drawing room after we eat.¡¯ She was feeling a bit impatient as she organized her plan. There¡¯s a saying known as ¡®The Butterfly Effect¡¯. The original work had changed, so she didn¡¯t know what the duke¡¯s situation would be. Things have already changed, so I don¡¯t know at what time the duke will appear or what else will happen.¡¯ As it was summer, the sun lingered in the sky for a long time. However dinner approached quickly. At last, it was time for dinner. -knock knock- After the knock, her door opened before she could respond. ¡°Dinner is served.¡± A servant brought in some dishes on a tray. With Desian¡¯s mind control magic used on the attendants, she was used to seeing their empty eyes all the time.. Dinner had been brought from the main house once more. ¡®If the mind control magic was released, would it become a problem?¡¯ Seeing those empty eyes all the time gave her goosebumps. Citrina responded while rubbing her arms. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Anyway, they wouldn¡¯t be able to hear it. The attendant left without answering. Citrina was lost in thought as she looked at the meal set on the table in her room. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± Just as before, there was no response. Citrina raised her hand. Today¡¯s dish was some fat shrimp skewers with apple juice and a waffle with apple jam for dessert. Since entering the duke¡¯s household, she had become quite the glutton. She had a bite of the apple and drank the apple juice, so she was quite full. After a quick dinner in her room, she headed to the drawing room. She thought comfortable about some stories with lessons to share. -tap-. The touch was as light as a bird¡¯s wing. A slightly hard and rough fingertip touched the soft skin under her eye. Citrina breathed out a little without realizing it. His fingertips touched her. That was all. His hand hovered above it. ¡°What¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You cried.¡± Desian said. It was a rare cold tone. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡®I guess my eyes turned red because I was tired a while ago.¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°People cry when they are sad.¡± ¡°They also cry when they are happy or tired.¡± At Citrina¡¯s words, Desian¡¯s hand moved slowly. His rough fingertips slowly slid around Citrina¡¯s eyes. It was a short time before he pulled his hand away. ¡®How do I change the mood?¡¯ Despite Citrina¡¯s worries, the atmosphere changed rapidly. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± It was Aaron, looking at them with an oddly embarrassed face. ¡®It¡¯s moral instruction under the guise of an interesting story to be more precise.¡¯ Citrina had done countless things. And the more professional work she had done was the work as a governess. Citrina Foluin had encountered many children. Since the data was perfectly stored in her mind, she could recall those stories perfectly. ¡®You can¡¯t live a bad life. I need an example that shows that.¡¯ She first talked about the adverse effects of moral wrongdoing. ¡°On the baron¡¯s estate where I came from, many farmers lived there even though there lives were tough. But the territory was ruined.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡­Ruined? Why?¡± ¡®¡­ I¡¯m sorry for making you fail all of a sudden¡¯ Actually, it hadn¡¯t failed. Though all of the land was sold to other nobles, they were able to barely make ends meet. However, a bit of seasoning was needed to make the story more dramatic. ¡°Because someone had embezzled money. Many people suffered because of his moral failings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very sad story.¡± Aaron¡¯s eye¡¯s drooped in frustration, but unfortunately Desian had no response. He seemed completely insensitive to others¡¯ suffering. He was looking at Citrina with the same eyes as Aaron, but the attitude was completely different. ¡®The first story was a failure. Then let¡¯s go to a different tactic.¡¯ Citrina chewed on her lip until it was about to bleed. At that moment he spoke. ¡°Citrina.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The blood, it¡¯s about to drip.¡± It was clear where his eyes were focused. It was on her blood-colored lips. Citrina relaxed her lips as if she were possessed. Desian relaxed and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know if he is smiling because of the blood or he is worried because I¡¯m sick. I hope it¡¯s the latter, but there are many possibilities¡­¡­.¡¯ Citrina recalled the touch around her eye. It baffled her thinking about that moment. Then Aaron, who had been listening silently during their talk, broke the silence. ¡°Citrina, aren¡¯t there any more stories to tell us?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, I have some.¡± ¡°Then tell us a story!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She began to tell them a fairy tale she had prepared for this evening. Aaron¡¯s eyes began to gradually sparkle. ¡°¡­then the prince in the beautiful tower who was virtuous but cursed and the wonderful princess lived happily ever after.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡­.¡± Silence fell after Aaron spoke. Citrina tried to gauge Desian¡¯s reaction. Desian was still languid and expressionless. ¡°The princess who found the cursed prince¡­¡­..¡± Aaron didn¡¯t seem to be able to get over the rumors that he was cursed. He focused on the word ¡®curse¡¯. Was that why? Unlike Desian, Aaron looked really impressed. ¡°It¡¯s a man who can protect me. Like a black knight. Saving me from death and helping me- that type of person.¡± To be more accurate, it was a supportive man who would save her from death, would help her achieve her dreams, and make lots of money. To be honest, not many people like this exist. ¡®I need to protect my body.¡¯ In other words, Citrina was emphasizing both offense and defense votes. ¡°Oh, cool! You will definitely meet.¡± However, Aaron who had never dreamed that Citrina was trying to cover all of her bases, clapped quietly. ¡°A friendly and kind man who can protect you?¡± Desian murmured very softly. It was an unfamiliar tone that seemed to have more life in it than usual. Aaron was the only one who heard Desian¡¯s voice. Aaron turned to Desian and grinned. ¡°I hope my older brother has an great ideal type as well.¡± ¡°I hope so too.¡± ¡®Cause that will help with Desian¡¯s rehabilitation.¡¯ After Citrina responded, the drawing room became quiet. After that, Citrina told one of the other stories she had prepared for the evening. That story ended roughly like this. ¡°¡­and so the virtuous warrior succeeded, becoming stronger and handsome.¡± ¡°What if he was weak and moral? Is it possible he could still succeed?¡± Aaron was constantly impressed by her words. ¡®As a matter of fact, according to the story, he had to be strong¡­..¡¯ Citrina glanced at Desian¡¯s expressionless face and replied, nodding vigorously. ¡°Yes. If you are nice, society will accept you.¡± ¡°Then I will just have to be nice.¡± Aaron replied energetically. ¡®It feels like something went wrong. Am I misunderstanding something?¡¯ It felt as though the male protagonist who was originally good, became endlessly good. ¡°¡­¡± Desian, on the other hand, seemed to be thinking of something, but he did not seem impressed by her words. Now Citrina had to admit it. Storytelling hadn¡¯t helped with the rehabilitation at all! ¡®Should I show you have people actually live?¡¯ Desian hadn¡¯t met many people yet. If he met a lot of good people, he would think differently. Today she had failed, but she could look for another way tomorrow. But she had learned that this method did not work. It wasn¡¯t a bad harvest. The atmosphere continued for a while. It was night when the long story ended. On that slightly humid summer night, the wind blew endlessly through the open windows. Crickets chirped outside. They leaned on the padded chairs and swapped friendly stories with one another. Memories piled up one by one. The wind blew through the drawing room and Aaron spoke in a sing-songy voice. ¡°I¡¯m the happiest person in the world right now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She knew he was having fun, she did not think it was the best in the world. While she was living in this world, she felt removed from them, which left her a bit embarrassed. ¡°Yup! Citrina, Brother, are you happy too?¡± No one responded to the question. Desian deflected Aaron¡¯s gaze. There was only one person in his view- Citrina. The gaze contained more curiosity, interest, and obsession than before. But since she did not notice, she closed her eyes and felt the wind blow through the drawing room. Citrina had become ¡®friends¡¯ with Aaron and Desian as she had hoped. It would take more time to make Desian good, but it was a friendly day with a strange air. Fortunately, everything was peaceful. Except for one thing. CH 15 Just as Citrina¡¯s unsettling prediction suggested, Duke Pietro was just around the corner. Duke Pietro loosened the buttons around his shirt collar. He was out of breath. As a matter of fact, he had nothing to fear. Around him were several wizards and countless soldiers to guard him. Duke Pietro didn¡¯t have any enemies high enough to threaten his safety or his life. Therefore, he never had anything to worry about. That was until now. The duke¡¯s carriage drove for days and days and finally arrived at the duke¡¯s main mansion. The duke got out of the carriage and looked at the mansion he had built with a straight posture. ¡°Your duke has returned.¡± He was the head of the family and the duke of this great empire. Everyone was waiting for the duke with their heads down. ¡°It is my palace that can never be destroyed by a curse.¡± His eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at the employees lined up. Something felt strange. Toloji and the butler were not there. He hadn¡¯t been able to contact either of them.¡­ ¡°Where¡¯s the butler?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been at the annex the whole time.¡± The servant answered faithfully, but his eyes were strangely empty. Unaware of that fact, the duke laughed. It seemed that the butler¡¯s location was known. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the annex.¡± The duke grinned. He was in a position where all of the employees were watching, so the duke wore a friendly mask once more. The duke hummed pleasantly, feeling the whip in his hands. Sooner or later, the duke decided to get rid of the impurities that ruined his life. ¡®Toloji must have completely educated him. Next is Aaron, I¡¯ll have to deal with him. I¡¯ll need to deal with the cursed ones, one after another. I can¡¯t allow myself to be touched. And there¡¯s a witness, I¡¯ll need to dispose of Baron Foluin¡¯s daughter.¡¯ Unfortunately, the duke had put too much faith into the dark wizard Toloji¡¯s magic. And that would be his Achilles¡¯s heel that caused his defeat. The duke walked on with his soldiers and wizards. He crossed the bridge that led to the ducal annex where the young lords lived. However, as soon as he crossed the bridge, the duke felt mildly unpleasant. It seemed that the black robed wizard next to him also felt it. ¡°Sir, be careful. I feel something ominous in the air.¡± Before the wizard could finish speaking, a black figure appeared in front of them. It was Desian Pietro, his son. He had a clean but cheerless face with a few wounds on his arms. Except for his expression, which was distinctly different from before. ¡°What, what the? How did you get out?¡± The duke hurriedly took out the whip he had placed at his side. His hand soon gripped the handle of the whip. ¡°Tell me how you got out!¡± Without responding to the duke, Desian whispered some short poetic words. It was so quiet that only the duke heard it, but everyone else was suddenly pushed to the edge of the bridge at a frightening speed. The already dead Toloji had taught Desian everything, and the student had surpassed his teacher. The soldiers and wizards that guarded the duke scattered helplessly. ¡°W, w, what is this?!¡± The duke looked at the figures of of wizards and soldiers being pushed around. He began to scream. ¡°Toloji! Where is Toloji?! Tell me where he is!¡± ¡°He can¡¯t hear you anymore.¡± Desian said in a bored tone. He hated loud noises that caused a ringing in his ears occasionally. He wet his dry lips with his tongue. Now Desian was holding the duke¡¯s life in his hands and the oblivious duke was venting his anger. ¡°Where is the butler! Did you kill him? Did you kill him with your curse?¡± Desian was left alone with the duke in the space on the bridge where all of the noise was strangely blocked. He replied to the duke after his shouting had finished. ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s dead.¡± It was a cold answer. The last outburst of screams rang out. Desian frowned before he was finished. Burning down the annex. It wasn¡¯t an offensive word in itself. It wouldn¡¯t matter if he burned it or not, but she was in the annex. Desian briefly confirmed the presence of those in the annex. Citrina was staying there. The sound was shut off from here, but she still might find out. Citrina was a special person. Desian thought about the conversation they had in the garden. ¡®She doesn¡¯t like when people are killed.¡¯ But if the duke was kept alive, Citrina and Desian¡¯s world would end. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ He was deeply interested in Citrina. His desire and unknown feelings for her kept growing and unraveling step by step. He was conflicted over two choices. ¡®Shall we kill the vermin or cover this up?¡¯ Desian looked at the duke with dry eyes as he suffered from the light whipping. The duke¡¯s body was already to damaged for mind control magic. Using mind control magic on a weakened body leads to death. Ending their world killing the vermin who could harm Citrina was right. Desian swept his lips slowly with his tongue. He made a clear decision. ¡°Of course.¡± Desian touched the duke¡¯s body. It was nothing like the day he had the pure first contact with her. The unpleasant contact lasted for a few moments. Desian¡¯s hand slowly began to drain away his life. ¡°Choke! Gasp, gasp¡­¡­.¡± The duke was tormented the frantic pain of his breath slowly tightening. Desian watched him die slowly. ¡®I clearly don¡¯t feel anything.¡¯ He could not feel any emotions towards the duke. Desian looked at the duke as is he was looking at a worm. The duke wriggled one last time and drooped. There was no sign of life. Desian thought, rubbing his ringing ears. ¡®The duke is dead. Our world is perfect with this. And for the first time, I protected a person. Citrina.¡¯ He had his first ¡®favorite¡¯ person and protected her world- Citrina. His heart beat fast. Desian looked at the breathless duke with a joyous face. He didn¡¯t have an ounce of sympathy for the duke. ¡®Well¡­ now what should I do?¡¯ Citrina didn¡¯t like killing people. ¡­he didn¡¯t want to be hated by her. Desian pondered for a moment. Before long, a sunny smile bloomed on Desian¡¯s languid face. A good idea came to mind. CH 16 Desian came up with a simple method for dealing with the situation. **** The next morning, Citrina was paid her wage. Harold put the first month¡¯s paycheck in a thick envelope. ¡°How much did I earn?¡± The envelope she received was fairly thick. Her expectations were raised for no reason. After Harold left, Citrina looked inside the envelope. Soon, she couldn¡¯t hide the corners of her mouth that went up. ¡®What is this? Isn¡¯t this way more than I expected?¡¯ The duke was certainly a duke. The amount was enough that she could go to Ronata Atelier to learn the trade and start her own business. Deeply surprised, she whistled with a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about money for a while.¡± Was this the price for her life? Inside the envelope was obviously enough money to keep her going for a long time. ¡°So¡­ the duke is growing on me.¡± The words slipped out of Citrina and she bit her lip for a moment. It felt like camaraderie had sprouted from going through this and that. ¡®Let¡¯s work hard to help each other. I can survive and Desian can live a good life. Elaina can also be happy, ¡® Thinking so, Citrina smiled quietly. The morning sun streamed in drowsily. Apparently, the meeting time was coming up quickly. ¡®Aaron is coming, and maybe Desian too?¡¯ She needed to start getting ready. And just as Citrina was finishing getting ready, she received an expected visit in an unexpected manner. There were three polite knocks on Citrina¡¯s door. Rather than Aaron, it was Desian Pietro. She had guessed it would be Aaron who came to her door. Therefore, when Citrina opened the door, she was a little embarrassed. ¡°Desian nim?¡± Desian looked as indifferent as ever. Aaron poked out from behind him. ¡°Older brother promised to go with us!¡± As Citrina was listening to Aaron¡¯s words, she had yet to realize that Desian¡¯s ears had turned slightly red. So she just stared at Desian lightly. ¡°Outside¡­it¡¯s dangerous, Citrina.¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes, Citrina, dangerous.¡± At Desian¡¯s response, Citrina nodded her head slowly. Aaron mentioned it was his first time to visit the capital. The center of the empire was always noisy thanks to various events. ¡®Are you worried about me?¡¯ Citrina squinted and examined Desian¡¯s actions. His expression was still unreadable. However this was still a fairly good sign. Desian¡¯s interest in other people has definitely increased and he feels empathy now. The duke was not dead either. She felt unmistakable that things were changing little by little. ¡®I¡¯m proud.¡¯ Is this what it felt like to see a half-grown rabbit you have raised? Of course, in terms of size, she was closer to a rabbit than him, but Citrina decided to ignore that. ¡°Ah¡­thank you.¡± She felt relieved to see his changing appearance. Citrina smiled. Instead of smiling back at her, Desian lowered his gaze down. It couldn¡¯t be, but he seemed a little embarrassed. ¡®Well, since Desian is coming with us, let¡¯s start Phase 2 of the rehabilitation project.¡¯ Citrina smiled inwardly. How was everything going so well? She hoped things would get better and better. ¡®That¡¯s good. It was time to start the project code name ¡®Episode Real Experience¡¯. It¡¯s better to show both good and bad people.¡¯ The capital was always crowded with petty criminals among the people. Since the original work had been changed, nothing in the future was certain, but a few petty criminals should be no match for Desian and Aaron. Her mind was strangely amused. ¡°Ah, Desian, how to we get to the city center?¡± Desian finally smiled at Citrina when he heard her question. Citrina¡¯s real question wasn¡¯t ¡®how will we get to the city center¡¯. Actually, she wanted to know how the hell they were going to sneak out of the ducal estate. The answer was simple. It was teleportation magic. Desian¡¯s magic allowed Citrina and her party to travel at once to the city center. In the blink of an eye, Citrina and the others were at the side of the city center. Citrina looked around impressed. ¡°Wow, how can it be so fast? Should I learn magic too?¡± Citrina held a hand up, opening and closing it. It didn¡¯t work unsurprisingly. Unfortunately, she no mana. ¡­While Citrina was acting so obnoxiously, Aaron was looking around in admiration. She wanted Desian to experience more situations, but he was just standing there looking at Citrina. She had been the focus of his attention for some time. This was a little¡­it made her feel good and a little burdened. CH 17 Aaron led her to the cafe she saw earlier. **** Meanwhile, there were also many ladies who frequented society in the cafe where they were sitting . Among them was Tahani, a knight in training at the academy and a lady of a county. And she knew Citrina and Elaina were sisters. Elaina¡¯s older sister was Citrina Foluin, a baron¡¯s daughter, who continued to work without making her social debut. So when she returned to the academy, she went to find Elaina. ¡°Elaina, Elaina!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I saw your older sister.¡± ¡°Citrina? Where was she?¡± Elaina¡¯s voice became a little shrill. She had not received a response to her letter asking for a true sword. She was still having to train with a practice sword. ¡°She was at the capital in the city square with two men.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Why, Older sister?¡± Her older sister with two men. It was unfamiliar. Was her older sister also someone who felt desire? No, there was something more important than that. ¡®Did Older sister ever talk about any relationships with people other than me?¡± Citrina never mentioned her relationships with other people to Elaina. That was because she was always working. Somehow Elaina was displeased by the idea of her older sister being approached by foreign entities other than herself. ¡°First of all, they were handsome! I wanted to talk to them, but I felt a chill and heart sped up¡­¡± Elaina¡¯s eyes tapered down. ¡°What the matter, why was my older sister with men?¡± She replied nervously. ¡°Yeah, so I went to a cafe and ¡­¡± ¡°No, where did she get the money from?¡± Elaina had asked Citrina for the money to buy a sword. Elaina eventually had to practice with a false sword. Her performance was also worse than expected. She didn¡¯t know if she could get the scholarship or not. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Anyway, so you don¡¯t know the men that were with your older sister?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Hani shrugged her shoulders at Elaina¡¯s simple answer. Elaina who was looking at her, closed her eyes. Her eyelashes curled down in a wooden manner. ¡®I should probably ask home to see what Older sister is doing.¡± Elaina was a woman who was quick to move once she made a decision. Elaina began to write a letter. Elaina Foluin addressed it to Baron Foluin. CH 18 ¡­and Elaina¡¯s letter quickly arrived at the baron¡¯s house. **** The day the baroness came to the duchy, Citrina was with Desian. Desian had been subtly busy these days. Still, he had visited her frequently in these past few peaceful days. Actually, they didn¡¯t do much in particular together. Citrina was busing testing her ¡®rehabilitation project¡¯ and Desian was busy giving her gifts. ¡°Citrina.¡± It was the same today. Desian spoke to her as he knocked on her door. ¡°Yeah?¡± Citrina tried to act indifferent as she opened the door. Desian had given her various gifts lately. It was an obvious sign of favor from Desian. ¡°Desian, thank you again for today.¡± Citrina took the lead since she thought there would be another expensive and pretty gift today. ¡°Today again?¡± Desian¡¯s expression became subtle. Citrina smirked at the thought of the expensive mana stones and dresses in her wardrobe. He chuckled. ¡®Did you think I would like that?¡± ¡°I think you have a present for me today as well.¡± ¡°¡­ There is.¡± Desian looked serious. Then he somehow felt cute, so Citrina burst into laughter. ¡®I never thought I would live long enough to see the villain acting cute.¡¯ Why did it feel like he was her first friend? He followed her like a duckling follows its mother. So it seemed like her rehabilitation project was seeping into Desian. ¡°These are flowers.¡± Desian handed her roses that was still wet. Straight from the garden, the flowers were fresh. ¡°Roses?¡± Come to think of it, Aaron did ask her if she liked flowers. It was unexpected that it was Desian, not Aaron, who handed her flowers. ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it.¡± ¡°Thanks. Come on in.¡± Come to think of it, Desian had been standing at the door for a long time. Entering the room with Desian, Citrina put the roses in a vase on the table. The roses were freshly blooming. She sat facing Desian at the table. It was a natural routine in recent days. The book they read together yesterday was still on the table. Citrina opened the book. Citrina smiled at the image of Desian reading a book. ¡°It¡¯s not something big, but it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°¡­ if you like it.¡± Citrina didn¡¯t realize that bit by bit they were becoming a bit more close with each other. She was just proud that Desian looked like a gentle sheep now. ¡®I think reading books is the fastest way to learn.¡± When Desian first visited her, Citrina was troubled. Meditation, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, kendo? What was the best way to stabilize a person¡¯s body and mind? They had already had tea once, and they had tried meditation¡­. ¡®The tea ceremony was boring, and meditating with your eyes closed was a failure.¡¯ She thought about his eyes as he had watched her when she suggested meditating with their eyes closed. It was a rather obsessive gaze. It was then. Desian closed the book at abruptly asked a question. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something, Citrina.¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± Desian winked at the book. The book was called . It was a title she had chosen because it was close to Citrina¡¯s feelings. ¡°It¡¯s in the book you gave me. People give nicknames to close friends. Pet names or whatever.¡± CH 19 So Baroness Foluin returned to the baron¡¯s manor with a face as pale as a mask. *** After breaking things off with Baroness Foluin, Citrina stayed together with Desian. Desian stayed by her side for a surprisingly long time. Without saying anything, she sat together with him, comforted by his warmth. ¡°Desian¡± Citrina¡¯s voice was hoarse. She sat still, feeling deeply comforted. She took a short deep breath. Desian asked. Though it wasn¡¯t a cautious tone of voice. ¡°How about we do something you like, Rina?¡± ¡°¡­ What I like?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s change the mood.¡± Citrina murmured quietly. ¡°You said you wanted to go to the summer ball, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yeah.¡± She said she enjoyed balls. Citrina smiled a little as she said that. She felt relieved already. He had a good memory when it came to her. ¡®He¡¯s certainly attentive.¡¯ Desian Pietro and the concept of being careful seemed to be completely remote from each other, but Desian seemed to be developing a softness to him as he became aware of his emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a ball.¡± CH 20 Citrina glanced at Desian by her side and whispered. CH 21 They returned to the ducal estate. It was probably because of Desian that she wasn¡¯t tired after walking a long time. Citrina¡¯s carriage soon arrived at the seaside pier. As soon as Citrina got off, the coachman set her luggage down. She watched for a while as the duke¡¯s carriage left. ¡®Let¡¯s leave all lingering feelings in the sea, grow up, and come back, Citrina Foluin.¡¯ Citrina stood on the pier. The harbor air smelled unsurprisingly like the sea. She smelled the salty scent of the sea, which was different from the nervous air at the ducal estate. ¡®The ship will be leaving soon, so I¡¯ll have to present the tickets I bought through Harold.¡¯ Drunk on the romantic and sentimental atmosphere, Citrina boarded the ship. Fortunately, Citrina had very little baggage. There was only money, gifts, and a few clothes. As soon as she entered the ship, a short boy who was one of the crewman approached her. ¡°We¡¯ll take your luggage! As you know, this ship is scheduled to return after reaching the Drip Empire. You¡¯re going as far as the Drip Empire, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The boy heard Citrina¡¯s cheerful answer. He checked her ticket one more time. ¡°You¡¯re in the second room, right? That¡¯s a two-person room.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± Walking through the ship corridor, Citrina thought the cruise ship seemed larger than she had first guessed. Consequently it felt more like she was going on a trip. The ship shook a little, but it felt cheerful. ¡°Here we are.¡± The crewman slowly opened the door. It felt similar to a normal room. ¡°If you need anything, you can speak into the magic stone on the table.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Citrina nodded her head, admiring the evolved form of magic. Citrina entered the room, relaxed. Although it was inside a ship, the room was similar to a general room as it was meant for long term travel. The was a bed on each side of the door. There was a table in between the beds. ¡®Perhaps¡­ there¡¯s another passenger.¡¯ With that in mind, she put her luggage on the left bed. Citrina sat comfortably on the right side of the bed. Citrina looked for a place to set the music box Aaron had gifted her, and her eyes touched the small bedside table with the round stone on it. ¡°If this is a magic stone, it looks pretty rough.¡± The magic stonework was crude. It was true that the concept of crafting something was not commonplace in the empire. Citrina placed the music box Aaron had gifted her next to the magic stone. The narrow tabletop was already full. ¡°What kind of magic was used here?¡± She forgot to ask that question. Citrina tapped the music box. -thud- Something small fell from the table to the ground. ¡°What was there?¡± Citrina bent down and picked up the something that had fallen. It was a gem. -rattle- CH 22 Meanwhile, a week had passed since Citrina had left. The Pietro Duchy had been in a quiet period of upheaval. Aaron came in and filled the space when the nameless knight left. He was meeting Aaron a week after Citrina had left. Desian¡¯s eyes that looked at his brother without any emotion had become strange. In Aaron¡¯s hand was the sword Citrina gifted him. Aaron set his sword on the table. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Citrina¡¯s room smelled good. It was always like that. Do you remember, Brother?¡± Desian had a gruff face. There was not even a slight change in expression. ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t smell anything now¡± The talk was completely one-sided. Desian stared into his eyes. ¡°Get to the point.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to become a knight. I want to protect Citrina with this sword she gave me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to protect Citrina.¡± It was Desian who bared his fangs at his brother. It was surprising since he showed such a friendly attitude towards Citrina. Aaron gave a small smile and whispered. ¡°Yeah, but I still want to go the to knight¡¯s academy.¡¯ ¡°Do as you will.¡± Desian nodded without much emotion. Aaron grinned at the sword in his hand. That was because Citrina gave him the sword. As Aaron stared at the sword, he said ¡°How far has Citrina gone? I¡¯m curious.¡± **** After signing the dwarven contract and collecting the Silmaril, Citrina headed to the atelier¡¯s shared house with Adilac. The atelier provided individual rooms for the disciples. After saying goodbye to Adilac, Citrina went to her room and took out the Silmaril. ¡°What if this isn¡¯t it?¡± In a way, she had gambled away four years of her life. Citrina¡¯s lips opened. ¡°Hi, Gemma, will you appear?¡± When the world tree had died, pieces of it had scattered all over the world as Silmaril. The jewel spirit had hidden in this piece since the fall of the Holy Kingdom. Unlike other spirits, summoners did not need special abilities to call her. It was said you could summon her if you called her name close to the jewel. ¡­¡­ But it was surprisingly quiet. ¡®Oh, is this not it?¡¯ Citrina turned the gemstone back and forth. It was close to the depiction of Silmaril from the original work. ¡®No matter how much I look, I think Gemma is the hidden boss.¡¯ Citrina was deep in thought. She thought that this gemstone was the correct one, but didn¡¯t know how to wake her. ¡®How did Elaina¡¯s assistant call Gemma?¡¯ She thought all she had to do was call Gemma¡¯s name. ¡®Should I do it kindly?¡¯ ¡®Is being kind the key?¡¯ Gemma was said to be a delicate spirit. Citrina put the Silmaril on top of the small bedside table. And she called the name of the spirit as if she were singing, friendly and quietly. ¡°Gemma.¡± A little wind tickled her hair. Citrina closed her eyes and felt the wind. The calm wind was lovely. -Who are you? Citrina didn¡¯t open her eyes or answer. The warm, tranquil wind surrounded her. -Are you the one who woke me up? -Yeah, it¡¯s me. Citrina answer Gemma¡¯s wary whisper with an extremely sweet voice. -How did you know my name? Do you want to form a contract? An insubstantial low voice reached Citrina ears. It was a neutral voice- neither male nor female. -A contract? -Yeah. Do you want to form a contract? -That¡¯s right. What do you want, Silmaril? I¡¯ll give you that. What Gemma wanted was Silmaril from the world tree. Only with that Silmaril could Gemma advance to an intermediate spirit. -I like only the finest Silmaril. Gemma didn¡¯t speak for a while. ¡®The spirit is sensitive to authenticity.¡± In particular, the jewel spirit was good at measuring real and fake, true and false. Therefore she could probably tell that Citrina¡¯s words were not a lie. The gentle breeze stopped. Nevertheless the voice in Citrina¡¯s ear was different from what she expected. She had red cheeks and a doll-like appearance, about as small as Citrina¡¯s palm. A winged spirit appeared with twinkling hair and sparkling eyes. ¨C Give me Silmaril and the music box. -Music box? -Yeah. What will you do with it? I¡¯ll usually sleep in your necklace, but sometimes I¡¯ll sleep in the music box. The magic in there feels awfully good. Gemma whispered with a dreamy face. Citrina looked at the music box. It was the music box that Desian had cast magic on and Aaron had given her. What kind of magic was in there that a spirit would admire? -The contract is set. I¡¯ll help you in the future. When is the deadline of the contract? -Just until I die. -Alright. I¡¯m really excited! Gemma flew around the room. Something glittery fell along the wing¡¯s path. Citrina was very happy to leave Gemma to her own devices. The spirit was invisible to other people. She was only visible to the person she protected. Therefore she was fine leaving the spirit to fly happily. Also, she thought about how she would begin learning about the process to make jewelry tomorrow. It felt like the world she had dreamed of was opening up. Her heart sang. It was just enough to look forward to tomorrow. CH 23 Meanwhile, a short distance from Ronata Atelier, people were hiding and keeping an eye on Citrina¡¯s lodgings. The had stiff voices and expressionless faces. These were the knights Desian had sent. **** It was a bizarre, strange peace. The dwarf¡¯s disciples who acted territorial around Citrina and Adilac disappeared. The would abruptly pack up and leave. Furthermore, the men who showed an interest in Citrina would unexpectedly become silenced. ¡®It¡¯s as if by magic, there is only a flower path to follow.¡± But Citrina accepted it easily. The dwarf¡¯s atelier was originally a place where disciples could not easily survive. Adilac jokingly called the situation ¡®the atelier¡¯s curse. Citrina didn¡¯t want to think too deeply about it. The situation was repeated that day. Lately there was a man who came to talk to Citrina over and over again, he was the type she hated because he often used offensive words. She heard that he often made sexual jokes behind her back. She had been too lazy to address it directly, but the situation was reaching a critical point. ¡°Citrina, hi?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty today as well.¡± *** Meanwhile, unlike Citrina, there was a person whose daily life was disrupted. It was Citrina¡¯s sister, Elaina. As soon as Citrina left, Elaina received a shocking letter while she was training Selen Knights Academy. The letter contained information on how Citrina had left the family and how her family could no longer support her. Dear Elaina, ¡°A sponsor family? I don¡¯t believe it.¡± She tore the letter apart. This Elaina Foluin, would receive sponsorship? ¡°Why would I be sponsored?¡± Elaina grinned. Citrina was just acting rebellious and would obviously return. She would make money. Elaina believed in Citrina and had no doubts. Nevertheless, that belief was broken after a month passed, then another month, and then a year. Finally the time came when it was difficult to pay for tuition fees. Elaina¡¯s self-esteem slowly began to crumble. With that, hatred for Citrina began to eat away at Elaina¡¯s heart. That was because a growing number of people looked away from her or had begun to ridicule her. ¡°Elaina, Foluin?¡± ¡°Yes. The daughter of the Baron Foluin family.¡± At the end of the year, Elaina ran into Aaron. The meeting occurred during a practice sparing time. ¡°Nice to meet you, Prince Aaron.¡± Aaron Pietro surprisingly kept his distance from her. Consequently, Elaina had never come into close contact with him. ¡®Prince Aaron hates me.¡¯ She didn¡¯t understand why, but the contempt was obvious. The young lord said he already had someone in his heart. Maybe that was why.¡¯ At Selen Knights Academy, he was a beautiful man loved by everybody. However he drew a perfect line between himself and everybody else. CH 24 Citrina did not exchange letters with Desian and Aaron. Citrina¡¯s carriage arrived at Selen Knights Academy accompanied by several guards shortly after. Without a doubt, Oslo words weren¡¯t false. The landscape between the two empires was beautiful. The scent of flowers had filled the air as a calming wind blew. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m going on a vacation.¡¯ Citrina carefully opened the note Oslo had given her. And she couldn¡¯t speak she was so surprised. There was a familiar name inside the note. CH 25 Citrina was returning back to Ronata Atelier once more. This day would lead to a complete redirection of Elaina Foluin¡¯s path in life. ¡°Instead of only putting together accessories, why don¡¯t you try crafting gemstones as well?¡± ¡°Thank you for the opportunity.¡± Citrina bowed politely. It was her first time crafting gemstones. ¨C Citrina, do you want me to put my blessing in the gemstone? -It would be strange if a gemstone suddenly had a spirit¡¯s blessing on it. At Citrina¡¯s words, Gemma¡¯s wings drooped a little. -Next time there is a good gemstone, I¡¯ll give it to you. Please bless it. -Yeah, I got it! Citrina took the rough gemstone and started cutting it before stopping to take a closer look at it. It was perfect and lovely, like it was going to make a mark on the world¡­ but that didn¡¯t happen. She was brilliant at discerning the quality of gemstones, but she had no genius for cutting them. ¡®Wow, what a mess.¡¯ -What a mess, Citrina! ¡°What a mess.¡± The dwarf said. It struck her that she was hearing the same thing as she had been thinking. ¡°No. It¡¯s very good, Citrina!¡± Only Adilac was saying such a blatant lie. Citrina nodded her head with tears in her eyes. ¡°There are very few people who are good at everything right from the start.¡± ¡°Right. You were good at running errands at the academy.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this stone and make it into jewelry.¡± ¡°¡­ what do you mean a stone.¡± The dwarf took the gem from Citrina¡¯s hand with a sulky look. Nevertheless, his gruff attitude now seemed cute. Oslo was just inexperienced in expressing his emotions. But he still displayed her work. For Citrina who had only been studying for two years, it was an honor. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It won¡¯t sell anyway.¡± ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s better than sitting on a shelf gathering dust.¡± Citrina remarked, not beat by the dwarf¡¯s sharp remarks. ¡°Someone out there may buy jewelry that is cut so roughly.¡± Even as she said that, Citrina didn¡¯t really expect anyone to be drawn to it. It was also that even in her eyes, the craftsmanship was terrible. However, sooner than expected, a buyer arrived looking for Citrina¡¯s work. It was at a time when Citrina was out for a while. That very day, the dwarf Oslo felt as if an unspeakable terror was headed towards him. It was not common for Ronata Atelier¡¯s door to open without even a knock. ¡°Welcome, human.¡± Oslo greeted the stranger with his body on edge. The man did not reply. He just walked past everything indifferently. Some nobles that were standing near the counter also went stiff with anxiety. Oslo instinctively looked around. Since Citrina was gone at the moment, he was alone. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± The man did not answer him. His eyes were buried so deep in the hood that Oslo couldn¡¯t tell which direction he was looking. The man slowly walked towards Oslo. He swept through the shelves with a glance. Silence hung in the air for a moment. Despite Oslo¡¯s worries, the man appeared to be a genuine customer. ¡°I want to buy this piece.¡± The low pitched voice was murky. However, it was clear where his hand was pointing. The dwarf was silently appalled as he saw where the man¡¯s fingertip led. ¡®Why?¡¯ The dwarf¡¯s expression was tinged with astonishment. The nobles were also on high alert. ¡°That?¡± ¡°He must not have an eye for jewels-¡° The nobles shut their mouths as their eyes gleamed with interest. The dwarf was inwardly embarrassed too. What the man had chosen was a necklace made with Citrina¡¯s first craftsmanship made of peridot. ¡°That¡¯s not something you should flap your jowls about.¡± The young voice was monotonous and cold. The design was beautiful but anyone who knew the value of jewelry would never buy it. Citrina¡¯s craftsmanship was shoddy. The child had crafted it badly. ¡°That, hmm, there¡¯s a lot of other good jewelry.¡± The man replied in a blatantly serious tone. ¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t for sale, so I don¡¯t have a price on it.¡± As he spoke, Oslo opened up the display case and carefully took out the jewelry, along with the craftsman¡¯s tag attached to it. On the tag was scrawled the name, ¡®Citrina Foluin¡¯. Focusing on the atmosphere around him, Oslo didn¡¯t notice the man¡¯s peristent stare directed at the name written on the tag. ¡®I don¡¯t know the reason, but it seems like he really wants it, so how much should I charge?¡¯ Oslo began to worry about the business details. But his worries were actually useless. The man threw a thick pouch down. ¡°I¡¯ll pay with this.¡± Oslo reached his hand out for the pouch. The man snatched the jewelry and tag at once. His eyes widened as he opened the pouch a smidge. ¡°No, this, I don¡¯t need this much gold¡­¡± ¡°The work is worth this much.¡± ¡°What?¡± Halt. When the man heard her voice, he paused. ¡°That¡¯s right, this customer is the one who bought your work, so you should at least say hello.. ¡°Ah, is that right?¡± Citrina¡¯s eyes went round in surprise. Even though he had heard her voice, the man immediately closed the door and hurried away. The pressure that had appeared when he first came in disappeared like melting snow and it almost seemed as if he was embarrassed from his posture. This was the impression the shrewd Oslo got from the stranger. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Citrina seemed indifferent at first, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a big reason behind that. He didn¡¯t feel any insidious vibes behind it. ¡®This, I think there¡¯s something I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Oslo¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why did he leave in such a hurry?¡± Citrina asked cheerfully. Oslo was looking elsewhere. ¡°Well.¡± Oslo looked down at the floor. There were blood drops. The drops of blood clearly did not belong to that man. Not looking that way, Citrina tilted her head in the direction of the empty shelf. The jewel had been cut roughly, and not many wanted to buy it, refusing to buy anything but perfectly cut jewelry. She couldn¡¯t believe that her first clumsy work had been purchased, chosen instead of the elegant designs around it. It was a good thing for her anyway. ¡°That person has good eyes, like me.¡± Citrina whispered cheerfully. ¡°Yeah. He said he absolutely wanted to buy this.¡± ¡°I knew I was going to be a big hit.¡± She didn¡¯t want to assume any other meaning to the sale. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing that her first piece sold at a high price. It didn¡¯t matter if the customer was someone without a good eye for jewels or an extremely rich person who had cash to burn. Anyway, the main thing was that she¡¯d gotten a lot of money in her hands. That was all that mattered. ¡°Since we made money, let¡¯s eat something delicious today.¡± ¡°We?¡± ¡°Yes. I learned that when you sell your first piece, your supposed to treat people.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The dwarf Oslo looked flustered. ¡°¡­ Sounds good.¡± He coughed and sighed as he gave his permission. ¡®I wanted to give my first work to Aaron or Desian, but it¡¯s already been sold. I¡¯ll just have to give them a better one, right?¡¯ Citrina settled on that solution. She didn¡¯t think she would arrive at a better answer if she thought about it longer. *** While Citrina was away, Desian was learning how to be ¡°kind and friendly¡±. Aaron returned to the duchy every time the knight¡¯s academy had a vacation. He was truly a sweet and kind person, so every time he came back to the duchy it seemed a bit warmer and brighter. That didn¡¯t exclude him from the overgrown rumors about the Pietro Duchy however. ¡°Your Excellency, Aaron has requested an audience.¡± ¡°Really? Bring him in.¡± Desian watched the attendant tremble. Desian¡¯s face remained blank as the door opened. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Aaron.¡± Aaron looked at his older brother admiringly. Desian¡¯s appearance had changed in what felt like a few moments. When Desian Pietro finally became the duke, he did not seem to weild any power. But now he had built himself a fairly solid position. Desian¡¯s life had changed quite a bit as he became the sword of the empire, leading them to victory in many wars. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Desian said as he leaned back in his chair. He was gaining nicknames like The Butcher and The Cold Heart Without Ignorance. Rumors bubbled up about him. ¡°The knights academy is fun. And you?¡± ¡°Well, I can see why the previous duke became addicted to power.¡± Desian replied with a cynical look. Meanwhile, Aaron sat in the opposite chair. Desian was lost in thought as he looked at her first work sitting on his desk in the office. Desian stroked the jewelry affectionately. Her technique was quite hurried, which had caused it to be cut sharply. Nevertheless, he was satisfied that her fingertips had touched this gem. ¡°Brother! I met up with Citrina and got a sword.¡± As soon as Citrina¡¯s name was mentioned, Desian turned towards Aaron. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yeah. She was really good at explaining how it worked to me. Citrina, she¡¯s really cool.¡± Aaron paused for a moment. Actually, Aaron found Elaina Foluin unpleasant. Should he tell his brother that Citrina met her younger sister? ¡®I don¡¯t think I should talk about Elaina Foluin.¡¯ Since it was related to Citrina, Elaina Foluin¡¯s life could be snuffed out like a candle in the wind if his brother found out. His brother was still completely dangerous. Thanks to the experiments by that dark wizard, he often sense his reasoning. ¡®I¡¯ll have to tell him later. After all, Brother¡¯s knights are guarding Citrina from the shadows¡­¡­.¡¯ Desian¡¯s eyes rested on Aaron as Aaron held back from speaking. Desian¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t change a bit. In that moment, Aaron felt a mischievous streak and wanted to crack his brother¡¯s iron expression. ¡°Brother, Citrina mentioned you.¡± There was only one way to break through Desian¡¯s cold and indifferent face. ¡°She said she misses you.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± While Aaron was trying to provoke Desian, he didn¡¯t care about his brother¡¯s attitude. However, the problem was that his twin brother became a knight in order to protect Citrina. And besides¡­ ¡°Yeah. And Citrina said she still likes kind men.¡± Yes, that¡¯s exactly what bothered him. Aaron possessed a sweetness that Desian couldn¡¯t¡¯ have no matter how much he tried. Desian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why did you ask what Rina likes?¡± Desian wore his ever-present indifferent mask. The only emotion that could be brought out from his dull face was, as ever, related to Citrina. Was this dangerous? Aaron knew it instinctually, to be honest. ¡°Ooh¡­ are you curious?¡± Maybe this was why? His face twisted slightly at the end of the sentence. Aaron struggled to smile. Desian¡¯s delicate fingers drummed along the table at a constant speed. It stopped with a word from Aaron. ¡°I hope I look like a good person to Citrina. Brother as well as me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! Citrina is a good girl, so I hope she only sees good things.¡± When Aaron mentioned good people, he lowered his eyes. The rough Peridot shone on the desk in the office. Aaron smiled and shook his head when he saw it. How had he gotten the jewel? He probably bought it at the shop where Citrina worked. He must have hidden his identity and obtained it. Why had he hid his identity? It somehow seemed understandable. It was because Citrina said she wanted to leave. His older brother never did anything that would displease Citrina. Nevertheless, Desian didn¡¯t seem to want to leave her alone. His brother seemed to have imprinted on Citrina. Everything was unconditional. So it was probably natural if Citrina fell in love with Desian. Citrina sometimes looked lonely and seemed to need love. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Desian¡¯s response was cynical. Aaron¡¯s eyes glittered once more at that answer. The words from his mouth were unexpected. ¡°You¡¯re too cold.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He wouldn¡¯t have responded if it was another word. But Desian raised his eyes since she was involved. Desian thought about what he had heard. For a while now, he had been working hard. Citrina held his leash, which strangled him painlessly. ¡°How to be a kind man? You want me to tell you how to do that?¡± It was a more tempting offer than he thought. Desian made eye contact with Aaron. Aaron¡¯s eyes were twinkling with eagerness. It seemed like he had his heart set on this method. ¡°Good.¡± Despite it obviously being a request, his attitude remained arrogant. Aaron thought. His brother was a natural ruler, so how could he hide his true nature? Well¡­maybe he could hide it halfway? CH 26 Desian and Aaron met in the drawing room after a brief luncheon. The three chairs from their past gatherings remained. ¡°Brother is infamous to a lot of people. Then are you going to kill everyone on the continent?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since she¡¯s stuck in the atelier right now, Citrina must have not heard the rumors. But she¡¯ll find out all of the rumors when she returns to the empire.¡± ¡°So what am I supposed to do?¡± Desian¡¯s head was full of complex thoughts about the situation. He couldn¡¯t let her go. However, from time to time, she looked happy. ¡°First of all, we need to get rid of the rumors. And you need to change your attitude.¡± ¡°My attitude?¡± ¡°When we were all together, Brother¡¯s attitude towards Citrina was very good. But there¡¯s still room for improvement.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes sparkled. He seemed to be extremely happy about this situation. Desian raised his eyebrows. He didn¡¯t like it. Nevertheless, he could not get up from his seat hastily. Because Citrina was a part of this story. ¡°Brother, listen. What would you say if Citrina asked you what happened to the previous duke?¡± ¡°I killed him.¡± Aaron¡¯s face turned red. Desian thought for a moment. Now that he thought about it, Citrina hated murder. What he said was too gruesome. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s dead.¡± Desian corrected himself. However, Aaron¡¯s frown did not clear up. He shook his head. ¡°Brother, kind men don¡¯t say that. First of all, Citrina said that murder was bad. And she will be suspicious about how he was killed.¡± In response to Aaron¡¯s logical words, Desian asked. ¡°Then what should I say?¡± ¡°He died after a long illness. Talking about it makes you a little sad.¡± Aaron pretended to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye. He looked exactly as if he was grieving. Desian¡¯s eyes rested on Aaron. Could he manage to act like that? He suddenly felt skeptical. ¡°Do I¡­really have to do all of that?¡± ¡°Even when I don¡¯t feel sad at all?¡± ¡°Yeah, normally people are sad when their father dies.¡± Aaron smiled and continued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The academy¡¯s vacation is long, and we have plenty of time until Citrina returns. In the meantime, you can restore you reputation. The image of the Pietro Duchy will improve!¡± Desian didn¡¯t care much about the title Duke Pietro. But he knew that he needed to keep up some appearances in order to have a firm position of power. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Aaron grinned. He didn¡¯t trust his younger brother. But his younger brother always reached out to him. This feeling was not intense, but strangely subtle. Whenever Aaron spoke to him, he could feel familial love behind his words. ¡°What¡¯s the first step?¡± Desian replied as he stared at him. ¡°Then let¡¯s start with donating money.¡± ¡°Are you only going to make donations?¡± ¡°I will also start with urban renovations.¡± Desian¡¯s mind began to form plans. ¡°Wow¡­ Brother, were you originally planning this sort of scheme?¡± ¡°No.¡± Desian answered simply to Aaron admiring question. Desian¡¯s attention focused back on the documents. In order to proceed with this new plan, this old business needed to be wrapped up. ¡°Yeah. Make some contributions..some slight changes to your personality and it will be perfect.¡± Aaron suggested with a small smile on his face as he looked at his older brother. ¡°Pretending to be friendly and pretending to be a normal person..¡± Desian¡¯s face hardened. Aaron smiled radiantly. This seemed like the only thing he had that his perfect older brother lacked. ¡°Everyone is afraid of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scary?¡± He didn¡¯t really mind if that¡¯s what people said about him. Ever since he had taken over the magic tower, his bad reputation had been rising. There was only one reason that it bothered him. ¡°You looked sweet when you smiled at Citrina.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s only for her.¡± ¡°You need to relax a bit more around other people too.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That way, Citrina will misunderstand and think you are a ¡®kind person¡¯.¡± Desian lowered his eyes. He seemed to have a point there. Aaron nodded his head like a gym teacher. ¡°Um¡­ maybe you can smile with your eyes too?¡± ¡°With my eyes?¡± Aaron laughed breathlessly at his straightforward complaint. He couldn¡¯t believe it was like this for his older brother. ¡®I hope this will make Citrina like you.¡¯ That would make them the perfect family. It couldn¡¯t be helped if Citrina didn¡¯t like it¡­ Aaron was determined to shape his older brother to fit Citrina¡¯s ideals. ¡°And why don¡¯t you sponsor a talent as well?¡± ¡°Sponsorship?¡± ¡°Yeah, that way some good rumors will spread about you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll do that. Only¡­¡± Aaron looked up at him. ¡°I have something to do before that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Instead of answering Aaron¡¯s cautious question, he laughed loudly. He knew what Citrina wanted and what her dreams were. Therefore, he intended to cooperate. That way he could hold Citrina in his arms. And she would come back safely and intact. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy all of the mines.¡± ¡°¡­are you serious?¡± Aaron¡¯s startled face hardened. Desian ignored the startled Aaron to pick up a fountain pen and sign a contract. He spoke in a strange manner. ¡°I¡¯ve already bought up all of the land on the famous jewelry streets.¡± He had done it in a way that no one could tell it all belonged to him. He was obviously talking about the land, but Aaron started to get goosebumps. ¡­ Citrina would have no idea about this. Setting such a beautiful trap, his older brother would be waiting for her. Aaron prayed briefly for Citrina. Desian¡¯s reasoning was truly beyond imagination. **** Naturally, time flew by for Citrina who was unaware of Desian¡¯s circumstances. Eventually four years had passed since Citrina first began at Ronata Atelier. Citrina was now 20 years old and an adult. News of a good deal of gemstone mines being found in Petrosha Empire came almost immediately after she became an adult. For this reason and a few others, Citrina decided to return to Petrosha Empire. Citrina learned of the discovery of some jewel mines in her empire. What caught her eye in particular was a mine owned by Count Hailey. There was said to be some top-notch Silmaril that Citrina wanted. Adilac Antigone, who was working beside her, whispered quietly. ¡°Citrina, did you hear about the jewel mine discovered in the empire? All kinds of minerals and gems were found.¡± ¡°¡­.yes.¡± ¡°Are you going to set up an atelier when you get back?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. In regards to that, I¡¯ll need to negotiate with Oslo.¡± ¡°Negotiate?¡± ¡°Yes, negotiations.¡± Citrina grinned. Now, she was going to set up her own business. -Then we¡¯re going on a trip? -Yeah. We¡¯re going on a trip. Gemma spread her beautiful winds and flew around in the sky again. Looking at the lovely spirit for a few moments, Citrina turned her head. She noticed Oslo working on something in the distance. Citrina approached him and broke the silence. ¡°Oslo nim.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well, I have an offer for you.¡± Oslo frowned slightly. He seemed to have a hunch that something was up. Oslo and Citrina sat across from each other with a table in between them. Oslo was lost in thought after hearing of Citrina¡¯s plan. ¡°You¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°Yes, Oslo nim.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to leave and sign a direct contract with the mines in the Petrosha Empire.¡± Oslo¡¯s eyes filled with wonder. He was fond of his disciple. However, the dwarf was still aware of his profits and losses. The calculator in his head must have been running pretty fast right now. Citrina looked at him with a composed face. ¡°It¡¯s interesting, but there are many people who want to sign a contract with me and add my name to their business. What do I get out of it?¡± The dwarf asked Citrina with wily eyes. ¡°You get fame.¡± ¡°Fame?¡± ¡°All the other dwarves moved underground, so there must be a reason why Oslo decided to stay above ground and train disciples.¡± ¡®Dwarves value honor more than anything else.¡¯ Oslo was a man of honor rather than money. While he had secluded himself in the atelier and taught his disciples, his reputation had risen around the world. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You certainly have a good eye for people. And you¡¯re not stupid. It will be fun.¡± Oslo said to himself, rubbing his mustache. Citrina faced Oslo. The four year period had passed in a blink of an eye for the dwarf, but it had been a long time for Citrina. The dwarf preferred a proud disciple. ¡°So one more question-what do you get out of this deal?¡± ¡°There are two things I want.¡± Citrina spoke. ¡°The first is that I want to borrow the basic funds to set up an atelier, and the second is that I want to borrow Oslo¡¯s name when I set up the atelier in the Empire.¡± What she wanted was to set up a franchise. It would be based on the atelier that Oslo set up in the Drip Empire, and Citrina¡¯s atelier in the Petrosha Empire would be a branch location. Oslo obviously understood what Citrina was trying to get at. He wrinkled his brow. ¡°Loaning out basic funds is something I often do for disciples, so that¡¯s not a problem. But borrowing my name? You, a human?¡± No matter how much he cared for his disciple, he drew a line here. Citrina had guessed as much. She was an ordinary disciple to the dwarf. And yet. ¡°It¡¯s quite nice, not not that special of an offer. Do you believe you can be a disciple that can further my name in the human world?¡± ¡°Yes. First of all, I will bring Adilac with me who is an amazing craftworker.¡± ¡°Adilac is competent, but that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°And then there is me.¡± Citrina calmly took the pendant necklace off her neck. Slowly, light began to leak out of the pendant. A small spirit rubbed it¡¯s eyes and blinked quietly as the light spilled out. ¡°I have a spirit. That¡¯s not such a bad deal for Oslo nim.¡± The dwarf caught on at once He knew it was a gem spirit that had come out of the necklace. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a gem spirit? I thought they were already extinct?¡± In a world where the variety of species had dwindled, the dwarf¡¯s voice raised in affinity for the species. As Citrina had ordered her last night, Gemma remained quietly on the pendant. Her innocent face stared up at the dwarf. Oslo looked stunned as he looked into Gemma¡¯s big eyes. ¡°Cu, so cute and small.¡± In addition to offering their blessings, spirits had other talents related to jewels. The dwarf understood better than Citrina about this. ¡°Then, can I borrow your name?¡± The dwarf stopped marveling at the spirit. He nodded slowly. Citrina smiled brightly at him. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± The dwarf slowly stroked his coarse beard. When Citrina and Adilac left, Oslo sent them away with the basic funds to start the atelier as well as some gems. He then handed Citrina a small video sphere. ¡°You can contact me with this magic instrument.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Oslo nim, thank you so much! May all blessings be sent to Oslo nim!¡± ¡°Alright. There¡¯s no need to be so polite. I¡¯ll see you again.¡± The dwarf waved them out. The parting of teacher and disciple who had spent four years together, came easily. Over the past four years, Citrina had become a bit more mature. She took energetic steps, recalling that Gemma was sleeping in the necklace at her throat and Adilac was walking behind her. Citrina, had nothing when she left the Pietro Duchy, was returning after mastering her trade in four years. Adilac and Citrina left the atelier and returned to Petrosha Empire. Their destination was Dartrin Street in the capital, the most well known jewelry street there. CH 27 Arriving in the Petrosha Empire, they encountered difficulties out of the blue. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out right away, you can stay at my house for a while¡­.¡± The real estate market must be going through a slump right now. The broker spat out as he looked at them. ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one property for sale right now, but only courageous people could go there.¡± ¡°Could it be there¡¯s a ghost?¡± The frightened Adilac asked. ¡°That¡¯s not it, let¡¯s visit it for now.¡± The broker struggled to lift his heavy body. Citrina somehow had a strange feeling. So along with the broker, Citrina climbed into the carriage. Their carriage traveled for about twelve minutes. Inside the empire¡¯s capital, the roads were all well paved. The broker couldn¡¯t see her gaze well, and he coughed at least ten times. Seeing that, she felt a somewhat foreboding hunch. Citrina exchanged glances with Adilac. Trying to keep her thoughts indifferent and carefree, Citrina stepped out of the carriage to the townhouse. The house was fairly small. However, the off-white wallpaper was clean looking and there was a cozy bedroom inside. There was a small sofa in the living room along with a rug. Overall, it had a moderate and clean impression. It didn¡¯t seem like bad surroundings for two women and a spirit to live. ¡°Citrina nim, don¡¯t you think this place is really nice? It reminds me of the place our cute puppy, Summer, lived!¡± Hearing Adilac¡¯s words, Gemma whispered in her ear. -Is it good if this is a house where a dog would live? -Oh, maybe it¡¯s good for Adilac¡­. ¡°It¡¯s definitely tidy.¡± The situation in the capital was not bad, and it was small but clean. It didn¡¯t seem like vermin came in and there were no signs of mold. Citrina inspected it closely and looked at the broker. ¡°It¡¯s very secure. You probably never need to worry about being murdered.¡± There was a strange emphasis on the phrase murder. Citrina caught on to his hidden meaning. ¡°I see. Anyway, it¡¯s in the capital and close to the commercial district, so why is security so tight?¡± ¡°We, well it¡¯s good to have tight security.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not wrong¡­.¡¯ Citrina looked out of the window. The image outside the window made her wonder. ¡°What is that mansion?¡± There was a large mansion in view of the window, which stood out. It somehow felt familiar¡­ The broker closed and opened his eyes as if he had been waiting for this to come. ¡°Haah¡­I¡¯ll tell you about that.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Actually, that mansion is cursed. ¡°What curse?¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually the mansion of Duke Pietro.¡± That¡¯s right, she thought it seemed familiar, and it turned out to be the place she lived four years ago. The broker stammered. Citrina¡¯s face crumpled. Did this person still believe in the curse of twins? It was because of this curse that Aaron still suffered. To her, Desian and Aaron were childhood friends. Anyone who heard bad things about a friend would be offended. ¡°Who believes in curses in this day and age?¡± She gave him a straight answer and the broker¡¯s face turned red. ¡°¡­You¡¯re quite courageous.¡± -Who is this Duke Pietro? And what¡¯s this about a curse? Gemma can protect you! Citrina who heard the voices of three people, or rather one spirit and two people, stared at the broker. ¡°Then you hesitated to show us this house because of the curse?¡± ¡°What else is there to worry about? Ah, people have said that the temperature of this house is a bit strange¡­.¡± As a dishonest real estate agent, he had sold houses one way or anther so far. Nevertheless, when he tried to sell the townhouse next door to Duke Pietro, his conscience stabbed at him. ¡®I don¡¯t need to tell her that Duke Desian Pietro is possessed by the devil.¡¯ However, even as he hinted at it, the woman in front of him refused to budge. ¡°It¡¯s only warm here. ¡°It¡¯s definitely toasty, Citrina! It¡¯s definitely like Summer, our cute puppy.¡± This modern and simple house was warm and the price was low. Citrina knew very well that the duke next door to them was not cursed. ¡°There¡¯s no other problems, if you¡¯re certain¡­.¡± ¡°Then should we wait here?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You can wait a bit here and look some more at the house.¡± For now, it would be good to meet with the house owner and secure the contract. The real estate broker left with a short wink at Citrina. He headed out to meet with the landlord. Outside the door, he shook his head. ¡®Wow. How could you think of living next to Duke Pietro?¡¯ At a time when nobles ran away with pale faces, this woman who looked to be a commoner stood tall. The broker shuddered. ¡®Duke Desian Pietro is famous for being a powerful devil who carries a cursed sword that forces him to slaughter everything in sight!¡¯ Truthfully, Desian¡¯s notoriety had passed Citrina¡¯s old knowledge about the curse of twins. The exact image of Duke Desian Pietro in the broker¡¯s mind was blacked out. The prevailing evaluation of Duke Pietro was that he was an outsider who killed anyone who opposed him. Wasn¡¯t he the one who took down the dark wizard¡¯s tower? ¡®She¡¯s an interesting woman. She must have lived far away to have avoided word of the rumors.¡¯ Anyway, she said she would like in the townhouse next to the duke. ¡®She I have tried to dissuade her more?¡¯ But the broker couldn¡¯t bear to let the deal fall through. That was because he knew the recent move of Duke Desian Pietro, who was known to be indifferent to everybody. He was rumored to have cause concussions to the nobles who had tried to speak to him. ¡®Yes, I¡¯ll just keep my mouth shut.¡¯ The broker stood on the townhouse¡¯s lawn and looked around. He thought the landlord said he lived nearby, but where was it? He decided to head to the management office that took care of all of the townhouses on the market. ¡°Mr. Porter.¡± Right then, someone strode into the yard and called out his name. It was a tall man in uniform. He looked like a knight. The broker, Porter, looked over at him with clouded eyes. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner of this house. Nice to meet you.¡± This was the only landowner who put a place for sale in the capital¡¯s cold snap. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy to act as the intermediary.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­I¡¯ve prepared the contract here in advance. Let¡¯s go in and discuss the contract. As the owner, I will handle as conveniences for the tenant.¡¯ ¡°Ah, yes. Yes.¡± ¡°Tell them they can move in right away.¡¯ ¡°Yep.¡± As the broker, the commission was enough. Porter accepted the contract. It seemed he would get a contract fee at this rate. It was a bit awkward, but he said it was okay. After all, there was the strange freeze in the capital¡¯s market. But luckily, Citrina was able to get a house. It seemed like a strange coincidence, but property sales normalized after Citrina purchased her home. **** She finally had her own house. Citrina sat alongside Adilac on the sofa. Adilac must have been tired as she had fallen asleep. Citrina closed her eyes. The real estate contract came together as quick as lightening. The owner of the townhouse did not show up, but Citrina was told he would take care of most of the conveniences. ¡®It was all really good terms. For the atelier as well as the house.¡¯ The monthly costs were also pretty reasonable. It didn¡¯t take long to complete the contract and gather the luggage from the . ¨C What are you going to do now? -I¡¯m not sure¡­. Citrina cupped her chin in her hand and pondered. With a wry face, she opened her mouth. Come to think of it Gemma, do you know how to do alchemy? -If I become an intermediate spirit. All I need is the finest Silmaril! Then, this Gemma nim will become unbeatable. Gemma¡¯s transparent wings drooped. Citrina tilted her head to the side. Looking at Citrina, Gemma stuck out her lips. -Alright, your current abilities are great, but if you become an intermediate spirit you¡¯re saying they will be even better? -Yes! Gemma rose from the stone she was lying on. Gemma¡¯s fingertips slowly extended. Gemma¡¯s hands stretched out slowly into beautiful shapes, bit by bit. -I¡¯ll be able to change stones into jewels. I can¡¯t wait! As Citrina looked at Gemma, she crinkled her eyes and laughed. ¨C I¡¯ll quickly get you the Silmaril and then we can complete our contract, right? -Yeah! Gemma smiled brightly at Citrina¡¯s serious tone. The spirit who had slept for so long was as pure as a child. Citrina was currently satisfied with this simple life. With the remaining money, she could put a down payment on the atelier, and design and sell jewelry with them gemstones given to her by the dwarf. It was the first time in a long time that she felt anticipation for the future. ¡®I¡¯m still upset and worried after hearing the rumors about the duke¡¯s curse. Perhaps¡­ the situation has become twisted again.¡¯ Maybe she should try to gather rumors about the Duke of Pietro. As Citrina stared at Gemma with her chin in her hand, Adilac woke up. The maid residing in the house had come to organize all of the luggage. ¡°Citrina, what¡¯s troubling you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about a close friend¡­I heard a bad story.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Adilac sat by her side and worried with her. How many minutes had passed? Adilac came up with a simple solution. ¡°But rumors don¡¯t often have any substance. If you believe in the rumors, won¡¯t you look at your friend with prejudice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a prejudice¡­..¡± Adilac¡¯s words pierced her heart like a sharp blade. ¡°Yes, my mother once went to see a gold mine at the southern border of the Petrosha Empire, but it was full of trash and no gold to speak of¡­¡± Citrina nodded curtly at Adilac¡¯s long speech. ¡®Alright, if we can meet later, let¡¯s judge him in person.¡¯ At least when Citrina had last met with Desian, he had been kind. ¡°This is definitely better. I believe in my judgment.¡± But just to be sure, should she go and visit the Duke of Pietro? She wasn¡¯t sure if he would meet with her just because she asked for an audience. With those complicated thoughts in her mind, she closed her eyes. And just the next day, she came across and unexpected and peculiar situation. CH 28 Leaving Adilac sleeping on the couch after the weariness of the trip, Citrina headed to Dartrin Street in the capital. ¡®Citrina and Oslo¡¯s Gemstone Atelier¡¯ would soon be built here. ¡®Is it because four years have passed? But it¡¯s a little strange.¡¯ -What¡¯s so strange, Citrina? Gemma asked cautiously, whispering in Citrina¡¯s head. -From what I remember¡­there was an isolated alley of here. But now it¡¯s really clean. In the past, Citrina had frequented this area from time to time to sell the baron¡¯s jewelry. She remembered rats wandering around this back alley. However, now even the alleys were clean and the trash that had been scattered through the city was picked up. Citrina tilted her head to the side. -For now¡­let¡¯s take a look at what¡¯s popular these days. I¡¯ll show you a lot of jewels. -Good! Citrina walked from place to place on Dartrin Street. She also picked up some rather useful information. It was thanks to a merchant standing in front of her on Dartrin Street. The merchant who introduced himself as ¡®Jeffrey¡¯ told her quite a bit about the rumors she had been concerned about. As Citrina had guessed, Jeffrey really seemed to be in the know. He appeared very pleased by the short remarks she made while looking at the jewelry display. ¡°It seems that the streets have become much cleaner.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Phew.¡± He didn¡¯t say much. Citrina tilted her head and looked him in the eye. The man grinned and added a bit more of an explanation. ¡°The duke has helped us all out! It¡¯s a big deal!¡± The duke? There was only one duke of the empire that he was talking about. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talking about ¡®that¡¯ Duke Pietro. Duke Pietro has fully sponsored this area. The whole area was cleaned and new signs were set up. Even the alleys were cleaned.¡± ¡°You must be happy.¡± ¡°We¡¯re really happy. I don¡¯t know the reasoning behind it, but it¡¯s made us really glad.¡± Gemma looked at the jewels with sparkling eyes. ¡°He¡¯s really sponsoring it.¡± ¡°Yes. I heard not only our street but also Ellent Jewel Street and Pine Street were sponsored. Thanks to him, everyone is grinning ear to ear these days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± She smiled softly. But on the inside, Citrina was troubled. The contents of the book must have changed, but she had no knowledge as to how it had happened. Therefore she had no choice but to ask other people. ¡®Who was the current Duke Pietro?¡¯ was a question without an answer at present. It was a matter for the high ranking nobility. Consequently, Citrina decided to stir through the rumors about the duke. ¡°Duke Pietro must be a good man.¡± But as she threw out her bait, the merchant clammed up. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either. I can¡¯t speak for the upper nobility.¡± Citrina bit her lips. What was the significance fo the fact that Duke Pietro seemed to be a great man, but no one felt they could speak easily about him? Stuck on that point, Citrina tried to catch the merchant¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Nothing at all.¡± His gaze avoided hers. His voice was even off. There was definitely something here. But it seemed she wouldn¡¯t find out more here. He appeared to have his lips sealed on the subject. Citrina bowed her head and thanked him. It would take several days for the atelier¡¯s remodel to be finished and for Adilac to rest up. Therefore, now was the time to make good on her promise to the dwarf. The next day, Citrina wrote a letter. The recipient was Count Hailey. She was writing as the dwarf¡¯s agent, asking to sign a mining contract and inspect the territory. It was obvious that this way would lead to sponsorship. This was the perfect way to announce that she was the dwarf¡¯s disciple and to present her contract with Oslo. In fact, there were few spirits in this world, and even fewer who could use alchemy through a contract with spirits. Therefore, she had to reveal it at the most impactful time. -Citrina, are you finished with the letter? A person is coming. -Someone¡¯s coming? -Yeah! As soon as Gemma finished speaking, Citrina heard the sound of footsteps. The sound of footsteps slowly got closer to the door. Citrina glanced at the tightly shut bedroom door. Adilac was making up for her lack of sleep by resting all day. -Is that Adilac¡¯s family? Citrina opened the door after making eye contract with Gemma. The man in front of her was wearing a knight¡¯s uniform. ¡°Are you Lady Citrina Foluin?¡± ¡°¡­Who might you be?¡± Citrina¡¯s face stiffened as she heard the man spout the name Foluin. ¡®The baron, baroness, and Elaina all don¡¯t know my whereabouts. I didn¡¯t even tell them that I was back in the capital. So why are you looking for me? What happened?¡¯ There was no person who would search for Citrina. Her best guess would be that it was from Baron Foluin. But Baron Foluin had no reason to send a knight. He also wasn¡¯t in a position to hire a knight. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Arte Pianan, vice captain of the spear knights of the imperial palace.¡± Citrina thought for a moment. His introduction was fairly neat and clear. She remembered hearing about the spear knights. They were a spear carrying unit, and were an elite force at the imperial palace. This person was the vice captain of such a unit. In other words, Citrina Foluin was a person way below his level. Then¡­why had this guy come to see her? ¡°Can you show your identification?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought my knight¡¯s badge.¡± The man waved a round jewel through the door. The blue fluorescent lights sparkled like fireflies. But what caught Citrina¡¯s attention was the short sword next to his pack. Citrina could recognize the sword at a glance. ¡°That¡¯s¡­a sword made by a dwarf.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The man readily agreed. His face lit up with pride as his dwarf-made sword was mentioned. ¡®That¡¯s the sword I finished up myself.¡¯ That sword had wound up in the hands of this person. Her wariness quickly diminished. Looking at Arte, Citrina opened the door once more. Arte stepped through the doorway. The man walked into her living room with quick, measured steps, then smiled refreshingly and lowered his head. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± After giving a stiff answer, Citrina slowly grasped both sides of her dress and bobbed up and down in a curtsy. It was a basic etiquette in acknowledgment of his greeting. ¡°I¡¯m here to present you with an invitation.¡± ¡°An invitation?¡± The knight presented her with an invitation. It wasn¡¯t the courtesy of a knight to a lady, but it was a very polite attitude. He didn¡¯t need to do that. Besides, there was weight to his words. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation¡­¡± Citrina tilted her head as she accepted the invitation. This was an incomprehensible thing that she couldn¡¯t understand. The Summer Ball at Lection Garden was a space for high ranking nobles. Citrina Foluin was a baron¡¯s daughter, though even that was nominal to be honest. It was an unconventional situation. Citrina quickly sealed her lips. There was no way someone would want to trip her up. After all, she was still at the bottom of the social pyramid. However, she had to deal with the possibility of a trap seriously. Citrina asked cautiously. ¡°¡­ Who sent the invitation?¡± The knight¡¯s face hardened a little. Citrina looked him. Nevertheless, the words from the knight¡¯s mouth were unexpected. ¡°The emperor himself sent it.¡± ¡°His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Citrina peered at the knight¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t seem to be telling a lie. It was a serious crime to impersonate the imperial family. Faced with Citrina¡¯s mysterious gaze, Arte cleared his throat. The knight must be inexperienced in managing his facial expressions. He must also not know why had had come to this townhouse. He spoke with an air of ambiguity. ¡°I¡¯m following orders as His Majesty¡¯s knight.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± An invitation to Lection Garden had been sent to Citrina, who was merely a baron¡¯s daughter. Citrina smoothed out a look of embarrassment off her face. No noble would dare to doubt the intentions of the emperor. ¡°Your dress and accessories will arrive soon.¡± ¡°Are these also given by His Majesty?¡± Arte¡¯s eyes veered strangely away from her. He began to speak with a hint of disapproval. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something I can answer, Lady Citrina Foluin.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by that? I¡¯m terribly intrigued.¡± Citrina¡¯s gaze was on him. ¡°I¡¯m curious¡­¡± The atmosphere was tense. However, it was easily broken by the knight¡¯s response. ¡°I¡¯m heading back now. I¡¯ll come back to escort you when you go to Lection Garden.¡± Arte bowed with a troubled look on his face. He seemed to be in a hurry, as if he couldn¡¯t speak even if she questioned him. -Thud- The door closed. Long after the door had been shut, Citrina opened the invitation in her hand. ¡ª¡ª Lady Citrina Foluin, On bright green day when the wind blows beautifully, We invite you to attend the Imperial Palace¡¯s Summer Ball held at Lection Flower Garden. May you please grace the ball with your beauty. x month x day, summer. Banquet Room Inside the Palace. ¡ª¨C It was an invitation to the banquet inside the palace, bearing the emperor¡¯s seal. Citrina looked at the invitation. No matter how much she looked at it, it didn¡¯t seem like a counterfeit. ¡®Did some unwritten rule about Lection Garden get broken? This couldn¡¯t be true.¡¯ Citrina leaned back slowly against the wall. Then Gemma who had been silently holding her breathe, revealed herself. -Citrina, isn¡¯t it all thanks to me? -Why do you think so, Gemma? -Isn¡¯t everyone doing this to see the great Gemma in person? It means you¡¯re rumored to have a contract with a spirit. -You think there¡¯s rumors I¡¯m working with a spirit? Citrina stared intently at the invitation. Somehow, Gemma¡¯s ego had risen, but it didn¡¯t make sense. Spirits and alchemists were rare in the empire. Therefore, they were certain to have some level of clout. ¡®No one knows yet about Gemma, and while they may have heard about the alchemy¡­.¡¯ Citrina hadn¡¯t told anyone but Oslo that she had awakened the jewel spirit. She had learned some alchemy as a disciple of the dwarf, but she hadn¡¯t told anyone she knew how to do it. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Confused, Citrina shook her head a few times. Gemma was looking at her with happy eyes. -It¡¯s all thanks to me! It¡¯s because I¡¯ve brought luck to our future! -Alright, let¡¯s do that. Citrina gave a small smile. Before the Summer Ball, she wanted to send a letter to Count Hailey. She glanced towards the bedroom. She could already imagine Adilac¡¯s surprised reaction when she heard about the Summer Ball. CH 29 Imperial palace¡¯s summer ball was held in Lection Hall, one of the most beautiful gardens in the empire. Lection Garden was a place where only the world¡¯s most beautiful flowers were collected and displayed, with a preservation enchantment to keep them always blooming. ¡®Rumors can¡¯t have already spread about our jewelry business.¡¯ Citrina¡¯s jewelry shop had not yet had its grand opening. Although her name would soon be creeping around society along with that of her business. ¡®But this isn¡¯t enough for the emperor to take notice. Something¡¯s wrong with this.¡¯ It was said that the emperor acted like a puppet with Duke Pietro holding his strings, but an emperor was an emperor. Above all, it meant that a baron¡¯s daughter like her could not refuse. Citrina quickly came to grips with the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s eat a lot of delicious food since I¡¯m here already.¡± Citrina quietly murmured as she lifted her dress. The touch at her fingertips was silky and smooth. The elegant silk dress woven with silver threads fit her figure perfectly. Citrina tried not to think about the shiny diamonds embroidered around the shoulders and waist of the dress. It was too much pressure to have on her mind. Still, Lection Garden was fairly crowded. For better or worse, Citrina had arrived a bit late. She made her way over to the food table. Before her eyes was an array of desserts, causing her to feel hungry out of nowhere. As she nibbled on the finger food, the taste spread through her mouth. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s sweet.¡¯ As she was basking in the healing feeling of delicious food, she heard some whispers behind her. ¡°Who¡¯s that lady over there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing that lady.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know any ladies below the level of marquess.¡± The lively conversation between a young noblewoman and nobleman caught her attention. Citrina seemed to be the subject of their chatter. ¡®I¡¯m also curious why I was called here.¡¯ Citrina wondered about her ticket inside. She decided to try and ignore what she had heard. The server handed her a low alcohol, fruity cocktail. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, beautiful lady.¡± The server smiled and walked past her. The cocktail was surprisingly to her taste. Sipping her sweet drink and savoring the taste, Citrina missed the next few words between the noblewoman and nobleman. ¡°Wait, wait a moment.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°The dress that lady is wearing¡­ isn¡¯t it the only one created by the elf?¡± ¡°No way.¡± The murmurs grew louder. It was loud enough that she could not ignore it. With a few sips of cocktail, Citrina turned to them lightheartedly. It was then. At the Lection Garden entrance, the knight posted at the door announced with a trembling voice. ¡°The Duke of Pietro, De, Desian Pietro is entering!¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°Oh my god, Did I hear wrong¡­.¡± ¡°His Excellency?¡± A young noblewoman screamed. The men stopped talking as their faces paled. Some people stepped back slightly. The sound of something shattering filled the air. In the chaotic situation, only Citrina remained calm. She was lost in thought. ¡®Desian? That Desian Pietro?¡¯ Citrina knew Desian Pietro well. Desian was as beautiful as ever. With long eyelashes, prominent cheekbones, and a perfectly delicate face framed by black hair and eyes.. It was a beauty that felt languid and delicate. It was a beauty that affected her view of the world. Looking at his figure, Citrina felt a bit out of place for a moment. ¡®He should have a bloodstained magic sword in his hands, but it¡¯s missing?¡¯ Instead of a bloodstained sword, he held a bouquet of roses. ¡®There was a phrase in the original work that everyone within a kilometer of Desian would be annihilated. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s been rehabilitated. I¡¯m so proud.¡¯ She swelled up with happiness as she thought. Citrina was so focused on Desian¡¯s condition that she didn¡¯t notice the chilly atmosphere around them. As Citrina reminisced about the past, Desian was approaching her. His eyes were clearly focused on her. Citrina slowly lifted her gaze from his fingertips to meet his eyes. ¡°Citrina.¡± At that moment, Desian¡¯s blank expression was filled with vivid emotion. It was unmistakable delight. He stood in front of her with a big smile on his face. Citrina returned his gaze and gave a small smile back. ¡°Welcome back.¡± Standing face to face with her, he bent down and whispered affectionately in her ear. It was the same as when he was with her as a child. ¡°My ear is itchy, Del¡± Was it because of the close proximity? The hairs on the nape of her neck stood up and her ear itched. Was it because of her nickname? Desian¡¯s smile widened. Meanwhile, Citrina who hadn¡¯t seen his smile, put a hand on Desian¡¯s wide shoulder and pushed him away. He allowed her to push him back with little force. She smiled and spoke again. ¡°How¡¯ve you been? I missed you.¡± Citrina gave a light greeting. Oddly, Desian¡¯s expression stiffened in that moment. He was clearly embarrassed. Not that anyone would call him tense. Citrina smiled blandly and his mind went blank. ¡°I really missed you too.¡± The man handed her the roses ever so slowly. It was like it was in slow motion. ¡°Is this a welcome back home gift? Thanks, Del¡­¡± Citrina thought her childhood friend that she had not encountered for a long time had become very friendly. As Desian listened to her speak, he smiled radiantly, which caused her heart to feel as if it was on fire. A warm wind blew around them. It was quite a beautiful reunion scene for the two of them. However, it was different for everyone else. Truthfully, all of the high ranking nobles that were gathered there thought they were dreaming. ¡°Wha, what is this?¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± Duke Desian Pietro was obviously human, but he was treated like an outside existence. He was known by such nicknames as ¡®Blood Crazy Duke, Death¡¯s Ambassador, Iron-blooded Duke, The Only Person Who Survived and Conquered in a Mountain of Bodies¡¯ and the like. No one had ever seen him smile. His face was always indifferent, and only smiled at the end of a war. ¡°That, is that a flower?¡± ¡°I think so¡­¡± There was something else to be surprised about. That lady had called Desian by his childhood nickname. This alone was enough to surprise everybody. The situation was beyond what anyone could grasp as no one knew what was going on. Despite the other¡¯s feelings, the reunion of Desian and Citrina in the beautiful garden was affectionate and fantastic. Citrina whispered to him quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve become the duke, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Rina.¡± ¡°Congratulations! Ah, then the previous Duke Pietro¡­¡± ¡°It was a disease, unfortunately.¡± Desian didn¡¯t look completely sad, but he looked a bit depressed. Citrina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He was mistreated by the duke who had died. But he was depressed rather than relieved. Desian¡­had he changed this much? ¡®Has he really become this nice?¡¯ Four years had flown by like an arrow. Let¡¯s find out myself. I¡¯ll judge with my own eyes.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t make heads nor tails of her precious childhood friend. Desian reached out to her slowly. ¡°You wanted to dance at the Summer Ball, Rina.¡± Had she? Citrina squinted since she couldn¡¯t remember exactly. ¡°I¡¯d like to dance, but I think talking with you is more important.¡± The two of us, I think we need to talk. Citrina laughed under her breath. His eyes became more hazy as he looked at her. He reached out to her slowly. As he came closer, she smelled a familiar cologne. Citrina had forgotten the smell of that cologne for a while. Oh, it was weird. The scent at the tip of her nose reminded her of the past. **** Instead of dancing at the Summer Ball, Desian escorted Citrina into the deepest part of the garden. There was a quiet and beautiful greenhouse. A small shadow fell on Desian¡¯s face from the dense tree above them. It was a hot summer, but the temperature inside was refreshing as if it was controlled by magic. Desian was looking at her face. That gaze was both familiar yet unfamiliar, so Citrina broke the silence by whispering. ¡°I missed you, Del!¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Desian replied bluntly to Citrina. However, it didn¡¯t feel bad. Rather, she liked the fact that nothing had changed. Over the past four years she had sometimes thought about this. It felt like she was back home. ¡°¡­To be honest I wanted to watch your success, but you still have things to achieve, right?¡± The words somehow seemed to be an excuse, so Citrina smiled awkwardly. Desian looked at her face calmly. He was originally a man who lived in the darkness of the city. Yet the smile on his decadent face seemed more harmless than anyone else. ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Del, you¡¯re always so kind.¡± ¡°Did you enjoy the ball?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ah, were you the one who sent me the invitation?¡± ¡°¡­ I heard you had come back.¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± Citrina nodded. She didn¡¯t believe Desian would care about such trifles, but she didn¡¯t notice how else he could know she had returned. ¡°It¡¯s too fascinating.¡± She was still a bit curious and had questions left unanswered, but Citrina smiled cheerfully. Desian¡¯s response was as warm as it used to be. The last four years had been a tough time for her. It was fun refining gemstones and dealing with spirits, but it was sometimes difficult like pushing through a strong wind. Citrina felt relieved, as if the spring snow was melting. ¡°Ah, I heard that Duke Pietro is doing a lot of sponsoring. Is it true you¡¯ve been cleaning up some boroughs?¡± Silence followed Citrina¡¯s words. Desian¡¯s expression remained the same. Citrina tilted her head to the side. He whispered quietly. ¡°Yeah, I felt bad for the unfortunates living in those conditions.¡± Citrina was silent for a bit. ¡°Oh¡­ you felt bad?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He looked at her with a harmless expression. His black irises looked like Concord grapes. In essence, he looked quite friendly. But¡­ of course, she had asked because she was curious how well the rehabilitation had went, but this was pretty unexpected. She couldn¡¯t believe he had become such a person. ¡®Has he become too nice? Desian has no reason to lie, so it must be true.¡¯ Citrina was able to see Desian¡¯s history of good deeds with her own eyes. ¡®The Desian Pietro in the original work was not one to keep up his public image, so this is too fascinating. Really¡­¡¯ Citrina looked at him with curious eyes. It was also gratifying to see that Desian had gained a new, normal life rather than a villainous one thanks to her rehabilitation. ¡°Nice. You did a great job. Everyone seemed to be happy.¡± ¡°Listening to your words makes me sure, Rina.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m doing well.¡± The smile around Desian¡¯s mouth deepened as he looked at Citrina¡¯s face. Citrina added one more thing. ¡°Really, you¡¯re doing well since the four years we last met? And now we are meeting again.¡± ¡°There must be a reason why you came back after four years.¡± Desian caressed the edge of his teacup. Looking at his elegant fingertips, Citrina nodded and whispered gravely. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows, actually, I¡¯m here to take over the empire¡¯s jewelry industry.¡± As she finished speaking, she met his eyes. ¡°¡­Really?¡± Desian¡¯s face was serious. ¡°Just kidding.¡± In reaction to his serious response, Citrina denied it while laughing. ¡°It¡¯s a joke, really. I¡¯m not going to do that actually.¡± Desian raised his eyebrows. It was a habit he didn¡¯t have in his childhood. She felt the passing of those four years all of a sudden. Citrina whispered softly. ¡°I¡¯ve also become an adult. So have you heard of the gemstone mine found on Count Hailey¡¯s estate? It has the empire in an uproar.¡± Citrina lightly touched on the subject. She thought it was better to drop a small hint to Desian about the state of the empire. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Desian already seemed to know what Citrina had to say. Citrina spoke calmly. ¡°I¡¯m curious about Count Hailey¡¯s gemstone mine.¡± It was customary for rough gemstones to go to the gemstone market and be auctioned off. However, jewelry atelier¡¯s with a contract got first pick of the stones. Therefore, she wanted to sign a contract on the mine. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, really.¡± Gemma wanted superior Silmaril from the empire. She was a bit conflicted. With Desian¡¯s answer, Citrina felt a bit suspicious. When talk of Silmaril came up, Gemma usually flew around and talked excitedly, yet she was now deathly quiet. Without giving her time to dwell to deeply, Desian answered. ¡°Rina, I own the Hailey family mine.¡± ¡°You? Then Duke Pietro is earnestly entering the jewelry business.¡± ¡°I decided to dive in seriously.¡± Desian¡¯s answer was succinct. She had already heard that Duke Pietro had bought all of the gemstones. Things were going strangely well. ¡°I, I¡¯d like to take a look around your jewel mine for a bit. Could you let me do that?¡± Neither at the dwarf¡¯s atelier nor in her past life had she seen a jewel mine in person. She could feel her heart fluttering. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I still want to go there myself.¡± It was essential to inspect the mine personally before signing a contract. By bringing the spirit Gemma there, she would have a better idea of the mine¡¯s quality. ¡°Then I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± It was an unexpected kindness. ¡®If I¡¯m with Desian, I might draw attention. Is that alright?¡¯ It was still too early let others know she had a contract with the dwarf and that she could work with spirits. ¡°¡­Then let¡¯s go together in secret.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°When can we go? Any time is fine with me. The sooner, the better.¡± Desian replied to Citrina mischievous words. ¡°Then how about tomorrow?¡± With Desian¡¯s burning gaze, Citrina had a hard time opening her mouth to reply. ¡°Then¡­ will you contact me tomorrow?¡± She asked lightly to put an end to the conversation. It seemed like the sun was setting and it was about time to make her exit. ¡®I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t hear any bad rumors about Desian.¡¯ The Desian standing next to her was just like what she remembered from childhood. In the distance, the Summer Ball musicians began to play the final song of the evening. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Looking at her pale cheeks, Desian spoke in a calm tone. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off at home.¡± Desian alluring voice seemed to resonate in her ears. For a moment, their eyes met. Citrina opened her mouth and agreed. ¡°Alright.¡± The tension between the two disappeared as if nothing had happened. Desian spoke offhandedly. ¡°Before we leave, I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°The day before you left, the last thing that I said. Do you remember what it was?¡± Citrina thought back to what happened four years ago. However, it was impossible to recall what had happened after four years in vivid detail. If it meant something to Desian, she should remember¡­ Citrina answered after biting her lip briefly. ¡°Safe travels?¡± Desian laughed low when he heard her questioning reply. She was caught in his eyes, which showed no sign of what he was thinking. ¡°Not that, Rina.¡± Citrina flinched. Desian looked at her and gave a small grin. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± CH 30 Desian stood with an unflinching face and Citrina followed him. Next to her was Gemma, who slouched down to appear smaller. Citrina. When you came back to me, I said I wouldn¡¯t lose you. She didn¡¯t seem to remember. That was a special memory for him, but it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to think that Citrina didn¡¯t treasure it. Nevertheless, he was confident he could win her heart. The constant pulsing of his heart seemed to ring in his ears. ¡®Anyway¡­that spirit is annoying.¡¯ He had seen it trembling. As soon as their eyes had met, he kept his mouth shut so he didn¡¯t say anything he would regret. That way, Citrina would not doubt his kindness. ¡®It would have been convenient to kill it, but I couldn¡¯t.¡¯ The spirit could not be destroyed because it was dear to Citrina. Therefore he hoped his magic would serve as a proper warning for the spirit. It was difficult to personally touch the things Citrina loved. He was slowly, gently going to draw her to him, so that she couldn¡¯t run away. Next morning, Desian came to her townhouse. It was right after Citrina finished eating breakfast and dressing. Citrina wore a light muslin dress and a hat that could be put on without the help of a maid. She asked Desian lightly. ¡°If we leave now, we¡¯ll arrive around evening, right?¡± It was more than half a day by carriage to the Despanic mine owned by the Count Hailey family. ¡°No, we¡¯ll get there soon.¡± She tilted her head to the side. But the question was easily answered. Desian slowly reached out to her. As soon as she realized she was holding his hand, she somehow felt itchy. ¡®We once held hands at the duke¡¯s mansion, but in some way¡­is this a bit different?¡¯ Having grown up a bit more and become a young man, he somehow more unfamiliar and dangerous than before. Citrina bit her lip. Desian did not shy away from her. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± She replied and glanced at Desian. She couldn¡¯t read his expression. Her vision went black right away, but only for a moment. Immediately, Citrina and Desian arrived in front of the Despanic Mine. Standing at the entrance to Despanic Mine, Citrina looked around with unfamiliar eyes. The entrance to the mine felt like the opening of a deep cave. Standing in front of such a powerful piece of nature, everything felt small. ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard to breathe.¡± ¡°Ah, because it¡¯s a mine¡­¡­¡± ¡°Right, because you are a normal person.¡± ¡°Then how can I do it? I didn¡¯t prepare anything special.¡± It was a bit awkward. Come to think of it, you also used a special magical tool when mining gemstones. Seeing her troubled expression, Desian spoke slowly. ¡°You have me.¡± Citrina raised her eyes. ¡®Ah, now that I think about it, Desian knows how to use magic.¡¯ However, she didn¡¯t expect his hand to touch her ear lightly. ¡°I cast a small spell. You¡¯ll feel comfortable breathing.¡±. ¡°Is this healing magic?¡± -Gemma, are you listening? -Yeah. Gemma¡¯s voice was trembling. Citrina didn¡¯t notice the quiver in her voice. And yet. She opened her mouth. -There are so many Silmaril gemstones. -Well I don¡¯t care about anything. Let¡¯s take any of these and get out of here quick. -Why? This is where you really wanted to come. -N, no. I¡¯m not scared¡­I think they are all good. -Are you afraid of mines? Gemma, however, didn¡¯t answer. Citrina and Gemma were under a spirit contract. Therefore Desian shouldn¡¯t be able to see Gemma, nor hear her voice. But Desian¡¯s gaze slowly but subtly moved over to Gemma. When Gemma met Desian¡¯s gaze, she hurriedly hid in Citrina¡¯s pendant necklace. ¡®I¡¯m worried.¡¯ There was no way for Citrina to know about the subtle confrontation going on between Gemma and Desian. Gemma also thought she would feel better if she could get her hands on a higher-level mana Silmaril gemstone. Citrina began to carefully look around inside the mine. ¡°It¡¯s¡­unexpectedly, it¡¯s more beautiful than I imagined.¡± ¡°What were you imagining?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°I only thought it would be very dark.¡± Citrina had never been to the deepest part of such a huge mine. ¡°Ah, is there a superior Silmaril among the gemstones here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already collected the most beautiful samples outside.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s in the barracks outside.¡± He could see Citrina¡¯s eyes twinkling. There was innocent curiosity there for the first time. What on earth was a gem to her? It was a worthless rock to him. ¡°Thanks! I want to touch it myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the village down from the mine, Rina.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go over there!¡± Walking slowly out of the mine, Citrina thought of the beauty of nature. The world no longer felt like a novel to Citrina. It was more like she was in the battlefield of her life. ¡°Del, how much longer do we have to walk?¡± ¡°Just a bit more.¡± After Desian answered, the mine became quiet. As they explored inside the mine step-by-step, Desian asked in a quiet voice. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m a bit curious about.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I was wondering why you like jewels.¡± ¡°¡­the reason I like jewels?¡± ¡°Right, I was wondering about the reason you like jewels.¡± She had never thought about it deeply in this life or in her previous life. The reason she liked jewels is because she enjoyed the process of refining rough gemstones into polished jewels step-by-step. ¡®Isn¡¯t the process of transforming a rough gemstone into a jewel fascinating? But it isn¡¯t just a passing interest for me¡­.¡¯ When Citrina didn¡¯t answer, Desian¡¯s expressionless face clouded for a moment. Citrina didn¡¯t see his expression as they stood next to each other. ¡°It¡¯s just, I like the fact that the shiny jewels weren¡¯t sparkling to begin with.¡± Citrina thought. In her previous life and in her present life, she was not the main character. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t shine brilliantly from the start. -drip, drip- Water was flowing slowly from somewhere out of sight. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking for four years. . I like that.¡± ¡°It has to withstand the ordeal.¡± ¡°Yeah, after spending a long time underground, the gemstone is reborn.¡± It was a rambling comment. But they were also the most sincere words she could think of. Like a rough gemstone slowly changed bit by bit, she too¡­wanted to achieve something. She didn¡¯t want to live a common life. Citrina¡¯s eyes were filled with determination. Desian was looking at her with an unfamiliar gaze. He looked pleased, but also a little bit flustered. ¡°¡­ Rina.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah?¡± ¡°It makes me curious about you.¡± There was a moment of silence. Citrina spoke with a wishful smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about it very deeply before. Still, it would be nice to have a jewel named after me. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± ¡°A jewel named after you¡­¡± ¡°In a way¡­ you organized my thoughts.¡± The deep mine echoes quietly. It was like you had to tell the truth in such a heavy atmosphere. Citrina laughed jokingly because she hated the oppressive atmosphere. Desian was silent for a long time. At last, Desian laughed quietly, as if he had finally accepted all of her words. ¡°I can see a light, so are we almost there?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Citrina took a short deep breath. She remembered the type of Silmaril gemstone that Gemma wanted. It would be flawless. Not too big or too small, and it would have nice lines when it was polished¡­. Then where was it? CH 31 The way out of the mine was not too rugged. Either Desian had softened the path or the original path was not too treacherous. Desian seemed to read the hesitation in her words. He whispered low. ¡°The count and his attendants will be out.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be out?¡± ¡°And we¡¯ll be going to the temporary barracks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was a little nervous about meeting a high ranking aristocrat.¡± Citrina chuckled as she relaxed after hearing Desian¡¯s simple answer. Citrina intended to disguise herself as a common jeweler for the time being. Revealing her connection to the spirits at this time would have a weak impact. Citrina and Desian walked slowly out of the mine. She couldn¡¯t breathe, perhaps because of the aftermath of the magic, and it felt like she had been on a long stroll. ¡°It feels like I¡¯ve been walking for a long time. That way is the village.¡± ¡°Right, the people¡­there¡¯s a lot of them.¡± Desian¡¯s expression hardened terribly, but it smoothed out quickly. Citrina looked at the people standing in the distance in twos and threes. How did the people living near the gemstone mine live? ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± In this world, Citrina had lived as a typical fallen aristocrat and was lucky to associate with a duke. Therefore it was natural for her to be curious. Citrina picked up the pace. The people of the village grew closer one step at a time. However, as she got closer to the crowd, Citrina felt something strange. ¡°The atmosphere is strange.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Desian flatly asked back. Citrina looked around. The atmosphere was really strange. First, Citrina saw people attached to the entrance of the city wall standing one by one. They were frozen as if they had seen a phantom. Their faces were bug eyes and they held their arms tight around themselves as if it was the middle of winter rather than summer. Despite the large crowd, not a single person was talking. Citrina looked around. ¡°The people aren¡¯t speaking. Has the time frozen in this village?¡± Citrina jokingly whispered to Desian. The people frozen to the side of the wall flinched at her words. She almost felt ashamed at this point. Had she really become a phantom? ¡°No way.¡± Desian responded lightly, as if her could read her mind. He seemed to read the hesitation in her words. He whispered low. ¡°There are too many people.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°¡­sigh.¡± As soon as Desian finished speaking, the castle was filled with sighs. Desian¡¯s face stiffened. At that point, it became apparent to Citrina. ¡®It looks like the rumor about Desian¡¯s curse are still going around.¡¯ How unfair and upsetting would it be for someone as sweet as Desian to experience such rumors? Citrina was determined. It would be polite to pretend she didn¡¯t notice and move on. ¡°It looks like there are a lot of people. Is it market day, maybe?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Desian smiled affectionately at Citrina¡¯s question. Other people began to have friendly conversations among themselves. People seemed to break apart from the group slowly. Citrina encountered many more people on the way to the count¡¯s estate, but none of them were speaking. The ambiance was quiet, as if it had been muted. Then there was a sound that broke through the quiet atmosphere. Citrina carefully listened. In front of her was a kid with a muffler tangled around him. The little kid stared up at Desian and shed tears. ¡°Heuk, heuk¡­.¡± ¡°What should we do? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The child is crying, Del.¡± Citrina glanced at Desian. Citrina was indifferent to society, but she liked kids. Therefore, it was impossible for her to leave a young boy crying when he was right in front of her. Citrina winked at Desian. Desian had a friendly face, as always. He slowly approached the boy. And he looked down at the boy and said without a hint of tenderness in his voice, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Everyone around understood Desian¡¯s words as ¡®Don¡¯t cry, be quiet¡¯. And that¡¯s exactly what Desian meant. But one person thought differently- Citrina. She didn¡¯t have time to care about his words. That was because all of her attention was focused on the crying boy. Citrina bent over, gently wiped the boys eyes and asked. ¡°So why are you crying, kiddo?¡± ¡°hic, hic.¡± Touched by Citrina¡¯s words, the boy started to hiccup. Citrina bent her knees slowly to be on the boy¡¯s eye level. The muslin dress touched the dirt. ¡°hic, hic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting dirt on your knees, Rina.¡± Desian didn¡¯t mind the boy¡¯s tears. He had an extremely cool-headed attitude. Citrina responded resolutely. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can brush it off. Hey kiddo, is your mom here? What about your dad?¡± ¡°D, daddy?¡± Citrina laughed brightly when the boy spoke. Desian opened his mouth and looked at the boy crookedly. ¡°Yeah. Where are your parents or are you alone?¡± Citrina sensed that his voice was rather cold. But without time to dwell on it, the boy hastily answered. ¡°O, over there.¡± The boy plucked up his courage with all his might and pointed his finger. A commoner man standing a ways away rushed over. ¡°I¡¯m guilty of death! P, please let me live. I beg you. Dark Knight¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks. Take your kid.¡± Desian responded, cutting off the man¡¯s words. Unlike when he was dealing with Citrina, his voice was cold. Nevertheless, the commoner lowered his head. ¡°¡­ Del, let¡¯s go.¡± Citrina spoke slowly. ¡°Shall we?¡± Desian stared at her with his large eyes. The expression in those slightly relaxed eyes was mysterious. ¡°I agree with you, Rina.¡± Desian smiled meekly with a relaxed face. In the meantime, the boy holding his father¡¯s hand was already quickly running away. They were practically running away. Citrina began walking again, glancing around. A large barracks could be seen from afar. It looked like the barracks was lifted straight off of a battlefield. ¡°That¡¯s where the temporary barracks are.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± As Desian finished speaking, he opened the tent to the barracks. There was no one inside, but there were a few small pieces of Silmaril laid out on a round table. Citrina moved near the round table. Desian spoke from behind her. ¡°This Silmaril has high mana content.¡± ¡°Can you give it to me even without us signing a contract?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­ Why are you being so nice?¡± Citrina asked back jokingly while sitting at a chair facing the round table. ¡°I¡¯m always like that for you.¡± ¡°¡­is that so?¡± It may have been four years, but these words hadn¡¯t adapted with the times. Citrina smiled awkwardly. Desian also slowly walked up and sat in a chair. After meeting Desian¡¯s eye, Citrina inspected the Silmaril on the table. ¡®The gemstone size is smaller than I thought.¡¯ The gemstone by Desian¡¯s hand seemed pretty small. Citrina scrutinized the gemstone. It seemed like a dim light was coming from within¡­ It was difficult for her to determine the value of the gemstone all on her own. Citrina looked at the gemstone. Recalling the dwarf¡¯s technique of analyzing gemstones, she saw that there were about three fine cracks at the center, which confirmed it was a superior piece. -Gemma, is this alright? Gemma didn¡¯t respond. Citrina wondered if Gemma was very tired. She could only guess. Gemma wasn¡¯t the only one who wasn¡¯t speaking. Desian didn¡¯t say much until she dropped the Silmaril into the pouch she had prepared. She looked at Desian sitting across from her at the round table and chose not to disturb his thoughts. ¡®I¡¯m sure Desian was shocked too. The people treat him as if he was some type of monster¡­..¡¯ Citrina trusted Desian, who was kind to her. Although his wariness of others still remained, his current attitude was not so bad. Had Citrina stared at Desian too much? ¡°Del, I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Hearing Citrina¡¯s voice, Desian¡¯s eyes curled in happiness. It was unmistakably a friendly and good-natured face. The animosity she had felt earlier was gone. Citrina spoke lightly. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Aaron.¡± ¡°Aaron?¡± His face hardened once more. To Oslo-nim This is Citrina Foluin. I signed a mining contract with Count Hailey. The owner of the mine has changed from Count Hailey to Duke Pietro. We agreed to terms so that we will receive rough gemstones in return for getting them a bit cheaper. I accepted and it was not a bad offer. Sooner or later, a party will be held hosted by some of the lower-ranking young nobles. I am going to participate under the name of Dwarf Oslo-nim. Wishing you endless success, Citrina Foluin While Oslo had given her the video ball, its uses were limited. For the moment, the issue of signing contracts would be handled by mail. Citrina winked at Adilac as she handed the letter to a servant who stood by silently. ¡°Adilac, what do you mean about getting in contact with someone?¡± ¡°Ah, right! Citrina, I got a reply from Lady Estelle!¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± Citrina asked seriously. When asked, Adilac unfolded a letter with sparkling eyes. She read the letter out loud. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet Citrina-nim, who has inherited the dwarf¡¯s noble will. I want to meet with her¡­ I would like you to attend.¡± Lady Estelle. She was also a character from . She was a side character with an interest in jewelry and dresses. The reason why she was so important is that she served as a bridge between the high ranking nobles and those of lower rank. And Feinmann in the original work took full advantage of that. He had struggled to find a connection between Estelle and the high ranking aristocrats. But Citrina didn¡¯t need to because she knew the future. ¡®It¡¯s good that I don¡¯t have to work as hard as Feinmann.¡¯ Citrina laughed as she took a sip of warm ginger tea. A warmth began to circulate through her body. ¡°Lady Estelle¡¯s party is the day after tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yes! Citrina, do you have a matching dress?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got one ready.¡± As soon as she moved into the townhouse, she picked up a ready-to-wear dress. It was a rather plain garment to highlight the accessories. ¡®I¡¯ve given the Silmaril to Gemma and looking forward to the party the day after tomorrow.¡¯ Citrina relaxed and went over he plans to be a master jeweler in this world. Possibly the day after tomorrow, much would be decided at Lady Estelle¡¯s party. CH 32 Citrina entered Cheyenne Hall, where Lady Estelle¡¯s party would take place. -Why are you borrowing the dwarf Oslo¡¯s name? Borrow my name! -Well, that¡¯s because you¡¯re my hidden card. -I see. I am the hidden card! I am the great hidden card! Citrina walked calmly, leaving behind Gemma¡¯s enthusiastic voice. ¡°Lady Citrina Foluin, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It had been four years since she had heard that name- the name of a family that Citrina had not sought out. Her family had not looked for Citrina either. Perhaps the more famous she became, the more they would talk about her family relationship behind her back. However, that wasn¡¯t the case now. Citrina faced the door. The knight bowed her into the party. There was a bit of tension. But with confidence that Lady Estelle would not reject her, she entered the ballroom-style Cheyenne Hall. Under the high-domed ceiling, a crystal chandelier adorned the hall. The orchestra filled the hall with beautiful music, making it feel even more like a ballroom except that no one danced. A number of ladies were gathered in twos and threes. Citrina need to meet the host of the party, Lady Estelle, so she took a look around. She had to say hello first and introduce the jewelry. ¡°Lady Citrina Foluin!¡± Nevertheless, Citrina didn¡¯t expect Estelle to call her name out first. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± She had twinkling eyes and flushed cheeks, with an expectant expression. Citrina rarely became embarrassed, but this was one of those time. There was no reason for Estelle to wait for her. ¡®Lady Estelle, did you like the dwarf that much?¡± ¡°Lady Estelle, thank you for inviting me to your party.¡± ¡°Nevermind that. Go ahead and eat. I¡¯m the host of the party, so I have to go greet the other ladies. I can¡¯t stay with you. But¡­¡± She whispered secretly so only Citrina could hear. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a little bit after making the rounds. I have so many questions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so grateful. Is this about dwarf-nim?¡± [TL Note: I find this such an awkward way to refer to Oslo, but this is literally what they are calling him here.] ¡°No!¡± Estelle quickly denied it with a red face. ¡°Anyway, I really want to see you.¡± Estelle frowned. Citrina was naturally willing to accept. If she built a good relationship with Estelle, that would help her become connected to the lower nobility and make things easier. But everything was going too smoothly. ¡°Then chat with other people. In about thirty minutes, I¡¯ll see you on the balcony to the left of the doors of Cheyenne Hall. Since it¡¯s summer, it¡¯s not too chilly out.¡± Citrina was a bit embarrassed by the extreme warm welcome. ¡°Lady, this is Pontude San Red Wine.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Citrina nodded and the waiter poured some red wine into her glass. Citrina chewed on her lips as she watched the wine fill the glass. She was about to drink when someone next to her spoke with a prickly, unlikable voice. ¡°Citrina?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°You know who I am, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡®Who is this?¡¯ Seeing her overconfident face, she must know this person. Citrina squinted her eyes. Memories played through her mind one step at a time. ¡®When I was younger¡­I played the part of Young Lady Phantemang¡¯s playmate¡¯ [TL Note: I had no idea how to romanize this character¡¯s name.] When she was young, that was one of the only jobs she could do. She helped the tutor with the children to make sure they grew up respectably. ¡°Long time no see, Lady Phantemang.¡± ¡°You remember my name, don¡¯t you? I thought you¡¯d send a gift to our family once you returned. You¡¯re quite indebted to us.¡± It wasn¡¯t logical, but she spoke with power. In a way, it was natural for Phantemang to ignore Citrina. The Foluin family were fallen aristocrats that were on the brink of selling their title while the Phantemangs were rising in status. Aristocratic society was all based on power. ¡°I remember that my relationship with Lady Phantemang was cut off after that.¡± Citrina was always intimidated by Phantemang¡¯s sneaky gaze. Viscount Phantemang was not one to treat fallen nobles well. ¡®The employee-employer relationship has ended, so why are you doing this?¡¯ Phantemang grinned and laughed at Citrina¡¯s subdued greetings! ¡°I heard you became a disciple of the dwarf?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That means you left the empire to work.¡± ¡°Is it a problem that I became a disciple of the dwarf, Oslo?¡± Citrina brought up Oslo¡¯s name. From this point of view, attacking Citrina would be attacking Oslo. ¡°In this world, are you really a lady of society?¡± Inside the beautiful Cheyenne Hall with the soft orchestra music playing, hackles were up. Glancing around, attention was focused on them. Phantemang was staring down at her. In recent years, the gentry had begun to look at the work done by lower ranking noble ladies as ¡®a disgrace to the aristocracy¡¯. ¡°The noble lady of the Phantemang.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a profession involving magic, spirits, or an artistic endeavor, but work involving your hands! It¡¯s no aristocratic at all.¡± -Spirits? Did you call me? Citrina replied coldly. After all, there were people that would be disrespectful of Citrina whether she put up with it or not. ¡°I don¡¯t believe what I do will hurt Lady Phantemang.¡± She understood Phantemang. However, before Phantemang could open her mouth to retort, Estelle interrupted their conversation. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Citrina¡¯s heart was filled with frustration when she saw Estelle. ¡®I made a mistake like this. I shouldn¡¯t have done this at Estelle¡¯s party.¡¯ She shouldn¡¯t have focused on recollections of the past Citrina looked at Estelle to try and repair the situation. But Estelle wasn¡¯t looking at Citrina. Instead, she stood by Citrina with a red face, staring at Phantemang. No, it was more of a glare than a stare. ¡°Lady Phantemang!¡± ¡°¡­ Estelle?¡± Phantemang looked at her with a perplexed face. Estelle and Phantemang¡¯s families were close. In other words, they were on good terms on the outside, but she didn¡¯t know what they were like behind closed doors. ¡°This kind of behavior is plainly disrespectful.¡± ¡°Now, are you taking Citrina-nim¡¯s side?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not taking any sides, but Lady Phan¡¯s at fault. I can¡¯t forgive a quarrel in Cheyenne Hall.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s ridiculous. Since when have you been so righteous.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand by, so please leave.¡± ¡°You want me to leave? Me? Not that lady?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Estelle issued the order to leave with a cold look. Phantemang blushed, aghast. She looked around with a bewildered look. But embarrassingly, so did Citrina as she was stuck in the middle. There was no reason for Estelle to come to her defense so much. ¡°I¡¯ll remember this moment, Lady Estelle and Miss Citrina¡­¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Citrina answered first, calmly. With a glance at Citrina, Phantemang turned around coldly. Silence drifted through Cheyenne Hall. It seemed as if people were choosing whether to follow Lady Phantemang or Lady Estelle. Most struck up a new conversation and continued on as if nothing had ever happened, but a few ladies followed Phantemang out the door with anxious faces. A while after the situation had been sorted out, the beautiful orchestra music began to flow through the hall once more. Estelle was still with Citrina. ¡°¡­ Lady Estelle?¡± ¡°Ah, Citrina-nim, please head to the balcony. The fuss has ended, but I¡¯ll clean up a bit first!¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± But at the same time doubts rose up in Citrina¡¯s mind. ¡®Why are you so considerate of me?¡¯ Her steps towards the balcony were both light and heavy. She felt a slight tension and dizziness as Estelle¡¯s intentions were unknown. ¡°Are you Lady Citrina Foluin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The knight opened the heavy doors to the balcony as if Estelle had arranged everything in advance. Citrina picked up the hem of her dress and strode forward. ¡®What is she thinking of¡­¡¯ As she looked at the view from the balcony, Citrina was lost in thought. The soft summer wind tickled her cheeks. ¡°The scenery is nice, right?¡± Citrina heard a refreshing voice behind her. It was Lady Estelle. She heard the lady¡¯s steps coming closer. ¡°Yes, I like it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about today!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Estelle stood side by side with her and looked out at the scenery. ¨C Citrina, that person is nice. ¨C Right, so don¡¯t do anything bad. -Got it! I¡¯m the hidden card! I will hide well! Inside of the pendant, Gemma fussed about with the phrase ¡®hidden card¡¯ in mind. In fact, the spirit¡¯s radar of what it liked and disliked was extremely simple. It liked people who were favorable to their contractor, and disliked people who felt ill-will towards their contractor. Unable to hear Gemma¡¯s voice, Estelle turned away from Citrina. The conversation took place while gazing outside, standing side-by-side. It was a conversation that took place without looking in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡®There¡¯s a lot I want to ask, but I think Estelle has a lot to say.¡¯ Citrina decided to let Estelle take the lead in the conversation. Estelle continued to speak slowly. ¡°Are you wondering why I sided with Lady Citrina Foluin?¡± ¡°Yes. We don¡¯t know each other all that well.¡± ¡°¡­ I know Lady Simon, the young lady of the Hailey County, quite well. That person has helped me out a lot. The same goes for my family.¡± You mean Count Hailey?¡± ¡°Yes, Count Hailey.¡± It was a familiar name. Count Hailey. Hailey County was the place where the mine was located. And the count was the former owner of the mine Desian had recently bought. Citrina somehow already knew what she was going to say. She was really interested in jewels. That¡¯s why she wasn¡¯t bringing up the mine. [t.l. note: not clear who is the subject] However, Estelle brought it up in a roundabout way. ¡°The count¡¯s young lady was lucky enough to visit the imperial palace summer ball the other day and she happened to see Citrina there as well. Well, and that young lady saw you near the count¡¯s mine the other day.¡± A keen and sharp gaze was directed at Citrina. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And¡­you were w, with Duke Pietro.¡± Estelle¡¯s voice trembled. It seemed like she was scared to mention the name Duke Pietro. In response to her quivering voice, Citrina answered briefly. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± There was no reason to lie. Up till now, the Desian she knew was a good friend and a big help, so there was no reason to deny being familiar with him. ¡°¡­Rea, Really?¡± Citrina nodded her head. Estelle let out a colorful word. ¡°That famous Duke Pietro, you know him? How could you hang out with such a scary person?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®Such a scary person?¡¯ Citrina was rather taken aback to hear such a diverging story about Desian from what she knew. It was plain to see. She thought he did good things and was friendly. ¡®People¡­are they misunderstanding?¡¯ That was what first popped into her mind. The Desian that Citrina knew was a good person. Though in the original work, , he was infamous throughout the empire. Whether she could tell how much Citrina was troubled, Estelle answered in a low voice. ¡°Well, I think I made a slip of the tongue.¡± ¡°A slip of the tongue? Is there by any chance some bad rumors going around?¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s nothing serious. I don¡¯t believe those bad rumors!¡± It seemed like Estelle couldn¡¯t bear to say that it was about the curse of the devil. ¡®¡­if it¡¯s a bad rumor, do you mean it¡¯s about the curse of twins? If that¡¯s not the case¡­it¡¯s suspicious.¡¯ The ¡®twins curse¡¯ is terrible but you couldn¡¯t fake such a primal expression of terror. ¡®I¡¯m sure the bad rumors have just tailed along.¡¯ However, she thought it was suspicious, so she didn¡¯t think Estelle would talk about it even if she dug further. Estelle hastily changed the subject. ¡°How do you know each other? Lady Citrina.¡± ¡°He was a childhood friend.¡± ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­. Tha, that¡¯s so?¡± Estelle smiled awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. Estelle¡¯s attitude towards Desian was strained. Though the Desian Pietro she knew was gentle enough. Citrina decided to listen and learn little by little. ¡°Then you¡¯ve had a relationship since those days up till now¡­¡± ¡°Yes. He has been a good person since then. Even now, he is sweet.¡± She crossed her arms. There was no reason to inflate the rumors or deny them. Unlike the enthusiasm of their previous conversation, Estelle gulped. ¡®Sweet? Are we talking about someone else you know?¡¯ CH 33 Estelle slowly started to recall a previous party at the imperial palace that she had attended with Lady Hailey. ¡®Wait, is Duke Pietro even a human being?¡¯ He chopped down the rebellious nobles. He literally diced them up and didn¡¯t even hide that fact. Therefore, even the emperor was afraid of Duke Pietro. ¡®I heard the duke cut the neck of a rogue with his magic sword in the imperial palace and it still smells like blood in the palace hall¡­¡¯ It was said you could die if you made eye contact with Desian. It wasn¡¯t a lie. Estelle had only once looked Duke Pietro in the eye. It was just a casual glance, and yet she was still filled with bone-chilling fear. Estelle¡¯s face turned bright red just thinking about but a few episodes related to Desian. ¡°Lady Estelle?¡¯¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Shall we go back to talking about Dwarf-nim?¡± Citrina treated Desian¡¯s story as if it were light gossip. Estelle looked at her and nodded vacantly. These days, social circles were full of talk that if you said Duke Pietro¡¯s name you would die. Behaving like this¡­ drifting off to another topic as if nothing had happened was exhausting. ¡®¡­ Perhaps, are you hiding any great powers like Duke Pietro?¡¯ Just the thought of it made Estelle feel dizzy. ¡°That¡­you learned jewelry-making from dwarf-nim, correct? That¡¯s what I read in the letter you sent me.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really curious.¡± Her voice certainly felt solemn. Why was she so curious? Something¡­smelled a little fishy. Citrina looked at her expression closely. Estelle awkwardly laughed and smiled. Citrina opened her mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, I¡¯ll visit you on a seperate occasion soon.¡± ¡°Yes, please do! Tell me how you got to know Dwarf-nim.¡± It seemed that curiosity was overcoming dread. That was Estelle¡¯s state at present. Her eyes began to sparkle like jewelry. Meanwhile, Citrina bit her lip as she looked at Estelle¡¯s sparkling eyes. The first time she got to know about the dwarf was after she regained her memories. However she didn¡¯t need to say that. Citrina opened her mouth. Estelle gulped down a mouth full of saliva. ¡°I heard about the atelier¡¯s reputation and went to visit. It was then that dwarf-nim accepted me as his disciple.¡± ¡°Becoming dwarf-nim¡¯s disciple means you had to overcome a great ordeal, right? It¡¯s not just a matter of being a student¡­¡± ¡°Well, he just accepted me as a disciple.¡± Citrina laughed softly. But Estelle¡¯s complexion grew more pale. ¡°Citrina-nim, um, thank you for visiting my party.¡± ¡°No. Thank you for the invitation.¡± She had heard about Citrina from Lady Hailey, but it must have been stressful for Estelle to take Citrina¡¯s side and support her. ¡°Then write me a seperate letter.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Citrina closed her eyes and smiled. The process had changed, but either way, she had started on the path that Feinmann had created. ¡­that¡¯s apparently what Citrina thought. Early on the morning after meeting with Estelle, Citrina went to work at the jewelry atelier on Dartrin Street. It was extremely peaceful since dawn. Even though it was daybreak, the atelier was lit up. ¡®Citrina Oslo Jewelry Atelier was the only store open on Jewelry Dartrin Street. ¡°Adilac! You woke up early, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes! How did Estelle¡¯s party go yesterday? I was so curious that my eyes opened early! So I only ate a salad with bacon for breakfast. I think I have a stomachache because the bacon was undercooked. Ah, look at me.¡± ¡°So then, what happened?¡± Citrina nodded her head blankly as Adilac spoke a mile a minute. ¡°Lady Estelle said she¡¯ll check out our atelier¡¯s jewelry. Likely, we¡¯ll be able to start distribution soon.¡± Citrina smiled lightly. ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Adilac¡¯s genius workmanship.¡± ¡°Not at all. Without Citrina recognizing me, I would have gone home in no time. Adilac smiled brightly and clenched her fists. A pleasant tension seemed to linger throughout her whole body. ¡°Then, then are we really going to succeed?¡± ¡°Yes, I believe so. We¡¯re going to be the most famous jewelry atelier in the empire, or even the continent.¡± Citrina¡¯s voice had a strange and trustworthy side. Adilac looked at Citrina with sparkling eyes and nodded. ¡°Citrina seems like a person who definitely knows the future!¡± Citrina flinched. ¡°That¡­ no way, Adilac.¡± ¡°Well, who knows the future. Ah! There was once of my ancestor¡¯s who also knew the future Ah, wait a minute! I¡¯ll tell you the story after I cut some more gems for Lady Estelle, Citrina¡± ¡°Yes. Take your time.¡± Contrary to Citrina¡¯s words, Adilac hurriedly moved her hands across the gemstone¡¯s surface. A small grouping of light moved across the gemstone. In this world, magic could be used to craft jewelry. Citrina¡¯s mouth gaped open slightly in admiration. Something distracted her from her appreciation. ¨C You definitely can¡¯t know the future, but you do have a different energy from most humans. ¨C A different energy? -Right, it¡¯s not completely different¡­it¡¯s kind of subtle. I can¡¯t explain it in words. It¡¯s not like a soothsayer¡­ It¡¯s not as if she didn¡¯t have a guess. It may be because she was a person who knew the story of this world, and was therefore free of the constraints of the world. Citrina whispered quietly to herself. -Gemma, you need to work, right? -I¡¯m excited! I have something to do too! -Give me a little luck. This is a lucky saphire necklace. -Good! That¡¯s easy for this hidden card. Gemma soon forgot about Citrina¡¯s strange conditions. Gemma fluttered around the area. Citrina, who had forged a small market through Estelle, sat back in her chair looking relieved. She now had to work on future designs. This was because she had a clear plan. For example, the empire¡¯s one and only princess would be returning from academy soon, and she wanted to catch Iana¡¯s eye with jewelry. ¡®All I know about Iana is that she likes romance novels.¡¯ How could she come into Iana¡¯s view? For now, Citrina had many plans. Starting from now, she was going to test them one-by-one. CH 34 It was a week after Estelle¡¯s party. A week was a valuable amount of time to experiment with several schemes. ¡°Lady Citrina! Our atelier¡¯s story is in the social gossip!¡± It was not on the front page of , but within the second page was a story about Citrina Jewel Atelier. It explained that simple or kitsch designs were gaining popularity with a trend started by lower nobles. ¡° goes all the way to the academy, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure! I recall that it was popular in high society because the princess subscribed to it.¡± Princess Iana was still at the academy. She was not the heir to the empire, but she must have a grasp of what is going on in the empire. ¡®It¡¯s just a passing advertisement, and I can¡¯t make a good impression with these sorts of things. I need a strong shot. That¡¯s probably Gemma.¡¯ -Why are you calling me, Citrina? ¡­How did she read her mind? She was unfamiliar with this feeling. Perhaps as her understanding of her spirit increased, their minds became more connected. For now, she calmed Gemma down. ¨C It was a mistake. Lie down, Gemma. ¨C I¡¯m bored, okay! -Yeah, since you are the hidden card. It¡¯s still time to sleep. -Alright! At the word ¡®hidden card¡¯, Gemma began to happily roll over the jewels. It wasn¡¯t wrong to call it that. At the point, Gemma was Citrina¡¯s most powerful card. Adilac¡¯s craftmanship was artistic but unknown. Adilac asked, sticking a jewel in front of Citrina¡¯s face. ¡°Citrina, is this enough? It¡¯s the necklace I¡¯m going to send to Vonshe.¡± [TL Note: Lol. I have no idea about how to romanize this. It¡¯s either Vonshe or Bonshe.] The rose crystal sent by the dwarf and cut into the shape of a heart glistened on a neatly crafted chain. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s plenty pretty.¡± ¡°I think Estelle introduced our work to many places. It¡¯s getting busier! I¡¯m so happy people are wearing the jewelry I made¡­my own jewelry!¡± Their actions so far had been minor. They were trivial moves that wouldn¡¯t threaten another atelier on Dartrin Street. Luckily for that reason, they were on the rise without an checks. ¡°Ah, Citrina, you need to make more drafts, right? I¡¯m going to be more quiet and work now!¡± Adilac made a zipping gesture and laughed. Citrina went back to her design. So far only a few people had visited the atelier. Even so, it wasn¡¯t a bad achievement. Word of mouth was gradually spreading. Citrina thought for a moment about the letter sent by a low ranking noble lady. The letter was exceedingly polite to even call it a request. Her attitude was also strange when she visited. How could she put it, but¡­it felt like how you acted with a superior. She wasn¡¯t the only one who was weird. ¡°Citrina, why are your hands stopping?¡± Adilac tried to start chatting. ¡°Um¡­it¡¯s just a little strange.¡± Citrina was getting to know the latest trends one at a time as she entered high society. At the same time, was intended to find out about Duke Pietro. She knew better than anyone else that her life was linked to Desian Pietro¡¯s rehabilitation and his disposition. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about Duke Pietro.¡± ¡°¡­What? Duke Pietro?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little¡­curious.¡± When she tried to hear rumors about Duke Pietro , not Desian, they shut up like a clam. She understood that. Estelle could have tipped people off about her connection to Duke Pietro. ¡°I can¡¯t find any rumors about Duke Pietro or anything in the latest newspapers or in older papers.¡± Citrina whispered, pointing to several morning papers on her desk. ¡°Oh, it that right?¡± Adilac¡¯s eyes opened wide as if she had noticed. Usually rumors about nobles were covered in the social gossip papers. Of course, there was no way there would be anything too critical of the aristocrats. ¡°Normally, if there¡¯s no rumors about nobility it¡¯s one of two things, right?¡± ¡°One of two things?¡± No matter how powerful the duke was, people looked like they had sucked on a lemon whenever he came up on conversation. Here, there was clearly something she didn¡¯t know. Citrina quietly chewed on her lip with her front teeth. ¡°Either there¡¯s nothing to gossip about, or they have hushed it all up.¡± Adilac once again let something slip. ¡°¡­ yes, thank you, Adilac.¡± Citrina smiled at her and began to color in the design she had drawn up. ¡°I should find out a bit more.¡¯ The Desian she knew personally was an extremely harmless man. His attitude towards her was also gentle. Then the attendant carefully caught Citrina¡¯s attention. ¡°Excuse me, Lady Citrina.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a guest outside.¡± ¡°Guest?¡± ¡°Aaron, he said that you would know who he was. Citrina tapped the pencil in her hand. It was a familiar yet unexpected name since she hadn¡¯t thought they would meet for a while. ¡°Aaron?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell him to come inside.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Hi, Citrina!¡± However, before the attendant had even left, a good-looking man with black hair popped up behind the attendant¡¯s back and waved at Citrina. Looking at his drooping, smiling, cute eyes, Citrina thought that if he had a tail it would probably be wagging right now. ¡°Are you doing ok?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been ok. Have a seat, Aaron.¡± Adilac and the attendant left the room. Citrina sat across from Aaron at a round table inside the atelier. ¡°How many years has it been? It¡¯s been too long!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The attendant brought some tea out and placed it on the table. Citrina smiled at Aaron. ¡°I¡¯ve tried hard till now to be worthy of the sword you gave me.¡± The boy, no, the young man that Aaron had become responded maturely. He was different from when she had seen him a few years ago. At twenty years old, his voice had lost all traces of childishness. He had broad shoulders and a strong build. If they stood side-by-side, her neck might fall off from looking him in the eye. ¡°I trained really hard.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± Aaron smiled so that his eyes crinkled at the corners. He was even like a puppy asking to be pet. In the past he was more like a small fluffy dog, but now he was more like a big dog. ¡®I can¡¯t treat a young lord from a duchy like a dog.¡¯ But he enjoyed it more than anyone else. Citrina justified her behavior, then raised her hand to stroke Aaron¡¯s hair. Black hair delicately wound around her fingertips. ¡°That feels good¡­¡± Aaron closed his eyes as he felt Citrina¡¯s touch. He murmured as if he were dreaming. CH 35 Chapter 35 Within a four year time frame, Aaron¡¯s approach towards her had changed distinctly. It was plainly different from his attitude towards Citrina when they had first met and he had been so cautious. Citrina took a deep breath. She had two things she wanted to ask Aaron. ¡°You know, Aaron,¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± One of the things she was curious about was the rumors surrounding the Pietro Duchy and Desian Pietro. And then there was the other thing. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at the academy right now?¡± It was rude to bring up rumors about the duke no matter how close they were personally. It was a little better to ask about Aaron. Aaron paused at Citrina¡¯s direct question. It wasn¡¯t autumn when the academy began and ended. Maybe, the school year had changed without her being aware. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Citrina asked softly instead of complaining. The boy didn¡¯t say much in response. Citrina waited calmly for his answer. ¡°There was a commotion at the academy so the graduation ceremony got moved up.¡± ¡°The graduation ceremony was moved up?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ that¡¯s why I got here early.¡± Aaron was clearly hiding something. He refused to look her in the eye. However, Citrina knew instinctively that he would never give her a straight answer. ¡®I¡¯ll have to look into what happened.¡¯ More than anything, this was problematic for her. With the academy graduation moved up, Princess Iana would be returning quickly. ¡®If the princess¡¯s return is sped up, will my plans be messed up?¡¯ Citrina frowned slightly. ¡°Aaron, are you the only one who came back early?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. I saw a newspaper at the academy. I read you had started an atelier.¡± Oh, that was why Aaron had showed up at Citrina¡¯s atelier. To be honest, Citrina had hoped that Princess Iana rather than Aaron would subscribe to the magazine . But this unexpected harvest wasn¡¯t a bad thing. ¡°So is that way you came straight here?¡± ¡°The last requirement for the academy is to pledge your oath as a knight. Isn¡¯t that important?¡± ¡°How did you know? Umm¡­..¡± Aaron dodged Citrina¡¯s gaze. ¡°Anyway, I have someone to perform the knight¡¯s oath, so I can do it later.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good. Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a secret.¡± ¡°A secret.. It¡¯s not a dangerous person, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Definitely not.¡± Seeing him affirm it so readily, there really must be someone. Since she had changed his fate, she hoped he could achieve a different happiness in this life. ¡°If you¡¯re happy with that decision, then it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± Aaron¡¯s cheeks were red. He spoke in a low voice with a shy expression. ¡°Well I thought I would get in trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re also an adult now.¡± ¡°¡­ yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then when will the others arrive?¡± Citrina hinted. That way, she could guess when the princess would come. If the academy¡¯s graduation was sooner than the original work, the princess¡¯s arrival would be pushed forward as well; but there was also a high possibility that her schedule would be messed up too. Her mouth went dry from anxiety. ¡°Some may come a little later, but it usually takes around two weeks.¡± ¡°I see. So this week¡­¡± This week, she was sure they were preparing a party for the princess¡¯s return. Her newspaper article had definitely reached the academy, so Citrina decided to wait a little longer. ¡°Then after seeing the newspaper article you came to me first?¡± ¡°Yeah! Ah, I have something to ask of you.¡± ¡°What sort of request?¡± ¡°It a bit strange since the sword is old.¡± As if he remembered what he was here to say, Aaron handed over a sword. The sword on the table looked worn at a glance. ¡°At that time, this was the sword I ordered from the dwarf¡¯s atelier. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Of course I remember.¡± ¡°The sword¡¯s condition is not good.¡± But Aaron preferred to meet with Citrina rather than taking it to the dwarf¡¯s atelier. That fact along made Citrina think that Aaron¡¯s affection for her was greater than she predicted. It was a little strange and embarrassing. For better or worse though, Citrina knew how to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll take the sword.¡± Citrina calmly examined the sword. She was not certain about the blade. On the hilt of the sword, she could see an elegantly crafted gem. Thanks to the simple method the dwarf had taught her, Citrina could appraise gemstones to some extent. However, it was difficult to fully understand magic gems. -Gemma, what do you think? Gemma hovered around Citrina and landed in front of the sword with a pale face. -This¡­ the durability looks similar, so I think it¡¯s not a big problem. I¡¯ll check into it more. Okay? -Yeah, please do! ¨C One sec! Gemma slowly placed herself on top of the mana stone. ¡°¡­ it¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Aaron¡¯s face darkened when he heard those words. He must have agonized about it for a long time. As Citrina was thinking about how to respond, Aaron blurted out. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it feels like the sword is getting in my way.¡± ¡°Is it when you strike with the sword?¡± ¡°Yeah, whenever I spar, it feels like the sword is getting in my way.¡± ¡°What about the blade?¡±¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problems with the blade.¡± Citrina also saw this was the case. The blade was certainly bluish and sharp. It was also reasonable to assume that if there was a problem it would be with the mana stone. Citrina looked at the little spirit hovering over the mana stone. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Citrina tilted her head to the side. She had a strange feeling. It was subtle, abrupt, and not very pleasant feeling. It felt like the energy of someone mischievous. Nevertheless, she was an ordinary person with no mana in her body. Gemma raised her head towards Citrina. -Someone¡¯s been playing a prank. -Who do you think it is? -Yeah, it¡¯s not easy to cast a spell of bad luck with divine power, but it makes it hard for humans to notice it. ¡°Bad luck?¡± Citrina whispered to herself as she listened to Gemma. Aaron opened his eyes wide as he listened attentively to her whisper. It seemed like something he had not imagined. ¡°What do you mean, bad luck?¡± ¡°I think someone marked the sword as unlucky through their divine power.¡± ¡°Um, I see¡­¡± -There¡¯s no reason to mess with lovely gems, so what kind of grudge did he pick up? ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone who would do something like that¡­ah.¡± Aaron closed his mouth. It seemed he had an idea as to who it could be. ¡°Do you have an idea who it is?¡± ¡°¡­ Possibly.¡± Aaron looked sad as he said that. Citrina also had an idea who it could be almost immediately after she heard the word bad luck. It was a person who pretended to be Aaron and a person who could use divine power. However, it wasn¡¯t a name she could say out loud. Gemma continued peacefully as she still sat on the jewel. ¨C It¡¯s not something that only people you are close with could do. -I guess so. -So this mark, can you break it? -Of course! ¡°I think I can undo the bad luck stigma. But take care of yourself. Use a different sword, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Will do!¡± ¡°Then leave the sword here. After breaking the magic, I will send it along with a letter to the dwarf. Let¡¯s ask for an inspection.¡± ¡°Yeah! Then can I come back to get the sword?¡± ¡°Yes, come back.¡± Aaron answered in a bright voice. Then he looked at her as if he was worried about something. ¡°The sword won¡¯t hurt you, will it?¡± ¡°Nope. You know it won¡¯t.¡± The stigma would only hurt the owner. ¡°But take care of yourself, Citrina.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After answering, there was a silence between the two. After talking for an extended amount of time, the awkwardness of not seeing each other for many years resurfaced. Citrina silently lifted her teacup from the table. ¡®What should I do now? The advanced arrival of the princess means I don¡¯t have enough time to prepare.¡¯ In a way, it was a small emergency that the princess¡¯s arrival had been sped up. On one hand Citrina¡¯s business was in its infancy. Therefore, it was a house of cards that could be disturbed by a small wind. Citrina could easily use Aaron. If she asked for help from Aaron or Desian, her business would be at the top of the food chain instantly. Although the duke¡¯s kindness might not last forever, it was obvious their goodwill would need to be paid back at a tremendous price. ¡®I¡¯ve decided not to rely on other¡¯s kindness and I don¡¯t want to leave it as is. In the world of business, there has to be give and take.¡¯ Aaron would soon emerge as the perfect idol of the capital. Citrina was eagerly awaiting for the future ahead of him. Citrina tried to reconcile all of her plans for the future with the current circumstances. She had a fairly good outcome planned in her head. Citrina would enlist Aaron¡¯s help and paint a beautiful future for Aaron. ¡°Aaron.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If there was something that benefits us both, what do you think of that?¡± ¡°I like everything that helps you!¡± ¡°Then.. Can you come back in a week?¡± ¡°In one week?¡± ¡°Yup, one week.¡± Citrina thought. If she was given about a week, then the situation would be worth a try. ¡°Come for lunch in a week. Don¡¯t forget.¡± Aaron smiled brightly like a little boy waiting for a lunch with all of his family members. He rose from the table. Throughout his academy life, he had been raised from a boy to a man with good manners. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re busy, Citrina, so I¡¯ll come back soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really, really glad.¡± Aaron smiled brightly. Citrina chuckled at him. Aaron¡¯s face was beaming with laughter. He was about to return to the Pietro Duchy. The duke who was his older brother, Desian Pietro. ¡®I have to bring my older brother!¡¯ Aaron¡¯s eyes twinkled. He wanted to see them meet with his own eyes since he thought it would be really fun. Though upon his life he didn¡¯t know the future ahead of him. CH 36 Chapter 36 Aaron arrived at the Pietro estate and met the butler Harold first. It was the first time he had seen him face to face since his academy break. ¡°Young lord, have you arrived?¡± ¡°Long time no see, Harold!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve become more mature.¡± ¡°Yeah, Harold has gotten cooler too.¡± Harold coughed loudly, touching the bowtie around his neck. He had rose greatly in rank since the death of the previous head butler. His brother didn¡¯t seem to be bothered. In his fourth year as interim head butler of the ducal estate, Harold became strangely more loyal to Desian. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing, so he let his brother be. Aaron walked cheerfully into the duke¡¯s main castle. ¡°Where is the duke?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at his private training grounds in the middle of the castle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go over there. It¡¯s a secret from older brother. But he¡¯ll already know..¡± Aaron passed the steps of the castle, past the stairs, and reached a huge set of doors. Not even a small sound could be heard from behind the door. ¡®Should I knock?¡¯ Aaron worried uselessly. Thanks to years of forced experimentation, Desian¡¯s senses were sharper than anyone else. He already knew everything. If he focused his senses just a bit, he could not help but know that his younger brother Aaron Pietro was on the other side of the door. And Aaron had no intention to hide his energy. He spoke as he opened the training grounds door. ¡°Older brother! I have good news.¡± ¡°As far as I know, you haven¡¯t finished the academy yet.¡± Desian stood leaning against the wall across from the door. He was neither panting nor sweating. He had no sparring opponents. He was likely constantly training alone. ¡°I came early! Shall we spar like we did back then?¡± While sparring with Desian, he had learned his weakness that he had never thought about. ¡°No.¡± He spoke indifferently, but there was a bite to his words. Aaron smiled brightly and walked closer to Desian. Even though it was an indoor gymnasium, there was dirt on the floor. This was the previous Duke Pietro¡¯s bad taste, but Desian had not bothered to change the soil floor. ¡°Did you already find out that I met Citrina?¡± ¡°I knew that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what Citrina said to me.¡± ¡°I want to know what it is.¡± Correction. He meant he wanted to know everything when it came to Citrina. Somehow he even had a strange appetite to chew and swallow the bones. [TL Note: REALLY hope this is metaphorical] ¡°Citrina asked me to stop by next week.¡± ¡°Why did Citrina say that?¡± Citrina had never asked him for anything like that. Desian¡¯s arms tensed. It was somehow constantly irritating. Citrina once asked him a question about Aaron. She asked if he went to the knights academy. Desian¡¯s frowned subtly. ¡°I don¡¯t know that.¡± Aaron shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯d like to make a suggestion.¡± ¡°Shall we go together?¡± This time Desian was speechless. Aaron smiled radiantly. His older brother, Desian Pietro, was as transparent as ever. For him, the only variable was Citrina Foluin. ¡°Alright.¡± As Aaron had guessed, Desian answered readily. The two black eyes that met Aaron¡¯s were entangled with an unfamiliar emotion. The sentiment was something he had never seen in Desian. Despite it being his older brother, Aaron was startled. Desian¡¯s feelings grew richer and deeper little by little. But only for Citrina Foluin. Was that a good thing? Aaron liked and respected both Desian and Citrina. His affection was based on friendly observation. But even he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡®It want us to be a happy family, but it¡¯s not up to me.¡¯ Aaron respected her life as much as he liked Citrina. As much as he cared for Desian, he hoped he would escape the evil spirit of Toloji and live a normal life. Just as Aaron was doing now. ¡°Where are you meeting?¡± ¡°A week from now at Citrina¡¯s atelier. I don¡¯t know why she asked to meet.¡± It was a matter to consider for now. Desian nodded with a blank face at Aaron¡¯s words. But Aaron could tell that his brother was deeply concerned about the situation now. It didn¡¯t match with the grave, earnest atmosphere, which made him want to laugh. ¡°By the way, older brother¡­¡± Aaron asked playfully. ¡°Pretending to be sweet, pretending to be good, is everything going well?¡± Contraty to his mischievous voice, he sounded secretive. Desian nodded bluntly. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to stop the rumors forever.¡± ¡°I can cut off the rumors.¡± ¡°Okay. Citrina will be shocked if she finds out what you did¡­¡± Aaron¡¯s words trailed off at Desian¡¯s affirmation. ¡°I won¡¯t let her run away again.¡± That was the reason he let her go- so that he could approach her slowly with a sweet, thoughtful face. Desian didn¡¯t understand the normal human mindset. Therefore there was a limit to how well he could pull off being friendly. The troubled Aaron slowly expressed his opinion. ¡°Since we blocked the rumors, she won¡¯t know for a while, right?¡± ¡°I hope so, seriously.¡± Desian slowly turned around. Citrina didn¡¯t know his real intentions. So until she had broken down her boundaries completely by growing up, he needed the perfect mask. CH 37 It was the next week. Citrina had been extremely busy for the last week. ¡°Citrina, are you going to a party?¡± ¡°Yes. I was invited to the princess¡¯s party.¡± For the moment, her intuition was on point. The imperial palace declared that they would invite lower rank noble ladies to select ladies-in-waiting for the princess. It was clear that this would be a great event for lower ranking nobles and fallen aristocrats. Messages announcing the return of the princess were constantly floating around the empire. Since the atelier was going to be busier in the future, they decided to find an assistant craftworker. ¡°As I said, I posted a job advertisement!¡± ¡°Well done!¡± She knew everything but Citrina pretended to be ignorant. ¡°Yes! A homecoming party! I can¡¯t make it, but it sounds great. My father once went to a party hosted at the imperial palace and he said it was so beautiful that it would make you blind. I¡¯m super curious!¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m also curious.¡± ¡°Please give me the details!¡± Citrina nodded lightly at Adilac¡¯s words. But her heart was beating at the thought of the festival as well. If her hunch was right, after the initial party that the noble young ladies were invited to, the festival would spread out into a larger event with wizards and high ranking nobles attending. ¡°I wonder what will happen. Ah, what happened with what you told the attendant?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Wait a minute.¡± Adilac began to search under the shelves. Citrina was lost in thought as she watched Adilac. There were plainly a lot of loopholes in Citrina¡¯s future. This was because it was impossible to know what anyone who was not one of the protagonists or those people who were not interested would do. The princess was not a main character so it was clear that there would be a limit to Citrina¡¯s background information on her. So she had to carefully only choose the desirable side. ¡°Ah, here it is!¡± Adilac took out at precious blue diamond and a few pieces of parchment from the shelf. There was two pieces of parchment total. One was Citrina¡¯s checklist from a few days ago. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything that¡¯s written here. I posted the job ad and spread some rumors!¡± As Adilac spoke, Citrina began to read through the other paper. The blue diamond from the dwarf was supposed to bring good luck to its owner. The Countess of Simon from the legendary maritime province, who was the previous owner of this blue diamond, had never failed in matters of the heart. After the death of Count Simon, the blue diamond was imported into the empire. Thus, it had wound up in the hands of the dwarf¡¯s disciples. ¡°Anyhow I¡¯m worried, Citrina.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the students will remember the name of our atelier. What if nobody knows it¡¯s us?¡± ¡°They will, as long as the rumors spread well.¡± Adilac seemed to be seriously debating whether the rumors would really boost Citrina¡¯s and her reputation. It was understandable. As a matter of fact, the rumors were vague, and would spread mainly among the commoners and gentry classes. But that would be different on the eve of the grand festival. It would be a romantic time where everyone would be thinking about their sweethearts. It was obvious that romantic rumors would spread quickly in this sort of setting. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Adilac, since everyone will be out in the streets celebrating the princess¡¯s homecoming.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go to the festival ball, but a festive atmosphere is always great!¡± Like all genius characters from novels, Adilac caught on quickly. ¡°I like the festive atmosphere too.¡± Citrina laughed while responding to her. Citrina thought that Adilac and herself made a better team than Adilac and Feinmann. That was her opinion. ¡°How far did the rumors about the blue diamond spread?¡± ¡°Are you curious about that, Adilac?¡± ¡°Yes! I mean it. It would be nice if the imperial palace knew about it right away, but¡­ I think it would be good if only the nobles and ladies-in-waiting that are close to the princess knew the rumors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That would be enough.¡± ¡°Should I reach out to some of my family¡¯s connections?¡± Citrina nodded at Adilac¡¯s words, but she didn¡¯t hear what Adilac said. That¡¯s because an attendant came to find her. ¡°Citrina-nim, you have a guest.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± ¡°Yes, they said they had made an appointment with Citrina-nim.¡± ¡°Ah, show them in.¡± Come to think of it, the time had flown by. The week before her meeting with Aaron had already passed. Citrina rose with a big smile. But there was not only one face that she could see in the distance. Let¡¯s roll back time a week. It was the same time that Citrina was spreading rumors about the blue diamond, after Aaron left Citrina¡¯s atelier and before Aaron and Desian came to meet with her. During that week, Desian had an odd time. But in that week, a lot had changed. He did not kill a single person, nor did he directly threaten the emperor¡¯s authority. He even joined the imperial conference without causing difficulties. Once a month, all of the nobles gathered in a conference hall in the imperial palace. Up until now, Desian Pietro had been absent due to a number of reasons, mostly war. But today was different. Since the summer ball, he had been skilled at showing his face among high society. ¡°There will be no war for the time being.¡± He declared in a confident and sophisticated voice as the meeting agenda wrapped up. Even without that, the nervous atmosphere in the conference hall subsided as if cold water had been poured over the room. ¡°The Holy Land has requested military support in the future, Duke Pietro. You absolutely can¡¯t ignore it. An envoy will be coming sooner or later.¡± The old but powerless emperor opened and closed his mouth. He looked to be organizing his thoughts. He sat on the throne, but he was essentially not in control of the empire. Therefore, there was no way but to add a bit of pleading to the end of his words. ¡°There is no reason to wage war on this land, correct?¡± ¡°What do you mean..¡± ¡°Since the Pietro family and your great knights have killed all of our enemies at the borders over the last four years.¡± Compared to four years ago, Desian¡¯s manner of speech had become elegant and sophisticated. The phrase ¡°killing all of our enemies at the borders¡± was used as a warning to the emperor. It was truly a bizarre time where the emperor was gradually losing power and even the power of the aristocrats was disappearing. Instead, commerce flourished and magic held the most authority. So the emperor had no choice but to speak out. ¡°That¡­they too need some free time.¡± ¡°I shall follow Your Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± Desian faced the emperor without blinking. The emperor gently avoided his gaze. The absolute monarchy had disappeared, so that only time had piled up on those shabby shoulders. The emperor had only one option left. ¡°Then can we talk about the last item?¡± No one met the emperor¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­we are planning a festival to celebrate the princess¡¯s homecoming and to mark the harvest season.¡± Desian went back to his original, indifferent expression. A face that was not interested in anything. He had inherited all of the honors after his father¡¯s death, but he was not afraid of anything in the world. All the nobles gathered were listening to the agenda, but they were paying attention to Desian¡¯s change in demeanor. They were curious after the Summer Ball about the woman Desian had been eyeing. However, no one dared to pry into Citrina Foluin¡¯s identity. In addition to the already powerful Pietro Duchy, the mysterious influence of Desian Pietro silenced the nobles. He read people¡¯s thoughts without hesitation and manipulated them by emptying their minds. They constantly thought about Desian Pietro¡¯s service as a battle killer and his return to the empire to take over the Dukedom¡¯s affairs. And they began to grow curious as to why Desian had returned to politics. Actually, Desian was thinking about something new for the first time in a while. It wasn¡¯t the political work of spying on other people¡¯s ambitions, or the long battles that make you grow weary of them. It was the purest, raw curiosity. ¡®The festival¡­ I wonder if Citrina will like it?¡¯ If there were two things that Desian knew Citrina liked most of all, it was the ones she had told him with her own mouth. Citrina liked sparkly things and people who were sweet and kind. So he was sure she would like it if the festival was warm and beautiful. ¡°A grand festival would be nice.¡± ¡°A grand festival?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. A splendid and beautiful festival.¡± ¡°I agree with His Grace Pietro.¡± The emperor looked around the audience once and continued. ¡°Is there a family that is in disagreement?¡± No one responded. It was implicit agreement. The emperor thought that things were going smoothly. Even if Desian hadn¡¯t spoken, the emperor was naturally going through with it. The banquets held within the capital were one of the few real powers the emperor held. Nevertheless, Desian Pietro¡¯s support was unexpected. From a strange point of view, it looked like the emperor had gained an ally. The emperor gave him a puzzled look. ¡®What the hell are you up to?¡¯ But nothing could be seen in Desian Pietro¡¯s pitch-black eyes. When he stared into those eyes, the emperor felt like Pietro was reading his thoughts. The emperor looked away. He thought it was better to not try and defy him. Desian returned quickly from the meeting to the Pietro mansion and intended to deal with the backlog of work quickly like always. He had to find out about the festival step-by-step. As he had lived as a war demon, he didn¡¯t know much about the empire¡¯s high society. But as he approached the Duke¡¯s office he encountered an unfamiliar situation. CH 38 Desian found Aaron wandering around the house as if in his own little world. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ Desian stared at him and was lost in thought. Harold was one of the rational characters in the mansion. He was not one to let his emotions take control. It was quite an unusual situation to see his expression collapse. Desian looked around there slowly. Upon reaching Desian¡¯s gaze, Aaron spoke loudly. ¡°I heard a really amazing rumor!¡± Desian glanced at Aaron whose cheeks were stretched wide like a clown and opened the door silently. Really, he wasn¡¯t too curious. But despite Desian¡¯s disregard, Aaron followed him over to the bookcase in the duke¡¯s grand study. ¡°Older brother, there¡¯s a blue diamond that makes love come true.¡± Aaron whispered behind Desian who was going through the bookshelves one at a time. He put a lot of weight on the words ¡°makes love come true¡±. ¡°Gossip.¡± Desian flatly dismissed the remark. ¡°It¡¯s not gossip!¡± Aaron hurried on. ¡°It¡¯s a rumor that¡¯s going around the commoners, but Harold told me about it after hearing of it. Isn¡¯t it so romantic? It¡¯s not a mana stone, but a gem that makes love come true!¡± ¡°It¡¯s romantic?¡± Desian slowly asked and turned around. ¡°Yeah. Seriously romantic!¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°I quite like it.¡± There was one person he knew. The most sparkling woman in the world who loved jewels. ¡°Aaron, I think there¡¯s something you want from me.¡± Desian was about a hand taller than Aaron. [TL Note: I thought they were identical twins. Did the black magic make him taller?!] He looked down at Aaron with an arrogant gaze. The two brothers¡¯ eyes met in midair. Aaron shared the gist of what he was thinking. ¡°If you buy it and give it to Citrina, you might fall in love together!¡± Desian Pietro knew this was clearly nonsense. Desian knew all magic, but he didn¡¯t know of a magic that would make people fall in love. But what came out of Aaron¡¯s mouth was a rumor that somehow felt familiar. Desian turned his back to the bookcase again. ¡°If you don¡¯t buy it, I might buy it.¡± ¡°Wait. Even if you don¡¯t buy it, it¡¯s already¡­¡± Desian¡¯s expressionless red lips drew into an arc again. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± Aaron tilted his head, not understanding Desian¡¯s words. However, Desian did not allow Aaron to speak anymore. Aaron left without finding out anything much. Still, there was not much time until they saw Citrina. Aaron¡¯s heart swelled with anticipation. *** So that was it. A week later at the Citrina Oslo Jewelry Atelier, she saw both Desian and Aaron. ¡°Aaron and Desian?¡± ¡°Hey, Rina.¡± Desian bowed lightly to her. By Desian¡¯s side, Aaron silently mouthed something. But Citrina wasn¡¯t a lip reader. Reluctantly, she went back into the studio without understanding Aaron¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s vanilla rooibos tea.¡± An ordinary attendant of the jewelry shop came to their side. Desian¡¯s gaze narrowed warily and then relaxed. They were a normal person. It was only natural to check and eliminate all dangerous humans in the first place. ¡°Rina.¡± ¡°Ah, Del, I sent you the mining contract through the duchy. Did it not arrive?¡± Citrina sat them around a small round table in the studio. ¡°Sorry for the limited space.¡± She was going to make an astronomical amount of money in the jewelry business. After making so much money, she would put in marble floors and have chandeliers on the ceiling. She would become a person full of material desires. Unaware of Citrina¡¯s firm commitment, Aaron tapped the table and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Citrina!¡± Neither Aaron nor Desian question why they had been asked to come. It seemed they were only interested in the fact they were called. Citrina felt a little bad for that limitless affection and somehow felt restless. ¡®You are kind enough to make me doubt the rumors about the Pietro Duchy.¡¯ Citrina moved her hands slowly over the teacup. ¡®Then¡­when should I get to the point?¡¯ Aaron would definitely do her a favor now. Though Desian was watching her with a penetrating gaze. Citrina cleared her throat slightly. Then Aaron blurted out to her abruptly. ¡°Citrina, I heard a wonderful rumor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aaron stared at Citrina with dreamy eyes. Words like magic flowed slowly out of his mouth. ¡°Do you know about the blue diamond that makes love come true?¡± ¡°The blue diamond that makes love come true?¡± Citrina repeated Aaron¡¯s words. ¡°Yup! I heard it from Harold, but since Citrina is in the jewelry business, you probably know.¡± ¡°I know it.¡± Citrina recalled how Adilac said she had tested the rumors earlier, and she was satisfied. ¡®I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to check if the rumors spread.¡¯ As long as Aaron knew, all of the commoners in the capital would know as well. Then, for a moment Desian¡¯s gaze touched Citrina before disappearing. ¡°How do you know it, Rina?¡± His low, hushed voice cast doubt on her. However, that was not the question. With a neat look, Citrina whispered. ¡°I know because I am the one who made it. Dell seems to already know though.¡± ¡°Oh? You already knew about it?¡± Aaron¡¯s expression became urgently depressed. ¡°Then¡­the blue diamond is fake?¡± Citrina skillfully turned the question. ¡°Why? Do you have someone that you like?¡± ¡°Um, that¡­ no.¡± Aaron waved his hands resolutely even though his ears were turning red. Aaron wasn¡¯t the sort that could hide his feelings well. Even in the original work and now, he couldn¡¯t tell a lie. Citrina pretended to ask casually. ¡°There is? A person that you like.¡± ¡°Oh, well, if you say it like that, there is someone.¡± ¡°Are you going to give it to the person to whom you will make your knight¡¯s oath?¡± Citrina winked her eyes at Aaron. While listening to the two¡¯s conversation, Desian¡¯s expression became fierce. Narrowed eyes stared at Aaron. CH 39 ¡°A knight¡¯s oath?¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ll go out for a moment and look at the jewelry!¡± Anyone could tell it was an unnatural excuse to leave. Watching Aaron¡¯s back as he left, Citrina giggled and called out loud. ¡°Ask Adilac to show you around, Aaron!¡± Someone might have thought there was a fierce beast here on Aaron¡¯s tail. He looked like a rabbit as he left. Anyhow, now she was left with Desian. Every time she was left alone with Desian, there was a subtle feeling in the air, a shiver and chill that was unfamiliar. ¡®I feel odd when I see Desian.¡¯ Citrina had never felt this was about a person. It somehow felt cramped. Did he understand how she felt? Desian called Citrina¡¯s nickname lightly. ¡°Rina.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Citrina drummed her fingers on the table a couple of times. Desian Pietro could be the perfect sponsor for her. Borrowing the name of Duke Pietro would be perfect, and she couldn¡¯t force Aaron to do it. But with Desian, could Citrina stay in control? He was a dangerous man that everyone longed and hoped for, but no one could have. And above all. ¡®It¡¯s like a puzzle where all of the pieces have already been put in order. It¡¯s strange.¡¯ Citrina¡¯s keen intuition was saying something. His obsessive attitude and all of the acclaim surrounding Duke Pietro were all a bit odd. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Use me.¡± ¡®Use you?¡¯ Desian¡¯s reply was concise. But for Citrina, the words caused a huge impact. She didn¡¯t expect the word ¡®use¡¯ to come out of Del¡¯s mouth. Citrina looked at him. Then his red lips drew into a gentle smile. Looking at Citrina, Desian whispered repeatedly. ¡°Use me as you wish.¡± With those words, Desian reached out. He slowly rearranged the hair that had fallen in front of Citrina¡¯s ear. She could feel his fingertips tracing through her hair little by little. His touch was cold, giving her the chills. ¡°Instead¡­.¡± They were facing each other across a small table. So as Desian leaned forward, it was natural for his face to come close. A whisper trickled between Desian¡¯s teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t use anyone but me.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my condition, Rina.¡± It was a condition that was hard to find anywhere else. Desian leaned back leisurely. Even in this tiny room in a small jewelry atelier, the man was as decadent and beautiful as ever. Citrina asked, avoiding his gaze. ¡°Is that the only condition for wearing my jewelry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a difficult condition, Rina.¡± It didn¡¯t seem difficult at all. ¡°It means that neither your partner nor the person you use can be anyone but me.¡± Citrina bit her lips. It tasted of blood. Why was she getting goosebumps on her arms when there is a friendly face and a friendly offer in front of her? It made no sense. Nevertheless, Citrina nodded slowly. ¡°What about it?¡± Desian was smiling with that sweet face. ¡°Yeah. If you help me, I¡¯ll reward you.¡± Citrina slowly nodded her head. Something flickered through his eyes. ¡®Did something change while I was gone, or¡­.¡¯ In the confusion, only Desian¡¯s eyes met her gaze. She slowly reflected on Desian¡¯s demeanor four years ago. And it was then. Aaron opened the door again and rushed in. ¡°Citrina, you said you made this? Didn¡¯t you? Will it really make love come true?¡± In Aaron¡¯s hand was the blue diamond. His expression was stained with embarrassment. ¡°Why? What if it¡¯s real?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy it!¡± At Aaron¡¯s serious expression, Citrina burst into giggles with a cheerful face. ¡®Do you really have someone you like? No way, Elaina?¡¯ No, that couldn¡¯t be. If Aaron loved Elaina, his attitude wouldn¡¯t be so consistent with Citrina. ¡°No, I could just give you a spirit packed full of love.¡± ¡°Oh? How?¡± ¡°I¡¯m psychic.¡± Aaron¡¯s expression was tinged with surprise. Citrina looked at his face and smiled. As Aaron glanced between the jewel and Citrina¡¯s face several times, Desian slowly rose. It was a smooth movement without any fuss. A shadow slowly fell over Citrina¡¯s face. ¡°My offer, I¡¯ll take it that you accept it.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, Del. I¡¯ll wait.¡± Desian smiled gracefully as if he had everything he could desire. He got up and walked out of the door. Citrina was lucky enough to have the perfect model. But why was she feeling so ambiguous? Is it just a simple favor or something else¡­¡­. CH 40 Desian and Aaron went back together. Citrina sat across from Adilac, feeling awkward. ¡°Citrina.¡± Adilac said with a brooding expression. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I stopped by my family¡¯s mansion for a bit and asked about Duke Pietro.¡± ¡°Yes, Adilac.¡± ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°No one had anything to say. They¡¯re naturally crazy people who would talk about the emperor event when no one is around to listen.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so? Why¡­ would that be?¡± Citrina recalled the reactions of people she had noticed so far. ¡°Yes. Either there¡¯s a nasty rumor going around, or¡­he¡¯s a really scary person. But judging from the way he treats you, Citrina, he seems like a nice person.¡± Citrina also knew why Adilac was confused. Desian was always kind and friendly in front of Citrina. It was to such a degree that she felt embarrassed to doubt him. ¡°Is it a water drop, pear-cut, Citrina?¡± ¡°Yes. By densely gathering the pear-cut gems, it will look like a thread-style ring.¡± ¡°How are you thinking the same thing as me? Are we connected?¡± -The connection is with me. What¡¯s up with her? Gemma had been sitting by Citrina¡¯ side until now, but puffed up her lips and stared at Adilac. Perhaps Adilac had a new rival of which she was unaware. However, they had to work faster to meet deadlines. Citrina¡¯s hands became busy. Till now, they had quite a lot of free time aside from a few orders. ¡°What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t met you, Citrina?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure you would have done well.¡± In the original work, Feinmann had sponged off of Adilac and killed Citrina at Desian¡¯s order. Yet so far, so didn¡¯t know anything about Feinmann. ¡°Adilac.¡± ¡°Yes, Citrina?¡± ¡°Could you make a bracelet with simple lines that men could wear?¡± ¡°Yes. But, Citrina, men don¡¯t wear jeweled bracelets¡­so there won¡¯t be any demand.¡± ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, at most, they put mana stones in their pockets. The trend is that men don¡¯t wear accessories.¡± Adilac¡¯s eyes were filled with questions. ¡°Then, Citrina, are you thinking of something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°¡­will it be okay?¡± ¡°It would be a good gift for your family too. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Adilac¡¯s eyes sparkled. Citrina knew. The Adilac that she knew was a genius craftworker who could take on any challenge. So she had enjoyed her character in the book, and liked being around her these past four years. ¡°I love it! Come to think about it, my ancestor also said that. He knew about making money rather than leaving opportunities like a ghost left in a drawer. That¡¯s how my family wound up sitting on a nice stack of money. It¡¯s amazing that you have the same mindset as he did!¡± ¡°Okay, Adilac, then I¡¯ll draw up a design and bring it to you.¡± ¡°Yes! I offered attendant jobs to some people while I was spreading rumors about the diamond, so why haven¡¯t they come for interviews?¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± Citrina thought of Desian as she answered casually. She wondered what would work best for Desian¡¯s wrist. It occurred to her that she should take his exact measurements soon. Citrina slowly started drawing bracelets that would suit him. The picture developed on rough craft paper. Adilac was looking at Citrina with a strange expression. A straight line would suit him more than something with a curve. Since it had to be eye-catching, she thought silver would be the best material to use. ¡®How will it come together?¡¯ In this world, most jewelry was worn by women. Men didn¡¯t buy jewelry. There was a tendency to stay away from it as a fashionable luxury item. If it wasn¡¯t for mana stones embedded into swords, most men wouldn¡¯t even look at gems. It was a tense challenge. She thought. In this world, Citrina had constantly made money for someone. [T.L. Note: I think she is referring to her family and working for Elaina¡¯s benefit.] In her previous life, Citrina had been told to replicate other people¡¯s designs to make money. But here, she could offer designs of her own making to people who wanted them. Her heart swelled. She had to contact Desian and get his exact wrist measurement, and if they were going to be partners she would need to match him for the dance. Her hands were busy creating designs for a while. It was okay even if her arm hurt and her wrist ached. Life pulsed through her wrist. And the time ticked by. Gemma, who had been sitting comfortably on the Silmaril on the table, jumped to her feet. -You know something, Citrina? -What? -I¡¯m really bored! -Then what do you want to do? -Then, can we go outside for a bit? Come to think of it, she only went back and forth between her house and the jewelry atelier. Citrina nodded her head with look like ¡®oops¡¯. She thought that event though it wasn¡¯t a dog or a cat, the spirit should be taken for a walk. -Yeah, let¡¯s go. Citrina took a small pouch, just in case. Inside were several small, uncut gemstones. Gemma, who had been watching the scene carefully, began to fly around cheerfully. CH 41 Arriving on the most famous jewelry street, Dartrin Street, she chose to walk around the other shops and ateliers. ¡®I¡¯m glad I spread the rumors and these days diamonds, especially blue diamonds are the trend.¡¯ -Diamonds are pretty! I really love them! Walking down the street, you could see the fads. As she continued walking, she reached the end of the street. A strange situation stood out to Citrina who was debating whether she should head back. Although the streets had been more lively as the festival drew near, this seemed like way more people than usual. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­ There was a fight.¡± ¡°Hm, I¡¯ll have to take another way back.¡± ¡°Alright, miss. I¡¯ll be too stressed if I get caught up in this business.¡± The merchant shouted as he went back to his shop. Citrina agreed with him completely. It was best to avoid tiresome events. Citrina was about to go back to her atelier, but realized at one point that Gemma was zooming around her. -It¡¯s a fight! ¨C Don¡¯t go, Gemma! -I¡¯m excited! Citrina, come on! An excited Gemma flew quickly to the scene. Citrina sighed and headed towards Gemma. Somehow she felt like she was raising a child. Why? She followed Gemma to the end of the street. The people were crowded into a circle. The was a lot of buzz and noise. Citrina managed to squeeze through the cracks in the crowd. In front of a glittering store stood and man and a boy crouching down. ¡°Get out of here! I¡¯ve got a lot of workers like you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work harder. Please.¡± Tears were dripping down the boy¡¯s face. The area around his eyes was flushed red. And¡­ The restraint around his wrist stood out. It seemed that someone cast a spell on it. It was a typical slave seal. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll work hard?¡± The man held a whip threateningly with a grim expression. His expression was normal but his thin lips were as vicious as a viper. Slap! The boy closed his eyes tightly. People exclaimed. No one tried to rescue the slave, since they didn¡¯t know how much the slave was worth or if he was actually useless. However, Citrina stood as if nailed to the ground. ¡®It reminds me of Aaron and Desian.¡¯ Even as people left one by one, she hesitated to move her feet. ¨C Save him, Citrina -Do you pity him? -No, spirits don¡¯t care about people other than their contractors. -Then why? -I know about him. And if you save him, you¡¯ll never regret it. Gemma wouldn¡¯t lie to her contractor, Citrina. Because of the terms of the contract, a spirit was a perfect ally to their partner. ¡®How could I save him?.¡¯ Citrina pondered briefly. -Gemma. Gemma made some rustling sounds as she slid into the pouch on Citrina¡¯s wrist. Immediately, Citrina started to move forward. ¡°Sell him to me.¡± She said in a loud, clear voice. ¡°What, young lady? I¡¯d love it if you took this stupid thing away.¡± He used a flirting tone. ¡°But what can you do? It¡¯s a bit expensive.¡± ¡°How much?¡± His tone was vulgar as he bargained for a human¡¯s life. He smelled like someone who had rolled around on the floor, so it was unlikely he was interested in jewels. Citrina glanced at his face. ¡°The young lady will never be able to afford it, so why don¡¯t you act moderately and mind your own business.¡± ¡°Are you the owner of the jewelry shop here?¡± ¡°Right. I took it over some time ago.¡± ¡°Then you should be very familiar with this.¡± Citrina pulled out the pouch she was holding in her arms. The man¡¯s face turned sly. Citrina grinned and took something out of her pouch. Gemma was caught between her fingertips and revealed the gemstones. -I¡¯m done! You can show them! In Citrina¡¯s eyes, who could communicate with Gemma, they looked like ordinary topaz gemstones. But they must look different to the man¡¯s eye. They would look like the blue diamonds that made love come true. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one jewel. That¡¯s because each craftworker usually deals with one jewel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting suggestion, so come closer, young lady.¡± ¡°No, you come.¡± Citrina stared him down. If he was going to speak informally, then she would as well. [T.L. Note: The man has been using banmal, or informal speech used with family and friends. It¡¯s disrespectful to use it with someone you just met.] The man raised his hand with a displeased face, then turned around, looked about, and paused. It only took an instant for the man¡¯s face to fill with greed when he looked at the topaz. The man strode towards her, threatening Citrina. Coming closer to Citrina, he pretended to be disinterested and hid his greedy expression. ¡°How do I know that¡¯s a real gem?¡± Citrina walked towards him one step at a time. She could feel the boy¡¯s gaze. The boy was watching her as he lay on his knees. And there was the attention of the people around them. -Gemma, put illusions on the stones to cover everyone¡¯s eyes. Gemma could be heard wriggling around. Citrina spoke calmly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you know best?¡± Citrina held up a rough gemstone. They were ordinary gemstones. But the man¡¯s face was filled with wonder when he saw it. That¡¯s because the blue diamond was overlayed on the rough stone in his eyes. ¡®To him, it will look like a perfectly cut, beautifully clear gem.¡¯ To be exact, it would look like a delicately cut, multi-faceted gemstone. Citrina calmly held up the gemstone so that everyone could see. This man treated the craftworkers as he wished and did not pay them a proper wage. So even the gods would turn a blind eye to Citrina¡¯s slightly underhanded dealings. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a bug like this was worth this much.¡± Greedy eyes swept up and down the boy. She could see the numbers running through his brain. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that I¡¯m not in the business of losing money.¡± The man hastily stretched out his hand. Citrina quickly pulled her hand back. It was a close call. ¡°Sheesh, is there anything else to do?¡± ¡°Transfer ownership of the slave right now..¡± Citrina was unmoved by his ferocity. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± The man nodded his head impatiently. Slave transfers were not complicated. If the slave had magic, you released the restraints; and if they had none, you simply handed over the contract. It was like trading goods. The boy whose face was covered in tears and cowered on his knees had weak magic. Therefore, he only had to put a bead in the gap in the restraint bound to his wrist. Only then did the restraint come off. ¡°Listen carefully.¡± The man spoke as if he was chewing and took a small bead from his pocket without hesitation. ¡°You no longer belong to me, Feinmann. You belong to this woman. So get out of my sight.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, yes?¡± ¡°Feinmann?¡± At this man¡¯s words, Feinmann¡¯s words, both were surprised. CH 42 Citrina was a bit more flustered. She knew he would appear sometime, but she didn¡¯t imagine they would come face to face today. ¡°That man, he was Feinmann?¡± Feinmann was a bug-like person who lived off of Adilac Antigone, but he never hit her. That¡¯s because Adilac was part of the gentry. -Why? Do you know that person, Citrina? ¨C He¡¯s a person you shouldn¡¯t know. He was a person she knew but wished she didn¡¯t. ¡°The restraints have been released.¡± ¡°The restraints¡­¡± Citrina slowly handed over the topaz to Feinmann. Feinmann robbed Citrina of the jewel. ¡°See you soon, miss.¡± ¡°¡­if there¡¯s some reason to see each other.¡± She tried to avoid death flags as much as possible. But it was different from in . Feinmann¡¯s student wasn¡¯t someone Citrina could easily reach. Besides, as always, she had another method. Citrina held out her hand to the boy with a conciliatory smile. After 12 minutes, they returned to Citrina¡¯s atelier. Citrina faced the boy in ¡®Citrina Oslo Atelier¡¯. She had needed to hire an attendant, so she could bring him on board for a reasonable paycheck. Besides, Adilac¡¯s expression brightened when she saw him enter earlier. -Citrina, do you want me to tell you something interesting? -What is it? ¨C That guy you picked up is not human. Citrina¡¯s eyes grew big. In the original work, there wasn¡¯t a lot of description about beast people. So she didn¡¯t even know how to treat the boy as an employee. She couldn¡¯t find the connection between the jewelry business and fox people. But it was still amazing. -Anyway, that stupid man wouldn¡¯t have known he was a fox beast. But it looks like he is a craftworker just by looking at his magic. Ignoring Gemma¡¯s chatter, Citrina spoke sweetly to the boy. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Citrina. I¡¯m also the owner of this atelier.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m Lita.¡± [T.L. Note: This could be translated as Rita or Lita. Since Rita is generally a female name, I¡¯m translating it to Lita.] Silence. The atmosphere was quite subtle. Citrina cleared her throat slightly. Rita was looking at her and spoke quietly. ¡°What should I do now? I¡¯ll do whatever you say. You even lost a diamond because of me.¡± Under his large eyes, tears were starting to form as his lips drooped down in a subtle sense of melancholy. Citrina smirked. He should know how dangerous it is to promise to do anything you are told. And there was some irony in his words. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s shiny¡­you like jewels, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Lita was so happy right now it felt as if his heart would explode. Lita¡¯s eyes sparkled endlessly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay at our atelier? There¡¯s a small room here that we¡¯re not using. It¡¯s not much, but I¡¯ll provide food and lodging.¡± ¡°¡­ I, can I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And you can help Adilac check the gems from time to time. Not without pay of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a slave¡­¡± ¡°Why are you a slave when you have no restraints?¡± After speaking, Citrina smiled brightly. Seeing her smile made Lita¡¯s heart beat faster. ¡®So pretty¡­¡¯ The boy blinked several times. That¡¯s because he was about to cry. He was strangely nervous and his breathe shook. It was the same as a little while ago, when she saved him. She looked like his savior. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you once a month. You can spend it however you¡¯d like. Let¡¯s work together for just one year. After a year, you can leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work hard.¡± ¡°Of course you will, Lita.¡± Citrina laughed as she brushed the boy¡¯s hair lightly. ¡°But rest up today.¡± Citrina called out to Adilac, who was strangely quiet. ¡°Adilac.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I don¡¯t need to advertise for the job! Th, That¡¯s right? Citrina?¡± Adilac said to Citrina as she watched the boy as if she was possessed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -Citrina, it looks like Adilac likes him. -How do you know that? -I know it when I see it. You didn¡¯t notice such an important thing. ¨C Is it important that Adilac likes Lita? -It¡¯s a love story, so it¡¯s important. [T.L. Note: Okay, so how old are Adilac and Lita, writer? Please don¡¯t get weird on me.] She didn¡¯t know that jewel spirits enjoy love stories. The most important things to Citrina were survival and self-actualization. Someday she could find a partner and start a family. However, she couldn¡¯t focus on that at present. ¡°Ah, Lita.¡± Lita raised his head with reddened eyes and answered. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What sort of person is Feinmann?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know except¡­he sells jewelry at expensive prices and goes around looking for money-making jewelers to hire.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Citrina Foluin had the protection of the dwarf, the genius craftworker, and a jewel spirit. At this point, she had a set of cards no one else could have. ¡®Feinmann will also approach the princess. So I need a new way.¡¯ She absolutely needed an impactful method. Apparently, the die had already been cast. CH 43 The day after brainstorming over new jewelry, Desian came to visit Citrina¡¯s atelier. ¡°Are you doing well?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been two days but¡­ I¡¯ve been doing well!¡± ¡°Anyhow, I worry.¡± It was a very sweet voice. Desian whispered as he arranged Citrina¡¯s flowing hair. ¡°Ah, and I have someone to introduce you to! We have a new member of our atelier.¡± ¡°Did you find someone?¡± ¡°Yeah. I hired someone.¡± Citrina just nodded her head without saying anything else. Desian¡¯s gaze turned to Lita. ¡°Hello.¡± Lita looked small and delicate, like a rabbit in front of a lion. But he had a strong, resolute face. ¡®He¡¯s good at speaking in front of Desian. How cute.¡¯ Citrina knew that people felt stressed when he looked at them. Desian spoke briefly and turned away from Lita. ¡°Hi.¡± She was sure he was greeting him calmly, but why did he look so on edge? ¡°Get along well, you two.¡± Citrina smiled brightly and winked at them. ¡°Of course, I really want to get along with you if possible.¡± Desian smiled mildly at Citrina. ¡®¡­ Do I have low expectations for Desian?¡¯ Citrina thought as she tilted her head. Oops, Desian had been talking to her. ¡°Did you say you needed something?¡± ¡°Yes, Rina.¡± ¡°For the party¡­do you need a dress?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Desian smiled coolly. There was not only one aspect to remembering a person. However, Citrina thought of that smile when she thought of Desian. She was grateful he had gone from someone who didn¡¯t know happiness to someone who could smile so brightly. ¡°Shall we go then?¡± Citrina reached out to Desian. Desian took her hand. For the moment, it was time to take a break in the daily life of designing jewelry. ¡°Just a moment.¡± Citrina took a hat with a black veil from the studio and placed it on her head. Her identity and appearance should not be leaked in advance. The reason was simple. She planned to announce everything at the festival, but if word started circulating about her beforehand, her plans would deflate like a sad balloon. ¡°Today is a secret operation.¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s a spy mission.¡± In the carriage, Citrina fell into a deep sleep. Looking at her, Desian recalled the other variable- Lita. He wasn¡¯t a normal human. He was a fox beast person. He was still young, but as he grew up he could help Citrina quite a bit. He¡¯d let it go, but it was clearly annoying. Just like that spirit [Gemma]. The fox boy clearly admired Citrina. Desian loved Citrina, so he was particularly sensitive to other¡¯s feelings towards her. ¡®Rina loves the weak and young. But she can¡¯t give them all of her heart.¡¯ Desian fully understood that she sympathized with the young, vulnerable, and pitiful. So Citrina¡¯s heart was half open to him as well. He could pretend to be vulnerable easily enough. Desian was fully prepared to do so. If Citrina didn¡¯t want him completely, she just needed to be won over bit by bit. The carriage rattled once more. Sitting side-by-side next to him, Citrina nodded forward in her sleep, unable to withstand the afternoon languor. Desian slowly raised one hand to catch her head. -bump- Citrina¡¯s head rested on his shoulder. Desian slowly felt her warmth seeping into his shoulder. Feeling as if flowers were blooming, he immersed himself in this unconventional feeling. He looked down at Citrina¡¯s unmoving eyelashes. Lovely. But if she knew he wasn¡¯t kind, she would run away from his arms again. Desian had no intention of letting her out of his embrace. So he could pretend to be sweet forever. Desian Pietro was a person who was born like this. He laughed cynically. Inside the carriage, Citrina suddenly opened her eyes. It seemed as if her fatigue had built up more than expected. Anyway, what she felt when she woke up was Desian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Del, you should have woken me up.¡± ¡°You seemed tired.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I slept a lot. But didn¡¯t I make your shoulder uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s light, it was okay.¡± All of his words were smooth. If Citrina hadn¡¯t known Desian, she would have thought he was a player. Where did he learn all of this? What women like, what they want to hear. Stuff like that. Citrina and Desian got off the carriage and entered the boutique. It was a beautiful space that seemed like something out of a fairy tale. The first thing that caught her eye were the two attendants and the middle-aged man she presumed to be the store owner. His hair was pasted flat to his head with what smelled like olive oil, including his greasy sideburns. ¡°We, welcome, lady!¡± If he could set up such a boutique in the empire¡¯s capital, he was definitely a skilled businessperson. But he couldn¡¯t seem to even meet Citrina¡¯s eyes properly. ¡®It might be because of the rumors about Desian.¡¯ ¡°I am Foges, the owner of the Foges Boutique. Normally, I would visit you personally, but I have a special person here. So what is the name of the noble lady I am serving today?¡± The man looked up, speaking gibberish. ¡°Do you need to know the name?¡± Having said that, Desian came to casually stand by her side. ¡°Shall we go in, Rina?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll take you inside.¡± Foges opened the door to the salon¡¯s powder room with a puzzled face. It was a quiet interior room where not even an ant seemed to be present. Foges was the owner of the most promising boutique in the empire. Yet he stood blankly with a surprised face. He hurriedly stood beside Citrina. He was unable to demonstrate his usual sociability. ¡°How do you like this dress? With the lady¡¯s brown hair, brighter than a field of wheat¡­I believe you¡¯ll look good in the opposite color, blue.¡± Although he spoke in broken bits, he finished his thought. Foges was perhaps the only person who could speak at length in front of Desian. Desian was looking at Foges with a blank expression. He was frozen with a numb, eerie mood. ¡°You would look good in blue, um¡­¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± While it sounded like a friendly sentence, Foges knew better. If the lady didn¡¯t like the dress, he would be on his deathbed. ¡°I like it, but what about you? What do you think of the blue dress, Del?¡± ¡°Are you asking for my opinion?¡± ¡°Yeah, because you¡¯re my partner.¡± ¡°Partner¡­¡± Desian whispered the word as if he was swallowing it. And these words followed. ¡°It will suit you. Anything.¡± ¡°Okay. Then I¡¯ll choose mine first and then we can choose yours?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The immensely prickly atmosphere softened as if it was dissolved in water. CH 44 Foges stood still with his mouth wide open as he witnessed this miracle. ¡°First, I¡¯m going to wear a ruby, so an icy blue would work well. It will suit me, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, it will look good on you, Rina¡± Duke Desian looked at the mysterious lady with warm eyes. It was like the genre had changed over there. It was very much like a romance novel. On this side, the attendants and Foges were in the horror mystery section. ¡°W, well are you planning your jewelry before your dress?¡± Actually, this was never the case. jewelry was just an accessory. Foges felt conflicted between the danger to his life and curiosity. Nevertheless, he was a middle-age man who retained a childish sense of curiosity. Foges glanced at Desian. There was still a meek atmosphere. Curiosity won out in the end. ¡°Lady, are you by any chance fitting a dress to your jewelry?¡± Interesting. Quite interesting. Usually, the dress is selected first and the jewelry compliments the dress. Jewelry is a side note compared to the dress. But the mysterious lady did not take this path. Foges¡¯ eyes sparkled at this curious situation. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to do that.¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡°Really? It might become common in the future.¡± ¡°Really¡­ fascinating. I, I hope such a day will come!¡± ¡°Yes, good.¡± The mysterious lady smiled brightly at Foges. The face of the notorious Duke Desian Pietro was exceedingly gentle as he looked at her. ¡®Am I not going to die?¡¯ As a matter of fact, Foges had washed his neck very well this morning. Before he left the house, he had written a will. This was because Duke Desian Pietro had ordered him to keep all of his boutiques empty and reserved for the day. ¡®I don¡¯t think the will was necessary. Surely, it¡¯s like spring in here?¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯d like to to try this fabric. Can you help me measure it?¡± ¡°Yes! Le, let me help you.¡± The attendants and the lady entered the fitting room. They would measure her body and check the design. As she slowly entered the fitting room, Duke Desian¡¯s face hardened horribly. The change in his expression was like night and day. ¡°The fabric that¡¯s over there only has a certain amount.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± ¡°Do I have to ask again?¡± He came back to the cold manner of before. It was like a knife. Foges felt his breathe catch in his chest. ¡°The fabric is from a quality cloth store outside of the capital. They can supply as much as needed.¡± ¡°Make sure everything is the absolute best.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Foges somehow felt a subtle feeling as if his nether region was getting wet. Stop, bladder! Wake up! Hold it in! Hold it in! ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving?¡± ¡°Ah, I was going to go.¡± Whatever happened to Foges¡¯ fragile bladder, Desian¡¯s expression remained blank. Foges turned quickly like a puppet on strings. ¡°Ah, also.¡± At Desian¡¯s words, Foges¡¯ body froze. ¡°Don¡¯t let word get out about today.¡± ¡°No, of course.¡± Foges wanted to live a long life. He put his index finger to his lips, pretending to zip them up, as befits the owner of such a renowned boutique. He was determined to absolutely not reveal it. After seeing this, Desian turned around with a frighteningly blank expression. He sat on the chair in front of the fitting room. Even this was done with a classy manner. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring the drafts.¡± Foges bowed towards the boutique studio. He once again vowed not to reveal what happened on this day. However it was also true that he was curious. Who the hell was that lady who had captivated the infamous Duke Desian Pietro? Foges pondered as he came out of the studio with the drafts. Could it be love? The ideas was dismissed by Foges three seconds later as being preposterous. ¡°It can¡¯t be. It can¡¯t be.¡± Foges said to himself slowly. It was well-known that Duke Desian Pietro was devoid of emotion. In a word, he was not human. So it couldn¡¯t be love. Then perhaps that woman¡­had a lot of power? Foges stood with the design drafts in his arms. He somehow shuddered at this convincing hypothesis. No way¡­. Was she more evil than Duke Desian Pietro? While Foges was in the middle of misunderstanding everything, Citrina was being measured for her dress. Inside the fitting room, the attendants were silent. Citrina thought they might be mute. Citrina spoke up to try and lighten the mood while they measured her body. ¡°Could it be that the is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­N, Not at all, Lady.¡± ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± Naturally, they were worried because she was an aristocrat, but it seemed excessive. A little girl with innocent eyes whispered in a small, fine voice. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re afraid we¡¯ll be killed.¡± ¡°Be killed? By me?¡± Did she look like she was going to kill someone? Citrina shrugged her shoulders. She didn¡¯t look that nasty. ¡°Ah, no. Not the lady.¡± ¡°Be quiet. What kind of rudeness is that to the lady? It¡¯s absolutely nothing, lady.¡± A taller woman admonished the girl, causing her to close her mouth tightly. The sentence, ¡®we¡¯re afraid we¡¯ll be killed¡¯ and the thought that it was not Citrina passed through her head. There was only person that sentence could refer to. ¡®It¡¯s certainly different from the attitude normally directed at me.¡¯ Citrina was quick-witted and easily picked up on the thoughts and feelings of others. She slowly pieced together the kindness Desian had showed her, the obsessive attitude that was often visible, and the absence of any stories about him. ¡°I¡¯ve taken all of the measurements, lady.¡± One of the attendants bowed her head politely. As they were leaving the fitting room, Citrina slowly but surely became confused. Though she fixed her expression right away. It was Citrina¡¯s way of finding out what her body was telling her. There was both fear and no fear. Therefore, Feeling a bit awkward and unfamiliar, she looked at Desian. ¡°Did they measure your size?¡± And Desian looked at her with a face infinitely full of affection. Citrina knew. This was by no means a lie. Her heart melted every time she saw that kindness. ¡°Yeah. Where is the fabric¡­ ah, there it is.¡± Citrina stopped speaking. Foges waddled in front of her. He was holding craft paper in his arms. ¡°Are these all of the design sketches?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Foges was even more intimidated than before. He glanced in Desian¡¯s direction and nodded his head dramatically. ¡°Can you show me?¡± Foges set the craft paper down on the table next to his chair. The pile of paper was so thick that it seemed like it could be made into a book. ¡°Rina.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Is there a design you don¡¯t like?¡± ¡°Among these? Well, I don¡¯t want to cover my wrist or neck too much¡­ I¡¯ll have to look at everything else.¡± ¡°I see, Rina.¡± Desian smiled naturally at her. Citrina looked at him and grabbed the craft paper. Time seemed to be running out to review the drafts one by one. While Citrina was reviewing the drafts, Desian turned around and looked at Foges strangely before speaking. ¡°Then make everything except for the draft covering the neck.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Are you running out of time?¡± Foges pondered. If he said time was tight here, he would be more likely to lose his head. In other words, it was more likely that his will would be released to the world. Foges nodded urgently. Citrina, who was watching him, put down the craft paper. ¡°Charge the bill to the duke.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°You are my partner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡± ¡°And also my friend.¡± ¡°We are friends, but¡­.¡± ¡°Then let me give you this, Rina.¡± CH 45 Of course, it was easy to buy the boutique with the duke¡¯s wealth. ¡®Everything is too much.¡¯ Citrina skillfully suppressed her doubts as usual. Now was the time to express gratitude before doubt. There were plenty of ways to dispel doubt. ¡°Thanks, Del. Then I¡¯ll just pick my favorite design because I have to match your clothes.¡± Desian picked up the craft paper and handed it to Citrina. She was thinking of wearing a beautifully designed dress in a shade of azure that would go well with a bracelet, so she shouldn¡¯t cover her wrists completely. She had to wear a necklace, so she shouldn¡¯t cover her neck. There weren¡¯t as many options as she thought. ¡°Which one would be better, Foges?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, devil, no, lady?¡± Foges looked up in a hurry as if he were on fire. Ack! It looked like he said something. Citrina frowned slightly. Citrina could sense Foges¡¯ overexcited mood directed towards her. It felt somewhat odd. ¡®It seems like you¡¯re demonizing me.¡¯ It was a surprisingly accurate guess. However, Citrina let go of her unpleasant feelings for the moment. ¡°Choose a design and send it to me through the duke.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best in choosing the greatest design.¡± ¡°Um¡­ you don¡¯t have to put your heart and soul into it.¡± ¡°Oh, no! If about a hundred tailors work together to get all of the dresses ready for you, we will have them finished sooner or later.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°All of this will be kept strictly confidential.¡± The constantly sweating Foges said he would send all of the attendants to start working on the dresses and start delivering them to the townhouse. He had a tremor in his hand and looked terribly serious. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m bullying this person.¡¯ It felt strange no matter how you looked at it. Foges was excessively complaint compared to a while ago. Then, Desian spoke to Citrina. ¡°Shall we go then?¡± He held out his hand to Citrina. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± Citrina put her hat with the dark black hat again so that if anyone saw her face, they wouldn¡¯t recognize her. Citrina became more confused. That was because¡­ Citrina and Desian left Foge¡¯s Boutique and went back into the carriage. Recalling how she had fallen asleep on Desian¡¯s shoulder earlier, Citrina felt embarrassed. ¡°Can we go to a bookstore?¡± ¡°Bookstore?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m curious if party etiquette has changed, so I want to get a book about the subject¡­¡± Four years was not enough time to change the rivers and mountains. However, it was certainly enough time for memories to fade and for people to change. Citrina constantly recalled the original work. Therefore, the original was seared into her memory. But manners about how one conducts themselves was a different matter. She had once served as an assistant teaching etiquette to the upper nobility, but her knowledge had faded due to the long time she had spent studying under the dwarf. Citrina had never been to a party. She hadn¡¯t even had her debutante. ¡®I have to make up for that if she didn¡¯t want Desian to lose face.¡¯ Whether he knew of Citrina¡¯s determination or not, Desian asked lightly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll help you.¡± When asking to go to the bookstore, the answer didn¡¯t exactly fit the question. Nevertheless, it was a positive and satisfactory answer, so Citrina nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d appreciate it if you did.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s head to where you want to go.¡± ¡­Yes, she should have noticed the phrase ¡®where you want to go¡¯. The day was so long that her mind was a blur. In other words, Citrina never dreamed that the place they would ride to would be Duke Pietro¡¯s estate. In fact, for the first few minutes after getting out of the carriage, Citrina thought ,¡¯Why is this bookstore so fancy?¡¯. It was a very unexpected destination. ¡°Why are we at the duke¡¯s¡­..¡± ¡°I sent for a teacher to come here.¡± ¡°Wow, really?¡± Together with Desian, Citrina walked inside the ducal estate. They passed a fountain that a person could easily swim in and a lush green forest before reaching the duke¡¯s mansion. Along the way, Citrina mysteriously did not encounter any employees. However, there was something even more amazing. It was that everything they passed matched her memories perfectly. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed.¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want it to change.¡± ¡°Did you use magic?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if he was joking or not. But Citrina thought it was the former and laughed. ¡°Shall we start with dinner?¡± ¡°Yeah, I just so happen to be hungry.¡± Citrina really enjoyed the food. Everything was neatly arranged with Desian sat elegantly at the center of the dining table. The servants began to slowly serve the appetizer. He couldn¡¯t taste the food very well. To be honest, everything always tasted dull. ¡°Del, it¡¯s delicious.¡± But she had a happy face even though it was only a light salad. Citrina was nonchalant, but Desian always paid close attention to her. He looked at the way her expression changed along with her thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s learn etiquette together.¡± ¡°Ah, alright. I guess-¡° Desian licked his lips at her tongue-tied response. ¡°I¡¯m nervous.¡± Citrina said to herself. He was now beginning to feel thirsty in a different sense. It was time for the wine. ¡°You¡¯ll do well.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sure it hasn¡¯t changed much.¡± She was absolutely lovely when she winked. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, we can change the etiquette.¡± Desian said softly. Love involves hundreds of emotions. So it was only natural that he felt like the emotions that had been sealed away were thawing out one by one. ¡°Change the etiquette?¡± Citrina¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± Whoops. Citrina laughed forcefully at Desian¡¯s words. Seeing her smile, Desian thought. You¡¯re always pretty. If you knew what I¡¯m feeling right now, you¡­ ¡°Del.¡± If you call me by my name¡­ Desian looked at her face in an unaffected and reasonable way. Like four years ago, he was seeping into her. The emotion she was feeling was both familiar and pleasant. Citrina had yet to name this sentiment. She asked carefully. ¡°How are you going to teach me etiquette?¡± ¡°Shall we go to the study?¡± There was no one on the way to the study either. It even seemed as if the employees had been deliberately removed. Walking along the cold marble, Citrina looked around the inside of the ducal manor curiously. Citrina had lived in the annex the whole time. So today was the first time seeing the interior of the ducal manor. As Citrina entered the study, she let out a small gasp. ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, it¡¯s amazing that you¡¯re next to me right now. Where is the person who will be teaching etiquette?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± Citrina followed Desian¡¯s gaze. In the middle of the bookshelves stood a stiff, chilly-looking man. ¡°I am Loenni, who will be teaching you etiquette.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Loenni.¡± Citrina spoke energetically, but Loenni just pouted. He handed her a book from a nearby bookshelf. It was a thin book titled . ¡°It¡¯s the perfect book for me.¡± ¡°Ask me if you don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Okay, ask you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Citrina glanced at Loenni who was standing beside her. It seemed like¡­there was an invisible man standing next to her. Citrina, who answered simply, settled down at the desk to study. Desian, sitting opposite from her, tapped the desk and thought. Desian saw the curious desire in her eyes today as well. When she said she was leaving. When looking at jewels. When reading an etiquette book. Her desires leaked out like the air she was breathing. Often, Desian suffered from the bizarre desire to read Citrina¡¯s thoughts swirling around in her head. ¡°It¡¯s getting difficult. Is it true that the first princess will be there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. What kind of person is she?¡± ¡°Just normal.¡± ¡°I heard she likes romance novels and dreams of marriage.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She answered quietly. Desian liked the sound of Citrina¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah! The day is the day when noble ladies gather together, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± On that day there would be many people who wanted to talk to the princess. Citrina, a baron¡¯s daughter, was allotted one minute. But one minute was enough. Citrina smiled faintly. ¡°The last night of the party¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go together, Rina.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hearing the word ¡®we¡¯, Citrina smiled. It was not uncommon for well-known noble families to sponsor mages and spiritists. Desian smiled curiously. Citrina fixed her gaze back on her book. It had only been four years, but it was amazing how much manners had changed. While she hadn¡¯t been looking, the world had changed completely. ¡®I can¡¯t raise my head until the imperial princess speaks.¡¯ ¡ª The gentry are a merchant class between aristocrats and commoners, have grown rapidly around the capital. The emperor changed royal etiquette to strengthen imperial power. Examples are included. [T.L. Note: There¡¯s no examples written in the Korean text.] ¡ª Citrina read aloud, muttering, as she went through the book. Still, it was a thin book, so she was able to read through all of it. An hour of absorbing etiquette lessons passed quickly. For a short time,Citrina occasionally asked Desian about etiquette she was not familiar with. Desian answered with a friendly and graceful smile like always. Today he was friendly. There were no oddities or deficiencies whatsoever. He looked the same as before she had left. Indeed, what did people think of Desian? The question settled deeper in her mind and her thoughts swayed like a leaf in the wind. CH 46 The next day came. ¡®Lets find out more about the princess, and also about Desian.¡¯ Chefs and servers who kept their lips sealed served precious dishes one by one. There were delicacies like foie gras and the bluish-green eggs of a giant shark. Citrina smiled happily as she ate the food paired with a white wine. ¡°It tastes good. I didn¡¯t know there was a restaurant so close to the duke¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°The capital has developed a lot, Rina.¡± The manager came over to Citrina and Desian¡¯s wine glasses and poured the wine naturally. The wine in the glasses swelled and rose. However, the manager¡¯s hand seemed to shake excessively while pouring Desian¡¯s glass. ¡®Is he nervous?¡¯ Looking at his hands, Citrina thought that was true. And the man wound up making a mistake. -clink- All of a sudden, he knocked into Citrina¡¯s wine glass. The manager looked like a veteran. But he made a beginner¡¯s mistake. Citrina¡¯s beautiful white dress was soaked with wine. She was relieved that was it. The problem was that the wine glass had broken on the floor by her feet. Luckily, she was not hurt. Citrina was only embarrassed for the moment. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°You are forgiven.¡± Desian spoke gracefully and gently. His attitude was clearly friendly. However, it contained an imperial arrogance. Citrina looked at him in astonishment. ¡°I beg your forgiveness. Your Grace, Lady.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. You can make a mistake.¡± Citrina looked at the manager and bit her lip. Desian¡¯s icy gaze turned towards the manager. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll clean¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Desian¡¯s tone was dry. The manager hurriedly bowed to them and left. Just the two of them were left in the room. Desian strode over to the mess. He slowly bent on one knee near where the glass shards were still scattered. Citrina couldn¡¯t say anything. That¡¯s because he, Desian Pietro, grabbed Citrina¡¯s right foot that had a very light scratch. ¡°Del¡­¡± Today, Citrina caught a glimpse of his beastly side. Or was this the real Desian? Or did his hidden nature come out at the sight of blood? Either way, her mind went blank. The immoderately hot temperature of his lips muddled her mind. Desian looked up. ¡°If you get hurt, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Still on one knee, he looked up at her. Though his tone was affectionate, his gaze wasn¡¯t pleading. Though he was down on one knee, he had the face of a born ruler. His arrogant face endlessly overshadowed his affection for her. Citrina called out his name. ¡°Desian, Del.¡± But she couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. The Desian Pietro she saw today was suspicious. ¡°Rina.¡± Along with those words, an obsessive gaze was directed at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s okay.¡± Desian slowly lowered her ankle with a look of complete relief. The place where his lips touched was peculiarly hot. The man was gentle. However his touch and gaze were tainted with the obsession and the desire to monopolize her. She wondered how she didn¡¯t get it until now. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡± Desian moved his hand slowly. The glass disappeared. Her cut healed without a trace. Desian must have also been cut by the glass, but not a drop of blood came out. ¡®It¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ The man was dangerous. But Citrina was not afraid of Desian. She was sure he would never hurt her. Now their eyes met like they were on a close tightrope. She won the staring contest. It was natural for her to be drawn to danger. Though she whispered with a composed face. ¡°Del, let¡¯s eat dinner.¡± She moved on to talk of other topics smoothly. Citrina had yet to define her feelings for him. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t wise to push Desian into risky topics. Desian friendly face was back again. There was no innocence like in Aaron¡¯s face, but it was harmless to her. ¡°Yes, Rina.¡± His languid eyes folded closed. He was obviously smiling. He had a beautiful smile. She looked at him for a moment as if possessed. Citrina lifted a glass of water to her lips and moistened her throat. It was her feelings that were strange. As a child, she had left for fear of being tied down by attachment. However, she had grown into an adult who could face her emotions head on. Even though an attendant came in to refill the wine, the restaurant remained oddly silent. Citrina changed the subject as lightly as breaking glass. ¡­ because her success was more important now than her feelings or love. At least for now, that is. ¡°What kind of person is the princess?¡± ¡°She¡¯s average.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°She¡¯s an easy to read woman. Everything you know will be right.¡± Desian answered Citrina¡¯s question slowly. The expression on his face had already disappeared. CH 47 Chapter 47 After finishing their meal and leaving the restaurant, Desian saw Citrina off at her townhouse. When she returned home, Citrina decided to think calmly about her feelings for Desian. But just before Citrina had time to think to herself, Adilac showed up. ¡°Citrina, there¡¯s been a strange rumor.¡± ¡°What kind of rumor?¡± ¡°A weird craftworker is pretending to be the maker of the blue diamonds that make love come true. That¡¯s what Citrina worked hard on!¡± ¡°¡­really?¡± ¡°Yes! I heard he proudly showed off a blue diamond. Blue diamonds are ours, right?¡± Adilac took some juice out of the cupboard as she fumed. She poured out her anger while pouring juice into a cup. Adilac gulped down the juice and then slammed the cup on the table. Citrina spoke calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve already dealt with that person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Drip, drip. The juice spilled out of Adilac¡¯s mouth. -That¡¯s messy. Gemma said heartlessly. Adilac stood there, dazed. Citrina was glad she couldn¡¯t hear Gemma¡¯s disgusted voice. ¡°Huh, how? How did you deal with it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡± -Hurry up and give me credit! Gemma swept back her hair. Adilac seemed to have quite a lot to ask. And Adilac was talkative, which anyone who had met her for ten seconds would know. Citrina looked her in the eye and explained what had happened so far. ¡°Wow, so on the street, you conned the con man?¡± ¡°Yes. I also got a craftworker who was being abused.¡± ¡°Then you can still offer the blue diamond to the princess?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to revise my plan a little bit. First of all, more and more people know that I have the blue diamond.¡± Citrina said sweetly and smiled. ¡°How are you going to fix it?¡± Adilac didn¡¯t seem to understand Citrina¡¯s words yet. She didn¡¯t explain her whole plan to Adilac. After Adilac calmed down, she could tell her more later. She spoke quietly instead. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m also organizing my plans in my head. I¡¯ll tell you slowly. Come to think of it, the party really isn¡¯t that far away. Is it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s right. I think my wrist is going to break from working on Estelle¡¯s jewelry. No, it¡¯s already broken.¡± Adilac cried right away. She was so cute that Citrina giggled. ¡°Then should we take a break?¡± ¡°Are we taking some time off?¡± ¡°Yes. Since I¡¯ll be awfully busy after the party.¡± Citrina winked at Adilac. Adilac listened to Citrina and thought there was something oddly confident in her words. She was an ambitious woman who seemed to know the future and had a lot of self-confidence. Adilac Antigone was convinced. ¡°I get it. Then I¡¯ll rest well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good mindset.¡± Citrina and Adilac looked at each other while smiling brightly. Then, Gemma spoke bluntly. ¨C This is a beautiful friendship, but aren¡¯t you going to wipe the juice off the floor? Oops. The juice that had spilled was drying on the floor. ¨C I think it¡¯s going to be pretty sticky. -Yeah, so wipe it up. Citrina burst into laughter. She called for the house maid. **** Time flew by. As Citrina predicted, the princess¡¯s homecoming party came quickly. The various tasks of trying on her dress and choosing Desian¡¯s outfit were over. It was the first day of the imperial princess¡¯s party. It was the time when the princess invited young ladies from various noble families to Fiona Hall in the imperial palace. ¡®It¡¯s a day when low ranking nobles can participate in the summer ball.¡¯ High ranking aristocrats would participate on the last night of the ball, so in reality this was a day given to lower aristocrats to cozy up to the princess. The imperial clock tower had not yet pointed to noon, and the guard did not look tired so far. That¡¯s why Citrina had arrived early. ¡°I am Citrina Foluin of the Foluin Barony.¡± The knight raised the magic orb with a stiff face. -Gemma, are you ready?? ¡®¡­isn¡¯t that a bit ominous?¡¯ Gemma needed attention, but the safety of the contractor should still take precedence. So she shouldn¡¯t do anything to embarrass Citrina. She should try her best as promised. ¡­maybe. -I¡¯m excited! So excited! Gemma flew ahead of Citrina into the hall. Putting aside some unpleasant foreboding, Citrina slowly entered the hall. It was a completely class-based society. Very few people were interested in a young lady from a barony as she walked along the soft carpet. Citrina knew very few faces as well. She turned to the outside of the hall rather than the center. The princess had not yet arrived. ¡®It¡¯s Lady Phantemang.¡¯ When she saw Citrina, Phantemang turned her head with a disgruntled face. It was clear that she hated Citrina. ¡®Well, what can I do? It¡¯s not a bad thing to value aristocratic standards.¡¯ She was tired of playing these games time and time again. Citrina chose to ignore it comfortably. Phantemang wasn¡¯t likely to have a big influence on Citrina anyway. Citrina leaned on a seat near the wall. ¡°Did you hear she works as a jeweler like some member of the gentry?¡± [T.L. Note: Gentry are below nobles, even barons.] ¡°Oh my gosh, no matter how much a noble family may fall, to do that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that the barony collapsed. What a pity.¡± The women burst out laughing. Citrina glanced at them. ¡®This¡­seems to be a fairly interesting story.¡¯ Their voices looked down on her. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t bother her at all. It was just background noise, really. Citrina carefully went over what they were saying about her. ¡®The last one is the worst.¡¯ They didn¡¯t really feel bad for Citrina. They were merely back-talking her gracefully. But Citrina didn¡¯t think much about it. That was all there was to it. Satisfied, she picked up some of the fruit laid out on the table nearby. However, as she was about to put the fruit to her lips, an interesting piece of conversation interrupted her. ¡°By the way, Lady Phantemang, I heard you brought something nice?¡± ¡°I got a precious jewel. It¡¯s from a craftworker on Dartrin Street.¡± ¡­what? A precious jewel from Dartrin Street? Citrina¡¯s ears perked up. She started eavesdropping on them little by little. It was instinct. ¡°He¡¯s a low-class gentry, but he deals in fairly good accessories.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! That jewelry, did you wear that to the ball?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gasp! Phantemang unfolded her black lace fan and smiled gracefully. ¡°You¡¯ll see a little later. I¡¯ll present it to Her Highness, the princess.¡± Citrina swallowed tightly. For some reason¡­she knew exactly what jewel Phantemang had to present to the princess. ¡®Did she bring the gem that makes love come true?¡¯ CH 48 There were lightly magical gemstones going around now on Dartrin street that were meant to make love come true. ¡°The person who will be chosen by the imperial princess will be Lady Phantemang, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I will become a precious lady-in-waiting of the princess.¡± Phantemang¡¯s face shone with ambition. ¡°It¡¯s going to go well, Lady Phantemang!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it is, but I¡¯m sure Her Highness will like it!¡± ¡°By the way, what would Her Highness like?¡± The conversation had quickly shifted. The topic was not Lady Phantemang¡¯s jewelry, but the princess. At this point, Princess Iana was the dream of all aristocratic girls. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t Her Highness like swords because she has trained as a knight?¡± ¡°Nothing is known about Her Highness. I¡¯m super curious!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, have you met Her Highness before? Today is my first time seeing her.¡± Listening to the girls¡¯ conversation, Citrina also thought about the princess. There was very little information revealed about the princess. Even in , there was no description of her thoughts and feelings. Citrina could only guess a few things. ¡®She¡¯s been at the knights academy and she likes romance novels.¡¯ Combining these scattered pieces of information, Citrina came up with today¡¯s plan. Nevertheless, she somehow felt an unreasonable amount of confidence. As she drew strength from her unfounded confidence, the sound of the orchestra flowed through the air beautifully. That sound meant that Princess Iana was coming. ¡°Her Highness the imperial princess has arrived.¡± All of the aristocratic ladies in attendance bowed their heads deeply following imperial etiquette. As the princess entered, the beautiful sound of the orchestra rang out once more. When the orchestra¡¯s melody came to a stop, Princess Iana spoke with a languid voice. ¡°Everyone raise your heads.¡± All the young ladies raised their heads silently. ¡°Thank you all for being here. I¡¯m not feeling well, so I will greet everyone and then go back. I hope everyone can enjoy the party though.¡± Princess Iana¡¯s voice rang out through the hall with the use of a huge magical loudspeaker. Even from a distance, one could see that Princess Iana¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. It wasn¡¯t only Citrina that noticed this. Next to her, Lady Phantemang¡¯s group seemed to have also noticed Princess Iana¡¯s expression. ¡°Oh my gosh, she must have studied ardently all night!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor that she is aiming for a place of power in the future?¡± ¡°How can you say such a thing when His Highness the imperial prince is here! She must have cried recently.¡± ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll die if I only get to greet her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Phantemang! I¡¯m sure Her Highness the princess will like the jewelry Lady Phantemang prepared for her. You know what? I¡¯ll bet you¡¯ll be made her lady-in-waiting!¡± It was such extraordinarily arrogant language that it caused a ripple of murmurs here and there in the hall. Citrina looked at the princess and was lost in thought. ¡®Her eyes are so red, but I don¡¯t think she cried.¡¯ Citrina tilted her head. Meanwhile, the princess¡¯s ladies-in-waiting and attendants started to organize the crowd so that they could give their greetings. ¡°Are you a baron¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please move towards the back of the line.¡± The knight spoke with a cold face. Citrina was pushed and pulled until she was practically at the back of the line. She accepted the circumstances without making a fuss. Still, this made it fair that all of the ladies could greet the princess. ¡®I had a hard time learning the rumor that the princess loves romance.¡¯ It was a rumor she had heard from her best friend Tahani, who attended the knight academy. Tahani was a social butterfly at the academy. Phantemang smiled and touched the small black velvet case. ¡®This topaz is my stepping stone to success!¡¯ The jewelry contained in the elegant, graceful, and even beautiful black case would springboard Phantemang into high society. Although it wasn¡¯t ¡®that¡¯ blue diamond from the rumors, it seemed as if no one had been able to get their hands on the original. ¡°I wish endless glory to the princess. I am Viscount Phantemang¡¯s daughter, Roloaina Phantemang.¡± ¡°Glory be to you, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a present for you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Please place it over there¡­ what?¡± Phantemang opened the velvet case and winked at the princess¡¯s troubled face. As Phantemang had expected, the princess reacted with surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a jewel from Dartrin Street enchanted to make love come true.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fascinating, but¡­¡± There was a bit of curiosity on top of the princess¡¯s sullen expression. There must be a great many wizards around you if you are a princess. There were also spirit contractors and alchemists. Still, this was a very good achievement. Even the presents from ladies of higher status than Lady Phantemang were sorted out mercilessly. Phantemang¡¯s gift alone was in the princess¡¯s hands. ¡®Since I made a good impression today, the princess may invite me to a garden party sooner or later.¡¯ ¡®After this party, I¡¯ll make a deal with that vulgar jewelry dealer and let my brother know about it.¡¯ Phantemang greeted the princess, suppressing her heightened emotions. She strolled away to think. In the future, she might be able to look down on the other ladies in waiting. ¡°Next lady?¡± ¡°Hello, Your Highness¡­¡± The princess constantly listened to the ladies¡¯ greetings and received gifts. But the only thing in the princess¡¯s hands was Phantemang¡¯s offering. CH 49 Chapter 49 By the end of the party, it was time for the daughters of barons to greet the princess, which included Citrina. Among these ladies from baronies, the dignity of their families was low and they were barely in a state to carry on the title. Most of the gifts in their hands were simple. Citrina swept a hand elegantly through her wavy hair once and headed towards the princess. The princess looked absolutely tired now. If it wasn¡¯t for the party prepared in her honor, she looked tired enough to leave immediately. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Are these ladies the last ones?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I see¡­ okay.¡± The princess appeared to want to leave her seat quickly. Indeed, it didn¡¯t seem like the princess needed more ladies-in-waiting. She was very tired, but it was only natural to continue greeting the baronial ladies even though she was on the verge of collapsing. ¡°Please greet Her Highness quickly and then leave.¡± Perhaps conscious of the princess¡¯s fatigue, the lady-in-waiting next to her spoke sternly. Most of the low-ranking aristocratic ladies were desperately hoping for the chance to become one of the princess¡¯s ladies-in-waiting. Despair bloomed on the faces of those ladies. Only Citrina stood still with a perfect poker face. A faint curiosity arose on the face of the lady-in-waiting next to Citrina. ¡°Lady, greet Her Highness.¡± ¡°Your Highness, Imperial Princess, I am Citrina Foluin of the Foluin Barony. Congratulations on your return.¡± The princess nodded her head. The fatigue was visible on her face. Citrina was not extraordinarily beautiful, nor did she have a prestigious background. The princess must have received many simple greetings like this. Citrina opened her mouth cautiously. This moment was like a real sword fight. ¡°The gift I want to present to you is a blue diamond.¡± Citrina slowly opened the case. ¡°A blue diamond? This is my first time seeing one, but it¡¯s unusual. Isn¡¯t there a myth that they can make love come true?¡± Her eyes sparkled for a moment. Citrina looked at the velvet case in the hands of the princess. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not through magic, but through the power of spirits.¡± The princess gave a short response. ¡°The power of spirits?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s spirit art.¡± Iana¡¯s bloodshot eyes began to flash. Citrina realized the gleam in her eyes was a bit overly enthusiastic. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Citrina wondered a bit. -Can I go out now? Gemma started to prod her. Citrina answered Gemma¡¯s request lightly. -Yeah, Gemma. -Oh? Right now is good? -Yes. Please materialize Gemma. ¡°Then instead of showing you gems that make love come true, I¡¯ll show you the spirit that brings good luck.¡± Gemma flew off vigorously from the pendant. The materialized spirit hovered in front of the princess¡¯s face. Gemma soared about the beautiful festival¡¯s stage as if it had been prepared just for her. The lights on the ornate chandelier went out and then came back glittering like jewels. -Citrina, I¡¯ve become an intermediate spirit! Citrina didn¡¯t actually know this until now. After straining over the Silmaril for the past few days, she must have constantly trained and developed into an intermediate spirit. Citrina looked in awe at the materialized Gemma. -I¡¯ll show you. I¡¯ve completely changed! Soon after, sparkling jewel-like powder scattered down from the spirit¡¯s transparent wings. The princess¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise looking at the spirit. No, it wasn¡¯t just that the princess was surprised. Everyone who stood beneath the sparkling powder cast by the spirit looked up with surprised faces. ¡°Oh, oh my god¡­.¡± It was easy to confirm that it was Citrina that was the spiritist who had created this magical environment. The person who was most surprised now was certainly Princess Iana. She jumped up, pointing a finger at the spirit and shouting. ¡°Th, that¡¯s Gemma de Ikadael Wyroche, the Spirit of Freya, the mining city that loves Silmaril, and the spirit of the finest jewels!¡± ¡­what the, did you memorize all of that? The princess was in an awfully excited state. Her eyes were already bloodshot. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct, Your Highness.¡± Even Citrina, the spirit¡¯s contractor, did not know Gemma¡¯s full name. ¡®Anyway, why does the princess who trained as a knight know so much about spirits?¡¯ The difference between knights and spirits was like night and day. Citrina was slightly puzzled but soon came to an understanding. As an imperial princess, she had naturally learned about all of the races. ¡°Then, then, are you a spiritist?¡± ¡°Yes. As you can see, I am the contractor of the gem spirit, Gemma.¡± ¡°Astounding! It¡¯s so astounding!¡± The princess began to applaud enthusiastically. -I danced! Didn¡¯t I do well? -Yeah, you did well, so come next to me. Citrina raised one hand, palm up. Gemma sat triumphantly on Citrina¡¯s palm. The jewel powder sank to the floor and disappeared like it was all a fantasy. As if waking up from a midsummer¡¯s dream, the crowd looked around at each other and burst into exclamations. Citrina asked the princess softly. ¡°Do you want me to cast a love spell, Your Highness?¡± However, Princess Iana didn¡¯t seem interested in the art of love. She just came up to Citrina as if she had forgotten everyone else around them and gripped her shoulders. ¡°No, no love tricks. Thank you for showing us a wonderful presentation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Highness.¡± -I¡¯m done now, so I¡¯m going to rest. I¡¯m tired. -Yeah, get into the pendant. -By the way, she¡¯s showing too much interest in you. -It¡¯s a good thing though. ¨C Why is she interested in you and not me? It¡¯s weird. Gemma glanced at the princess and shook her head. Citrina was slightly taken aback by her honest spirit¡¯s attitude. However, the princess did not seem to care at all about such things. Citrina had absolutely no reason to worry. Princess Iana was not even looking at the spirit properly as she calmed her fluttering heart. Iana clasped her hands, eyes sparkling as she thought. ¡®Oh my gosh! I could feel it was lucky the minute we started talking. Is, is she really a spiritist?¡¯ Iana remembered her pocketbook tucked away in her dress pocket. Princess Iana knew she would have a political marriage someday. Therefore, her dreams were mainly kept to romance novels. This was a fact several quick-witted ladies, including Phantemang, knew. But there was one fact that no one knew. This one thing was that Princess Iana¡¯s favorite novel was . Romance novels were trendy these days, but this was Princess Iana¡¯s number one pick. The story of a beautiful spiritist forming a reverse harem! ¡®This reminds me of the spiritist¡¯s diary! I want to read the next sequel soon!¡¯ Actually, the ladies¡¯ guesses earlier had been wrong. The reason Princess Iana¡¯s eyes were read was that she had been reading all night. Her eyes flashed with irresistible desire. ¡°It¡¯s fate that we met like this, so shall we go to the garden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great honor, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I have so many questions! I¡¯m curious about how you became a spiritist, whether you have a fiance, things like that!¡± ¡°A fiance¡­ Well, I¡¯ll answer them all honestly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll instruct them to open the way to the garden, Your Highness.¡± It was Princess Iana, a lady-in-waiting close to her, and Citrina. Leaving all the other ladies behind, the three of them made their way to the garden. The ladies remaining inside the hall ate finger food and gossiped about the exciting events that had just taken place. ¡°They say she¡¯s the dwarf¡¯s disciple, so she must also be a spiritist.¡± ¡°No wonder. That must be why Lady Estelle was so protective of her!¡± ¡°Ah, whatever. I should have found a way to talk to her!¡± ¡°¡­Th, then are the rumors of being associated with ¡®him¡¯ true?¡± ¡°You mean ¡®him¡¯?¡± The atmosphere suddenly became chilly as if water had been poured on them. There was only one person here with a sour face. Lady Phantemang, who was not even able to use the magic of luck, frowned. Her anger was directed at the jeweler, Feinmann, who had coaxed her into buying the blue topaz. ¡®You dared to tell me the pathetic lie that the blue diamond was stolen. The nerve.¡¯ How dare some merchant of the gentry class make fun of one with precious aristocratic blood? Phantemang¡¯s face turned red. Up until now, the ladies surrounding Phantemang had made fun of Citrina together, but they were now changing their tune. ¡°Lady Phantemang, are you leaving?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With a blunt face, Phantemang turned her head around. There was a saying, ¡°It is the way it is¡±. There was also a saying, ¡°The enemy of my enemy is my friend¡±. The merchant who had so gracefully insulted Citrina was about to be beaten once more by Phantemang. Anyway, it was then that Fiona Hall became noisy with talk of Citrina. Citrina Foluin arrived in the garden with the princess. CH 50 The first empress loved flowers and plants. Thanks to this, the imperial palace became a quiet and elegant place full of beautiful gardens. ¡°The sunshine is nice, maybe because it is late summer, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I know!¡± There was curiosity and interest laced in the princess¡¯s words. Citrina was embarrassed by her giddiness. As her talent was a rarity in the empire, Citrina had expected the princess to be interested in her, but¡­ her level of interest was strange. ¡°You are the first person Her Majesty the princess has invited to the garden, Citrina Foluin-nim.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± The lady-in-waiting¡¯s words made Citrina flush with discomfort. ¡®Things are veering off tracks in a weird way.¡¯ Citrina knew. She was not the hero of this world. At times like this, she had to be on her guard. What on earth did Princess Iana need from her? One more person was added to her list of questions. ¡°Please know it is an honor.¡± While the princess sat in a tall chair prepared for her, a close lady-in-waiting brought a shorter one for Citrina. The ladies-in-waiting prepared Citrina¡¯s seat in an orderly manner. On one side of the round white table sat a spiritist-a rarity in the empire-and on the other sat the imperial princess. ¡°It smells so good, Your Highness.¡± ¡°This tea has roses in it. I love it too.¡± Princess Iana¡¯s eyes turned towards Citrina. The princess held her teacup in one hand and savored a mouthful of tea to calm her beating heart. ¡°Along with tea, Your Highness is knowledgeable about spirits. Is that right?¡± ¡°I do enjoy it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even met a person who knows the names of spirits.¡± Citrina smiled as she put down her teacup. ¡°¡­ Um, well, I read a book about spiritists.¡± ¡°A book about spiritists?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the title?¡± Princess Iana¡¯s lips went dry. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡± She felt a little shy saying it out in the open, so she didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Yes. Let me know. My spirit¡¯s name is Gemma, so I¡¯d love to read it.¡± ¡°¡­ What, what?¡± Iana tried to speak calmly, but could not hide how she was trembling internally. It really was Gemma! A storm was brewing in her mind. ¡®Ah, this is so nice.¡¯ Of course, it was also good to receive a diamond blessed with good luck. She was also happy to meet a spirit. But there was something else that was even better for Princess Iana. Princess Iana¡¯s cheeks blushed brilliant red. ¡®Citrina is the real-life version of the heroine!¡¯ In , the heroine was a low ranking noble who used a high-ranking spirit. Furthermore, their personalities were similar. Later, she would absolutely give her the novel so that Citrina could read it. The real-life version of the main character¡­ ah, no, Citrina would be interesting to read about as well. Iana¡¯s eyes flashed. It was clear. Terribly clear. It wasn¡¯t certain if it was a good thing for Citrina or not, but Princess Iana was an extreme fangirl. ¡°Citrina, are you attending the final ball?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you at that time!¡± Iana smiled broadly and clapped! ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± Citrina responded cutely to the enthusiastic Iana. Citrina smiled at Iana. ¡®Gasp! Now that I think of it, this hadn¡¯t occurred to me!¡¯ An idea flashed in her head. Such a lightbulb moment never occurred when she was almost failing at the academy. ¡°So did you find a partner for the last ball?¡± Iana imagined Citrina would have no partner. ¡®It¡¯s a ball! Shall I help you have a fateful encounter there?¡¯ Iana was destined to have an arranged marriage. But couldn¡¯t Citrina who resembled the heroine in have the fateful encounter that Iana could not? Iana¡¯s heart sparked with anticipation. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Oh? Who is it?¡± ¡°His Excellency Duke Pietro is sponsoring me and agreed to be my partner at the ball.¡± ¡°¡­THAT Duke Desian Pietro?¡± Princess Iana¡¯s eyes widened as far as they could go. Her face was very expressive at that moment. She couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassed face properly. ¡°Yes¡­by any chance, are you acquainted with His Excellency the Duke?¡± Citrina asked cautiously. ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t spoken with him directly. We¡¯ve attended the same events before. I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s quite¡­the cold person, but it seems like he¡¯s sponsoring you. That¡¯s amazing.¡± At Citrina¡¯s sly voice, Iana pursed her lips like a bird¡¯s beak. ¡°That¡¯s what it seems like and what the gossips say. Ah, there has been good news spreading about him too.¡± For Iana, this was the biggest stretch of the truth. ¡°Good news?¡± ¡°¡­ Uhhh, I heard there were a lot of things done in that family¡¯s name. I¡¯m not exactly certain. So he will be a good sponsor. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Princess Iana¡¯s eyes flashed. Citrina accepted her answer indifferently. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a good person.¡± Princess Iana was the type to listen as she pleased. So she looked at the only person to call Duke Desian Pietro a good person. ¡°That¡¯s right. I think people should only judge others based on personal experience rather than rumors. They shouldn¡¯t listen to hearsay.¡± It was a really textbook answer. However, Citrina agreed with it. No one could please everyone and seem like a good person to all. Citrina suppressed a slight feeling of discomfort and glanced at the princess. ¡°I agree with you, Your Highness.¡± Citrina knew the conversation would turn out like this. She was about to casually bring up her atelier to the princess. But Princess Iana was one step faster. ¡°Ah, then¡­ I have a question for you.¡± No one who had ever seen Desian and Citrina out in public had ever considered that Desian loved Citrina. The reason was that Desian seemed to be a million light years away from love. It was more reasonable to assume that Citrina wore a friendly mask in front of him because he was a munchkin that was useful. [T.L. Note: Munchkin is Korean slang for an overpowered character.] ¡®To be kind only to your sponsor, it¡¯s perfect. So perfect.¡¯ However, Princess Iana¡¯s common sense here was completely different from a normal person. ¡°Then per, perhaps there is someone you like, Lady Citrina?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Citrina hesitated for a moment. The princess¡¯s eyes looked too bright. ¡°Not so far, Your Highness. But why¡­.¡± No, it was not Citrina¡¯s delusion. The princess¡¯s eyes, just like the gem powder Gemma had sprinkled earlier, were magic. They flashed dangerously. And at that moment when Citrina felt worried looking into the princess¡¯s eyes, the princess made up her mind. ¡°No, it¡¯s just it seems like good things happen between partners.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°N, nothing at all. It sounds good.¡± Iana chuckled. ¡®It¡¯s Desian Pietro and Citrina Foluin. A capable spiritist lady backed by a cool-headed duke. It would be even better if the duke fell in love with the spiritist and pretended to be sweet in front of her.¡¯ Iana was amazingly spot-on in her pondering. But she wasn¡¯t aware of that. ¡®Let¡¯s not look the duke in the eye the next time we meet. It would be problematic if he read my mind.¡¯ ¡­ She would have to tuck this secret away in her heart so he didn¡¯t know. Iana cleared her throat a bit and said. ¡°If possible, come back often.¡± ¡°I will certainly visit you often, Your Highness.¡± Citrina spoke bluntly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not bad. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Iana, the person who had actually asked her to come, nodded her head solemnly. She was already thinking of the last ball of the festival. Citrina¡¯s day was perfect. Except that the slightly dark-hearted Princess Iana was her companion. CH 51 Hours later, inside Duke Pietro¡¯s office. ¡°I heard earlier that Princess Iana and Citrina became close. They¡¯re already talking about it in high society.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for Rina.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a bit strange. Although spiritists are rare, it¡¯s not the sort of situation where the princess would personally ask for her aid. Does she know that you two are close, brother?¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have known.¡± Did Princess Iana know about the relationship between Citrina and Desian? Since she had been at the academy all this time, Iana¡¯s information network was poor. She was an avid fan of romance novels. A woman with no desire for the throne. He couldn¡¯t quite recall what her face looked like either. He thought she had a strange expression every time they passed each other by. ¡°She¡¯s definitely overdoing it.¡± Desian said coldly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much? What is she up to?¡± Aaron picked up a snack from the table. ¡°You would know if you saw her. It should have been clear to see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, we were both at the academy. She read books instead of sparring.¡± Aaron tilted his head. ¡°She was just a princess who quietly read books. She didn¡¯t seem like¡­a particularly bad person.¡± ¡°That remains to be seen.¡± Aaron glanced over at his brother. Desian intended to manipulate the princess¡¯s mind if any harm came to Citrina. He didn¡¯t make exceptions for an imperial princess. Aaron had a twin¡¯s intuition about how things would play out. ¡°¡­does Rina know you¡¯re good at mind control?¡± Desian had gone from a boy to a man in the space of four years. He had learned in that time how to cheat and hide things more skillfully. ¡°Rumors about the Pietro Dukedom are being neutralized.¡± Then Citrina might like Aaron better. Even though they were like a family, Citrina always seemed like she was ready to take off. Without saying it out loud, Aaron blinked and laughed. Desian spoke in a cold tone as he watched him. ¡°That¡¯s good news to hear.¡± In the face of Desian¡¯s impeccable defense, Aaron picked up a cookie from the table and bit into it. The chocolate chips crumbled sweetly in his mouth. Aaron¡¯s eyes were as innocent as ever, but he had learned a lot of interesting things over the past four years. ¡°Then see you at the ball! I¡¯ll be late!¡± After Aaron left, Desian slowly took care of the duke¡¯s duties. There were not many tasks that needed the duke¡¯s approval. Desian put down his fountain pen with a blank face. There was not much to laugh about in this dark place. At that moment, a messenger bird was heard flying through Desian¡¯s window. It was a very light sound, but he picked it up easily. He opened the tiny note attached to the messenger bird¡¯s leg. Lady Phantemang took care of the store owner, Feinmann. No sooner than he had checked the contents, the note spontaneously burst into flame. Desian gleefully watched the flames burn. He enjoyed it. With a slight amount of oil applied, it came to an end rather beautifully. The Phantemang family would self-destruct as the gentry grew. Everything was elegant and perfect. Desian coldly laughed. It was fun to see everything fit into place like pieces of a puzzle. He thought of only one thing, the one and only variable in his life. Would she¡­find out about this? It was the day after the princess¡¯s party, inside Citrina¡¯s atelier. ¡°Our names were even printed side-by-side in the gossip column. Really¡­ I¡¯m so excited, Citrina!¡± Adilac held the gossip pages tightly in her hands. ¡°¡­while I¡¯m not in there, it¡¯s amazing!¡± Lita¡¯s ears were visibly drooping. Citrina comforted Lita with a pat on the back. ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯m upset, Citrina! Why didn¡¯t you tell me? It¡¯s a spirit! A spirit! I like it so much! I want to go to a jewel-sprinkling spirit party too!¡± -What to do with these two idiots, Citrina -They¡¯re upset. -I think my ears are going to bleed because of it! ¡°First of all, I¡¯m sorry, Adilac,¡± Adilac¡¯s eyes filled with tears at Citrina¡¯s apology. Then Lita spoke cautiously to Citrina. ¡°By the way, master!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a line of people outside, so what should we do? A few people were snooping around, but the line is awfully long¡­¡± Seriously. There was a line of attendants stretching outside the glass doors. She didn¡¯t know if it was the gossip article or Gemma¡¯s flawless magic that had brought them here. ¡°Everyone is waiting outside because they want to buy ready-made jewelry¡­¡­¡± ¡°S,seriously?¡± It seemed like Adilac hadn¡¯t looked out the window because she was so focused on the gossip article, Citrina and the princess, and the jewel spirit. ¡°Wow! This is our chance to get rich by selling all of the jewelry on the shelves, Citrina!¡± ¡°Adilac-nim is right! Congratulations, master!¡± The fox person, Lita, said with a big smile. Just hearing that word made her feel a little bewitched. Wait a minute, master? It felt like he had been calling her that since a while ago. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t important right now. Citrina came to her senses. ¡°No. I won¡¯t sell it.¡± ¡°What? Why? We need to sell it as soon as possible! It¡¯s a chance to make a name for ourselves!¡± ¡°If we sell it all now, everybody will be satisfied.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing if everyone is satisfied?¡± ¡°Adilac.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adilac paused in taking the gemstones off the shelves. ¡°Adilac, you like salmon, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there times when you can eat salmon until your stomach is full, and times when you can¡¯t eat it because you don¡¯t have any?¡± ¡°Yes, so?¡± ¡°When is the time that you crave salmon the most?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­when I can¡¯t eat it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. With that same logic, once you¡¯re satisfied, you won¡¯t look for it anymore.¡± ¡°Ohh, is that so?¡± Adilac was rarely silent. She seemed to be thinking of something. What Citrina was doing at present was limited edition marketing. Buying ready-made jewelry was not for the nobles. It was for the gentry class that yearned for the luxurious consumption of the nobles. If you sold them a limited edition jewelry item, the price would go up to a premium. Then the value of the brand name and the atelier would go up even more. ¡°Come to think of it, there were some messenger birds from nobles too.¡± There were not many letters, as predicted. The aristocracy was relatively conservative. It was natural not to ask directly because it was not a part of noble culture. However, it was satisfactory even if it was only to this extent. ¡°First of all, the gentry class¡­ we are a high-end atelier that follows dwarf Oslo-nim¡¯s instructions, so we can respond by saying that if there is not enough stock, we won¡¯t sell.¡± They were different from the jewelry stores that had been in business in the capital for a long time and attracted regular customers. However, since it was a spiritist¡¯s shop that had attracted the attention of Princess Iana, they could grow their power bit by bit. For the time being, Citrina decided to enjoy the scorching popularity. ¡°I think we¡¯ll only release enough ready-made jewelry to satisfy half of the demand.¡± Citrina took out several jewels from the display case. Ruby-embedded rings and platinum thread rings left the shelves one by one. Adilac looked inside the display stand with curious eyes. ¡°Well, this should be enough to set the trend.¡± ¡°Okay, Citrina.¡± Adilac laughed heartily. Citrina smiled at her. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll explain it to the people outside.¡± ¡°Yeah, explain it so they¡¯ll understand, and ask them to come back next time because we don¡¯t have enough supplies.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lita¡¯s big eyes narrowed. Talking was a fox person¡¯s specialty. But Lita had never tried to bewitch anyone with his words until now. ¡®But for now¡­¡¯ The master had saved him, a person who loves jewels. So it was an important task to give these people a proper explanation. He went outside reluctantly. CH 52 Chapter 52 The festival period flew by like wildfire. Citrina was busy as it took place near Dartrin Street. She released half of the ready-made jewelry and accessories, including designs that were becoming famous among the gentry class. It was also among the ladies of the aristocracy. They came by the atelier from time to time and sent letters of request. However, the ladies with titles of count or higher did not stop by. ¡®The harvest is less than predicted since only daughter of viscounts and lower are showing interest.¡¯ The situation was clear. But she guessed she would have to keep an eye on the situation a little longer. But Citrina still had one more card up her sleeve. A card that was happy to be used. Desian and Aaron would be there together on the last day of the homecoming ball, and it was certain the Blue Ocean would make the news. ¡°It¡¯s already night.¡± For tomorrow¡¯s ball, Citrina planned to go back to the townhouse where Adilac would be. She locked the atelier doors and stepped out. ¡®Will I be able to get a public carriage on a festival day like today?¡¯ She had a sense of frustration. The day before the ball was a festival night. Exquisite lanterns covered the entire area, including the capital square. Everyone was able to enjoy the luxurious festival thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears of the imperial palace wizards. ¡°Dartrin Street is quiet, but¡­¡± Citrina slowly leaned against the atelier door. On days like this, it felt like she was alone. ¡®Happy festival day, everyone.¡¯ She worked diligently and had a home to return to. Citrina recalled the family she was connected to by name alone, with whom she had severed all communication. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s quiet, Rina.¡± A man leaned by the atelier doors. Citrina looked at him in surprise. He was too tall for Citrina to look him straight in the eye, and a smile bloomed like a flower on his pale face. ¡°Del?¡± ¡°Rina.¡± It was her childhood friend. A man with a cold appearance, surrounded by disturbing rumors. He was a person who was somehow sharp, an unknown part of him like the dark side of the moon. Nevertheless, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± According to the plan, they were to meet tomorrow morning. ¡°Del, the ball is tomorrow!¡± ¡°Do you know it¡¯s a festival night today?¡± ¡°Already?¡± Looking at Desian, Citrina scrambled through her recollections. The festival night was a special celebration for the people of the empire. That¡¯s because this was a time to enjoy a beautiful night with family, lovers, and friends. Citrina opened her mouth vacantly. ¡°I¡¯ve never experienced festival night, so I kind of forgot.¡± Desian took a step towards her. The smell of wet grass hit her nostrils. Citrina guessed that he had been standing here for a long time. Love permeated his every action. Feeling her heart throb, Citrina whispered softly. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Then lead the way.¡± ¡°How should we get there?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll use movement magic.¡± Citrina held out her hand casually, as she would for a large dog to give her their paw. It was an unconscious act. As he gently held Citrina¡¯s hand, Desian muttered an incantation. She and Desian were very close now. Her warmth spread into his fingertips. She closed her eyes as the magic took affect, and when Citrina opened her eyes, the spell had been cast. Grass spread around them everywhere. It was not the noisy downtown center of the festival, but a quiet contained space. They were on a mountain. A small chair appeared in front of her. Citrina walked slowly. ¡°The wind is refreshing, Del.¡± ¡°And also the wind.¡± ¡°Yeah, the wind is cool too.¡± Citrina looked at Desian. The wind murmured in her ears. In Citrina¡¯s previous life, she often took walks at night. In her current life, Citrina had never had the chance to enjoy this type of simple pleasure because she was too busy living. Citrina smiled, cherishing this soft comfortable feeling instead of the way she regularly had to stay sharp and aware. But¡­aside from that, there was just one problem. ¡®Um¡­I¡¯m suddenly conscious of it.¡¯ Once you know that someone has feelings for you, you can¡¯t go back to being oblivious. That was natural. Citrina slowly withdrew her hand. ¡°The view is really pretty.¡± She heard a controlled voice stating that the view was nice. If she listened objectively, there was no self-consciousness in her voice. So Citrina pretended to be unaware. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty.¡± After he replied to her, Citrina jabbed her the tip of her tongue out of her lips. She thought he was a normal friend, but it was odd. She felt a little¡­nervous. They were at the top of a mountain where all of the capital¡¯s festivities could be seen. A couple of large villages could be seen from up here. The cluster of buildings that formed the villages twinkled like fireflies. At the top of the mountain was a large crimson bench. Desian led her over to it. Citrina and Desian sat side-by-side. After a moment of silence, Desian whispered. ¡°When you were young, you wanted to see this nightscape.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was strange to hear a recollection she didn¡¯t even remember. He seemed like he remembered every sentence she had ever said. When did his feelings begin? Citrina was unable to fathom the answer and paused before speaking. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t remember.¡± A gust of wind chilled her cheeks. ¡°Forget all of the bad memories. Only think about the good things. Okay?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll only think of you.¡± Her eyes were calm, but her manner was quite brazen. This sharp man became blind and docile. Citrina chuckled. ¡°Del.¡± Maybe this was the magic of the night. Slowly, Citrina turned her head and looked at Desian sitting next to her. He also looked at her in the dark night. ¡°There are many beautiful and good things in this world.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Desian asked in a questioning tone, but Citrina knew it wasn¡¯t a question. Looking at his midnight-black eyes, Citrina opened her mouth slowly. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± This friendly villain and the strange feeling inside her aroused by the night kept agitating her mind. ¡°Then let me know what it is you like.¡± Desian had an infinitely friendly and gentle face. She couldn¡¯t believe this man was the villain in the original work, and that he was a man hounded by ferocious notoriety. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Citrina didn¡¯t think about the gossip. Instead, she faced the man she saw in front of her. ¡°I look forward to what you¡¯ll tell me.¡± It was a docile and friendly attitude. His kind gaze held none of the sharpness that she felt at first glace not long ago. ¡°I used to¡­before I thought to go to the festival with my family.¡± Desian listened silently. Citrina slowly opened her mouth again. ¡°But today¡­ it¡¯s nice being here with you.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Me too.¡± Desian knew. Citrina¡¯s heart was weakened right now, and the word family was her trigger. He even knew that at the word and his friendly conversation, Citrina¡¯s wariness collapsed. Of course, Desian had no intention of becoming her family in that sense. Desian smiled grimly. It was clear what thoughts were going through Citrina¡¯s head right now. She wasn¡¯t aware, but Desian knew. It was polite to clear up her confusion at this point. That¡¯s because he was a ¡®kind¡¯ friend. ¡°Look at the sky, Rina.¡± -pop!- Twinkling stars poured down from the sky. Sparks flashed down like a meteor shower. Citrina stared at the glittering fireworks in the night sky. It was an intense flash that made even the lights of the villages feel shabby. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Citrina spoke, barely breathing. ¡°It¡¯s like being in a fairy tale.¡± It like she was back in a fairy tale, riding in a pumpkin carriage, like the pleasant feeling of returning to simpler times. They were under a night sky full of fireworks. If this was a cliche romance novel, they might have kissed. However, Citrina did not love Desian yet. ¡°Del, when you like the world¡­¡± Citrina spoke slowly again. If he treated her as he had been, as his precious loved one¡­well, that would cause her to grow closer to him. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nice.¡± ¡°What about to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too nice to me either. This a world where you need to watch your back.¡± [T.L. Note: Citrina literally says, ¡°This is a world where you open your eyes and cut your nose¡±] Listening to Citrina¡¯s mischievous words, Desian laughed softly. ¡°I still want to be nice to you.¡± Even though it sounded corny, his voice was strangely powerful. ¡°Why would you?¡± ¡­ He smiled with a drowsy look in his eyes, but she was persuaded. Citrina shook her head lightly and burst out laughing. ¡°¡­Del, I guess I can¡¯t beat you.¡± Upon hearing Citrina¡¯s response, Desian nodded his head. Then he reached out one hand and gently ruffled her hair. ¡°I always lose to you.¡± Seeing him like that, Citrina cast her eyes down. She was enveloped in a strange sense of agony. For example, her thoughts drifted to these things: Should she fix her messy hair? Was fixing her hair crossing a line? She had never been conscious of these sorts of things until now. They were special to each other. It could been because they were like family, or it could be that they were the first people to share significant feelings with each other. Anyway, Citrina¡­smiled as she closed off her thoughts, which had been flustered since earlier. ¡®It makes me feel strange.¡¯ Night seemed to make people more sentimental. But Citrina knew she couldn¡¯t blame her feelings on the night. CH 53 Chapter 53 It was the afternoon of the next day. Citrina was in the ballroom with Desian. After everyone entered, a pointed silence ensued. Citrina knew that the mood around them had sharpened. In other words, they were the only ones laughing and talking. ¡°There are no people around us.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Desian didn¡¯t really look bothered. His aloof attitude, as if he knew everything, worked well for him. ¡°When will Aaron arrive?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be busy now since he¡¯s been knighted.¡± ¡°You two are close, aren¡¯t you¡­?¡± Recalling the contents of the book she read in her past life, she felt deeply touched. ¡°Yeah.¡± Speaking to her, Desian smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Citrina was lost in her thoughts. Meanwhile, the other nobles couldn¡¯t even speak properly. Most nobles denied the reality that Desian Pietro was in attendance at the princess¡¯s homecoming ball. Some were side-stepping away from Citrina and Desian like crabs. There was no hint that they were trying to figure out who Citrina was. ¡®That¡¯s because the atmosphere isn¡¯t good.¡¯ Citrina knew as well that the rumors about Desian were bad. And she knew that his kindness was suspicious. But that was about it. ¡°What bad things have you done?¡± She rummaged slowly through her clutch. This clutch was also a collaboration with a leatherworker. If business went well, she was planning to sell it to everybody, especially the commercial class. So the accessories she brought must be somewhere inside the bag. ¡°¡­bad things?¡± ¡°What? You really did something?¡± At Desian¡¯s gloomy voice, Citrina stopped digging through the clutch. Desian was rather lucky. Just in time, relief appeared. ¡± Aaron Fioran Pietro of the Pietro Duchy is entering.¡± A voice in the distance called out that Lord Aaron had arrived could be heard. And the man who drew the public¡¯s attention, all the while wearing accessories designed by Citrina, slowly approached them. ¡°I¡¯m here, Citrina!¡± It was Aaron alright. He smiled brightly and waved. When the lively and bright Aaron appeared, the atmosphere smoothly changed. ¡°Welcome, no, greetings, Lord Aaron.¡± [T.L. Note: Citrina originally uses casual language and then switches to a more formal tone.] ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± [Aaron uses casual language] There was a stark contrast. Most of the nobles retreated a step further. Still, the air was warm, friendly, and quite like a family. Was that really Duke Desian Pietro, the devil of war? It was almost like that. She whispered very softly. ¡°You look great today.¡± ¡°I was in the garden looking around! Am I late?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not late.¡± Aaron was a perfect example of sociability for all men. So it was fairly likely her name would spread because of him. ¡®¡­ you even did things I did not ask for.¡¯ Citrina looked closely at Aaron and laughed. Seeing as there was a bit of sweat on his forehead, he must have been in a hurry. Going to wipe the sweat away, Citrina paused. There were a lot of eyes on them, so she couldn¡¯t speak informally or wipe the sweat off his forehead like normal. Was someone reading her mind? ¡°Here, a handkerchief.¡± It was Desian. His tone was sort of stiff. But he held out the handkerchief to Aaron quickly. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± ¡°Wipe it up, Aaron,¡± ¡°You have sweat on your brow.¡± Citrina whispered. Aaron nodded slowly, eyes wide open. And he extended both of his hands at an awfully sluggish pace. ¡°You have to take it properly.¡± Aaron took Desian¡¯s handkerchief at once. He wiped his forehead in a hurry. ¡®They¡¯re both cute.¡¯ Was this brotherly affection? Thinking of the future that took place in the original work and that would never happen, Citrina giggled. Even inside the ballroom, the three of them were enclosed in a friendly and intimate world -I¡¯m here too! Gemma whispered. And amid the silently astonished guests, one person calmly walked towards the three. -clack, clack- The sound of heels moved lightly across the marble floor. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, D, Duke, and¡­long time no see, Citrina.¡± Few people could intrude into the space between Desian and Citrina. Besides, there was only one person she knew with that cheerful tone. ¡°Your Highness the Princess?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°I greet you, Your Highness.¡± After Aaron and Desian, Citrina grinned at Princess Iana and greeted her. ¡°¡­the three of you are together, right?¡± Iana was certain. The delusion in her heart was correct. This¡­was love. Even if no one believed it, this was definitely love. Princess Iana smiled unexpectedly. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s good to see you¡­¡± ¡°It looks like you get along well, Citrina.¡± ¡°Yes. As I said in the garden last time, we are childhood friends.¡± Iana covered her mouth with her hand as she watched Citrina. Her gaze swept by Desian, then Citrina, and then Aaron. The blue diamond bracelet Citrina had gifted him was visible on his wrist. ¡°Then, it¡¯s a love triangle¡­¡± Citrina looked proudly at the bracelet and missed Iana¡¯s mutterings. Aaron shuddered with an inexplicable chill. ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡± Citrina asked. A flash of enlightenment struck Iana¡¯s mind. Twin brothers, one woman, in a relationship, together. She gulped. Although she was covering her face with a fan, her gums were getting dry from smiling too much. ¡®Hey, what shall we do? Should I support Desian, or should it be Aaron?!¡¯ But Princess Iana was clear-cut. She decided to support Desian. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing, Citrina.¡± Citrina couldn¡¯t figure out what the princess was talking about. Desian was the only person who heard the word love triangle. Desian laughed softly. ¡®This could become interesting.¡¯ He tucked a lock of Citrina¡¯s hair behind her ear with a seemingly friendly face. Her earrings glistened as a few strands of hair fell from past her ear in front of the gemstones. The small earrings were made of opals. ¡°Thanks.¡± Citrina calmly accepted Desian¡¯s touch. Fortunately, everyone was staring at them, so Citrina was starting to feel that bringing Desian as a partner was a successful marketing move. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Rina.¡± Iana, who was looking at them with a wavering gaze, asked carefully. ¡°Rina?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a nickname, Your Highness.¡± Iana¡¯s eyes grew so big, they couldn¡¯t get any bigger. This was love. ¡°Th, then enjoy it, alright? I¡¯ll be rooting for you.¡± ¡°¡­rooting for me?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Iana went back to her seat. A handful of frozen aristocratic ladies were gathered around there. They were not the low-ranking ladies that were present at the princess¡¯s earlier homecoming party. ¡®I can feel their stares.¡¯ Because of her friendship with the princess, her future was more secure. From now on, things would depend on Citrina¡¯s capability. However¡­¡­. No matter how much she thought about it, Iana¡¯s attitude was too much. What exactly was it about Citrina that Iana admired so much? ¡°Rina, what are you thinking about?¡± Desian asked Citrina, handing her a glass of wine. ¡°Um¡­ I was thinking I was going to get rich?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great thought, Citrina!¡± Aaron chimed in and raised his wine glass. Citrina also raised her glass. Their glasses clinked together. ¡°Then can I show off my sleeve garter now?¡± [T. L. Note: This sounds weird, but it phonetically says ¡°sleeve garter¡± in Korean. ] ¡°Yeah. How are you going to show it off?¡± Aaron clenched his fist and flexed his arm up. Maybe it was because he was a knight, but his bicep swelled up a lot. Wasn¡¯t it unfair that he had such an innocent face and such a good body? ¡°Like this.¡± Aaron smiled bashfully. Citrina looked around with a smile on her face. Some men were looking over with jealous faces, while women looked with elated eyes. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s a success.¡± She had Desian¡¯s sponsorship, and they frequented her shop. With all of this, the ball could end perfectly. But there was one surprising variable. This variable erupted right at the end of the ball. CH 54 ¡°Del, Aaron.¡± It seemed she had drank too much in her excitement. Desian¡¯s worried gaze fell on her profile. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Her heart tickled at his affectionate gaze. Citrina shook her head. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Desian looked at her flushed cheeks. A red blush crept over his lips. But he soon nodded. Citrina noticed the arc of his lips, which did not match his piercing eyes, before heading out of Fiona Hall. A maid assisted her in finding the powder room. ¡®Is the door open?¡¯ ¡°Baron Foluin, remember?¡± Conversation leaked out from inside the powder room. Trying to look for a different powder room, Citrina stopped when she heard a familiar name in their whispers. ¡°Lady¡­¡± ¡°Sh.¡± The maid tried to get Citrina¡¯s attention with a questioning look. Citrina held her hand up to silence her. The maid bowed cautiously and moved away. It seemed she took it as a sign to leave. But given the current circumstances, this was better. ¡®A moment ago¡­I think I heard something strange.¡¯ Citrina held her breath and started eavesdropping. ¡°Did you see Lady Citrina of the Foluin Barony?¡± ¡°Yeah. Doesn¡¯t it seem like she has a close relationship with the duke?¡± ¡°The Foluin Barony must be trying to revive.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s hard to inherit a title when you have no estates or mansions, so it¡¯s a lot of work to get back in power as a fallen aristocrat.¡± It was an interesting conversation. Besides, she wasn¡¯t wrong. Citrina shouldn¡¯t go into the powder room now, and it wouldn¡¯t be polite to eavesdrop further. She tried to slowly close the door. ¡°But I heard that the second daughter of House Foluin became a paladin.¡± ¡°Ah, you mean the one who dropped out of the academy?¡± ¡°Dropped out, or didn¡¯t pass the graduation exam.¡± ¡°And she became a paladin anyway?¡± A mocking voice followed. Hearing just that, Citrina held her breath for a moment. It had been a long time since she had heard talk of Elaina. She had come back to dream, and to see what was going on with Desian. Citrina had long forgotten her family. It was partly because she wanted to work on her business, and partly to forget everything and focus on herself. ¡®I didn¡¯t know Elaina became a paladin.¡¯ She turned and walked back slowly. Listening to them talk about Elaina made her feel better. Time to head back to the ballroom. ¡­now that Elaina had become a paladin, Citrina vaguely expected that she wouldn¡¯t be returning to the empire anytime soon. The ball was coming to an end. Desian and Aaron were the center of attention. Standing by their side, Citrina felt the same way. The amount of gossip didn¡¯t feel bad. Citrina sipped her sweet wine and enjoyed the remainder of the ball¡¯s ambiance. That night, Citrina stepped into her jewelry store. Desian escorted her, but there was little conversation between the two of them. ¡®I need to stop thinking about Elaina.¡¯ After clearing her head, she said a quick farewell to Desian and stepped inside the atelier so she could focus on her thoughts. The experience at tonight¡¯s ball had given her the resolution to start a premium label for the aristocrats. ¡®Though I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to expand my business further.¡¯ Citrina needed a bit more funding to expand her business. Her mind turned to complex calculations. It was then. The small image sphere on a shelf began to glow. [Citrina.] ¡°¡­Oh? What?¡± On the small image sphere floated the face of the dwarf Oslo. [Contracting with a spirit and finding a fox beast-person? Just what kind of group do you have there?] ¡°Long time no see, Oslo-nim.¡± She constantly sent letters about the shop, but it seemed he had gotten frustrated and resorted to the video sphere. Adilac stayed up late at the atelier practicing her craftsmanship, so when she saw Oslo¡¯s video, she jumped up and down in anxiety. ¡°Oslo-nim, what happened¡­.¡± [I heard that something¡¯s been going on and I can¡¯t wait.] The dwarf spoke proudly and stroked his beard. ¡°Has word spread all the way to you already, Oslo-nim?¡± [That¡¯s right. God knows how many letters I¡¯ve gone through already!] ¡°Letters?¡± [Right!] The short Oslo jumped up and down. [T.L. Note: Not a big fan of how the author is describing Oslo, but that¡¯s what is written.] Citrina knew how to deal with a teacher like this. She smirked. ¡°Then you must be a celebrity, Master.¡± [Great, great. Right. I¡¯ve become a celebrity. But there¡¯s more to say than just that.] Oslo glanced around. Lita and Adilac looked at each other. They wondered what on Earth Oslo was trying to bring up. Adilac looked like she wanted to say an awful lot like usual. Nevertheless, she tapped Lita on the shoulder, like she was someone who knew how to wisely use their words. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go for a night stroll, Lita?¡± ¡°A, a night stroll?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you know how good it is for you to go on a night stroll? I can say so myself¡­¡± ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Lita nodded his head quickly like a frightened rabbit. ¡®I see Adilac is going to be monologuing again.¡¯ Oslo remained silent for a few more minutes after they left. Oslo wasn¡¯t the type of person to talk to Citrina just because she was famous. So, it was a little ominous. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s been going on?¡± [You¡¯re going to have a lot of people coming to you in the future.] ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± [Are you going to sell jewelry to everyone like you¡¯ve been doing?] ¡°¡­I¡¯m thinking of popularizing jewelry in the future. But for now I need to generate more funds.¡± Citrina opened her mouth again. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of creating a premium label. My name is already known throughout the capital.¡± [Who are you targeting?] ¡°Some of the ladies of the high ranking noble houses, and the knights. Only, I don¡¯t have my thoughts completely organized on who to target.¡± The dwarf held out a thin section of a gossip journal. The paper was quite crumbled, as if his gnarled hands had clutched it tightly. [You¡¯re always so lucky. Your thoughts and mine are perfectly in line.] Citrina began to read the gossip he had pasted across the screen. Lucky mana stones had become a staple items for knights from high ranking aristocratic families, but the general opinion was that they were too heavy. ¡°I see that there are lucky mana stones. Apparently mana stones have limitations in the amount of magic they can hold.¡± [Right, normal gemstones have fewer limitations] ¡°Then perhaps¡­¡± [Right, how about making some luck stones out of regular gemstones instead of mana stones? I¡¯ll bet your spirit has a glimmer of luck.] Citrina thought of Gemma¡¯s tiny body. She shook her head. What could she do with such a small body? She said she was an intermediate spirit now, but even a small knightly order had over a hundred members, which was a lot for one spirit. ¡°Do you think Gemma could provide enough luck for an entire order of knights? I¡¯m not so sure.¡± [She might not do much, but she could make a magic stone.] ¡°With the species gone¡­ are mana stones losing their effectiveness?¡± [That¡¯s true.] Oslo nodded curtly. ¡®Are they the same species?¡¯ Citrina didn¡¯t have much information on spirits. She¡¯s have to ask Gemma when she woke up. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her first.¡± [Right. The problem is recruiting knights. They are going to resist. Humans are animals that resist new things.] Oslo¡¯s words carried a slight disdain for humans. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing to hear, but she had to agree that the knightly order could prove troublesome. ¡°That¡¯s right. Recruiting the knightly order would be important.¡± [Once you¡¯re recognized by the knights, your standing will be a little higher. That will make it easier to raise your reputation.] The dwarf spoke calmly. [You¡¯re talking about a noble title?] [Yes.] It was not uncommon for ladies from fallen aristocratic families to work, but there were some restrictions. [¡­I¡¯ll try.] Elementists were rare, so of course you could become a noble. If you contributed to the knights and helped them win the war, you would get greater recognition. The knightly order would also gain good publicity. They¡¯d get a positive nickname, like ¡°The Lucky Knights¡±. To put it another way, it was a win-win situation. ¡°¡­I,uh, should be able to arrange something with the knights.¡± It was a chance for Citrina to repay the favor- a win-win situation for everybody. [That¡¯s a relief.] Oslo got up without asking further. Citrina asked impatiently. ¡°Do you have plans to come to the empire anytime soon?¡± [No, I don¡¯t.] As Citrina was wondering if there was a spare bedroom in the townhouse, Oslo shook his head bluntly. [No need. Even if I go to the empire, I¡¯ll use magic scrolls to get there. I heard there was a diamond mine in the Marquisate of Roccone in Petrosha Empire, so I was thinking of stopping by there.] ¡°Ah, I heard about that.¡± Since she was so busy, she hadn¡¯t thought about participating in the auction, but she¡¯d heard the news from Lita. [Since I¡¯ve put my name on the atelier, I¡¯ll supply the gemstones for the time being. In the future, focus on increasing your influence.] ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll try my hardest.¡± Only the grumpy dwarven jeweler would go to such lengths for his disciple. Citrina bowed deeply to her teacher, who had contacted her out of concern. ¡°Yes. Thank you for thinking of me.¡± [Then I¡¯ll turn it off.] When the dwarf left, a small magic scroll was left on the table next to the projector. The coordinates stamped on the scroll were for Ronata Atelier. It was a gift Oslo left for Citrina. It told her to come to the Drip Empire anytime and see him. Maybe not permanently, but for a momentary escape. Citrina recalled her mentor¡¯s kindness. She was determined to succeed. CH 55 It was lunchtime the day after the ball. A lot had happened to her the day before. ¡®Now to make an offer to the knightly order.¡¯ They say to strike while the iron is hot. ¡°Since Gemma hasn¡¯t woken up yet, shall we start with something else first?¡± The pendant containing Gemma was silent. It would be some time before Gemma awoke. High-ranking noble ladies had left messages at Citrina¡¯s atelier. This also happened the day after the ball. In other words, there was still time to deal with it. ¡®Then first, let¡¯s find out what Feinmann is thinking of doing.¡¯ Citrina had scammed Feinmann, so she was prepared, assuming he would hold her accountable. Anyway, it was strange. On the night of the festival, at the ball, Feinmann¡¯s actions were too subdued. Citrina had to be concerned about Feinmann to some extent as her life depended on it. ¡®Desian too¡­I¡¯m curious about that.¡¯ Desian Pietro, with his innocent face and demeanor, but there was still his notoriety to think about. She felt like she was playing a game of chase with him. ¡°For now, let¡¯s find Feinmann.¡± Muttering to herself, she carefully placed the craft paper back into the cupboard in her workroom. Then, after temporarily locking the atelier door, she walked slowly down the street. Her destination was Feinmann¡¯s shop. She didn¡¯t plan to get too close, just enough to see if it was open. But when she got near Feinmann¡¯s shop, someone called out to Citrina. ¡°Young miss, don¡¯t go there.¡± Citrina looked back at the old woman who had called out to her. From her colorful earrings to her beautiful necklace, she looked to be another shop owner. ¡°You must be that young lady. The one who had the big scuffle with Feinmann!¡± ¡°Aah¡­ yes.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be well known because of this sort of thing. Citrina shook her head silently. The old woman put her hands to her mouth and whispered. ¡°Feinmann¡¯s shop is a goner. Don¡¯t you dare set foot over there!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± If she didn¡¯t go this way, was there any way she could step outside? ¡°Oh yeah! Did you hear about the incident with the blue topaz? Feinmann claimed it had the same effect as the blue diamond and sold it! I¡¯m not an expert, but the newspapers said he dared to dupe an aristocrat.¡± The old woman in front of her didn¡¯t seem to know that Citrina was also an aristocrat. Well, she didn¡¯t really care. As she listened to the old woman¡¯s whispers, Citrina pondered. It was all over the gossip papers. If Phantemang had the press on her side, Feinmann was certainly doomed. In the Petrosha Empire, the press was a powerful force. ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so?¡± ¡°I heard a noble got their hands on Feinmann, so he¡¯s as good as dead. There¡¯s a difference in class.¡± The noble was likely Phantemang, as Citrina assumed. Whatever Feinmann had sold her, it must have cost a fortune and it did not have the intended effect. If Feinmann was dead, her death flag would be suspended for now. If he was alive, Feinmann would try to kill her. ¡®If he¡¯s alive, he¡¯s definitely a death flag. What to do¡­.¡¯ Citrina pondered. Then the shopkeeper tapped her on the shoulder. ¡°Ah! There he is. The one who was being harassed.¡± It was Adilac and Lita, probably on their way to work. The pair stood in front of Feinmann¡¯s store. Citrina slowly made her way toward him. Adilac looked at her, puzzled. Citrina slowly reached out and patted Lita on the shoulder. ¡°She said the person who was bothering you is gone, Lita.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lita stared at the door of the shop for a moment. He soon turned back to Citrina. Relief, sorrow, and even a hint of joy were mixed on his face. Citrina had a vague idea of what he was feeling. ¡°I, I feel¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can do it.¡± She wanted to say that it wasn¡¯t bad to feel something over a person¡¯s death. Citrina patted Lita¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the atelier.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Adilac slowly led Lita, with Citrina leading the way. She helped Lita calm down at the atelier and set out once more. Now, her destination was clear. After dropping Citrina off, Desian returned to the duke¡¯s mansion. His mansion which remained locked in the same state as when Citrina had rehabilitated him, seemed cold today. The temperature inside his office was just fine, but it felt empty. Desian moved calmly to the window. Opening the black curtains, he could see the falling petals from the flowers on the tree. ¡®Soon, an envoy from the Holy Kingdom will come.¡¯ That envoy would include Elaina. Her younger sister, Elaina, was still interested in Citrina. However, when she realized Desian Pietro and Citrina were close, she would act prudently. All that remained to be seen was to understand how Citrina felt about Elaina. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask her sooner or later.¡¯ If Citrina loved Elaina, it would be difficult to deal with. The corners of his mouth lifted like a hungry beast. For the time being, everything was moving as expected. But there was one person he couldn¡¯t predict. Desian looked out the window. He saw a small figure step out of a carriage. All that he could see was a silhouette, but he knew who it was. He turned and sat in his office chair, and slowly, he dawned a mask of friendliness. A gentle smile started to form on his stern face. Twelve minutes later, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Del, I need to ask you something.¡± ¡°Sure. Make yourself comfortable.¡± He guided her over to the sofa in the office. Facing each other across the coffee table, a long silence endured. Citrina did not know where to begin. ¡®Should I tell you straight away that I can be of help to you?¡¯ Citrina felt the weight of the jewels hanging from her wrist. As if aware of her situation, Desian spoke softly. ¡°So how was the ball yesterday?¡± ¡°Everything was fine. It was good.¡± ¡°Good?¡± Could they talk about Elaina? Citrina whispered through dry lips. ¡°I have a younger sister. And I happened to hear some news about her.¡± ¡°Did it make you feel bad?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just ok.¡± Nothing described their relationship better than the word ¡®ok¡¯. Citrina and Elaina parted ways as if they would never see each other again. Elaina despised Citrina, and Citrina didn¡¯t like Elaina. However, time was a terrible thing. There was no animosity for her sister anymore. ¡°They said she became a paladin.¡± The words came out more cool-headed than she thought they would. Citrina knew. Elaina had always had divine powers. So it must have been Elaina who cursed Aaron¡¯s sword with bad luck back then. Desian gave Citrina an observant glance, though he didn¡¯t try to continue the conversation. Citrina cheerfully changed the subject. ¡°By the way, do you remember what you said to me?¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± There were so many things they had talked about. Desian¡¯s words made the tips of Citrina¡¯s ears flush red. Come to think of it, the time they had spent together was quite long. Once she realized that, she felt strangely relieved. She blurted out. ¡°What you said about using you.¡± Citrina gave a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to return the favor. I have a pretty good offer for you, so why don¡¯t you use me?¡± ¡°Rina.¡± Desian slowly brought his fingertips to her face. They met exactly at the corners of her eyes. Were there tears welling up? His fingertips rubbed them away as if to erase the moisture. ¡°How dare I take advantage of you?¡± Citrina didn¡¯t avert her gaze until he pulled his hands away. ¡®I..to you¡­ I¡¯m confused about who you are.¡¯ Though avoiding him just because she wasn¡¯t sure was not her preference. Desian slowly put his hands back in his lap, speaking softly. ¡°Tell me what you think is a good offer.¡± Citrina looked at his face. Hints about the person behind the mask were growing. And her heart felt strange. It was as if a veil from childhood had been lifted from her eyes, one inch at a time. Citrina closed her eyes for a while and opened them again. Now was the time to talk about work, not to have these thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that most knightly orders use luck charms, but they weigh a lot and the amount of luck is minimal, so it isn¡¯t very practical.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°If the knights under your control use these sorts of stones, I can change them out for accessories that are light, comfortable, and full of luck.¡± ¡°This is with your spirit¡¯s luck and the craftworker that you hired, right?¡± Desian was smart. He understood her suggestion in a flash. ¡°That¡¯s great, Rina.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± A dark shadow fell on Desian¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re just in time. We got word that some remnants were hiding in the dark tower.¡± ¡°Then it would make a good debut for our lucky stones, right?¡± ¡°It would make a good debut. Discuss the cost with the butler and you can charge however much you want.¡± ¡®Charge however much I want?¡¯ ¡°However much you charge, I don¡¯t mind.¡± He really didn¡¯t care. Desian was indeed the giving tree. [T.L. Note: For those who haven¡¯t read it, this is a reference to ¡°The Giving Tree¡± by Shel Silverstein.] He offered to pay her so much money even though her lucky bracelet hadn¡¯t been verified. He seemed to have somehow become a little more generous with Citrina. Citrina resolved to stay by Desian¡¯s side and try to steer him in the right direction. She had a vague sense of guilt drifting in her mind. ¡°Then can you show me the knights?¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yeah, now!¡± Citrina smiled brightly. Desian¡¯s face seemed to oddly stiffen, but perhaps that was her imagination? For the time being, it seemed that she was mistaken. That¡¯s because Desian gave her a smile like melting snow. ¡°Okay, Rina. I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Desian led the way. There was a sense of sneakiness in the way he opened the door. Citrina slowly accepted his escort and stepped out of the office. Th, then he was going to show her around the knights? Wouldn¡¯t there be a lot of seriously fit men? -¡­I suppose. -It¡¯s boring, but I¡¯ll work hard on it. Gemma normally didn¡¯t let herself get carried away in the Pietro mansion, but today she was very excited. -Watch carefully while we work. -Of course, I¡¯ll watch carefully! -Hm. We¡¯ll have to keep an eye on each person and see what kind of luck they are having. -Alright. Trust me! Gemma was confident, but she never came out of the pendant. Citrina slowly walked down the hallway with Desian. CH 56 Meanwhile, around the same time. ¡°Let¡¯s start sparring.¡± ¡°Good. Never give up!¡± Almost immediately after Ralph finished speaking, the training grounds filled with cheers. Yes, he was in an exhilarating and awesome mood. With a chuckle, he faced his opponent. -clang!- The sound of swords clashing could be heard on the training grounds. Beads of sweat fell like rain. ¡°Everyone, stop dueling.¡± The perfect vice-captain of the Knights of the Blue Dawn wore his monocle as always. But something was odd. At this time, even his monocle looked disheveled. ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°¡­Th, that.¡± Most of them stopped, with Ralph taking the lead. It was unusual for the vice-captain to stop sparring sessions all of a sudden. He was normally in charge of extreme training. So it was only natural for the knights to be stunned. But the bemusement turned to horror. The vice-captain¡¯s mouth opened slowly. ¡°His Grace the Duke is coming.¡± -pop- Ralph¡¯s mouth dropped open in embarrassment. Still, he was in good condition. The nameless knight in front of him dropped his sword. ¡°Form a line, everyone.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± However, despite experiencing the duke¡¯s fearsome notoriety firsthand, they quickly found their footing. The Knights of the Blue Dawn were, after all, the duke¡¯s elite unit. Therefore, it was natural that they should be able to stand in a line with a flash of lightning and without much fuss. Ralph slowly looked over to the training grounds door. The butler, Harold, pushed the doors open. ¡°Here we are, Rina.¡± The knights¡¯ eyes snapped open at the duke¡¯s voice. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ They were expecting brutal training or a declaration of future bloody battles. But after all of the dread, the knights saw no signs of evil from the duke. ¡°This is the training grounds. It¡¯s fascinating!¡± His sweet and gentle voice seemed like a man in love. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°The Knights of the Blue Dawn.¡± ¡°How interesting¡­.¡± The lady walked around the training grounds, glancing at the knights once in a while. The duke was around her at all times, so the knights dared not even look at the lady¡¯s face. The sight of the duke with a lady with a beautiful voice was something Ralph had never seen before: a friendly and commonplace attitude. ¡®Perhaps His Grace the duke has gone mad, ah, no, insane¡­then what¡¯s going to happen to our duke?¡¯ Ralph thought earnestly. He was determined to be loyal to Duke Pietro. But, but! What if the duke was now possessed by the enemy? Ralph¡¯s mind raced with all sorts of possibilities. And one conclusion was certain. In deadly silence, Ralph thought. ¡®So, yeah. I¡¯m dead and in hell. Yeah, that must be it.¡¯ If he survived this, Ralph promised he would believe in God. When Ralph came back to reality, the lady was approaching the vice-captain. ¡°How many knights do you have?¡± ¡°Yes. There are roughly a hundred of us here.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a lot for a small, close-quarters battle.¡± ¡°Yes. Most of them use swords. We¡¯ve never lost a battle so far.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the most impressive¡­.¡± The vice-captain scratched his head awkwardly. A smile tugged at his mouth as if he wasn¡¯t used to being complimented by a lady. ¡°You look pleased, sir.¡± His smile was shattered by the duke¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it.¡± The duke¡¯s murderous aura dissipated at the woman¡¯s gentle tone. Ralph thought silently. Who the hell was she? The future duchess? Or maybe a wizard, a sword master? Ralph¡¯s conjecture spiraled like a mind map. His speculations were interrupted by Citrina¡¯s crisp voice. ¡°Ah, then does everybody wear mana stones to fight?¡± ¡°Yes, they do. They usually fasten them to the tops of their military shoes or wear them like a necklace.¡± ¡°May I have a look at it?¡± The woman¡¯s attitude was very relaxed and natural, but everyone in the room listened. In contrast, the vice-captain¡¯s voice trembled terribly. ¡°Ma¡­na stones are cumbersome, so they are only worn in battle. Few knights were them during training.¡± ¡°It must be pretty cumbersome in battle.¡± ¡°Yes. Mana stones help, of course, but they¡¯re definitely an inconvenience.¡± ¡°Then no knights are wearing a mana stone right now?¡± The woman¡¯s voice turned sullen. The duke spoke in a cool-headed voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rina. If they don¡¯t have one now, everyone will find one. Right?¡± ¡°Of, of course, Your Grace!¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. That would be uncomfortable¡± ¡°Well, one of the knights trains every day with a mana stone. His name is Ralph.¡± ¡°Who is Ralph?¡± The duke¡¯s cruel gaze swept over the line-up of knights. They shuddered as a group. The one who froze like ice though was Ralph. ¡®Wh, why is my name mentioned all of a sudden!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Ralph¡¯s body moved forward. His left arm and left leg moved at the same time, while his right arm and leg also moved together. All of the knights of the order were mourning for Ralph, and at the same time breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Ralph-nim, my name is Citrina Foluin. I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°I, I am Ralph Dekarra of the Knights of the Blue Dawn. Hehe.¡± The lady in front of him was pretty and smelled nice. As he stared at her, Ralph felt a pair of eyes on him. ¡®Wh, what is this stare?¡¯ Meeting the gaze of the duke, with his cold eyes and an icy demeanor reminiscent of a harsh northern winter, Ralph felt his life was in danger. His face hardened rapidly. ¡°Can you tell me where you put your mana stone? Do you wear it on your boot or as a necklace?¡± Ralph didn¡¯t hear Citrina¡¯s words as he was too busy meeting the archduke¡¯s cold gaze. [T. L. Note: As far as I know, this is the first time Desian has been referred to as the archduke.] The archduke¡¯s lips curled into a sneer. Ralph was mesmerized, unable to break his gaze. He could see the Grim Reaper over that mountain. Ralph recalled how the archduke had been like a demon and a wild beast when confronting the dark tower. How terrifying it had been to see him, covered in blood, smashing everything with an expressionless face. ¡°She asked where you put the mana stone.¡± Ralph replied very quickly. ¡°Do you mind if I take a look at it?¡± ¡°N, not at all!¡± Ralph hurriedly untied the mana stone on a cord around his neck. The mana stone was the size of his palm. It was too big for an ordinary person to wear around their neck. Ralph held it out to her with the necklace in his hand. Citrina looked at it long and hard- at the mana stone and the thick cord tied around it. ¡°Does the lucky mana stone seem to work?¡± ¡°Yes! It seems like the strikes aren¡¯t as harsh.¡± -It doesn¡¯t look like that to me. Gemma whispered from inside the pendant. Gemma¡¯s overflowing boldness gave Citrina a strange sense of amusement and unfounded confidence. -Alright. I¡¯m going to take a look at it. ¡°Will you hand it to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s too heavy for the lady to carry¡­.¡± Ralph faltered as the duke stood next to him, radiating pressure. ¡°Hand it over, Ralph.¡± Desian¡¯s voice was languid. ¡°You know all of our names?¡± A smile appeared on his expressionless face. Of course, Desian didn¡¯t care about Ralph¡¯s name. But Citrina was looking at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°Of course.¡± Citrina gave a small gasp of admiration. At that instant, Ralph broke the mood once more. ¡°I, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± A spoke in a squeaky, loud voice. The vice-captain became contemplative, and Desian¡¯s expression froze. However, Citrina was too busy checking the mana stone to notice. Ralph also didn¡¯t notice as he handed over the stone. In any case, the mana stone was safely in Citrina¡¯s hands. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really heavy.¡± Was it at least 3 kilos? Citrina thought to herself. She knew the mana stone weighed more than its volume, but she didn¡¯t know it was to this extent. -From what I can tell, it¡¯s okay, but it¡¯s too heavy. It might even reduce the power. ¨C Do you think you can make a more powerful luck stone than this, Gemma? As she talked to Gemma, her arm began to twitch. Desian casually took the mana stone from her. ¡°It was heavy, thanks.¡± ¡°You have weak wrists.¡± Desian was always sweet as honey. Citrina turned to face him and smiled. The genre was only romance for them. Ralph¡¯s genre was thriller. Tears prickled in his eyes from the goosebumps sprouting all over his body. ¡°Does it seem like you¡¯ll be able to produce a decent lucky stone?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m feeling confident.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Desian slowly took her hand. He meant to escort her. However, Citrina was taken aback. Oddly, ever since the day Desian held her hand, it had been awkward to hold hands. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s a little awkward.¡¯ Desian¡¯s affection was clearly palpable. However, Citrina¡¯s feelings for him were less clear. Like a fish out of water. So Citrina decided to take her time to slowly figure out her feelings for him. But the mere touch of his hand made her senses react, and she was not sure how to interpret it. Was he aware of Citrina¡¯s emotions changing? Desian spoke lazily. ¡°Now let¡¯s go make some lucky stones.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Rina.¡± Their conversation drifted away. The door to the training grounds slammed shut behind Harold. The remaining Knights of the Blue Dawn weren¡¯t sure what they had seen. ¡°Vi, vice-captain.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I saw a ghost, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s blasphemy, Ralph, and it seems like you are about to become the duke¡¯s dueling opponent.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid so, sir. Rest in peace.¡± Ralph shuffled through the ranks of grizzled knights like a man who had accepted his fate. The vice-captain¡¯s prophecy was correct. Soon after, Ralph was dragged into the duke¡¯s dueling chamber, where it was said he escaped after a tremendous struggle. Had it not been for the mana stone or the duke¡¯s graciousness in sparing his life ¡­ Ralph would have died on the spot. He resolved to cherish his newfound life. CH 57 Chapter 57 Citrina didn¡¯t find many problems with the duke¡¯s knights. That is to say, she couldn¡¯t find any problems. So after the training grounds, Citrina and Desian sat down in his office. The purpose was to produce a lucky stone and present the sample to him. ¡°Where is your draft?¡± ¡°I was going to show it to you now. Did you read my mind?¡± Citrina asked playfully, her eyes twinkling. ¡°No. Your thoughts are hard to read.¡± So he had tried to read her thoughts. That meant he could read other people¡¯s thoughts. Either way, it was creepy. Citrina once again realized that Desian¡¯s abilities were the most powerful in this world. ¡°I wish I could also read people¡¯s thoughts.¡± ¡°No don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want you to see.¡± He wiped away the tears that had gathered around the rim of her eye. His touch was so tender that it brought the tears back. ¡°I must have been squinting too much.¡± Citrina said, trying to hide her embarrassment from the man who had wiped her tears away. She¡¯d never noticed it before, but these days his touch made her feel warm. Was it because Desian was treating her with the kind of family love she had never known? ¡°Then I¡¯ll make a matte bracelet that looks like this. I¡¯ll put a bit of platinum inside of the bracelet.¡± Citrina made a rough drawing on craft paper. She thought it would look nice if the circular bracelet was densely engraved. This was a time when men didn¡¯t wear accessories, but this should be acceptable. ¡°You took the measurements of the duke¡¯s attendants, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep the weight as light as possible. Does that sound right?¡± Despite Citrina¡¯s endless amount of questions, Desian answered them all dutifully. ¡°¡­ Won¡¯t they hate it if it¡¯s too pretty?¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t like it when you¡¯re the one designing it?¡± Desian was serious. Citrina burst into laughter. It made her think of muscular knights wearing elegantly-crafted bracelets on their wrists. Well, that wouldn¡¯t be bad, but¡­ While Citrina was picturing knights wearing thin bracelets, Desian said prophetically. ¡°Everyone will love it.¡± At his adamant manner, Citrina started laughing again. ¡®They won¡¯t.¡¯ Citrina shook her head a tad. ¡°I don¡¯t think so at all. Don¡¯t get my hopes up too high, Del! Just something drawn up like this will do.¡± After a quick chat with Desian, Citrina perfected the draft. To keep it light, a synthetic metal would be good. But at this time, unless you have an alchemist working with you it¡¯s hard to get synthetic metals. She would have to work with other rough gemstones. Remembered the pouch she had brought with her earlier. ¡°Ah, I have a favor to ask you.¡± It was a request as the owner of the atelier. It was a trivial request, but somehow it made her feel nervous. ¡°I want to make a sample for you. I¡¯ve brought the spirit and a gemstone.¡± ¡°Now?¡± Citrina took the pouch from her wrist and set it on the table. Desian¡¯s eyes shifted to it. A small gemstone peeked out of the pouch. Citrina pulled out a tape measure that was also inside. ¡°May I measure your wrist now?¡± She gently grasped his wrist. His wrist was thick, unlike hers, which she could wrap her hand around. His skin was white and she could see blue veins on the inside of his wrist. Citrina suddenly realized he was a real person in this world. ¡®He¡¯s not harming me, but he¡¯s not harmless. He¡¯s just¡­a person who is here.¡¯ She could feel a slight pulse from Desian¡¯s wrist. Thump, thump, thump. She could feel his heart pounding. The longer she held his hand, the faster his pulse beat. It seemed like she could hear it in her ears. ¡°Rina.¡± Desian gently called to get her attention. Citrina hastily wrapped the tape measure around his wrist. ¡°¡­Yeah. I got it.¡± Citrina replied as she tucked away the tape measure. Something about it felt odd. It felt as weird as being caught making out by a toddler. It wasn¡¯t even an affectionate gesture. ¡®It¡¯s nothing, but I keep thinking about it.¡¯ Citrina chewed on her dry lips. Desian¡¯s feelings were clear, but her own feelings for Desian were getting confused little by little. Then, Gemstone placed her hand on the gemstone and met Citrina¡¯s gaze. The gemstone slowly changed. The bumpy surface of the stone smoothed out. The gemstone flattened out, then elongated, and finally rounded out into a doughnut shape. Because Gemma was connected to Citrina, the spirit was able to replicate the design in her head. -Now I¡¯m going to cast a spell. Gemma spoke cheerfully in an energetic voice. The sweet sound of the good luck charm rang in her ears. A small vortex formed over the bracelet, which had been summoned by the spirit. Desian watched, his jaw set. His expression was blank. Feeling his gaze, Gemma wiped the sweat from her brow. She wondered if it was okay to cast a luck spell for someone who didn¡¯t need it. -It¡¯s done! A silver bracelet floated onto the table. Citrina smiled contentedly and took the bracelet in her hand. Desian looked at her bracelet and whispered. ¡°Rina.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Help me put it on.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± For a moment, Citrina was puzzled, but then she quickly understood. ¡®Come to think of it, Desian must not have worn a bracelet before.¡¯ Men of this era rarely wore jewelry. Even magical tools were rarely worn, except in times of war. Nor were magical tools needed by wizards like Desian, for whom magic circles were pointless. So the very idea of something like this bracelet would be foreign to him. ¡°Will you give me your wrist?¡± Desian held his wrist out to her like a docile lamb. Citrina unbuckled the bracelet and quietly slipped it on his wrist. She was very careful, trying not to feel the pounding of his wrist. ¡°Is it comfortable?¡± ¡°Light and comfortable.¡± Desian clenched and unclenched his fist a few times. Was he trying to feel the luck in it? Citrina asked carefully. ¡°Do you feel lucky?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was a simple answer, but also the one she wanted to hear. To be honest, as a black magic warlock, the elemental magic had an opposing effect. The degree of luck was too small to impact him. However, Desian thought as he looked into her forest-green eyes. He¡¯d already been blessed with enough good fortune in her, so he didn¡¯t need to ask for more. ¡°It will probably take about fifteen days to make lucky bracelets for all of the knights.¡± ¡°Will the craftworker also make them?¡± ¡°Yeah, Lita also knows how to craft, so he can make them.¡± If the knightly order could perform miracles with the help of lucky gems, it would cause quite a stir among society¡¯s lords and ladies. It would also help her case for being knighted even though she didn¡¯t have a territory. If that were to happen, Citrina would be a success in her own right. Her name, along with Oslo¡¯s, would spread throughout the empire. ¡°How long do you think we have to deliver them all?¡± ¡°You can take your time. I¡¯ll make it work for you.¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± Citrina narrowed her eyes. Desian was so sweet. There was that creepy tingle she felt now and then like it was screaming it was all a lie. Desian smiled at the look in Citrina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yeah. I can do that.¡± He quickly organized the plan in his head. It would be easy to sweep it all up, but it would be nice to have some light action for Citrina. She wanted her business to flourish, and Desian wanted to see her myriad of expressions. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to arrange some press coverage.¡± Citrina¡¯s eyes sparkled at his words. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was thinking of contacting the press too. We could make a video clip of the dark tower being cleaned up and send it to the press, right?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Of course, Desian¡¯s ¡®arrange¡¯ had the nuance of blackmail, while Citrina¡¯s ¡®arrange¡¯ was a bit more literal. Still, their thoughts were in agreement. They would use the press. ¡°I hope it works out for both of us. I hope it helps me as well as you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re helpful all the time.¡± Desian¡¯s sincere gaze was always comforting to her. Citrina leaned back slowly. She felt at home, comfortable, and at ease. ¡®I feel comfortable with Desian.¡¯ This comfort was separate from the unsettling feelings she had for him. Citrina had never had a place to call her own. For her, it felt like a home away from home. CH 58 It was three days later, inside Citrina¡¯s atelier. ¡®The value of the craftsmanship is increasing.¡¯ She decided at that point to increase the percentage of wages paid to Adilac and Lita. Unlike Feinmann in , Citrina had no intention of exploiting her workers. Citrina glanced towards the workshop. ¡°How much do you have left, Adilac?¡± Sipping her morning coffee, Citrina looked back at the two craftworkers. As the workload increased, Lita joined them as an assistant. ¡°Um¡­about fifty more.¡± ¡°We¡¯re halfway there, Citrina-nim!¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s not good to work three days and three nights. Make sure to take tomorrow off.¡± Their faces fell. Since they had insisted on pulling all-nighters and working overtime, Citrina had also stayed overnight. She was determined to do something to help. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to wash my hair tomorrow when I take the day off.¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t wash your hair?¡± In Citrina¡¯s mind, the distance between her and Adilac grew a bit wider. ¡°My ancestor, if I do say so myself, could have lived for a hundred and sixty years and been a rich person by the next day. So he only washed his hair once a week, since he was aware of how he spent his time.¡± ¡°Is¡­that so. Well, success and money are always good.¡± ¡°Yes! I should work harder.¡± Adilac turned her attention back to her craft. -She¡¯s so dirty. Ignoring Gemma¡¯s hushed whispers, Citrina sat down at the table and read the letters with some trepidation. Letters had been arriving one by one from high-ranking nobles, perhaps due to the events at the ball. There were letters asking for simple customized jewelry. It was well within Citrina¡¯s capacity to arrange the letters and find a time to meet with them. ¡®Since the duke¡¯s request came first, I¡¯ll have to ask them for a delay.¡¯ Citrina neatly organized the letters and replies. Then she calmly opened up the day¡¯s gossip paper. ¡°Huh?¡± What was this? Her face hardened. Along with her hands. She froze for a moment until Adilac called out to her. ¡°Citrina, is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Citrina read the front page of the gossip paper. The pictures within the gossip paper creaked and moved as if by magic. One name caught Citrina¡¯s attention. An envoy from the Holy Kingdom of Caisairan had entered Petrosha Empire. The paladin Genfiros was the leader of the delegation and paladin Elaina Foluin was the deputy leader. The appointment of a female novice paladin as the deputy leader was quite unusual. It was a testament to Elaina Foluin¡¯s strong role in the Holy Land. ¡®Elaina has returned to the Petrosha Empire.¡¯ Citrina thought back to the day of the ball when she had heard talk of Elaina. It had been a week or so since then, and it had faded to the back of her mind, more or less. ¡®¡­Come to think of it, what happened to Baron Foluin?¡¯ Baron Foluin was nowhere to be found, and Baroness Foluin no longer visited Citrina. Even after four years, it was hard for them to reach out to each other. Especially with Elaina. Citrina didn¡¯t have a vendetta. She harbored a small amount of guilt that she had changed Elaina¡¯s chances for a happy future. ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll see much of Elaina in the future.¡¯ Citrina¡¯s ambiguous position as a fallen young lady of the Foluin Barony had been resolved, with her nobility and ties to the barony severed. The envoys would be meeting this afternoon at Venitri Grand Hall ¡­so she should avoid Venitri Grand Hall today. She did not wish to see her again. But as always, the heart does not get what it wants. -Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! The opening ceremony of the Holy Kingdom! That¡¯s so cool! -¡­Really? -There¡¯s going to be a ton of people in the crowd! Do you think I¡¯ll get a good view? Gemma whispered ecstatically from inside Citrina¡¯s pendant. -Are a lot of people going to be there? -Of course! I¡¯ll just show my face for a second. No, no, no. She felt a little guilty that Citrina was just sitting around while the craftworkers worked so hard. ¡°You¡¯ve been reading the article about the Holy Kingdom, haven¡¯t you, Citrina?¡± Adilac spoke, finishing her work and coming to her side. She must have wondered what Citrina was reading to cause her face to become so serious. ¡°Yes. Rumors about the Holy Kingdom are abundant.¡± ¡°¡­really?¡± -Let¡¯s go check out the rumors. If we go to that place with a lot of people, won¡¯t we be able to hear more? Gemma¡¯s voice sounded as sweet as the devil¡¯s whisper. Citrina weighed her options. If rumors were going around about the mission of the Holy Kingdom, she would surely hear news of Elaina. Elaina resented her. So it was likely she would try to bring Citrina down, even if it was a petty vengeance. ¡®Let¡¯s go to the square and gather rumors about the envoy.¡¯ Citrina did not yet recognize Elaina as her true enemy. She didn¡¯t know exactly what Elaina thought, but they couldn¡¯t destroy each other while they shared a name. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be out a bit this afternoon.¡± ¡°Ok. Goodbye, master! Maybe we can also sell our jewelry to the Holy Kingdom!¡± Citrina smiled weakly at Lita¡¯s cheerful voice. Since Elaina was an envoy as a paladin this time, it somehow felt like she would be a bit more visible. ¡°I hope so.¡± ¡°It will be!¡± ¡°¡­maybe they¡¯ll become our competitor. We have to be determined.¡± Citrina knew best why the Holy Kingdom was so wealthy. They sold holy objects. And holy objects could not damage Citrina¡¯s atelier. Elaina must have known about Citrina¡¯s dream to have an atelier shortly before they parted. The heroine of was like that- she knew the cards dealt to her and how to use them to her advantage. ¡®I suppose I should respond in kind.¡¯ Taking another sip of her coffee, Citrina vowed to do a better job collecting information. *** That afternoon, Citrina and Gemma headed to Venitri Square and were overwhelmed by the crowd gathered there. To put it mildly, there were more people than clouds in the sky. Citrina found a spot by the square¡¯s central fountain and grabbed an ice cream, a specialty found in the square. The path from Venitri Square to the emperor¡¯s castle was densely packed with people. ¡®I didn¡¯t come here to see the paladin delegation¡¯s ceremony anyway.¡¯ She looked around. Everyone seemed to be excited. Apparently, the Holy Kingdom, Caisairan, was popular in the empire. -Gemma, is this crowd gathered for the ceremony? -Yeah, I think so! What do we do? I¡¯m excited! The pendant containing Gemma flinched uncontrollably. Citrina clutched the pendant, listening to the conversation of the people on duty. ¡°They can¡¯t be serious about handing out relics containing god¡¯s prophecies, can they?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first visit of a delegation in ten years, so I¡¯m sure they¡¯re serious.¡± ¡®A divine¡­prophecy?¡¯ The delegation of paladins was a tool to revive the reputation of Caisairan. Caisairan was a divine nation that appeared inside the original work, . It was a small country blessed by god, and it produced paladins every year who traveled around the continent spreading god¡¯s prophecies. The Pope, the leader of the Holy Kingdom and devout believer in god, was Elaina¡¯s supporter in . It seemed like the same was true here. ¡°More than a prophecy, I wish I could get some holy water.¡± ¡°I want a paladin¡¯s blessing!¡± These were strange and familiar conversations, with talk about paladin¡¯s blessings and holy water. -That¡¯s weird. -Yeah? Why? -They¡¯re selling things that contain prophecies from god. Does god still care about this world? With that, Gemma tilted her head. -Why, what¡¯s so strange? -How can god¡¯s prophecy be embedded in an object? As a reincarnator who was aware of her past, Citrina had a certain amount of faith in the divine realm. Her awareness of her past life was also a strange divine blessing that couldn¡¯t be explained rationally. ¡°Did you hear that? It seems the high priest is going to offer the holy object to the emperor.¡± ¡°You said the deputy head of the mission is originally from the empire. Was it a baron or something?¡± ¡°A noble then.¡± ¡°A noble, yes. But it seems like they¡¯ve long since fallen.¡± Among the chatter of the passer-byes, Elaina¡¯s story broke through. The reason Citrina had come the Venitri Square was the hear what the world was saying about Elaina Foluin. ¡°The envoy is coming!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Holy Knights! Can you see the white uniform?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a falcon, so how could I see over there?¡± Light grumbling followed. At the sound of the envoy¡¯s arrival, Citrina cleared her mind. Gemma flew up in the sky, taking in the hubbub. Among the festive atmosphere, Citrina was the only one organizing her thoughts. If Citrina¡¯s memories from her past life were correct, the paladins would be lined up on the boulevard in white robes. At the front of the second row, the leader would raise his sword. It would sparkle and shine. ¡®Elaina will be attached to the emissary, unlike the original.¡¯ She was a younger sibling who knew her heart too well, sisters who understood each other too well. They were sisters who shared the same ambition to succeed, so much so that they couldn¡¯t help but hurt each other. ¡°I can¡¯t see the ceremony from here, but it must be amazing, right?¡± ¡°Look at all of the people cheering.¡± Citrina took one look at the crowd gathered around Venitri Square and stood up. The people in the square were cheering. The paladin memorial service seemed to be coming to an end. Gemma spread her wings and descended from the sky. -It¡¯s your sibling, that¡¯s amazing. -That¡¯s right. It¡¯s amazing. -But I like you better. -I know that. At Citrina¡¯s simple reply, Gemma slipped silently into the pendant. Citrina hailed a carriage outside the square. The carriage drove through Venitri Square and onto the opposite side of the road from the delegation and the crowds that filled the boulevard leading to the imperial palace. Elaina, you walked towards the imperial palace. I run outside of it. They were sisters yet they followed opposite paths. Citrina headed back to the atelier. She needed to get to work on the bracelets for Desian¡¯s knights. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. That was her top priority right now, rather than the worry or resentment that she might feel for her family. CH 59 Chapter 59 A peaceful week passed. The envoys hadn¡¯t done much since greeting the emperor. Elaina, who must have known of Citrina¡¯s existence, did not seek her out. Therefore, it was all a false peace. Even in that strange peace, there was a small amount of pleasure. Slowly, Citrina was realizing Desian¡¯s sincerity. Truthfully, it had started out small. A good rumor about Duke Pietro had been swirling around the empire. ¡°Duke Pietro made a donation to the spirit arts, Citrina!¡± ¡°For spirit arts?¡± ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s close to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­because we¡¯re close.¡± She now clearly understood Desian¡¯s feelings. And now it was time to understand her own emotions. Nevertheless, her heart was more important to Citrina right now. Citrina decided to let her mind wander, like a paddle boat with no sails. Citrina blinked. ¡°Oh? Citrina, you look good when you smile.¡± ¡°¡­ am I smiling?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As she listened to Adilac¡¯s energetic observation, Citrina realized something all of a sudden. Actually¡­ she did feel good. Citrina endured the uproar in her heart for the time being. The reason was simple. She was so, so busy. Luckily, a week was enough time to complete all of the bracelets. Lita and Adilac created the bracelets and Gemma enchanted them afterward. Citrina headed to the Pietro Duchy with Lita at her side, who carried a box full of bracelets. Harold led them toward the garden. ¡®Desian being in the garden reminds me of old times.¡¯ Desian was waiting for Citrina in the garden. He was standing under a tree with the sun shining on him, so he was both in shadow and light. Citrina strode toward the tree where he was standing. One side of his face glowed in the sunlight. Citrina looked at his profile and suddenly thought that he had an admirable appearance. ¡°Del, we¡¯ve made all of the bracelets!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it would take fifteen days?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Citrina shrugged, looking at the leaves in the tree above them. ¡°We finished earlier than I expected.¡± Adilac and Lita had worked hard all week without washing their hair, but she couldn¡¯t say that. Desian walked over to her and accepted the box. The box had been measured properly and had a simple engraving inside so that it would go to the right owner. ¡°Thanks.¡± Fortunately, Desian didn¡¯t ask any more questions. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve paid me enough, so I won¡¯t ask for more.¡± Citrina was worried about Desian, the giving tree. Desian was still leaning against the tree. As he stood there, he asked her, ¡°Why can¡¯t I give you more?¡± ¡°Because I have enough?¡± She wanted to say that he was going to get swindled, but she left it for now. ¡®If I ask for a castle, at this rate, you¡¯ll buy me a castle.¡¯ Truthfully, Citrina almost received a castle. His gifts were as grand as the way he looked at her. Citrina wiped the sweat from her brow. Ah, she could tell he liked her. It was cute how he was so attentive. ¡°Yeah. I get it for now, Rina.¡± Luckily, he seemed to be convinced. She tapped him on the shoulder, her expression energized. Her fingertips flinched slightly at the solidness of his shoulder muscles. ¡°Now shall we go hand out the bracelets?¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sure everyone is looking forward to the battle at the tower.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡­did the knights expect to go to battle? Citrina didn¡¯t know anything about the knights¡¯ physiology, so she just nodded her head. ¡°When are you supposed to head out?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± The answer came so naturally that Citrina stopped dead in her tracks. ¡°Can you really divulge operational secrets like that?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you.¡± He smiled harmlessly. Citrina bit her dry lips. He only acts like this with her now. Well maybe with Aaron too But what if Desian was good to someone else? Would that person have a good heart, or would they treat him poorly? ¡°If you¡¯re too nice, you¡¯ll get taken advantage of. Understand?¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it.¡± Desian responded dutifully. He was so sweet in front of her that she couldn¡¯t help worrying about unnecessary things. Desian looked like a big dog today- a big black dog with a wagging tail. ¡°Good boy.¡± Citrina spoke again with a small smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± Down the hallway, they pushed open the doors to the training grounds together. As Citrina had expected, the knights were sparring as usual. ¡°It¡¯s a lucky bracelet that weighs much less than a mana stone.¡± ¡°On behalf of the knights, I thank you.¡± The vice-captain of the Knights of the Blue Dawn bowed deeply. In the meantime, the duke¡¯s attendants began handing out the bracelets. But for some reason, it seemed like the knights were avoiding making eye contact. Did they¡­ hate her? She must have been mistaken. ¡®The mood is so strange.¡¯ Citrina slowly moved towards Ralph, whose face she recognized. Ralph straightened up with a confused look on his face. ¡°How is it, Ralph?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet since we haven¡¯t sparred with it once, but I like that it¡¯s so light!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Will you give it a try?¡± Ralph¡¯s problem was that he was too honest. Desian replied as if he had been waiting for this. ¡°Would you like to watch the sparring, Rina?¡± ¡°Oh, that would be great! It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be able to see you in an actual fight.¡± The knights¡¯ eyes became tense. Sparring in front of the duke was the last thing they wanted to do! Unaware of their murderous looks, Citrina laughed lightly and threw out of bomb of terror. ¡°Del, sparing seems cool. I¡¯d like it if you could participate.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah! You also know how to use a sword, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Then¡­who would you like me to duel?¡± Desian¡¯s cold gaze swept over the knights. Most of the knights looked away, trying to hide the tears in their eyes. It was then that Citrina spoke up. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you spar with Ralph-nim?¡± ¡°That would be fine.¡± Ralph looked at Desian, and with a whimper, dropped to his knees. While it was a posture of submission, it was clear that his knees had failed him. Internally, the knights mourned for Ralph once more. ¡°I, I worry I am not good enough to face His Grace¡­¡± Ralph¡¯s muscles twitched. Desian crushed the last of Ralph¡¯s pathetic protests. ¡°A few bouts should be enough.¡± Desian took the longsword handed to him by the vice-captain. He was a warlock, but he could handle a sword to a certain extent. So he was a well-rounded fighter. ¡®Come to think of it, he¡¯s used a magic sword.¡¯ However, Citrina had never seen him fight with a magic sword before until now. So she was a little curious. -I feel bad for that pathetic guy. That Ralph. -¡­pathetic? -Oh, no. I spoke wrong. My dumb mouth. While staring at the muscular Ralph, Gemma covered her mouth. ¡®Hmm¡­the rumors about him seem to be more than I expected.¡¯ So was his prowess a rumor or the truth? Citrina looked around slowly. ¡®Everyone is scared, that¡¯s for sure. By the looks of it, I¡­must have done something terrible to Ralph.¡¯ Nevertheless, she had already spoken. As Citrina ascertained the situation, the path began to open up bit by bit. The knights began to back away. Only Ralph was left at the front of the training grounds. ¡°Th, then, I will receive your teaching.¡± The muscular, tall man cried. Citrina began to observe the situation. What would Desian¡¯s swordplay be like? And could luck play a role? The two questions collided. ¡°I will.¡± Desian faced Ralph. It was a simple duel with light swords similar to rapiers; however, Ralph¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Ughh, then let¡¯s duel!¡± Ralph lept from the floor first. Desian watched Ralph¡¯s trajectory. He was aiming for his left ribcage. Desian raised his sword and blocked the blow lazily. There was no wasted movement of his sword. ¡°Slow.¡± -ching- Ralph¡¯s rapier bent, even though he was no longer wielding it. Ralph, who was tall and muscular, quickly fell to the floor. He looked like a crumpled piece of paper. His horse-like muscles looked as thin as wet paper. ¡®Is the luck not working?¡¯ She had no idea. Citrina frowned a little. By her side, Gemma spoke up. -It¡¯s not my lack of ability. I did my best. -I know, I know. Citrina tried to cheer up Gemma, who was equally sullen. Desian¡¯s abilities were overpowered, so it may have been a mistake to ask for his participation. With Ralph taken care of, Desian handed the sword back to the vice-captain. He looked at Citrina and smiled broadly. Soon, Ralph who was sprawled on the floor abruptly lept up and let out a single scream. Citrina gasped and looked back and Ralph. ¡°AAACK!¡± ¡°Ra, Ralph¡­¡± ¡°Ralph has finally gone crazy.¡± The knights who judged that Ralph had lost his mind murmured. Some of them swallowed their tears in mourning for poor Ralph, but the words that came out of Ralph¡¯s mouth were not what they expected. ¡°Wow, I, I feel less hurt!¡± ¡°Less hurt?¡± Citrina asked in surprise. ¡°Yes! Normally, my limbs would feel like they were being torn apart, and my whole body should hurt like it was shredded and bruised. But now it only feels like my body is only somewhat shattered! I guess the luck worked!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Everyone was laughing happily, except for Citrina who was looking around wildly. What was this subtle feeling that she was experiencing this moment separately from the others? Everyone else looked to be enjoying themselves. Even Ralph. ¡®How is that different? Either way, aren¡¯t things broken?¡¯ But it seemed that Citrina was the only one who hadn¡¯t gotten the memo. Strangely, everyone was cheering. ¡®What the hell is Desian in this knightly order?¡¯ Fortunately, it seemed that morale had been boosted. Citrina also joined in the moderate clapping. Lita stuck to her side like a piece of gum, glanced over at Citrina, and joined in the clapping. ¡°Lita, you¡¯re so cute and such a good clapper.¡± ¡°Thank you for the praise, master!¡± Citrina stroked Lita¡¯s small, cute head. Lita¡¯s hair gently curled around her fingers. Lita looked at her and blushed innocently. Looking at Lita and Citrina, Desian slowly asked. ¡°Rina.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What about my sword skills¡­.¡± Huh? He paused. Citrina raised an eyebrow. He seemed to have something else to say. Desian was silent for a moment, then spoke up. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go eat dinner.¡± His gaze was no longer on Citrina, and she noticed. That wasn¡¯t what he really wanted to say, but she hadn¡¯t given him the answer he wanted straight away. ¡°Dinner, um¡­¡± An invitation to Princess Iana¡¯s tea party had arrived, and the commission for Marquess Fonensa remained. Adilac had finished the work, but the Marquess had yet to approve it. In short, she was quite busy. ¡°Alright.¡± But she and Desian could have dinner this evening. She just needed to make a bit of time. ¡°After we eat dinner, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± ¡°Yeah. Ah, right.¡± Now was the time to tell Desian what he had been waiting for. She also thought Desian¡¯s reaction would be pretty cute. Citrina glanced at Desian, who stood beside her, and at Ralph, who looked dumbfounded, and spoke. ¡°I got to see such fine swordsmanship today. Ralph-nim, it was an honor.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to reward the knights.¡± Desian avoided her gaze, embarrassment clearly seen on his face. He seemed to awkwardly accept the compliment. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Her heart felt tickled by the sight. ¡°Then shall we head to dinner? Are you not ready yet?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s go.¡± Desian led the way, smoothing the blush that rose on his face like a sunset. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go together!¡± Citrina shouted while looking at his red neck. As she followed Desian, Citrina realized she was grinning from ear to ear. The pleasant sound of her heart came to her ears. Citrina paused for a moment, then took off again. She followed behind Desian Pietro, the one who made her smile the most these days. And with that, Desian, Citrina, and Lita left the Knights of the Blue Dawn at the training grounds and made their way to the duke¡¯s banquet hall. It was going to be a pleasant evening. CH 60 As Citrina and Desian sat down to dinner, unbeknownst to Citrina, Elaina¡¯s situation was like this: ¡°Elaina-nim.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As I told you, we are not just here to visit.¡± ¡°I am aware, Genfiros-nim.¡± They faced each other across from a small table. Looking at Elaina, Genfiros gave her an unexpected smile. His wrinkled face looked gentle. Genfiros slowly reached across the table and set down a small scented candle. The scented candle¡¯s wick spontaneously burst into flame. A pungent jasmine smell filled the room. ¡°All the more, Elaina-nim, you must repent.¡± ¡°¡­Genfiros-nim.¡± With a dazed face, Elaina nodded. Genfiros¡¯s gaze, slow and cold, swept over Elaina¡¯s face. ¡°Now, close your eyes.¡± Dressed in the white uniform of the paladins, Elaina unclasped the rosary around her neck and held it silently in her hands. And finally, she closed her eyes. But meditation in this unusual place proved to be full of distractions. Something kept interrupting her thoughts. It was unusual. ¡®Only one year to get here.¡¯ Elaina¡¯s grip on the rosary tightened. She was lucky that her holy power manifested. She was always lucky. Luck had always been with her like she was the heroine of this world. That¡¯s why when she had to drop out of the academy she was able to become a paladin. ¡®I swore all loyalty to God, for one year.¡¯ Even in her sleep, Elaina felt the weight of the holy sword at her hip. The holy kingdom attracted a diverse group of people. She was more than just a paladin and the deputy leader of the delegation, she was also the second daughter of House Foluin and a citizen of the Petrosha Empire. She opened her eyes with a venomous face. ¡°Elaina-nim.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must let go of your preoccupations and attribute everything to God.¡± His eyes, harmless and peaceful, bore into Elaina¡¯s. As one who served God should be, he was beautiful even in old age. His eyes gleamed unusually clear, even through the foggy smoke. ¡°You need to sublimate the vengeance in your heart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to me.¡± ¡°Yes. Sublimate the rage in your heart, as it will bring you closer to God.¡± Soothing words, but they pounded at the anger in Elaina¡¯s heart. ¡®The one who took away my path to success.¡¯ Elaina repeated his words, mumbling them with her lips. Her mind calmed and all the thoughts in her head disappeared. Now there was only one thing left in her mind. Elaina had one target, one goal, and one threshold for her to break. ¡®Citrina Foluin.¡¯ Citrina was the only failure in Elaina¡¯s life. Elaina thought that Citrina¡¯s sacrifice would strengthen her and bring about success and honor in the future, so Citrina should have just hung in there and waited a bit more. If Citrina had struggled and sacrificed a bit more, then fate would be different. ¡°Our god always loves your anger, Elaina.¡± Deep inside Elaina¡¯s heart rose a fury for its own sake. It was no longer a rational feeling. ¡°I¡¯m flawless. I know best.¡± Those words came out of Elaina¡¯s mouth in a dead language. Dead languages she didn¡¯t even know poured out of her mouth. [T.L. Note: Possessed much, Elaina?] Genfiros looked at Elaina in satisfaction. It was extremely satisfying to have complete control over a human¡¯s mind. If he could only tame that vengeful spirit a little more, she would do exactly as he wished. ¡°Elaina-nim.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Remember our mission.¡± In a flash, Elaina opened her eyes. Genfiros squeezed Elaina¡¯s hand that clutched the rosary. ¡°It is our mission to give this continent the life that it deserves.¡± ¡°I know. The purpose of the paladins is to preach the Lord¡¯s calling.¡± Genfiros slowly started expanding the anger, rage, and vengeance in Elaina¡¯s heart. ¡°Yes. If you confess everything to the Lord and pray, it will be done.¡± Elaina¡¯s eyes fluttered open. Elaina¡¯s anger directed at Citrina became more bitter and misshapen with Genfiros¡¯ whispers. It was a rage she could no longer identify for what it was. ¡®I¡¯ll make you dependent on me, just like I used to be. Then I¡¯ll leave you miserable.¡¯ Elaina¡¯s eyes froze cold. She looked Genfiros straight in the eye and spoke. ¡°I will complete my revenge within this year.¡± When she thought about the past, her cheeks puffed up and ached. Not a single person had ever treated her like that. Whispering to Genfiros, Elaina¡¯s mouth curved into a wry smile. Their whispers slowly died down. ¡°Yes. There will be glory at the end of your vendetta. Elaina-nim is good, and what is outside of Elaina-nim is evil.¡± ¡°Yes. Paladins are completely good.¡± Elaina blew out the candle flame grimly. Genfiros smiled pleasantly. Sooner or later, chaos and destruction would come from his fingertips. Elaina would become a great tool for him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s start slowly. We have plenty of time.¡± Citrina¡¯s appearance with Duke Pietro had caused a stir in high society. However, it seemed that Duke Pietro was merely her patron. ¡®Citrina, no matter how much you struggle, I can be the only one.¡¯ Elaina did not understand that Citrina was a human who could be loved. Besides, he was ¡®that¡¯ Duke Pietro. So the duke must be trying to take advantage of her abilities, that was what she theorized. ¡®First, I am going to isolate her from high society and bring her down.¡¯ No matter how hard she tried, Citrina was only halfway there if she was not accepted by high society. Besides, it was unheard of for a male aristocrat to interfere in the social scene. No matter how much Duke Pietro favored and supported Citrina, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exert his influence in a society dominated by women. When Elaina¡¯s thoughts had settled and the smoke had cleared, Genfiros offered her guidance with a face as saintly as ever. ¡°Think only of the first step to conduct your vengeance, no, your act of good.¡± ¡°The princess has invited me to the opera. I heard she also invited Citrina, so it is there that I can slowly look into things.¡± Elaina responded in a dry tone. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes. Then that¡¯s it.¡± Elaina fiddled with the holy sword at her waist. Fiddling with the holy sword was a new habit for Elaina, which brought a questioning smile to Genfiros¡¯s lips. ¡°Are you trying to set up a competition, Elaina?¡± ¡°Ha! Between me, a paladin, and her, a merchant?¡± ¡°Oh, dear. Elaina.¡± Genfiros placed his hand on his cheek in an exaggerated manner. ¡°Lady Citrina is now a spiritist sponsored by the duke. If anything, competition will make you stand out more. So, well done, Elaina.¡± There was an odd edge to Genfiros¡¯ praise. Recognizing the nuance in his words, Elaina looked up. ¡°Do you mean I¡¯m not good enough compared to Citrina?¡± ¡°Of course, of course. You don¡¯t want to believe it, but this is reality. Lady Citrina had been getting better and better since she betrayed you. That must have been her purpose- to defeat you.¡± ¡°I knew Citrina¡¯s purpose was the defeat me because she has always felt inferior to me, always.¡± Elaina was smart, calm, and wise. But the anger and superiority complex she had built up toward Citrina, and her newfound sense of inferiority, was eating away at her mental health. So much so that she could easily fall for a simple lie. Gradually, a huge, vengeful fire began to burn in Elaina¡¯s heart. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Elaina grinned, her face twisted. ¡°But first, I need to meet my sister.¡± ¡°Not a bad idea, Elaina.¡± Genfiros¡¯s brow furrowed even deeper. But even then, he looked completely divine. CH 61 These days, Citrina was enduring a hectic time. ¡°So, I hear you¡¯ve been invited to the Imperial Opera House?¡± ¡°Has the rumor spread already, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Yes, word has reached this remote marquisate. I heard that you are fond of spirits. I heard they are going to portray the story of the spirits on the opera stage this time. But this old woman wasn¡¯t invited, so I am sad..¡± ¡°The marquess is always beautiful and noble, but since the theme of the opera is spirits, I¡¯m sure they thought long and hard about it.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Citrina lowered her eyes. Nevertheless, the marquess seemed to be making a point. ¡°Quite a few people have been invited to the opera.¡± Citrina understood the hidden message behind what the marquess was saying. Lady Estelle would also be there. ¡°Yes. I heard the paladins are coming. Citrina¡¯s younger sister will be among them¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I consider it an honor for my family.¡± Citrina didn¡¯t know Elaina¡¯s situation. However, there was no reason to start a feud. The more Elaina grew, the more famous Citrina became, and the more the story of the two sisters would spread. ¡°You know? It seems the two sisters are quite close.¡± Marquess Fornecia¡¯s searching gaze turned to Citrina. ¡®How should I answer that?¡¯ Citrina wondered, but she saw no reason to cause trouble. Soon, she smiled smoothly. ¡°Of course. Our friendship is as deep as the beautiful aquamarine for you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Oh my. I wonder if this aquamarine has a story, like the blue diamond you presented to the princess.¡± The marquess¡¯ face brightened dreamily. She looked to have already forgotten the rumors about Citrina and Elaina. The story of the stunning blue diamond that Citrina had summoned at the princess¡¯ ball had spread like wildfire. So it was only appropriate that Marquess Fornecia, who had everything, should own a jewel with a story. ¡°The motif of the aquamarine is a blue river. Only the most beautiful gemstones were selected and cut, and an enchantment was added too.¡± ¡°What sort of enchantment is this?¡± Marquess Fornecia¡¯s eyes narrowed. It was a look of curiosity mixed with some hostility. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to help you sleep better. It will bring you good dreams, like a dream catcher.¡± ¡°A dream catcher. Is there any truth to that statement?¡± ¡°Yes. You may call a wizard to inspect it if you wish, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Marquess Fornecia slowly took the aquamarine ring she had requested. Truthfully, Citrina didn¡¯t know much about Marquess Fornecia. But in this era, most ladies suffered from insomnia and depression from time to time due to stress and anorexia. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°They look like the marquess¡¯ beautiful blue eyes!¡± Estelle approached and began to flatter her. Marquess Fornecia smiled gracefully. Then she raised her hand to dismiss them. ¡°The butler will pay the bill. I hope it helps you sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, Marquess.¡± ¡°The count¡¯s mother, who follows me closely, also suffers from insomnia. If that works, I¡¯ll put her in touch with you.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for the offer.¡± Citrina bowed stiffly, then left with Estelle. ¡°Citrina-nim, I¡¯m sure the marquess is going to love it.¡± ¡°Yes, by the way, I didn¡¯t realize you had a connection to the Marquess of Fornecia.¡± Slowly exiting the marquess¡¯ reception room, Citrina and Estelle walked down the hallway together. Citrina and Estelle were followed by Estelle¡¯s two ladies-in-waiting. The small talk continued as they made their way down the hall and towards the marquess¡¯ front door. ¡°Ah! Get in the carriage. I¡¯ll take you back to your atelier.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t refuse the offer.¡± Citrina closed her eyes and smiled. Together they climbed into Estelle¡¯s family carriage. Citrina looked at Estelle and whispered in a low voice. ¡°I know it¡¯s a little awkward while we¡¯re in the carriage¡­but I have a small gift for you, Lady Estelle.¡± ¡°For me?¡± ¡°Yes. Please accept it. It¡¯s a small token of gratitude for all you have done for me.¡± Citrina handed her a small velvet box. It was not an accessory, but a gemstone-a ruby red garnet. ¡°Did I mention I have a hobby of collecting gems?¡± ¡°Yes, in your last letter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Thank you, Citrina-nim!¡± Estelle hugged while smiling, then let go. It had been a polite gesture to Estelle, the first person to recognize her. Once Estelle found out that Citrina was an elementist, she seemed to warm up to her more. ¡°Ah, also, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hearing Citrina¡¯s response, Estelle gave a small nod to the lady-in-waiting next to her. Then, as if on cue, she placed earplugs in her ears. It was very professional. The ladies-in-waiting seemed eerily familiar with Estelle¡¯s confidentiality. Citrina looked at Estelle again, somewhat sheepishly. Estelle whispered in a low voice. ¡°I was at a party yesterday and the mood was a little weird.¡± ¡°What was the mood like?¡± As a young lady, Estelle¡¯s interactions with other noble ladies at parties left her with a thick skin. When she said something bothered her, it was worth listening. ¡°At Lady Shangrila¡¯s party, Elaina-nim spoke very highly of Citrina-nim.¡± [T.L. Note: I kid you not, the character¡¯s name is Shangrila.] ¡°Really?¡± This wasn¡¯t something she expected to hear. Given Elaina¡¯s high-minded nature, she expected her to treat Citrina as if she didn¡¯t exist. Did her personality change? ¡°Yes. All of the young ladies there praised Elaina for her deep sisterly love. So I was trying to get close to her because she¡¯s my favorite, um, Citrina¡¯s younger sister. Then all of a sudden at the end of the party, she started handing out these little holy objects¡­.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She had expected the handing out of holy objects. Elaina was a woman who knew how to play every hand she was dealt beautifully. Citrina nodded. ¡°She said they were objects that contained God¡¯s prophecy. So when someone asked me about spirit liquor, naturally, I thought Lady Citrina would come up in the conversation.¡± ¡°¡­and?¡± The air in the carriage was hot. Citrina clutched the cuffs of her sleeves. It made her tense. This was unpredictable and a little dangerous. Citrina ran her tongue over her lips. ¡°She said that only God¡¯s things have blessings.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± So this was more subtle than Elaina¡¯s normally straightforward way of speaking. It was strange that this wasn¡¯t the Elaina she knew. ¡°She said that species used witchcraft. Her attitude was impeccable, and she kept praising you, Citrina. But the praise was well¡­¡± She paused. The lady-in-waiting wearing earplugs deftly produced a fan and moved the fan in front of Estelle¡¯s face. Her complexion returned to its original color. ¡°Yes, it was odd. Though I don¡¯t think the other ladies noticed. If I seemed to speak badly about Citrina¡¯s younger sister and the paladins, please don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± How strange Elaina had behaved, how unlike herself, to make Estelle talk as much as Adilac. Citrina replied serenely. ¡°Lady Estelle, thank you for telling me.¡± Estelle glanced at the velvet box she handed to her lady-in-waiting. It felt like she was repaying the gift with information. Looking at the situation, it didn¡¯t seem like she was telling a falsehood. Of course, she couldn¡¯t trust her completely. ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Estelle lengthened her words. It definitely felt like she had a bit more to say. But unfortunately for Estelle and fortunately for Citrina, the carriage quietly drifted onto Dartrin Street. The conversation came to an end. ¡°See¡­you again.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll see you soon, Lady Estelle.¡± Citrina gave a crisp bow and slowly stepped out of the carriage. Lady Estelle saw her off. She reached the door of her atelier. A servant opened the door as soon as he saw Citrina¡¯s face. Seeing his pale complexion, Citrina tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°We¡­have a guest.¡± ¡®An unexpected guest has come to the atelier.¡¯ She quickened her steps. It was rare for nobles to come directly to the atelier, so it must be someone she knew, but she had no idea who that could be. ¡®Is it Desian or Aaron?¡¯ That would be the most reasonable explanation. Entering the atelier with a weird feeling, Citrina was soon overcome by a strange mood. ¡°Elaina?¡± ¡°Citrina!¡± It was her younger sister, Elaina, who had earlier spoken to Estelle. She was the one who dominated her thoughts lately, and she directed a smile as delicate as a lily toward Citrina. Elaina sat at a chair by a round table that Adilac must have arranged for her, and waved at Citrina. She wore the uniform of the paladins. Citrina couldn¡¯t understand Elaina¡¯s casual attitude, as if they had last met only yesterday. ¡®The last time we met, you said you were going to get revenge on me, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Gritting her teeth, Citrina sat down across from Elaina. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°My older sister didn¡¯t come to find me. Now that I am back home, I thought I would find you. Are you doing well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I¡¯ve been well.¡± Citrina¡¯s calm attitude didn¡¯t seem to bother Elaina. ¡°Mother has been in tears every night since you left. Ever since you left, I¡¯ve dropped out of the academy to take care of our family, and it¡¯s been really hard on all of us. But you¡¯ve done really well. Ah, I don¡¯t blame you.¡± Elaina¡¯s speech was theatrical. When she finished, she gave Citrina a small pat on the shoulder. Elaina glanced over to the shelves. Her gaze was conscious of Lita and Adilac, who were pricking their ears. Elaina spoke again. ¡°Ah, but the cost of maintaining a living isn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes, then I¡¯ll send along enough to live off of. But you know if that man didn¡¯t gamble, they would be able to live peacefully enough, Elaina.¡± Elaina¡¯s smile cracked slightly. There was a pension fund for fallen nobles. Citrina also knew that which is why it was so easy for her to turn her back on the baroness. She knew they wouldn¡¯t starve to death if she disappeared. It was only Elaina¡¯s academy expenses and her father¡¯s gambling that kept Citrina working. ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing each other at Her Highness¡¯s party, so I wanted to settle any bad feelings.¡± ¡°I hope so because I¡¯d also like to settle any grudges.¡± Hearing Citrina¡¯s words, Elaina momentarily frowned. She must have expected a reaction from Citrina, but Citrina didn¡¯t want to give Elaina a big reaction. She¡¯d had enough of that years ago. ¡°I want to get along with you too. Really, truly.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t we just get along?¡± Elaina smiled and offered her a handshake. Citrina slowly extended her hand. She noticed that Elaina¡¯s long, thin nails were trimmed short as if she had been biting them. ¡®I¡¯ll end up in a hostile relationship with Elaina.¡¯ If Elaina tried to get back at her, Citrina would respond in turn. She wasn¡¯t going to put up with it, because then things would wind up just like before. ¡°Oh, okay. Let¡¯s get along well. Congratulations on becoming a paladin.¡± Citrina sacrificing herself for Elaina, and Elaina climbing on Citrina¡¯s back to succeed. She was done with all that. Citrina and Elaina¡¯s hands slowly touched. It was a single handshake, light but heavy. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m so happy to see you after all these years.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Elaina squinted at Citrina¡¯s lack of response. ¡®That squint is a habit you have when you are lying.¡¯ It was easy for Citrina to tell that Elaina was lying, even without waking Gemma, who was resting in her pendant. Citrina knew all of Elaina¡¯s everyday habits because she loved her and truly wanted her to succeed. Elaina didn¡¯t know any of Citrina¡¯s habits. ¡°Oh, I have to go. See you at Her Highness the princess¡¯s party, and I¡¯ll show you something interesting.¡± ¡°Something interesting?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s going to be really interesting.¡± With those meaningful words, Elaina rose to her feet. Citrina knew very well what Elaina meant. ¡®It means you¡¯re going to screw with me. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s such a blunt person, but it seems hard for her to hint at things.¡¯ Elaina walked away, her hair flying like a heroine who had just punished a supporting villainous character. Citrina watched Elaina¡¯s back. -clack, clack- [T.L. Note: It¡¯s the sound of heels clicking on the floor.] With a paladin¡¯s stately stride, Elaina stalked out of the atelier. It was a warning of sorts, from Elaina to Citrina. However, it made the warning seem strangely unrealistic. Maybe it was because she already had guessed Elaina¡¯s ideas of revenge. ¡®It¡¯s certainly suspicious that her always straightforward attitude has changed.¡¯ Citrina slowly leaned back. As the tension eased, she started to feel drowsy. She would sleep for a minute, and then she would worry about Elaina. She slowly fell asleep with her chin resting on the table. ¡°I¡¯m tired too. Right, Lita? How tired must Citrina be? I wonder how tired she is, running all over the place and working so hard¡­¡± ¡°Adilac-nim, do you think Citrina-nim will be okay?¡± ¡°It will be okay. I¡¯m sure she has a lot on her mind, so let¡¯s not add to it.¡± The super talkative Adilac slowly lay back on the shelf. Having finished the duke¡¯s and the marquess¡¯ orders back to back, it was time for a rest. But as he looked at Citrina, Lita bit his lip hard. He jumped up as if he had made up his mind. ¡°I¡¯m going to step out for a moment.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay¡­¡± Still laying on her stomach, Adilac replied. The atelier was quiet, with only the sounds of the two women drifting off to sleep. CH 62 ¡°¡­ Elaina Foluin?¡± Lita found himself in front of the duke¡¯s door. Fortunately, the butler Harold opened the door for him. The boy looked at Desian Pietro boldly and told him everything that had happened so far. It was relatively easy for fox beast people to recognize the truth and lies. It was a trait of the fox beast people race to be deceitful. So a liar knows another liar when he sees one. ¡®Desian Pietro, you¡¯re the only one who can help Citrina-nim.¡¯ Both Elaina and Desian were sweet to Citrina. But Lita could tell that Elaina¡¯s kindness was false, while Desian¡¯s was real. In other words, Desian Pietro was honest, at least when it came to Citrina Foluin. ¡°Can you please deal with her?¡± ¡°What was Citrina¡¯s attitude like?¡± ¡°What? That¡­¡± The question was out of focus. Desian slowly rolled up a cigar. [T.L. Note: Now I¡¯m imagining how gross it must taste to kiss Desian. He must brush his teeth and use a lot of breath mints just on the off chance he gets to kiss Citrina. Maybe it¡¯s a magic cigar that doesn¡¯t lead to smoker¡¯s breath. Anyway, back to the story.] His decadent face was gradually obscured by the thick smoke. It was an unfamiliar image, one that he had not revealed in front of Citrina. Desian slowly revealed himself to Lita¡¯s gaze. Perhaps Desian had used some sort of magic to read Lita¡¯s memories. Lita cowered instinctively. ¡°As I suspected.¡± ¡°Well, then what should¡­¡± ¡°I mean no harm to Citrina.¡± ¡°I know that! But I¡¯m just worried about her.¡± ¡°And she doesn¡¯t have the temperament to put up with being bothered.¡± Desian spat out the words through his teeth. His voice was cold and distant, unlike what he showed in front of Citrina. ¡®You gave me fair warning.¡¯ The search through Lita¡¯s memory was simple. Desian scoffed. Elaina Foluin, it seemed, was playing it safe. Citrina must have seen through Elaina scheming with a polite, indifferent face. She was sensitive enough to have caught a glimpse into Desian¡¯s feelings. However, she would not be able to cut off Elaina so easily. Elaina had once been Citrina¡¯s everything. Desian took a long drag on his cigar and blew it out with a sigh. The smoke billowed out past Lita¡¯s vision. Lita was familiar with cigars. The boy stood, studying the burning odor curiously. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have you told Citrina?¡± Lita blushed at the rare compliment. If Citrina was his master, was Desian-nim his master¡¯s boyfriend? Then, are they both his master? Rubbing his reddened eyes, Lita bowed his head stiffly and answered. ¡°Th, thank you.¡± ¡°Go.¡± Lita spun on his heel. It seemed he¡¯d decided he had done his part. ¡°Oh, before you go.¡± The flame on Desian¡¯s cigar flickered briefly, and a small bead appeared in Lita¡¯s hands. Lita was very quick to recognize it. ¡°This¡­if anything happens, I can call you with this?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Desian smirked at the intricate family tree newly built in Lita¡¯s head and slowly rubbed out his cigar. Elaina Foluin¡¯s divine power was a match for him, but there was nothing he couldn¡¯t kill. The problem is, Citrina still cared quite a bit about Elaina. Things were more ridiculous than he thought. Desian slowly opened the invitation on the table. It was an invitation to see the opera from Princess Iana. Citrina would also be coming, so he was looking forward to coming. Desian normally did not enjoy entertainment. But this intrigued him. Let¡¯s postpone the trip to the magic tower just by two days. It seemed he was in for a bit of fun. He decided to mingle a bit. CH 63 The day had finally arrived for the performance of Princess Iana¡¯s ambitious opera. ¡®At last, I¡¯ve made it this far.¡¯ Citrina stood in front of the opera hall, her eyes glowing with excitement. She wore a blue dress today with white fishnet gloves on both hands. Tiny opal earrings dangled from her ears, twinkling. It was an outfit befitting the mood of the theater. ¡°Lady Citrina Foluin?¡± ¡°Yes, I have the invitation here.¡± ¡°Please let me confirm that it has the imperial seal.¡± The knight quietly took her invitation. This was a place where only those with the royal family¡¯s permission could enter. ¡®I¡¯m nervous about what Princess Iana has up her sleeves, but let¡¯s roll with it.¡¯ Citrina took a deep breath. Whatever Princess Iana was planning, this was a place Citrina hadn¡¯t experienced in either her past life or her current one. Her heart fluttered a bit. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed. Please come in, Lady Citrina Foluin.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, thank you.¡± The knight guarding the front of the Imperial Opera House stiffly escorted her. Citrina walked into the opera house. There were already several patrons inside. Some glanced at Citrina as she entered the theater, and others looked at her curiously. And¡­Elaina was also there. Elaina smiled brightly at her. Citrina returned Elaina¡¯s smile. Then she stepped into the box seats to greet the princess. Citrina understood the look on Elaina¡¯s face. ¡°Citrina, you¡¯ve made it?¡± ¡°Yes, I greet Your Imperial Highness.¡± Citrina stepped into the box seats, the sweet spot of the opera house. Unlike other opera houses where there were many box seats, there was only one box available at the Imperial Opera House. Only those with royal permission could enter. Inside the box were three chairs arranged side-by-side, along with a long table with three cocktails on top. Princess Iana waved from her seat in the leftmost chair. ¡°Take the middle seat here, Citrina.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Citrina bowed to the princess, then sat down in the chair. The velvet chair, magically heated to just the right temperature, hugged her body tightly. In the silence of the box seats, with even the lady-in-waiting remaining outside, Citrina suddenly had a question. ¡®Why are there three chairs and three drinks?¡¯ Before Citrina had a chance to form her question, the princess spoke up. ¡°The title of the play is , Citrina.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Yeah! Have, have you read it?¡± ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t read it yet due to my busy schedule. I apologize, Your Highness.¡± At Citrina¡¯s words, Princess Iana¡¯s expression turned sullen. But she patted the bottom of her velvet chair and spoke quickly. ¡°It¡¯s an operatic adaptation of ¡®Diary of a Spiritist¡¯.¡± ¡°An adaptation?¡± ¡°Yes, an adaptation! Of course, I was also involved in the adaptation. It¡¯s been a long, hard road.¡± ¡°I understand that you¡¯ve just returned from the knight¡¯s academy, so that¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Yeah, is one of my favorite works. I¡¯ve been working on it since I returned from the academy, and I was lucky enough to have it turned into an opera this time.¡± The princess scratched her head awkwardly. ¡°Oh, I see. Then¡­I¡¯ll have fun watching.¡± ¡°Be sure to watch it all the way through!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± You could do anything if you had a diamond spoon. [T.L. Note: Being born with a golden spoon means you are born with wealth and power. Since it¡¯s a diamond spoon, Iana is even more rich and powerful.] She envied Princess Iana¡¯s life. Citrina smiled brightly and reached for the cocktail on the table. ¡®Is it orange?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t eat oranges. When Citrina and Elaina were young, they both liked oranges. Baron Foluin¡¯s finances were already in a downward turn at that point, so the baroness bought a few oranges and gave them only to Elaina. Secretly. The memory of watching that scene remained a mild trauma to Citrina. ¡®Well, now even the smell of oranges pisses me off too. ¡® Citrina slowly removed her hand from the cocktail. Time ticked by inside the box. The closer it got to the time when the opera would start, the more impatient Princess Iana looked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming¡­.¡± ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± The princess said cutely. Citrina felt a question mark in her head. ¡°¡­Del?¡± ¡°Rina.¡± Desian walked slowly towards her. It was as if he could only see Citrina among everything. Princess Iana coughed audibly. ¡°You¡¯ve come, Duke Pietro.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness.¡± Princess Iana greeted Desian with an unusually happy face. Desian casually sat next to Citrina and moved the cocktail away from her so that she wouldn¡¯t have to smell it. ¡°Thanks, Del.¡± Desian didn¡¯t reply. Her lips went dry at the everyday thoughtfulness. Her stomach rumbled strangely. She could no longer smell the oranges, so why did her heart flutter as if she was getting seasick? At that moment, Princess Iana spoke in a cheerful voice. ¡°It seems like the opera is about to begin! I hope you enjoy it, Citrina.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± A bell rang as if the attendant noticed that the box seats were full. The lights in the theater slowly began to dim. Citrina hadn¡¯t yet read the romance novel , but the more she watched the opera the stranger she felt. The hero and the heroine looked somehow familiar¡­ ¡®The main characters seem like Desian and me.¡¯ Citrina glanced in Princess Iana¡¯s direction. No matter how much she thought about it, something felt off. was a short opera. It was about a young lady from a fallen aristocratic family who met a spirit, became a spiritist, and triumphed in love. ¡°The heroine is so much like me.¡± The heroine eventually creates an atelier with the help of her gemstone spirit after much adversity. She eventually falls in love with a nobleman who had been a friend in love with her all along. His name was Damian, and he had jet-black hair and black eyes. ¡°Hu, hu, hu.¡± [T.L. Note: The sound of laughter] Citrina gasped. Princess Iana was laughing deviously. The corners of her mouth seemed to be twisted to her ears. ¡®..What the heck is her true intent? I¡¯m even more confused than I was when I guessed Desian¡¯s identity.¡¯ She was a little more suspicious at this point. As Citrina continued to glance in Princess Iana¡¯s direction, Princess Iana leaned back in her seat and quickly changed her expression to a stern one. And then¡­ ¡°Rina.¡± Desian whispered at her side in a low, gruff voice. ¡°Yeah?¡± Citrina turned to look at him. Desian leaned in slowly, towards her ear. Desian¡¯s lips touched her earlobe. ¡°Concentrate.¡± The muscles tightened around her ear. The hairs around her ear stood up. Concentrate? The sound of his voice distracted her. ¡°I¡¯ll concentrate on the opera.¡± Citrina spoke in a low voice. Desian listened to her before speaking again. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°On me, Rina.¡± Desian¡¯s large hand slowly covered both of her eyes. ¡°Concentrate on me.¡± The sound of his voice sent chills around her left ear. It affected her more than before since her vision was darkened. ¡°Del.¡± Citrina carefully pulled Desian hand down. The feel of her gloved hand on his bare skin was always odd. ¡°Do you need my attention?¡± ¡°¡­yeah.¡± ¡°Like a child?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± No what kind of child is this big? ¡°¡­stop messing with me.¡± Desian was still Desian, but it was the loud sound of her heart beating that messed with her the most. Whether he knew or not, Desian said bluntly. ¡°I care.¡± [T.L. Note: The word for messing with, or getting on someone¡¯s nerves, is the same as care or concern. So Desian is teasing her while flirting.] Desian¡¯s face was almost innocent. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if this is the way you treat other people.¡¯ Citrina coolly decided to admit it. She wanted to know more about Desian Pietro. She wanted to know what kind of person he was. She wanted to know what was beyond what he showed, to know the ¡®real¡¯ Desian. Then¡­it could be dangerous, she pondered. ¡°I care, and¡­I¡¯m also curious.¡¯ ¡°You want to know more?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± Desian¡¯s red lips drew into a beautiful arc. His eyes were crinkled in joy. And her heart began to pound as she saw it. And then¡­ There was a forgotten existence in that room, Princess Iana could not contain her excitement. At this moment, her hearing was better than anyone else, and she had trained her senses at the knight¡¯s academy for this very moment. She could hear them if she concentrated. To her, it seemed her heartbeat was louder than the sound of the orchestra right now. ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to get married soon?¡¯ M, may I have the bouquet? Princess Iana shook her head. Now was the time to focus on the beauty of the two protagonists. With a smile, she decided to be as quiet as the air in the box seat. Princess Iana was terrible in so many ways. She watched the beautiful game she had set up with delight. ¡®Now that the novel has come to life, I have no regrets if I die..¡¯ Ah, she had to see them get married before she was ready to die. Iana hastily controlled her expression again. After three acts, the opera ended. CH 64 Chapter 64 Meanwhile, Elaina was silently appalled that Citrina was sitting in the box seats side-by-side with the duke and princess. She couldn¡¯t even see what the opera was about. ¡®It¡¯s about nothing, and you dare to sit in the box seats.¡¯ It felt like a badge of honor that she had won Princess Iana¡¯s favor. Without any effort or any ambition! Elaina gritted her teeth. Her sister was the one who should have been avenged by Elaina, who should have been broken, who should have lost everything, and who should be desperately clinging to life. So why was she not broken? The sight of that overly happy face was horrifying. All that Elaina had suffered at the academy was because of Citrina. ¡®What should I do? What should I do¡­.¡¯ Since she was appointed as a paladin she had only thought of this question, but she couldn¡¯t find an answer. How could she kill her? Wait, kill? She said kill out of anger, but she didn¡¯t really mean to kill her. Her thoughts suddenly turned to extremes. Elaina clenched her fists. Think, think, think, Elaina Foluin! However, the timing was a little off. The short opera was over. The lights flickered on in the auditorium and the curtain rose. ¡°All hail the princess!¡± Everyone stood up and clapped. The applause died down and the guests in the box seats left. Right, Citrina had left and Elaina was still here. As Elaina stood there dumbfounded, someone called out to her. ¡°Paladin Elaina-nim!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They say there won¡¯t be a banquet after the opera. I guess Her Highness the princess is shy.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡­see.¡± ¡°Ah! We¡¯ve decided to have a small tea party. Would you like to come? I didn¡¯t get a chance to send you an invitation¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a little tired.¡± At Elaina¡¯s refusal, the ladies scattered away. A post-opera soiree, a gathering of all kinds. But what was the point of joining in? Elaina wouldn¡¯t be able to ruin Citrina¡¯s reputation at that dinner, because public opinion was already on her side. She gritted her teeth and looked towards the box seats. To be precise, she saw Citrina leave her seat escorted by Duke Desian Pietro. ¡®What am I supposed to do?¡¯ Elaina was the last one to leave the opera house, alone. She arrived not at her quarters in the imperial palace, but at the room of the paladin¡¯s leader, Genfiros. Upon entering the room, Elaina¡¯s anxiety was palpable. ¡°Genfiros-nim!¡± -gnaw, gnaw- Elaina bit her nails. Lately, Elaina¡¯s mental state had become more unstable. Genfiros, who was watching her sympathetically put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Oh, Elaina.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Anyway, you didn¡¯t do a very good job.¡± Genfiros patted Elaina on the back. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Genfiros laid his wrinkled hand over Elaina¡¯s smooth one. ¡°How? She has the duke and princess¡¯ favor.¡± ¡°You mean the ducal family.¡± ¡°Yes. And Her Highness the princess as well.¡± ¡°Huhu, don¡¯t worry, Elaina. Their patronage will end soon.¡± Genfiros raised his hand. In the image sphere he held, the jewelry store merchants of Dartrin Street wailed in torment. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s plain to see that Citrina Foluin is on the rise, but don¡¯t you see that every light is accompanied by shadow?¡± In the video, tears formed in people¡¯s furrowed faces, though it was unclear why they were crying. ¡°Are these people crying because of Citrina?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But they say that the success of Citrina Foluin¡¯s atelier has put some of their jewelry stores out of business. Huhu, and did I mention Feinmann¡­¡­. They also say that some of the nobles that run the top shops are fed up with it. So we can capitalize on that. This will naturally cut off the duke¡¯s patronage and the attention of the princess.¡± Genfiros laughed hollowly. ¡°But proper seasoning is essential. Right, Elaina?¡± ¡°What do you mean proper seasoning?¡± Elaina asked sharply. Something neither the duke nor the princess could touch- that was the rumors coming from outside the empire. In particular, rumors from the Holy Kingdom. ¡°You¡¯ll know tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess with my prey without my permission.¡± It¡¯s mine. Fire sparked in Elaina¡¯s eyes. For the person who had ruined her life, she would retaliate with her own hands. ¡°I¡¯ve already played my hand. By tomorrow, the tides will have turned in your favor.¡± Genfiros pulled out a speech written in the language of the Holy Kingdom. It was a small piece of writing that demeaned elementalism as a vice. Holding it out, Genfiros slowly lit the scented candle on the table. He grinned. ¡°It¡¯s easy to belittle elementists since there are so few of them in the world.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing all this for me?¡± She asked, strangely relieved. Elaina¡¯s voice softened somewhat. ¡°For the world to be filled with the blessings of God, there must be perfect chaos and perfect sacrifice. Driving all of the other species off the land is part of my plan, Elaina.¡± ¡°¡­to cleanse the land of all the insidious species, that is the mission of the paladins.¡± Genfiros¡¯s wrinkled eyes still looked exceedingly good. Genfiros looked at Elaina fondly and clutched the orb tightly in his hand. Genfiros found this moment exhilarating, joyful. The destruction of the sisters¡¯ friendship was a mere side note, but he fed on chaos. That was enough for him. Genfiros smirked. Even his form seemed alien in his saintliness. Genfiros thought. Everything will go according to his plan. CH 65 Chapter 65 Inside Citrina¡¯s atelier. ¡°Ci, Citrina-nim.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Master, what can we do?¡± A small tear rolled down Lita¡¯s pale cheek. Because he had the provocative eyes of a fox, it always looked like he wanted to cry. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal, Citrina! So here is what is going on- They say that the 5th pope of the Holy Kingdom had a bad opinion of elementism. That was back when there were only four elemental spirits¡­¡± ¡°Hey, just breathe, Adilac.¡± ¡°Hoo, hah, hoo, hah.¡± Adilac took some deep breaths, trying to calm her bursting lungs. Read only at salmonlatte.com While Citrina tried to calm Adilac, Lita brought out a small video sphere. ¡°It¡¯s a speech.¡± ¡°Yes, they say he gave a speech to the Order¡­but that¡¯s not the problem, master!¡± ¡°Then what is the problem?¡± Citrina¡¯s eyes narrowed. She picked up the video sphere. Inside was a speech given by a paladin called Genfiros. Citrina¡¯s eyes sharpened when she saw it. ¡°What¡¯s going on with this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the talk of the town, master.¡± ¡°Letters are coming in, Citrina. Half of them are questions about elementalism and the other half are cancellations for orders.¡± The leader of the paladins, Genfiros. In the empire where most people were devout, many would listen to a leader from the Holy Kingdom. Citrina worried about how to handle this situation. She couldn¡¯t beat a leader from the Holy Kingdom in a game when she didn¡¯t have a title of her own yet. ¡°Hmm, what should I do about this¡­¡± The fact that the Holy Empire considered elementalism to be sorcery was a problem. The faithful could turn against her. Citrina didn¡¯t suffer from a lack of funds thanks to Oslo. ¡®Then¡­should I wake up Gemma first?¡¯ Exhausted from the work of enchanting the bracelets with luck, Gemma often nodded off. Citrina was deeply conflicted as to whether or not to wake her up. However, Citrina didn¡¯t have to think about it. The video played in an endless loop, waking Gemma from her nap. [The 5th Holy Pope has declared elementism as witchcraft.] She awoke precisely when Genfiros spoke about practicing elementism. -Me, me, me! -Gemma, calm down. -They¡¯re the ones who are cheeky! They¡¯re like an airheaded kid. Gemma popped out of the pendant and huffed. Citrina held her palm up. Despite her outrage, Gemma found her contractor¡¯s palm and sat down. -You don¡¯t have guts. What¡¯s with that airheaded attitude¡­ -No, I¡¯m not a witch! What do you mean the 5th pope declared that I¡¯m a witch? Spirits are a naturally occurring species! Citrina also knew it didn¡¯t make sense. Gemma was a pure and naive creature, so she wouldn¡¯t understand human politics. ¡®How do I explain this to her?¡¯ The world was not so kind. Their opponent had credibility, justification, and holy ground. She was no match for them right now. What could she do? She could ask Princess Iana or Duke Pietro for help, but even they might be hurt. The Holy Kingdom was a small country, but antagonizing a nation of believers was a risky business. ¡®What to do?¡¯ Was this all Elaina¡¯s doing? But the puzzle seemed to be missing a few pieces. ¡®Genfiros is pulling the strings but why?¡¯ The questions swirled around in her mind. Citrina looked forehead at Adilac, then Gemma on her hand, and finally at Lita. ¡°For now, leave the letters of condemnation and the order cancellations. Don¡¯t reply to them.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Close the atelier doors immediately, Lita.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°And then we¡¯ll have a meeting about what to do. Gemma, Adilac, Lita. All of us.¡± ¡°Yes, Citrina! I¡¯m ready!¡± ¡°M, Me too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Lita.¡± Adilac looked grim, Lita¡¯s face was red and swollen, and Gemma who had escaped from her pendant flew frantically around the atelier. As soon as Lita locked the atelier doors, Citrina brought them further inside the atelier to the small workroom. ¡°There are some nobles who do not believe in divine power or divine prophecy, not completely.¡± Those who did not believe in God did not speak out in person. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we prove to them what elementism really is?¡± ¡°Prove it, Citrina?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s show people elementism.¡± Citrina smiled broadly. She was starting to get a bad feeling about the world that kept sabotaging her plans again and again. -Alright. Leave it to me! -You haven¡¯t explained what you¡¯re going to do yet, Gemma. Gemma looked up sharply. -You and I have a connection! Citrina whispered to herself as she stroked Gemma¡¯s hair. As night fell, the whole street shined like it was filled with tiny jewels. Instead of stars, she would fill the image spheres with beautiful images of elementism. Read only at salmonlatte.com People were weak to beautiful things. Though nothing could match the madness of God. Beautiful jewelry will melt people¡¯s hearts. -Yeah. Let¡¯s do it together! Gemma smiled broadly. Citrina turned to face her. Lita and Adilac were looking at Citrina with puzzled faces. ¡°Lita, Adilac, you two have work to do.¡± ¡°What is it? Just leave us alone!¡± In the midst of the crisis, their camaraderie was strengthened. They looked at each other nervously and whispered. CH 66 By the time when Citrina was about to perform her elementism on Dartrin Street, Desian had already grasped all of Elaina¡¯s situation. ¡°I have a report for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The paladin¡¯s body jumped off the floor. This man who guarded the boundary on Genfiros¡¯s orders breathed sloppily. Desian looked into his hopeless dark eyes and whispered. ¡°Tell me what you know.¡± ¡°Genfiros, the leader of the paladins, has begun his address.¡± He handed over the video sphere in his gnarled hand. ¡®Elementism is witchcraft, and only those things blessed by a priest are worthwhile.¡¯ This was how he began his speech. Reporters from various news sources scribbled down his words with mesmerized faces. Desian pressed on the screen to turn it off. He casually puffed on a cigar. ¡°So he¡¯s claiming that elementism is black magic.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The target is clear, isn¡¯t it?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. It was a very academic claim. It was not the kind of rhetoric that would sway public opinion. However, the attitude of the people who seemed to be Genfiros¡¯ followers was bizarre. They reached out excitedly to grab Genfiros¡¯s hand as if he were a god. It was almost as if it was witchcraft. Read only at salmonlatte.com ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Genfiros was an old man who reigned like a god in his own world. There was something divine in his expression as if he would win every time. Nevertheless, he had chosen the wrong opponent this time. How stupid. Desian leaned back casually in his chair. ¡°What about Citrina?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been no contact with her.¡± The knight stated. ¡°No contact¡­¡± Citrina would also be aware of the widespread allegations that elementism is witchcraft. Rumors had a way of traveling quickly, and even quicker to the people involved. But even after all that, Citrina hadn¡¯t contacted anyone. ¡®I half-thought she would stay by my side.¡¯ There were so many emotions that Citrina brought out in him. She was not the sort of person who relied on others. Nevertheless, Desian Pietro would do all within his power to help her this time, as he did every time. He would give her every victory. And yet¡­ ¡®At the end of all time, you will need me, Rina.¡¯ Desian slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the tower.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not ready to go yet¡­¡± Desian lazily grabbed him by the throat. It didn¡¯t take much force, but he began to gurgle. Desian turned away slowly, his eyes unmoving. The knights would come from the rear. The vanguard would be one man. Desian Pietro. He was alone, but he had no intention of losing. Read only at salmonlatte.com Desian blinked again briefly. Instead of the duke¡¯s dark office, he saw a dilapidated, deserted tower. The abandoned tower was brutally distorted, a grim reminder of its past infamy. Desian walked through the leaning doorway of the tower, feeling the cursed words he had placed inside. ¡®All those who enter shall rot and die.¡¯ This was a ban even warlocks could not escape. Desian placed a moderate binding when he dealt with the dark tower previously. It could control the minds and spirits of warlocks who returned to the tower. ¡®It¡¯s still breathing. It¡¯s been acting like a parasite to the tower, like a rat.¡¯ It didn¡¯t feel like it was living or breathing. Besides, no other life force approached the tower. It had been abandoned even by its allies. Desian walked leisurely up to the second level of the tower, reaching a hallway. ¡°Come out.¡± Light shined in the darkened room, and something like a corpse crawled across the floor. There were three of them. These were the ones he hadn¡¯t killed but kept alive. They had run off to the Holy Kingdom, and after that Desian ignored them. This was because they were a nuisance. ¡°Khh, khheeuk.¡± The man who was near death made a strange noise. Desian shuffled over to them. One of the three dying men had an arm haphazardly cut off. The other had smashed toes. ¡°What a spectacle.¡± The three warlocks that were on the verge of dying from blood loss were the ones who had held onto Toloji¡¯s ghost and tried to revive it somehow. ¡°You, you¡­¡± Desian laughed bitterly at them. The person¡¯s life force had slowly been drained by the curse placed on the tower. Death had already taken him. However, one clutched the hilt of a sword tightly in his arms. Read only at salmonlatte.com ¡°Who sent you here?¡± ¡°I, I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Codename.¡± Desian slowly mouthed the word. The corpse¡¯s face contorted into an unsightly shape. His lips grew grotesquely large and the tip of his tongue lolled out by the edge of his mouth. Desian looked at the grotesque human body and spoke lowly. ¡°You should speak.¡± At Desian¡¯s graceful taunt, the truth burst from the man¡¯s throat. ¡°Cai, sairan.¡± ¡°The Holy Kingdom?¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s right. Th, there was a request to wipe out the other species.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That, well.¡± The man snorted. In short, this man was the tail rather than the body. [T.L. Note: Meaning the warlock is just a pawn in someone else¡¯s scheme] He didn¡¯t need to hear more. Desian looked at the ugly face in front of him and suddenly found himself missing her [Citrina]. It seemed he was seriously sick if that is what came to mind at this time. Desian grinned and looked at the man. ¡°Is that it?¡± Desian asked in a conspiratorial voice. The man¡¯s tongue curled to the back of his throat. A deep curse had been placed on it so that he could never speak of this again. ¡°¡­We had decided to use the other species as experiments! It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Did you know that there was a curse placed on the tower?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for such a thing! To, Toloji-nim will surely be resurrected!¡± It was such a stupid belief. ¡°Are you going to make more killing weapons?¡± ¡°Th, that¡­¡± The truth that Desian had accurately guessed spilled out of his mouth. The man¡¯s voice sounded as if he was spitting blood. And he wanted to make killing weapons. ¡°Disgusting.¡± ¡°It, It¡¯s almost over. Keurgh.¡± The reason they had come to the magic tower was simple. They had come to pick up some drugs, retrieve the methods for drawing magic circles, and their twisted models for body modification that Desian had destroyed. It was reckless. It was nothing more than a moth jumping toward a flame. Killing humans was their only goal and ambition. ¡°Alright.¡± Desian lifted his foot and lightly flicked one of their necks. The neck was crushed under the shoe heel with a sickening thud. The flesh was crushed. ¡°Eeurghh!¡± His throat was torn and the man died with a single movement. Desian only felt that his shoe was dirty. He slowly reached down and grabbed the one man¡¯s treasured sword. The sword reeked of evil. It was a sword that seemed to be enchanted by the devil. Desian held it in one hand. The weight of the sins it had committed were too light for him. Read only at salmonlatte.com ¡®I have to go back.¡¯ The ringing in his ears started once again. He killed a human again. There was no guilt. He had something to protect. It was only natural to kill. After killing the three, Desian Pietro walked out of the tower door. -step, step- His footsteps mixed with the ringing in his ears to create a strange sound. ¡®You¡¯re going to rebuild a killing weapon?¡¯ Desian walked outside with a cold expression on his face. There was a time when he too lived as an unwilling test subject, craving only the death of others. But he was not like them. Desian Pietro was saved by Citrina Foluin. From the first moment he laid eyes on her. Therefore, Citrina was his god. Now, his every action was in service to her. In the distance, knights on horseback approached. Desian slowly hid himself in the deathly darkness. As Desian Pietro left the tower, the knights appeared. They began to tear down the tower, which was already a ruin. They sprinkled holy water over the dead bodies. All three stories of the tower were cleared out. The sight of the duke¡¯s knights circling the dark, infamous tower was almost sacred. ¡°The search is over!¡± ¡°Now let the demolition begin.¡± ¡°The source of evil is gone!¡± Finally, over twenty knights circled the tower. The swordsmen drew out their bastard swords. The bracelets on their wrists glittered in the darkness. Sword after sword slashed through the warped doorways and cracked walls. Ralph began filming the tower, video sphere in hand. Desian watched from the distance. Yes, it was all staged. Light opposed the darkness that was in stark contrast to the divine. It showed that it was elementism. This was a divine rebuttal to Genfiros¡¯ words. ¡®I will not back down from this now, but..¡¯ To tell the truth, it didn¡¯t matter to Desian if the other species were eliminated or not. Desian watched the tower crumble to dust at his feet. It was the end of the tower and of black magic. However, Genfiros¡¯ evil was only about to begin. Of course, the ending was set in stone. ¡°Let¡¯s keep a low profile for now.¡± Desian turned around. Ralph¡¯s video would circle the entire empire. He would make it so. CH 67 Chapter 67 Desian had killed the warlocks in the tower and the duke¡¯s knights were cleaning it up. Citrina wasn¡¯t messing around either. She was working hard to bring her plans to life. ¡°We only have a small audience.? Is that enough, Citrina?¡± Adilac looked like she wanted to chat, but Citrina stopped her. At that moment, it was a beautiful and graceful evening on Dartrin Street, when most people would be hurrying about. Citrina stepped into the heart of the merry street. Citrina stood at the center of the crossroads. ¡°I enjoy the quiet.¡± Read only at salmonlatte.com Citrina looked around at the intersection. The evening sun was setting, and people were scattered about the area. It wasn¡¯t a very big audience. Along with that, it wasn¡¯t a very glamorous street. Only minor nobles walked around here. But it was okay. Lita and Adilac stood on the opposite side of the street, each holding a video sphere. ¨C Gemma, are you ready? -Am I ready? You¡¯re asking something that¡¯s obvious! I¡¯ve been ready since the day I was born! Looking at Gemma, Citrina smiled brightly. She pulled out ten sparkling peridot gems in her left hand. Peridot was a common gemstone, so it wasn¡¯t hard to come up with ten of them, each the size of a child¡¯s fist. Soon after, Gemma placed her hands gently on the peridot. The peridot began to crack under Gemma¡¯s fingertips. ¡°One, two¡­¡± The green peridot that resembled Citrina¡¯s eyes, rose in her hand. ¡°And three.¡± Citrina watched as the glittering gemstone shot up into the sky from Gemma¡¯s hand. The gemstones split into dozens, then hundreds of pieces no bigger than half of a fingernail. And finally- The glittering jewels began to light up the street like lanterns, representing the stars in the night sky. From a distance, it was lovely, almost as if stars had risen over the city. Citrina stood in the center of it all and looked around. ¡°Wow! Is that a gemstone star, sis?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s very pretty. Almost as pretty as you!¡± [T.L. Note: Nice smooth-talking, kid.] ¡°It¡¯s elementism.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s exciting.¡± With that, the small child shrank back next to his mother¡¯s skirt. Above the street, green gemstones resembling glittering stars rained down. As a bonus, she got to see the affectionate gaze of a cute kid. It was very satisfying. Lita and Adilac who had captured it all on video walked over to her. Read only at salmonlatte.com ¡°I¡¯ll send the video. It should be copied by tomorrow morning.¡± These videos were goods to be sent to the nobles who had commissioned them to show that elementism was beautiful. Citrina gave a small smile. ¡°I wish that he could come with me¡­¡± ¡°He? Citrina, who are you talking about? We are all here!¡± Citrina opened her mouth slowly at Adilac¡¯s exclamation. ¡°It¡¯s someone I¡¯m thinking of, Adilac.¡± ¡°Oh, perhaps-¡° ¡°Adilac-nim! Let¡¯s go over there quickly and record more of the gems.¡± The quick-witted Lita took Adilac away. Citrina smiled with a calm face. Why was she thinking of Desian when she thought of the gems shining like stars in the night sky? Why was she thinking of him when she shouldn¡¯t be? To be honest, Citrina had known the answer to that for a long time, even if she was only starting to realize it now. A star was blooming in her mind as well. Slowly, bit by bit. It had only been one day. In that one day, things changed for the better. As luck would have it, an article was scheduled to be featured in the morning paper with a report on elementism on Dartrin Street and the gemstone stars. ¡®Even if you can¡¯t turn things around completely, you can change them steadily.¡¯ Hardship and adversity are common in heroic narratives. She wasn¡¯t a hero, just an average person who knew the future, but it was comforting to think that way. Lita got the newspaper, duplicated the video to send off, and bought breakfast at the plaza¡¯s baguette street. ¡°Ci, Citrina-nim.¡± The boy brought back the newspaper, and baguette, along with a group of armed mercenaries. A gaunt-faced man scratched his muscles and spoke gruffly. ¡°Is this Citrina¡¯s Atelier here?¡± Her voice was a little strained, but Citrina spoke confidently. The man¡¯s expression became even more grave. He set down something on one of the atelier¡¯s glass display cases. -Bang!- It was a pouch full of gold coins. The display case shook. Citrina raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°We are members of an unnamed guild and we are here because of the advertisement in Ponei Plaza.¡± ¡°Advertisement?¡± Citrina frowned. She¡¯d never taken out an advertisement. She¡¯d tried to use the media a little, but she didn¡¯t have the means to pay for a newspaper article or a full-page advertisement. ¡°You don¡¯t know about the ad? The empire is a mess right now!¡± ¡°¡­that wasn¡¯t my plan.¡± He was dumbfounded at her reply. Somehow, the game had changed dramatically. It occurred to her that she needed to find out what was going on. She leapt to her feet. ¡°That, Citrina-nim. Actually, last night while Citrina was sleeping¡­¡± Lita carefully put something in her hands. His hands were shaking terribly. ¡°¡­ Desian?¡± It was a small spherical object bearing the Pietro family seal. Citrina looked at Lita with questioning eyes. ¡°Yes, that-¡° But the short-tempered mercenary couldn¡¯t handle the gap in their conversation. ¡°Wait. Then you advertised without knowing anything?¡± The mercenary seemed dumbfounded. ¡°Wait, Lita, tell me.¡± Citrina lightly interrupted the mercenary and looked at Lita. Read only at salmonlatte.com ¡°Yesterday, Desian-nim told me he had cleaned something up, and I wanted to tell you, but I was too tired to pass it on to you.¡± Lita looked at her with a fidgety expression. Cleaning? Citrina bit her lip. ¡°Adilac, stay here for a bit.¡± ¡°Hey, where are you going?!¡± The mercenary yelled as Citrina sprinted outside. After running for a long time, she was out of breath. Fortunately, Ponei Plaza wasn¡¯t far from Dartrin Street. She would have to rent a carriage at the entrance. She thought it was lucky she¡¯d worn a light dress with pockets today. The rental fee for a carriage should be 1 ceril, right? CH 68 Chapter 68 Every plaza in Petrosha Empire was equipped with a video sphere. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. They served as a type of billboard, changing daily or weekly to advertise a variety of things. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Sometimes, they promoted the emperor¡¯s spectacular exploits, sometimes they were used by noble families to enhance their own prestige, and there were times when the space was used to sell goods. People would usually pass by the area without taking notice. But today was different. A spectacular battle scene was projected over the huge sphere. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Everyone was stopped in their tracks as they walked past. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. People flocked to see the commercial that had been up since dawn. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Duke Pietro finished off the last remnants of the Dark Tower.¡± Said one knight. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°That¡¯s amazing. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. What the hell is that?¡± read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Shouted a man wearing a pointed wizard¡¯s hat. ¡°That bracelet is shining!¡± Gasped a little boy with a surprised face. ¡°People are saying it¡¯s elementism. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It was in the morning paper today.¡± read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Beautiful, mysterious, and even powerful¡­¡± ¡°It looks more holy than the prophetic stone containing God¡¯s prophecy.¡± Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Everyone was staring at the image. Citrina watched as well as the tower crumbled, the pendant around her neck glinting. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Gemma whispered quietly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. -That was th, th, that scary guy, right? -Desian? It seems so. -Sheesh¡­you do a lot, but he¡¯s on a whole other level. Gemma babbled. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina felt a little disoriented. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She stopped at a corner of the plaza. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The crowd was unusually dense. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. So those¡­mercenaries must be quick-witted people. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Sooner or later, the atelier would be plagued with an overwhelming order for enchantments. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. At that moment, Princess Iana was leaving the imperial palace. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She¡¯d been invited to a county house party by the marquess. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Her carriage crossed the bridge that connected the imperial palace to the islands and drove towards the plaza. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw the plaza.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com It was a nice day. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. On a day like this, she should be lazing about the imperial palace, rewriting the second draft of ?The Spiritist¡¯s Diary?. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Iana was suddenly bothered by everything. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s stuffy, so please open a window.¡± At Princess Iana¡¯s words, the lady-in-waiting quickly opened the carriage window. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. There were many people outside. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Iana asked indifferently. ¡°Why are there so many people out there?¡± ¡°Ah! Duke Pietro has used elementism to turn to tower into dust.¡± ¡°¡­dust?¡± That¡¯s a strong word! Anyway¡­ Duke Pietro was the one. Elementism had reduced the tower to dust! It was obvious. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Duke Pietro showed the power of the spirits to the people for Citrina! It was so romantic! Heroic, too! He was cold to other people but sweet and warm-hearted to his woman. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. To no one¡¯s surprise, Princess Iana¡¯s reasoning was flawless once more. ¡°Oh my gosh, isn¡¯t it too romantic?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s romantic?¡± ¡°The world is so beautiful.¡± Iana smiled and cupped both of her cheeks in her hands. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The lady-in-waiting who was close to the princess seriously considered this. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Did the knights academy make people like this? What was so romantic about a tower demolition? ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­are you two dating now?¡± ¡°What¡­ who is dating who?¡± The princess¡¯s ladies-in-waiting looked at each other, troubled. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Maybe she had been reading romance novels for so long that all of her prejudices had disappeared. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about the Duke and Citrina.¡± ¡®They¡¯re still not dating yet, are they? Even though it¡¯s so obvious that you¡¯re in love.¡¯ The princess murmured to herself grimly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The ladies-in-waiting choked back their words. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Princess Iana, who was unable to understand their hearts, fell into a long-awaited trance. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®Should I spice it up a bit?¡¯ What that too much? Princess Iana racked her brain as the carriage sped through the plaza. Behind the royal carriage, Citrina also left the square with a great deal of surprise and trepidation. So it seemed that things had surely turned in her favor. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. But this was a little more than she had asked for, no, quite a bit more. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina left the plaza. Instead of returning to the atelier, she took the path to the duke¡¯s residence. ¡°What happened?¡± Desian¡¯s answer came too quickly for Citrina¡¯s liking. ¡®More than anything, the scale is too big.¡¯ Just as she was about to say that, she realized something all of a sudden. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Ah, she had forgotten something. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian was a duke. ¡®Is this scale nothing to a duke?¡¯ But still, she didn¡¯t like the idea of being dependent on Desian for help. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She wasn¡¯t the type to live with a debt floating over her head. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina decided that sooner or later she would explore the mines to bring him back gold. It was a bit of a stretch, but¡­it would be in their mutual interests to do so. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Otherwise, she would have to think seriously about how she could help him. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Still, I never thought it would come to that, Del.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com Knowing Citrina¡¯s mind, Desian spoke softly. He¡¯d placed a personal ad in every plaza all around the empire. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It was an astronomical amount of money that Citrina couldn¡¯t even imagine. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°The Senate also was a factor in it.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°There was a request to lessen the notoriety of the duke.¡± Citrina knew about the infamy of Duke Pietro, though she hadn¡¯t heard all of the rumors yet, as others fled in a panic when he was mentioned. ¡°I see.¡± She was slightly mistaken. Desian looked at Citrina and lowered his eyes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Dense, long eyelashes shaded his eyes, making him look almost pitiful. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®When I look at you like this, you look like an angel.¡¯ Citrina slowly ripped out the bud of doubt from her mind. ¡°Del.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°There were no people in the tower? Weren¡¯t you hurt?¡± ¡°I killed them all.¡± Desian smiled merrily. If you think of it that way¡­it still looks bad. He spoke of death more easily than anyone else. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina rubbed at the goosebumps that had risen on her arms. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to hear that our plans worked out for both of us.¡± It was an unfortunate thing, the difference in status. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It meant that Citrina couldn¡¯t be sure that she could give as much as she was given. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Then I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°I have this strange sound ringing in my ears.¡± ¡°A strange sound?¡± ¡°Yeah. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. And¡­¡± read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Trailing off, Desian bit his lip slowly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The tip of his tongue tingled. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°I hear it whenever you¡¯re not around.¡± Feigning weakness. Slowly. To make her love him. Desian lifted his eyelashes slowly upward, looking at Citrina. He smiled as pretty as a picture. ¡°So stay with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s enough.¡± Desian¡¯s large hands gently swept through Citrina¡¯s hair. Citrina flinched. It was strange. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. There had been times before when he¡¯d affectionately ruffled her hair, and she had never thought about it. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She had just assumed it was a touch between friends. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. But now it was so obvious this was an intimate touch. Desian removed his hand from her hair and brought it to her cheek. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. His hand was cold enough to make her wince. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°You have a bit of a fever.¡± Desian murmured languidly. Her heat transferred to his cold hand. He thought. ¡®I was going to wait until your feelings for me gradually developed. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. I was going to give you a choice. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. If I didn¡¯t do that, you would run away again. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. But isn¡¯t this a clear foul to look at me with both cheeks tinted red?¡¯ read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian slowly removed his hands from her cheeks as well. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. This was because if they touched for much longer, it would be unbearable really. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. He knew only one thing- his patience was running thin. There was only so much time before his patience ran out. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com Citrina¡¯s everyday question was followed by Desian¡¯s falsely calm response. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Hearing his voice, Citrina smiled. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. When she looked at him like that, with eyes so full of emotions while saying nothing, it made him want to know her more. ¡°I¡¯m not really thinking about anything.¡± Citrina cupped her hands around Desian¡¯s ears. ¡°Now there¡¯s no sound?¡± Their gazes met fiercely in the air. ¡°All I hear is your voice.¡± ¡°That¡­makes me feel good.¡± Citrina smiled. Citrina Foluin liked Desian Pietro. That was clear to see. She didn¡¯t know if it was love, but she did know that a crush was slowly blooming in her heart. For now, pushing for success to precedence over the gentle waves of love. Citrina blinked. ¡°For the time being, let¡¯s just put it to the back of our minds. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. We have enough stuff to work through.¡± read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. For now. And yet. If he stopped trying at all, he wouldn¡¯t get anywhere. ¡°Del, I heard Elaina and Genfiros are after me.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll try to take my life?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Citrina was lost in thought. Desian looked down and smiled grimly, deep in thought. It wasn¡¯t just one person who was after Citrina¡¯s life. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The leader of the paladins had labeled elementism as a forbidden art. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. which meant that Citrina¡¯s safety was slowly getting more and more precarious. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian had already noticed a few suspicious faces circling around Citrina, but he didn¡¯t need to tell her everything. You remain lovely. I¡¯ll get my hands dirty. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°So¡­I have one favor to ask, Rina.¡± The emphasis was on the word ¡®favor¡¯. There was a force in his earnest voice. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina looked at Desian again. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. And what happened next was something she hadn¡¯t predicted. It was right then. Desian looked at the pendant around her neck without saying a word. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The pendant sparkled, glowing. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. CH 69 Chapter 69 It was a few hours later, inside Duke Pietro¡¯s office. Desian rested his hand on his desk, his jaw set as he stared at the pendant. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. From within, Gemma stared at him breathlessly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. -Why did he ask to borrow me for three days? ¡®I checked him out on the way here, and he¡¯s a monster! How could Citrina loan me to a monster for three days? She¡¯s my contractor!¡¯ Gemma was summoned to Duke Pietro¡¯s office. Gemma squinted at Desian¡¯s expressionless face, but his blank face made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. No matter how she looked at it, this man was darkness itself. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°You.¡± -Yes¡­ He could hear her. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Gemma was frightened and folded her wings. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian started reciting Gemma¡¯s profile in an emotionless voice. ¡°Citrina¡¯s contractor, Gemma. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. An intermediate spirit, recently awakened from her slumber.¡± read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. -Is, is that so? That¡¯s right. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. I just awakened from a beginner to an intermediate spirit! read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes thinking about how awfully difficult it had been. With the help of the Silmaril, she awakened, so she was not going to be destroyed here. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina had tried to reassure her, but it all didn¡¯t make sense. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. So what was going to happen to her now? It seemed like he might kill her right away. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Gemma flapped her wings a few times in a fit of tears. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Gemma became even more frightened knowing he was reading her thoughts. -Oh, okay. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. I¡¯m being helpful to Citrina too¡­you know. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. This frightening person with obvious magical strength had been unusually generous to Citrina. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. So the sneaky spirit made sure to mention Citrina¡¯s name. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. There was a heavy, heavy obsession that she could feel directed at her contractor even from deep inside her pendant while resting. Desian Pietro clearly loved Citrina Foluin. ¡°Why did I bring you here, Gemma?¡± Her house may have lost its prestige, but she was on the rise on her own for her ability to work with a nearly-lost species. Gemma nodded her head. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina would be rightly awarded the peerage. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She was a contractor to the great Gemma-nim and had managed a decent harvest. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. [T.L. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Note: Harvest meaning that Citrina is doing alright in her business.] read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. But what¡¯s this all of a sudden? Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°You¡¯ll be a high-ranking spirit.¡± -Oh¡­ a high-ranking spirit¡­I don¡¯t think I qualify yet, do I? Gemma made a puzzled face. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to make you qualify, Gemma.¡± -¡­Huh? ¡°That¡¯s your job.¡± -Oh¡­ He had asked permission, so it was perfectly reasonable and legitimate. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Indeed it was. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian explained kindly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The reason was that Gemma was Citrina¡¯s spirit. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It took countless hours to make the leap to a high-ranking spirit. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Gemma was a gemstone spirit, so she had to appraise, hold, and smelt endless amounts of gems. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®Scary!¡¯ Gemma¡¯s wings flapped rapidly as she flew over the desk in his office, imagining the extreme training that lay ahead. ¡°Oh? Just a minute¡­¡± As she flew over the desk, Gemma saw something lying there to one side. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It was the peridot necklace that was the first thing Citrina ever made. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. There wasn¡¯t even a speck of dust gathered on it. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Was it this monster who had bought it? ¡°Did you see?¡± -¡­ Desian didn¡¯t even bother to hide it. Gemma was horrified. ¡®I really should be nice to Citrina, really, really nice.¡¯ She thought she had met a gentle contractor, but somehow Citrina had a double life. -I, I didn¡¯t see anything. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. I¡¯ll work hard. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Then you protect Citrina.¡± -Ah, I get it. Becoming a high-ranking spirit came with having a certain level of combat power. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian would naturally protect Citrina, but he couldn¡¯t be there all the time. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. He knew Gemma wouldn¡¯t be able to talk to Citrina about it anyway. He tapped slowly on the desk. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. A palm-sized portal appeared, and the flow began. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. [T.L. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Note: What is flowing out is not described, but I assume it¡¯s some sort of power to help Gemma level up.] read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Gemma squeezed her eyes shut. Alright, high-ranking spirit it is. I can do this. Why can¡¯t I? I¡¯m Gemma! Gemma gritted her tiny teeth and glared at the flow. CH 70 During the time Citrina lent Gemma to Desian, Gemma was undergoing extreme training as Citrina¡¯s contractor. ¡°Elaina -nim.¡± Elaina met Genfiros¡¯ gaze with wavering pupils. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Genfiros¡¯ wrinkled hands smoothed his stiff collar.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Confusion among humans was always interesting, and this was the sort he loved the most. ¡°Soon, Citrina-nim will be knighted. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She made a great contribution to the destruction of the tower.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Those stupid warlocks. Genfiros clicked his tongue as he thought about the ruined tower. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Oh dear, you don¡¯t have to spread the jam on the bread once it¡¯s done. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.[T.L. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Note: This sentence confused me so much. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.My best guess is that Genfiros means the job wasn¡¯t finished. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.If any readers understand this Korean phrase, please comment on the chapter. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Thank you!]read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. But it was half successful. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Genfiros loved fear and chaos. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Perhaps the wonderful prey before him was feeling confused.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Elaina-nim, you¡¯ve been defeated.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com Me? Me, defeated? Elaina looked at Genfiros with a mixture of puzzlement and doubt. ¡°Will Baron Foluin still love you?¡± [T.L. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Note: Low blow, Genfiros.]read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Love? I don¡¯t need that.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard there may be a succession ceremony in the near future¡­so Baron Foluin will be there, won¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I believe so.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, there isn¡¯t much for you to do until then, Elaina-nim. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.That is as long as Duke Pietro holds out.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She had a look of slight confusion. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.There was a vague hesitation in her venomous gaze.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Genfiros wasn¡¯t one to miss picking up on that hesitation. ¡°Alright. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.You won¡¯t be able to kill her right away, Elaina-nim, not with your power. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.But there is something you can do.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°¡­What is that?¡± ¡°Desian Pietro¡¯s weak point is your sister, Citrina Foluin.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Citrina Foluin¡¯s weak point is you.¡± Citrina¡¯s weakness is me? ¡°You don¡¯t know Citrina. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She betrayed me in an extremely calculated way.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. At one time, Citrina would have supported her without hesitation. ¡°So I suppose you¡¯ll have to put yourself between the two of them. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It will be quite interesting to watch the Duke run amok.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Genfiros had hit the nail on the head. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Desian Pietro¡¯s only weakness was Citrina Foluin, and Citrina¡¯s only weakness was Elaina.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Otherwise, Duke Pietro wouldn¡¯t kill Elaina mercilessly. ¡°So lend me your ear. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I¡¯ll tell you how.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Elaina bit her nails as she listened to him speak. The act of killing came with a lot of risk. *** It had been a few days since Gemma disappeared. ¡®Did she really want to go to the duke¡¯s? I don¡¯t feel comfortable.¡¯ Gemma cried that she had to go, so Citrina let her go. It was strange to have a spirit who had been with her for so long disappear. She realized that if Gemma didn¡¯t come back in three days, she would have to visit the duke. She had news that Gemma would be happy to hear. The news was something delivered to her by a knight in the form of a small scroll. ¡®I want to tell her that there will be a ceremony for my knighthood.¡¯ She had only crossed one hurdle so far, but she was happy enough. She would have to prove her wealth and semi-noble reputation first. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.There could be no misrepresentation.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°So Citrina is going to become a noblewoman?¡± ¡°I suppose so, but it¡¯s not a hereditary title. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It¡¯s more like a knighthood¡­so it won¡¯t be much different from now, Adilac.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Still! This is really good. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I can¡¯t wait to show it off to my brothers, too.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Since it wasn¡¯t a heritable title, it was like she was a complete aristocrat, but it would be nice to get a small estate, repair it, and move in. She would get rid of the rented townhouse, build a castle, and move in with Adilac and Lita. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.They would have a big party.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. And then¡­ ¡®When we get settled, then I¡¯ll consider my relationship with Desian.¡¯ She was moving forward one step at a time, like climbing a staircase. One thing that concerned her though, was Elaina¡¯s behavior, and her attitude was somehow strange. ¡®I¡¯ll have to put up some sort of defense.¡¯ Somehow, it felt like she was empty inside. Citrina smoothed her hands on her neck. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Before Gemma came back, Citrina would have to grow up to some extent.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll go ask the information guild for some info.¡± ¡°The information guild? You mean those nefarious creeps?¡± Adilac looked puzzled. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Right, the intelligence guild in this world had a bad reputation. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.They had a reputation for hiring thuggish mercenaries to intimidate people.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. However, Citrina know of one information guild that had a good reputation. Being reincarnated came in handy at times like this. A question mark appeared over Adilac¡¯s head. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°We¡¯ll need specific figures to prove our reputation.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose so.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a huge guild, and I¡¯ll need a place that has a reasonable price. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Come to think of it¡­¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina had a sudden thought. ¡®Duke Pietro also paid attention to prestige.¡¯ Citrina bit her lip. ¡®There¡¯s something I can do to help.¡¯ She would have to gather some rumors about the Pietro family. ¡®Let¡¯s find out what sort of infamy the Pietro family has, what kind of situation they are in, and make sure they are taken care of.¡¯ That was how Citrina helped Desian. ¡®I know a bit more about Desian, and I don¡¯t believe the rumors, but even so.¡¯ Somehow, Citrina wanted to get to know him better. Maybe she could find out what rumors were out there and, in some small way, help to spread the good news about him through her contacts. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She could also give Desian some advice.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Still, it would be nothing compared to the favors he had bestowed upon her. Determined, Citrina spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the information guild.¡± ¡°H, how long will that take you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it will take long.¡± ¡°Master! May I go and see Count Lorena¡¯s young lord?¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com The small cuff links commissioned by Count Lorena¡¯s young lord were set with jewels that Lita had crafted. Lita was getting back to his trademark clever remarks. Citrina stroked Lita¡¯s head and nodded. ¡°Alright, Lita, let¡¯s do that.¡± With that, Citrina grabbed a handful of gold coins and headed out the door. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She needed to go to the information guild. CH 71 Even though it was already autumn, the inside of the information guild was colder than Citrina had expected. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Perhaps that was due to the piercing gaze of a man, who was presumably a high-ranking member of the guild.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Citrina Foluin, I want you to look into me and bring back a report on my reputation. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Understand? That shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Okay.¡± It would be a bit awkward to see a report about herself, but it was a door she needed to pass through anyway. Citrina smiled brightly at him. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The man coughed hollowly.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°And also¡­you want us to do a simple background check on Duke Pietro?¡± ¡°Yes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Please do so.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°¡­There¡¯s an unwritten rule about not touching the ducal families, but I understand that you and Duke Pietro have a special bond.¡± The man whispered with a smirk. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It didn¡¯t look like he was someone who would back down easily. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Citrina crossed her arms in an easygoing manner.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to gather rumors, so why is it so expensive?¡± Citrina smiled and pulled another gold coin out of her pocket. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.However, the man¡¯s expression remained grim even after seeing the gold coin.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°It¡¯s not a question of money.¡± ¡°¡­Is it that dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Dangerous, very dangerous.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The man¡¯s face tightened in fear. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.There was some undercurrent in the way he spoke.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®He¡¯s worked with almshouses to provide for the poor, helped with city improvement projects, and he¡¯s gotten rid of the infamous magic tower once and for all¡­yet they¡¯re still reluctant.¡¯ The information they gathered is refined. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.They didn¡¯t deal with rumors.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°I can¡¯t order you to do something so dangerous. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Please only gather as much information that it does not put you in danger.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Desian¡¯s cold, sharp attitude did not seem to be a lie, but he was kind to her. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It left her with a few questions.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®Why on Earth¡­you¡¯re pretending to be nice to others, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t have to wait long for answers. Several questions remained, but her doubts were soon put to rest. The man from the information guild spoke up. ¡°Citrina Foluin-nim, can you keep me safe from Duke Pietro?¡± The man¡¯s face was serious. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Citrina spoke in a small voice.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°¡­Yes, I will ensure your safety. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Though I¡¯m not sure if I can.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Good. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.That¡¯s a promise you must keep.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°So when can I expect to receive the information?¡± ¡°In a week. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I¡¯ll get back to you in a week¡¯s time.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. A week wasn¡¯t too long. Citrina nodded her head gently and got up. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The inner doors of the information guild opened out into a waiting room. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The only way out was through the waiting room.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. She needed to get out of there quickly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She wondered how Lita¡¯s meeting with the count¡¯s young lord went, but things did not go her way. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Citrina heard a familiar voice.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°¡­Citrina!¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Wearing a burgundy hood, it seemed that she had come out to play without her ladies-in-waiting. From what Citrina had seen of Princess Iana¡¯s personality, this was not a difficult thing to comprehend. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.So she turned and spoke to her.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡± Princess Iana scratched her head. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Citrina tilted her head to the side.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Maybe she was a bit embarrassed to talk about it. Citrina¡¯s thoughts were likely correct. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The princess blinked cautiously and looked at Citrina.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Citrina, what about you?¡± ¡°I received His Majesty¡¯s decree, granting me a title which cannot be passed down¡­¡± Iana¡¯s mouth opened wide. ¡°Congratulations, Citrina! I knew you would do well. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Ever since the day you gave me that jewel, I knew it was fate.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡­All of a sudden, talking about fate? Iana seemed more impressed than Citrina. ¡®Is it because I work with a spirit? It doesn¡¯t add up.¡¯ Nevertheless, something was unclear. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.From wherever the source of Iana¡¯s love came from, Citrina did not understand.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°So, Citrina, why did you suddenly come to the information guild?¡± ¡°I was told to prove my reputation personally, so¡­ I thought I¡¯d get a little help from the information guild. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.And while I¡¯m at it¡­¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Ah, what was she going to say? Citrina paused and Princess Iana¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re going to find out about Desian Pietro¡­is that right?¡± No, how the hell did she know? What, did she have mind-reading powers? Citrina replied in a dazed manner. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Princess Iana¡¯s eyes widened uncontrollably. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She stammered over and over again.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°¡­are, are you interested in something?¡± Iana¡¯s loud voice echoed in the information guild¡¯s waiting room. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Everyone in the waiting room, waiting their turn, glanced in their direction.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Iana looked around and asked cautiously. ¡°Yes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I¡¯d like to be of help in some small way. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.That¡¯s why, Your Highness¡­¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°No, I was just wondering if you liked the duke.¡± The airheaded princess blurted out. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Citrina hesitated for a moment.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®¡­I mean, I do like him, but it¡¯s not something you¡¯d usually think.¡¯ Princess Iana¡¯s brain wiring seemed unique. While Citrina was wondering how to respond, Iana called her name in a hushed, solemn voice. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Citrina.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a little cafe by the square that I often visit. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Let¡¯s go there.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. This turn of events was an extreme shift. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Citrina didn¡¯t know why the princess was in the information guild, why she was in disguise, and she didn¡¯t know why the princess was suddenly asking her to go to a cafe.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Surely, the princess was here to take care of something important. ¡®Maybe I can get some information about what¡¯s going on.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll give you some relationship advice.¡± ¡°I could use some other advice, Your Highness.¡± Citrina smiled brightly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Iana nodded and squeezed Citrina¡¯s hand.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Citrina was taken aback. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Unexpectedly, Princess Iana had a strong grip. CH 72 At last, they sat side-by-side in the cafe. Princess Iana got a bitter coffee and Citrina ordered a hot strawberry drink. ¡°You like them.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s love.¡± ¡®But I haven¡¯t said a word yet.¡¯ Citrina spoke quietly, dumbfounded. ¡°¡­I do love strawberries.¡± ¡°What? You already have nicknames?¡± No, this didn¡¯t make sense. Citrina held the mug of strawberry tea in her hands. Steam rose and touched her cheeks. Iana cleared her throat. ¡°-cough- Really -cough- That was a slip of the tongue. I was too hasty. I¡¯ve been cheerful these days.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been cheerful about something? What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been so happy to see you lately.¡± Apparently, Princess Iana¡¯s thought process was not something a normal person could follow. What a unique character. ¡°Me too, Your Highness. And didn¡¯t you ask me earlier about our relationship?¡± ¡°Yeah! What¡¯s the relationship between you two?¡± They had just been talking about Desian a minute ago. All of a sudden, Citrina thought it was odd. The princess seemed unusually interested in Desian. Then she remembered. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡®She invited Desian and me to the opera a the same time.¡¯ She felt a little strange. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since childhood.¡± Citrina left it at that for now. ¡°¡­at the opera, you seemed like more than friends¡­.¡± That sounded tacky, but Iana didn¡¯t continue with that thought. Her initial expression was one of bewilderment, but it was quickly replaced with Citrina¡¯s usual calm expression. How did she manage her facial expressions so well? Iana was deeply impressed. But it was Citrina¡¯s next sentence that blew Iana away. ¡°Yes. We are more than friends.¡± Citrina smiled. It was a phrase that could be interpreted ambiguously. Nevertheless, Citrina¡¯s ¡®more than friends¡¯ could be interpreted as a ¡®crush¡¯. She was being vague because she didn¡¯t have a clear idea what sort of person Princess Iana was. And Princess Iana¡¯s expression was strange when she heard Citrina¡¯s words. ¡­what was that look like? Princess Iana seemed to want to quickly fix her expression. She replied awkwardly. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°You mean you like him. Ha, ha, ha.¡± ¡°Your Highness, that expression¡­¡­..¡± Citrina asked slowly, not daring to be rude. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my expression? is it too distorted? Ha, ha.¡± Princess Iana giggled awkwardly, her hand clenching the teacup in front of her. No, not awkwardly¡­she was smiling from ear to ear. ¡°We should have a festival at the princess¡¯s palace today.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± So suddenly? Right here and now? ¡°Ah, ah, no. I¡¯m just blabbering.¡± Seeing her sparkling eyes and blushing cheeks, Citrina didn¡¯t think she was just blabbering. ¡°Is that so, Your Highness.¡± However, Citrina gently agreed. There was a reason she was so kind to Citrina. a reason she kept repeatedly bringing him up, and a reason her eyes sparkled when heard Citrina and Desian were childhood friends. ¡°At first, I thought you were a bit fond of Desian.¡± A blush bloomed on Princess Iana¡¯s cheeks. Whether she knew Citrina¡¯s thoughts or not, Iana began insisting again. ¡°Anyway, true love is supposed to saturate everything. Think about it some more, Citrina.¡± ¡°Um¡­yes, Your Highness.¡± Somehow¡­it seemed she was becoming entangled, She was going to talk with the princess about jewels, as this was a chance she might never have again. Citrina kept her mouth busy by drinking strawberry tea. It was odd, Citrina thought with a sharp sense. Princess Iana seemed to have a grasp on things from beginning to end. ¡°Be sure to read ?The Spiritist¡¯s Diary? later, as it¡¯s a fateful book.¡± Citrina laughed, thinking she really should take the time to read it on a less busy day. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s weird.¡¯ Maybe it was because she was in the company of Princess Iana, who enjoyed stories of love and destiny or maybe it was just that Citrina was feeling out of sorts right now. Why did keep feeling things for Desian Pietro, the one who had the potential to kill her as the villain in the original novel and her kind childhood friend? Why did it feel so weird to face someone who was interested in Desian? Unable to control her expression, Citrina pretended to take a sip of her drink. Iana looked at her and smiled meaningfully. Being conscious of a part of her mind she had never been aware of until now felt a bit like magic. But somehow Citrina couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that she was going through puberty again. Like the warm, strawberry-scented tea that lingered in the back of her throat, perhaps her heart was racing. **** A day passed. She kept busy, pushing away the confusion that occupied her mind. Everyone agreed to take it easy until Gemma came back, so she¡¯d given Lita and Adilac the day off. Both were fast asleep in their rooms in the townhouse. ¡°I wonder when he¡¯ll get here.¡± When would Desian come over? But it didn¡¯t go as Citrina expected. It wasn¡¯t Desian, but Aaron who knocked on the atelier door. ¡°Citrina, I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Aaron, going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m running an errand!¡± Dressed in his black uniform, Aaron was cheerful and loving as he showed her the pendant in his hand. That pendant must contain Gemma. Why had Desian taken Gemma? And why did he need to look at Gemma? ¡°Are you more excited to see Gemma than me?¡± ¡°You whine so cutely. I¡¯m happiest to see you. It¡¯s been so long. Come in.¡± She kept smiling since Aaron was so cute. Citrina led Aaron over to a small sofa in the back of the workshop. They sat side-by-side and began to make small talk. ¡°Aaron, I¡¯ve been to the duke¡¯s a few times and haven¡¯t seen you there, so I¡¯ve been curious. What¡¯s been happening?¡± ¡°I was at the imperial palace getting ready to be knighted. But, Citrina, I heard you are going to receive a noble title, so I rushed over!¡± He seemed thinner than the last time she had seen him. It sounded like he had rushed over here and taken time out of his busy day to see her. Citrina smiled at Aaron. Aaron¡¯s bright smile was always soothing. ¡®They¡¯ve become dear to me, both of them.¡¯ But there was a bit of a difference. Desian and Aaron both had similar appearances and were sweet to her. But why was it that Aaron was just cute, while Desian gave her a pleasant yet confusing feeling? At that moment, the pendant in Aaron¡¯s hand glowed. Aaron hurriedly handed it to Citrina, who stretched out one hand and accepted it carefully. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¨C Citrina, Citrina! Emerging from Desian¡¯s challenge, Gemma returned with strong wings, a tattered mind, and even stronger magic. Half-formed in Citrina¡¯s palm, Gemma spoke gravely. -I¡¯ve become very strong. -That¡¯s amazing. -There¡¯s just one problem. -A problem? Citrina looked at the stern, serious Gemma with worry in her eyes. Gemma whispered. -I think I¡¯m going to go bald. -You can¡¯t go bald. Citrina used her other hand to comb over Gemma¡¯s precious hair. But Gemma¡¯s hair fell out. Citrina cried out in astonishment. -Gemma! What¡¯s wrong with your hair? -I got stress-induced hair loss over the past three days. I thought it was a human disease! My hair is more precious than wild ginseng! [T.L. Note: High-quality ginseng is a top-quality product in Korea.] Gemma¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Looking at the spirit, Aaron spoke. ¡°She¡¯s become an advanced spirit.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Desian must have trained her.¡± Aaron didn¡¯t know the whole story but he continued with an apologetic look on his face. ¡°Three days, and she escaped the Door of Deterioration. I think you should be nice to her.¡± Citrina didn¡¯t know exactly what the Door of Deterioration was, but from the context, it sounded like it was a sort of gate that intermediate spirits needed to pass through in order to become advanced spirits. Gemma went through it in three days. Read only on salmonlatte.com -He¡¯s a monster, a monster! He¡¯s not human! Suddenly, Gemma began to cry. The spirit¡¯s gemstone powder fell from her larger wings. Citrina couldn¡¯t help but laugh at this ridiculous situation. -Congratulations on becoming an advanced spirit, Gemma. Shall we have a party tomorrow to celebrate? -I don¡¯t have enough energy to even throw a party! Ack, my body. ¡°Maybe Gemma should go to bed, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think she should.¡± Aaron didn¡¯t understand Gemma¡¯s words, but he seemed to know that the little spirit was angry. -Tell people all around town that I¡¯ve become an advanced spirit! Then I¡¯ll be famous. That way, I won¡¯t be upset! -Alright. Get some more sleep. You¡¯re tired. -Oof, I get it¡­ Gemma made a pained noise and rubbed her eyes. The pendant shimmered and glowed, and Gemma ducked into it. Citrina took the pendant in her hand and carefully placed it around her neck. ¡®It feels like I have a safe place now that Gemma is back.¡¯ Clasping the pendant once, Citrina thought about the near future. She would have to write a report and give it to the information guild letting them know that Gemma had become an advanced spirit. She¡¯d also need to draw a caricature of Gemma and put it in promotional images. Seeing that Citrina had finished putting on the pendant, Aaron carefully called out to her. ¡°Citrina.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah?¡± ¡°I also have something I want to tell you.¡± Aaron sounded excited and nervous as he said it. ¡°¡­I¡¯m putting my life on the line with this.¡± Aaron thought that it could not be helped if Desian hated what he had to say. Was he going to wind up like the hairless Gemma? His body trembled. Still, it was something he had been dreaming of for a long time. This was something he definitely wanted to say. ¡°Your life on the line?¡± Citrina asked in a questioning voice. Aaron whispered in a low voice. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to formally ask of you. I¡¯ll send you a letter later. So¡­my letter, don¡¯t refuse it. And don¡¯t forget it. Promise me.¡± ¡°Yes, alright. It¡¯s a promise.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com Looking at Aaron¡¯s innocent face, she couldn¡¯t refuse to make a promise. Citrina nodded silently. ¡°Absolutely.¡± As he spoke, Aaron smiled timidly. Maybe it was since Gemma came back. No, it was Aaron¡¯s smile. No, actually, it was before that. Ever since she met with Princess Iana yesterday, her heart had felt a bit mushy. Everything was going smoothly So then why was she feeling so confused at the back of her mind? Was it her mixed feelings about Desian, or was it a feeling of foreboding, like something was about to happen? So, Aaron left with those meaningful words. CH 73 The days passed uneventfully as they waited for Gemma to wake up and for the information guild to get back to them. Even Elaina, who was sure to have her hands full, was quiet. ¡°Citrina, I was expecting more.¡± ¡°What were you expecting?¡± ¡°Of the canceled requests, only half of them came back.¡± Adilac whispered sullenly. She was right. Not many of the canceled requests had come back. ¡°Only half returned!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I guess it¡¯s good.¡± They were lucky. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to focus.¡± Citrina laughed cheerfully. Seeing her smile, Adilac nodded vigorously. Adilac smiled broadly at Citrina¡¯s words. Her face sparkled like a gem. She hoped that all of these fantastic times were as pleasant for Adilac as they were for her. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°I¡¯m going to work really hard. You¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°No one can beat a genius who puts in the effort, but today you should rest. Your hands are probably sore.¡± Crafting with magic also had a price. The more you used it, the more your fingertips would crack. Adilac was human too. She couldn¡¯t help but pay the price. ¡°My hands¡­they look ugly, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if they¡¯re not pretty. It means you put in a lot of effort.¡± Citrina gently squeezed Adilac¡¯s hand gently. Adilac smiled. ¡°Yes. Then¡­I¡¯ll take a break today. Thank you.¡± Adilac nodded, her voice softening. Citrina slowly let go of Adilac¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll close the doors of the atelier then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Citrina! So what are you going to do today?¡± There was still some time left before the information guild got there, so she should go to the bookstore and purchase the book ?Diary of a Spiritist? that the princess recommended. With that, Citrina spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bookstore.¡± ¡®Does it have any in-depth details about elementism?¡¯ It was a romance novel, so it wouldn¡¯t be about spirits. She wondered what could be inside to make the princess recommend the book. ¡°Then should I come with you?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± However, reading ?Diary of a Spiritist? would have to wait till later. -knock knock- Someone knocked on the atelier door. Slowly, Citrina¡¯s body froze up. There, staring back at her, was someone she expected to see at some point but had deemed unworthy of seeing before now. Baron Foluin. He stared at Citrina. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, my daughter¡± ¡°Since four years ago, I am not your daughter.¡± For Baroness Foluin, she didn¡¯t know her. As for Baron Foluin, Citrina didn¡¯t want to use words like pity, compassion, or mercy. ¡°Close the door, Lita.¡± Lita hesitated, so Citrina took a step closer. His appearance was extremely shabby. It was typical of a fallen aristocrat. She saw a shabby face and haggard expression. ¡°Ex, excuse me.¡± The man who had always spoken authoritatively to Citrina was now looking at her with a face she had never seen before. ¡°I¡¯m coming in!¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. The baron pushed his way in, strength coming from his small form. ¡°I have something to say that you need to hear at least.¡± This was Baron Foluin who had never sought her out. If he was here, there was a good chance Elaina was behind this. ¡®If she has sent Baron Foluin as her next move, I¡¯ll have to deal with him appropriately.¡¯ Lita and Adilac quietly set up a seat. Citrina stomped back into the workshop. Following behind her, Baron Foluin¡¯s eyes scanned the room. ¡°Citrina, this father always knew you would be so successful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Smiling, Baron Foluin waited for more of a response, but Citrina didn¡¯t say anything more. Her face was impassive. ¡°Get to the point.¡± He was taken aback, but he feigned being calm since he had heard it all from Elaina. ¡°S, sure. You grew up into a good kid, but now we¡¯re in trouble. You must have seen it in the newspaper?¡± ¡°Is that your point?¡± The baron averted his gaze and lay down the flag. ¡°Are, are you angry that I didn¡¯t find you since I¡¯ve been busy living? That¡¯s possible. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± He looked around, but no one answered him. He pulled down his old tattered fedora. Salt and pepper grey hair was visible. ¡°As you know, I have endeavored to raise the name of our family.¡± In this day and age, fallen aristocrats were treated no differently than the merchant class. Now he was a noble who had to work. Baron Foluin had done everything he could to reclaim his lands- small businesses, debt-ridden investments, and finally gambling. His downfall was gambling. Once he turned to gambling, his life quickly fell apart. His family¡¯s life suffered too. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± Citrina said sarcastically. The baron¡¯s wrinkles twitched around the corners of his mouth. ¡°Well¡­since then, I¡¯ve incurred a few more debts. Citrina, ever since you left¡­I¡¯ve made a pretty good living, and there was a place that was willing to lend me some money. And the rest of the debt is coming due.¡± The way Citrina avoided his gaze was ominous. The baron began to ramble. ¡°So I was wondering if you could help me out a little bit¡­¡± Citrina cut him off, the weight was heavy on her shoulders. ¡°Get to the conclusion. You¡¯re using my name to pay the debt, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Alright, Citrina, dear, you speak too harshly. If you want to get into a good house, you must speak softly.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± Citrina¡¯s tone became even harsher. Right, he was trying to throw her down into that hole, ¡°Then do this: go bankrupt and sell your noble title.¡± In the past, Citrina had done practically anything to help out. Things that young noble girls don¡¯t do. He must have thought back to those days- back to the old Citrina Foluin who would do anything to earn a penny for her family. ¡°I checked, and they say that this atelier is quite expensive and that¡­if you lent me a bit of your atelier¡¯s seal, I can get quite a bit of money. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± To put it another way, he was being extremely obvious. ¡°Do you mean you¡¯re going to borrow more funds using the atelier as collateral?¡± Elaina had set a trap for her. No matter how much she struggled, as long as she was bound by blood, she could never get away from this family. If the entire Foluin family was stigmatized, Elaina was as likely to be wronged as her. So she was trying to make Citrina suffer by putting the shackles of the family on her. There was also the matter of Citrina receiving an aristocratic title in her own right. She would feel pressured to help the family for the sake of her own reputation. ¡®Elaina, really¡­too obvious.¡¯ And the same went for Baron Foluin. Citrina slowly swept her disheveled hair behind her ear. ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡± To be frank, she wasn¡¯t even angry. ¡°You¡¯re our first daughter, we have high hopes for you, and you¡¯ve been successful. You should be helping to raise this family.¡± Baron Foluin¡¯s face was pale as he handed her a piece of paper. ¡°I have this IOU, so pay it back quickly!¡± [T.L. Note: An IOU is a note saying how much money you owe someone.] Citrina looked coldly at the baron¡¯s shouting face. ¡°Don¡¯t give me orders in a condescending manner.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com The baron shrank in a hurry as he realized his own position, but it was too late. ¡°I know you won¡¯t blink even if I die right here.¡± Just as the baron had behaved in ?Elaina¡¯s Flower Garden?. And Citrina had no intentions of sinking into the pit in order to help her family. ¡°A, apologies. Then you can find someone else. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re close to th, the famous duke, and so is my Rina. So perhaps¡­¡± Baron Foluin¡¯s ¡°Rina¡± must be referring to Elaina. Citrina looked into the darkened eyes full of expectations and spoke. ¡°You¡¯ll never meet anyway, so don¡¯t go looking for him.¡± ¡°What do you mean, we¡¯ll never meet?¡± ¡°Because His Excellency Duke Pietro and I are merely patron and client.¡± Citrina smiled, going back to her gracefulness. She couldn¡¯t tell if Elaina would believe this information. ¡®You¡¯re trying to use Baron Foluin to drive a wedge between Desian and me, so I¡¯m mixing in a few lies.¡¯ It was to get Citrina to constantly ask Desian for unreasonable favors for her family. ¡°At any rate, it was a funny story.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what was so funny, but I¡¯ll leave you to it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll pay me back. You may have gotten a little cheeky, but I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t forgotten about family ties.¡± ¡°Ah, so I¡¯m supposed to pay your debts for what my father did without my consent?¡± Citrina asked calmly. ¡°Yes!¡± The baron¡¯s pretentious expression was funny. He left the IOU note on the table as he made his way out the door. Citrina didn¡¯t see him off gracefully. She had the IOU in her hand. ¨C Gemma. -Yeah? Citrina pulled out a small piece of paper. The destination at the top was Ponem. [T.L. Note: Honestly, I am confused as to what Ponem is. Maybe we¡¯ll find out in a future chapter.] -I need you to replay the scene from a minute ago and record it for me. -Oh, okay! Light began to shimmer around Gemma¡¯s body, and a sapphire the size of a fingertip appeared on the table. -Is this the video sphere? -Yeah! The debt had nothing to do with her, but Gemma¡¯s ability could solve it. Though the baron who was already out of the atelier wouldn¡¯t know that. Citrina grinned. Alright, let¡¯s put your mind at ease. CH 74 Meanwhile, Elaina, who had brought Baron Foluin there, was lost in thought. She leaned against a wall. ¡°How did it go?¡± Muttering under her breath, Elaina looked anything but normal. As she watched Baron Foluin stumble out of the atelier, she vowed that a small part of her revenge would come together. The Citrina Foluin she knew was never hard-hearted to their father. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡®I remember her eyes shaking every time she looked at father.¡¯ Baron Foluin¡¯s eyes darted around, and he soon made his way to the alleyway where Elaina was waiting. His face lit up when he saw Elaina. ¡°Fir, first of all, I left the IOU there. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll pay it off. She didn¡¯t say she wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Right, Citrina Foluin¡¯s view may have changed, but there was no way she would disobey her father. Even if she was out of her mind with jealousy and had a sense of inferiority towards Elaina. Elaina smirked. ¡°Our Rina, why don¡¯t we go eat a delicious dinner or something?¡± Baron Foluin who was so brazen in front of Citrina, was so weak in front of Elaina. Elaina was a successful and lovely child who would help the family revive. ¡°¡­Yes, let¡¯s go. I really want to eat.¡± Elaina glanced in the direction of Citrina¡¯s atelier. She couldn¡¯t watch her sister lead a happy life on her own. Revenge would start small, with a tug on the heartstrings. But eventually, she would tighten the leash around Citrina¡¯s neck. **** Citrina was going to make a different choice than Elaina expected. ¡°Lita.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When I go out, send this letter and jewelry to the address at the top an hour later.¡± From the moment she saw Baron Foluin until now, she really didn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°Citrina, are you alright?¡± Adilac asked, but Citrina didn¡¯t think about it much. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s just a cold, clear feeling in my head.¡± It was amazing. When he left through the atelier¡¯s doors, she was able to forget about Baron Foluin¡¯s existence again. It was to such an extent, ¡®I¡¯m no longer the first daughter of the baron.¡¯ Citrina drew herself up. Gemma was absorbed back into the pendant like water seeping into a sponge. ¡°I¡¯m going to get a diamond for Countess Badil.¡± She was going to the auction house to clear her head. Buying her favorite gemstones was one of her most precious pastimes. **** Although Oslo was able to source gemstones from his master craftsman, there were times when the right stones were not available. Such was the case for Countess Badil¡¯s request. ¡°I need a prettier, sparkling diamond.¡± Citrina whispered to herself. A gem that emitted a more noble light, so that it could be used as a stimulant to cure insomnia would be best. With that in mind, she entered the gemstone auction. ¡°Lady Citrina Foluin¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must be the owner of the atelier. Please take a seat at number 30.¡± Citrina slowly made her way to seat number 30. Already, the auction house was buzzing with activity. The quality of the gemstones coming in today seemed rather good. -We¡¯re lucky. -Yes, we are! Gemma whispered softly. By now, it seemed that Gemma had gotten used to the atmosphere in the auction house. Citrina patted Gemma¡¯s head. ¡°This is a one-carat diamond from the Vlad Mine.¡± The Vlad Mine produced high-quality diamonds. An exclamation rose from the surroundings. However, the gem was not in great shape, so the excitement in the auction house dwindled down. No one seemed to want to buy it. -Gemma, doesn¡¯t that stone look good? -Yeah. A pearl in mud, so to speak. Gemma had picked up that saying from listening to others. Using Gemma¡¯s insight, Citrina raised the number 30 flag in her hand. ¡°Customer number 30.¡± ¡°Ten thousand cerils.¡± Ten thousand cerils was a symbolic number. It was the amount Baron Foluin had demanded she pay back. ¡°Ten thousand cerils! Are there any other bids?¡± Citrina looked around. No one else was interested in the gemstone. She gave a wry smile. ¡°Sold for ten thousand cerils.¡± Now that she had accomplished her goal for the day, it was time to get out of there. Everything had happened so quickly, from the auction to the purchase of the diamond. Citrina walked out of the gemstone auction. ¡°I¡­have nowhere to go.¡± -What do you mean? We can go home! -Home? There was both the atelier and the townhouse she shared with Lita and Adilac. That was her home. -Well, I¡¯m just going for a walk today. Read only on salmonlatte.com Citrina said to herself bravely. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. Gemma tilted her head. Citrina, you seem to be in a delicate mood. So as Citrina walked around aimlessly, it was a bit of a coincidence that she ran into Desian. Desian was looking at her with a straight face. He wasn¡¯t surprised by this chance encounter, but he wasn¡¯t unhappy about it either. He just looked at her. It was as if he had been waiting for her here. ¡°Del?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± The man spoke softly as if he knew what had happened to her. Citrina asked slowly. ¡°¡­Home?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He said, looking Citrina in the eye and standing still. For her, the word ¡°home¡± was a loaded word. Citrina just looked at Desian. Then, Citrina nodded slowly as they stood by the great wall surrounding the auction house. Was Desian really her home? An empty spot in her heart filled once more. CH 75 Chapter 75 They entered the inside of the duke¡¯s manor quickly. Citrina sat quietly in the reception room, which was now normal and familiar to her. She was no longer facing him, but looking at him through the corner of her eye. ¡°¡­Del.¡± Citrina just quietly called his name once. Hearing Citrina¡¯s voice, he spoke slowly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± His voice was cold and unfamiliar to her ears. It was a voice that sent a chill down her spine. Citrina spoke quietly. ¡°¡­Nothing, just.¡± ¡°Just what¡­¡± Desian strode up to her. It didn¡¯t take long before he was sitting by her side. The coldness around her was replaced by warmth. Today, Citrina got to see the dark side of her family once more. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. She was going to give Baron Foluin the cold shoulder. Citrina continued slowly, looking at the man who was always warm and friendly to her. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Today I saw Baron Foluin. His attitude was as bad as ever. I would have been hurt in the past, but now I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± The corners of her eyes heated up, but there were no tears. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Well, to sum it up¡­it wasn¡¯t a big deal. I took care of it.¡± Citrina rubbed at the corners of her eyes. There were no tears. ¡°It seemed I cut off the family ties completely.¡± ¡°What did he dare to say to you?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much, but I¡¯m a little disappointed that I share their blood.¡± Yeah, that was about it. Citrina coldly cut off his words. However, Desian¡¯s expression was horribly distorted. ¡°I will not forgive them for leaving even a small wound on you.¡± Desian snatched the hand away that had been at her eye. It left a painful rawness. ¡°What shall I do? I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± His voice was frighteningly dismal. Blue veins stood out on Desian¡¯s right hand. His face looked like a mess. His face was frighteningly devoid of any expression. ¡®Desian can make this kind of face?¡¯ For Citrina, this was her first time seeing this sort of expression. For a moment, Citrina felt flustered. However, it was Desian¡¯s touch that calmed her nerves. At that moment, Desian slowly released her wrist. His grip on her slender wrist was cautious. It was a strange, awkward touch as if he was holding a glass that could shatter at any minute. This was the man who delicately touched her while approaching her little by little. Desian Pietro waited for her to cross the line. [T.L. Note: Meaning he is waiting for her to make the next move and not force her.] Citrina felt it as she accepted his touch. Now, it seemed as though Citrina was starting to fall in love with all of her senses. In other words, it was her turn to make the next move. ¡°Del.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You know, I.¡± Citrina whispered as she looked at him. Now she wanted to have a warm life too. ¡°Can you give me a hug?¡± Desian wasn¡¯t bothered by Citrina¡¯s bland words. As soon as Citrina finished speaking, Desian hugged her. His touch was extremely delicate as if he had waited for this for a long time. His body was always cold, but now the familiar coldness felt ironically warm. There was a slight smell of cigars, mixed with the familiar smell of his cologne. And the pounding of his heart. Read only on salmonlatte.com Listening to Desian¡¯s heartbeat, Citrina felt herself perplexingly calming down little by little. ¡°Give me all of your grief.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to be sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The feeling of her affection was quite dizzying. Desian thought he was losing his mind. Citrina¡¯s sorrow, affection, and joy were his. Finally. Like an ice pick ravaging his body, the feeling spread through Desian¡¯s entire body. For him, a person who had never had a deep connection with another, her emotions always touched on something new. ¡°¡­Del.¡± Citrina¡¯s cracked voice reached his ears like electricity. ¡®Somehow. It seems crazy.¡¯ Desian squeezed his hand around her waist harder this time. Somewhere inside Citrina¡¯s body, the beating of her heart grew louder. -Boom, boom, boom- It was so loud he could hear it. Citrina did not cry. In a dry voice, she spoke slowly. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Just in case, if Baron Foluin comes by, block him off. He¡¯s a stranger to me now.¡± ¡°I told you not to.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I told you not to do that¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it for anyone but you.¡± With that, Desian¡¯s eyes twinkled like melting sugar. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Citrina had never found it difficult to control her facial expressions. That¡¯s because it was a habit she had practiced since childhood. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nice to me either.¡± Citrina whispered harshly. ¡°Not to anyone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s only for you.¡± Desian whispered firmly, then dreamily and sweetly. ¡°Del.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± In response to his clear answer, Citrina chose her words carefully. There were a few moments of silence. It wasn¡¯t to the point of driving him to impatience, but just a bit of silence. Citrina put her thoughts in order slowly. ¡°I want to know more about you.¡± She became cautious and deliberate. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Desian¡¯s answer was nonchalant, but Citrina could hear the discomfort in it. ¡®I¡¯m curious what kind of person you are.¡¯ Desian told her he would tell her everything. So was it okay to ask what the ¡®real¡¯ Desian was like, not just what the rumors had to say? These new thoughts were clashing inside her head. Was it okay to start a relationship without knowing each other perfectly? Citrina thought about it carefully. However, she didn¡¯t have an answer for him right away. -Ah, I¡¯m hungry! That¡¯s because Gemma woke up after a long time without warning. Should she¡­smack her? The sudden voice made Citrina look down at the glittering pendant. Smoke appeared as if it was about to take shape, and then disappeared with a loud voice! -I, I¡¯m so sorry! Gemma quickly went back into the pendant without trying to take shape. It was a quick escape, almost like a vanishing act. ¡°Anyway¡­¡­.¡± Citrina trailed off, forgetting the question she was going to ask. Desian¡¯s lips curled slowly into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re awake now.¡± -Ah. Yes¡­ Hiding in the pendant, Gemma replied very obediently. Citrina was also surprising still. -Gemma¡­ -Let me explain my ability! So now I can read the stories in the gems, I can turn stones into gems, I can turn gems into other gems, I can communicate with Citrina directly without using the pendant, and I can even channel my power directly into Citrina¡¯s body! Gemma suddenly started listing off many of the abilities she possessed. Citrina was stunned as she listened. The sadness and confusion that had been flowing through her disappeared. Read only on salmonlatte.com Anyway¡­ Gemma, it seems you¡¯ve become really powerful all of a sudden. This, the scale was too big. It wasn¡¯t a scale she had expected when she first became aware of her knowledge of this world. But since Gemma looked so proud, Citrina praised her for now. ¡°Oh¡­well done.¡± Naturally, Citrina was happy as a materialistic person would be. But the sentiment in Gemma¡¯s words made her feel both happy and sad. -I became strong to protect you. Gemma gravely said. The way she ran her fingers through her hair was almost frightening. ¡°Renew your contract, Gemma.¡± Beside Gemma, Desian spoke in a soft voice. Gemma glanced at him, her teeth chattering. -R, r, right, the co, co, contract. I¡¯ll renew it, so hold your hand out. Citrina slowly reached out her hand. Higher spirits were foreign to Citrina. She was nervous, not knowing what to expect. Gemma hopped up onto Citrina¡¯s hand. The slightly larger spirit closed her eyes and put her hands together as if she was praying. A fine stream of light began to flow down Citrina¡¯s fingertips. Citrina breathed in the fresh, innocent, and possibly raw air from Gemma. Gradually, a mark was carved onto her wrist. In a circle was an ancient word shaping rapidly in a web of light. Citrina sucked in a sharp breath, trying to ignore the sharp string on her wrist. -It¡¯s the mark of the contract. She had heard of marks of a contract engraved on a person¡¯s body when they formed an agreement with a higher spirit. It wasn¡¯t fully described, but she couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. -Now you can use some of my abilities on your own. Gemma spoke solemnly. Citrina felt like she hadn¡¯t changed at all. ¡°How do you feel, Rina?¡± ¡°It seems I¡¯m healthier.¡± It was a similar feeling to going to bed early and waking up on time, refreshed. She felt recharged. ¡°Um¡­so far, that¡¯s it.¡± Desian, who had been watching the spirit and human contract, said quietly. ¡°It will change.¡± The sentence was vague with no subject or object. Citrina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Rina, it will be different.¡± Desian spoke with a set jaw, looking at her. Citrina looked into his jet-black eyes and slowly bit her lip. Somehow, it felt dangerous. She found it hard to look Desian in the eye. Citrina chanted slowly. ¡°¡­Yeah. It seems like that will change.¡± Not once since their first meeting, when she had originally thought to rehabilitate the villain- never before had she found it difficult to meet his eyes. Citrina took a slow, deep breath. Her feelings for Desian had slowly been ripening, bit by bit. Now it was time to decide what to do with these feelings. CH 76 Citrina returned to the townhouse. This was after working hard to decline Harold¡¯s invitation to stay at the manor for dinner. ¡®Yeah, I could like him.¡¯ Citrina thought she could like him enough. It was only natal to rely on a kind person when you were on the brink of an emotional collapse. ¡°Phew¡­¡± It was never a good sign to give in to every one of those feelings. Anyway, Citrina decided to admit it. In her heart, she knew she liked him and relied on him. -Citrina¡­¡­. Citrina was soon met by Gemma¡¯s serious eyes, who was lying on the living room rug like a corpse. -Come on. What¡¯s going on? -I¡¯m being serious. -Why? Gemma pushed herself up. Her body moved like slime. Citrina involuntarily took a step back. At the same time, Gemma exclaimed. -I think you like that monster. -¡­Huh? Monster? Citrina¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the word ¡®monster¡¯. -My heart skipped a beat when you looked at him! Gemma murmured. Citrina answered firmly to ease Gemma¡¯s shock. -That¡¯s right. I like Desian. -We¡¯re getting all emotional. I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s weird if you liked him. You like him?! Huh? Huh! -Yes, that¡¯s right? -I can¡¯t believe you like him. -Why are you saying that? Looking like a father or mother-in-law, Gemma pointed with a scowl and spoke up. -I¡¯ll never be deceived! Sheesh, so I guess you two are going to get married now? Citrina burst into laughter and Gemma innocent inquiry. She¡¯d been laughing more and more since she and Gemma had been together again. It had changed her life for the better. Citrina gave Gemma a small wink. -You¡¯re talking about marriage all of a sudden. -I¡¯m scared of him! Give me time to adjust! Got it? -Alright. I also need time to adjust. Gemma fluttered over to Citrina. Citrina stroked Gemma¡¯s hair lightly. She had grown up faster than other people, so she understood the difference. Read only on salmonlatte.com -Gemma, but¡­ -Oh? -There¡¯s something Desian is hiding from me. This was the first time Citrina felt this way. -Of course! He doesn¡¯t want you to find out he¡¯s a monster. Ah, no, no, no¡­ Gemma hastily covered her mouth. -Monster? It was a figure of speech, but she could understand why Gemma was saying that. ¡°Oh, Citrina-nim, you¡¯re here?¡± -Let¡¯s ask him! You¡¯re a fox beast person. You¡¯re a relationship genius. -Sure. Let¡¯s do it. Citrina replied cynically. And just like that, a small dating counseling center was set up in the townhouse. In the house¡¯s living room, on a small table sat two cups and a very small teaspoon. Citrina gulped. ¡°¡­Lita, I¡¯ll tell you about someone I know.¡± Somehow, it was embarrassing to tell her story to the cute Lita. ¡°Ah, yes, is this about relationship counseling?¡± Lita held onto his pen and paper earnestly. He was really going all out. ¡°Relationship counseling? It¡¯s something like that.¡± Citrina said calmly. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve known each other for a long time?¡± He had a probing gaze. Citrina answered Lita¡¯s question with sincerity, yet her mind was unsettled. ¡°Yeah. This person can sometimes be confusing. But he¡¯s reliable, and it is exciting being around him sometimes. It¡¯s cute when you see him being shy now and then-¡° Read only on salmonlatte.com Citrina let the words come out slowly. The thoughts in her head felt like they were organizing themselves gradually as they came out of her mouth. -This is serious. Gemma¡¯s self-talk woke her up with a jolt. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. You like him, don¡¯t you? Then you¡¯ll drift together.¡± Lita concluded simply. ¡°Unless they don¡¯t like you, Citrina-nim. Then it¡¯s a different story.¡± -That monster is totally obsessed with her! Gemma smacked her tiny fist onto her chest. ¡°¡­well, it seems like that man likes me too.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not about me.¡± Citrina waved her hands in the air, but Lita didn¡¯t seem to believe it. A light blush appeared on Lita¡¯s pale cheeks. The boy whispered under his breath. ¡°If they like each other, what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°¡­Okay. Why make a big deal out of this for no reason.¡± You can admit that you like each other and get together. ¡®I just need to get to know Desian better.¡¯ Once she¡¯d said it, everything became simple and clean. She realized she could lose a close friend if things went wrong, but that didn¡¯t mean she could turn her back on the feelings she had now. ¡®I don¡¯t know when I¡¯m going to die, so I might as well live in the moment.¡¯ Citrina smiled as she organized her thoughts. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s one more thing.¡± She spoke in a resolute voice. Lita and Gemma¡¯s ears perked up at the same time as if she was about to say something very important. Catching their gazes, Citrina tightened her grip on her mug. So tightly it might shatter. Citrina blinked, finding it a bit difficult to speak. ¡°I¡¯m a bit ashamed to say this, and also a little shy. Do you just start dating like this?¡± Is it just me? Yesterday, she perceived him as a friend, and today she thought of him romantically. It wasn¡¯t something she was familiar with. The only thing she knew was how, to be honest about her feelings. ¡°Is it just me?¡± Citrina asked, looking at them both for agreement. Gemma shook her head. -He is him, but you are also you. [T.L. Note: Meaning each person is different.] That was the buzzword Gemma was pushing lately. It felt oddly familiar. ¡°Then¡­you can just date, can¡¯t you? Starting from now on.¡± Read only on salmonlatte.com Lita put down his pen with a troubled face. Citrina tapped at the table, feeling a little embarrassed. Gemma and Lita looked at her. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°When Adilac-nim wakes up, I¡¯ll have to tell her an interesting story.¡± Lita laughed. The boy thought. It was autumn. The chilly weather made it feel like winter would arrive soon, but it seemed like spring had arrived for Citrina. CH 77 An envelope arrived at Citrina¡¯s atelier with a note enclosed. The return address was the same as the one on the letter she had sent earlier. She would transfer the debt to Baron Foluin, the original debtor. A short note came out first. Ten thousand cerils. Baron Foluin had taken out a loan in Citrina¡¯s name. But even if they were family, it was obviously a debt taken without Citrina¡¯s consent. Citrina was no longer obligated to repay the baron¡¯s debt. ¡®Now the baron will be tied hand and foot.¡¯ Within the capital of the empire, everything was connected at all sizes like a spider web. So the rumors about Baron Foluin will have come from the top. His credibility must have plummeted straight to the bottom. ¡®Well, they¡¯ll talk about our family feud as well.¡¯ But what was certain was that they would no longer use Citrina to get into debt. Meanwhile, Desian was also aware of the rumors. Stories of the Foluin family had been circulating covertly; but, luckily, rumors are as quick to evolve as they are to be passed along. Desian used his minions to secure Baron Foluin¡¯s protection. He was under house arrest at the mansion with his feet restrained so he couldn¡¯t do anything. So he shouldn¡¯t be able to cause trouble for a while. He had many enemies, so he didn¡¯t know who kept him under house arrest. [T. L. Note: My understanding is that Desian didn¡¯t put Baron Foluin under house arrest. It was another person. Desian just made sure the baron was safe.] Read only on salmonlatte.com With all of the inconveniences taken care of, he headed to the border of the empire. The northern border of the empire was a region not often touched by humans. The border was a place where all sorts of unholy things congregated. Warlocks, necromancers, and the dead. And Desian was one of the living who frequented the border. ¡°Some people have died.¡± Desian was able to copy most of Toloji¡¯s abilities. It was instinct. Therefore, it was no surprise to see a man crawling around looking like a cadaver before Desian¡¯s eyes. ¡°A man named Genfiros is leading the chaos.¡± The reanimated corpse exuded a putrid scent as it spoke. Desian pondered for a moment. His voice echoed eerily. ¡°For what purpose?¡± ¡°It seems like he was trying to kill the underwater species and revive their bodies to form an army.¡± He was the head of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s paladins, and his goal was chaos and disorder in the world. It was clear what Genfiros wanted. And his reason for constantly provoking it was obvious. Perhaps his reason was similar to Toloji¡¯s. However, once he crossed her, he had no intention of going easy on Genfiros. [T. L. Note: I think Desian is talking about Genfiros harming Citrina.] He had other goals in life. He rolled a cigar and lit it. Perhaps he should kill Genfiros. It was a casual decision, like throwing away a finished cigar. Desian spoke in a low voice. ¡°See that the body is disposed of.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The rotting, haggard corpse slithered back down into the earth. Desian smiled picturesquely again. Citrina was steadily starting to realize things. Desian decided to let go of her fingertips for the first time in a very long while. That¡¯s because he knew she could fly back to his arms eventually. Genfiros was moving. However, in what way could not be guessed yet? The borders of the empire were scattered with the bodies of Genfiros¡¯s minions. He decided to kill them first. It looked like it would take some time. Read only on salmonlatte.com Citrina had a bit of trouble sleeping that night. She wasn¡¯t sure what attitude to take. ¡®Let¡¯s just focus on work for now.¡¯ Citrina took a deep breath. Her cheeks flushed as she breathed. She didn¡¯t want to hide it. ¡®Just like I thought, I¡¯ll just let my emotions flow naturally, just as Lita said.¡¯ ¡­Strange. This feeling was like a sparkling jewel, constantly shattered, reshaped, and polished. A strange yet pleasant feeling. Citrina was slowly becoming more enamored with Desian. The day after she arrived back at the atelier with a few dark circles under her eyes, Citrina decided to try out one of the new powers. -I can attack humans! -Why on earth would you attack humans¡­ -I will attack them! I only love you! I also want you to introduce me to a handsome spirit! -I¡¯ll introduce you to spirits when I know them, Gemma. Take it easy¡­ Despite Citrina¡¯s positive answer, Gemma was grinding her teeth. As a spirit who had escaped from the Gate of Deterioration, Gemma had apparently used her anger to hone her offensive magic. Gemma spoke to Citrina with a stern face. -To make it to this day, I passed through the Gate of Deterioration! So focus your energy in your fingertips. -Oh¡­okay. I¡¯m concentrating. Citrina wiped away her expression as if she was chewing on a bitter persimmon and focused her senses on her fingertips. [T.L. Note: chewing on bitter persimmons means you have a sour or irritated expression] -And do what I do. Gemma demonstrated once, clenching and unclenching her fist. Citrina copied Gemma, but nothing happened. -I guess you haven¡¯t gotten the memo yet! Hurry up and love me. -¡­do I have to love you? It¡¯s so passionate. -W, wait a minute. Gemma shook her head with a flushed face. At that moment, Citrina¡¯s fingertips lit up with a blue flame. -S, success! Citrina shook her head. She doubted she would need offensive magic, but since Gemma seemed to like it so much she should practice more. Afterward, Citrina put the finishing touches on a pair of wedding bands. They were from the auction market, with the ability to cure insomnia. Adilac¡¯s jewelry craftsmanship sparkled brilliantly when it met with Citrina¡¯s designs. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°I¡¯ve never made a ring like this before. It¡¯s really amazing, Citrina!¡± ¡°I know. I love that it turned out exactly as I envisioned it.¡± There were no other wedding bands like this in the world according to the boisterous Adilac. It was a new challenge, but she knew it would work if she put her all into it. It was a ring with small diamonds running along all sides. Citrina smiled slightly as she ran her hand over the ring. -Citrina, can you hear the jewel¡¯s story? -Um¡­ I think that will take some time, but I can feel the life force in it. -That¡¯s enough. Gemma¡¯s compliment didn¡¯t sound too bad. She thought this commission was going to be perfect. ¡°Citrina-nim, there¡¯s a customer outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been sent by Countess Badil.¡± A moment later, a bald man came in behind Lita with his head bowed. Citrina nodded, feeling the gentle vibration of the gemstones beneath her fingertips. Read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°¡­Ah, yes. You got here¡­quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s urgent.¡± With that dripping tone, Citrina finished wrapping up slowly. This was a most special wedding ring designed for Countess Badil for her remembrance wedding. [T. L. Note: I¡¯m assuming the countess is already married and this is like an anniversary present.] This was the last order of the week. Soon, Gemma slipped back inside the pendant. Looking at the wedding band, she felt soft and tender. Citrina made up her mind with all of the anticipations she had built up till now, as well as with a slightly emotional, impulsive mind. When she was done with the countess¡¯s request, she would go visit Desian. ¡®I¡¯ll tell Del I like him first.¡¯ Absolutely. That was her way of winning at love. CH 78 Countess Badil summoned Citrina to her country house on the border of the capital. It seemed like it was a secretive visit. ¡°Please have a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you for asking, Madam.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m thinking of having a remembrance wedding here. It will be beautiful, don¡¯t you think?¡± Please read only on salmonlatte.com Countess Badil brought it up without any prompting. Countess Badil had a clever disposition. Citrina didn¡¯t need her prophet-like knowledge of this world from inside a book. She could tell by looking at the older woman¡¯s penetrating gaze. ¡°Yes. It sounds extremely beautiful.¡± ¡°If you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll extend an invitation. The wedding will take place in one month.¡± Citrina closed her eyes and laughed, trying to stall for time. It wasn¡¯t polite to refuse the Countess¡¯s request. ¡°Yes, in one month¡­..¡± ¡°If I¡¯m still alive at that time, that is.¡± It was a natural joke, , however, Countess Badil looked frightened, and she seemed like there was some knowledge behind her expression. She soon cleared up her expression and winked at Citrina. ¡°That was a bit of a long tangent. Show me the wedding ring I¡¯ll be wearing at the ceremony.¡± Citrina quietly handed over the case with the wedding band inside and whispered. ¡°Since the countess allowed me to have creative freedom with this work, it was really enjoyable. Thank you.¡± Hearing Citrina¡¯s voice, Countess Badil smiled gently. She slowly opened the black velvet case. The ring shone brightly inside. ¡°It¡¯s certainly not the wedding ring from my time. It makes me feel young again.¡± Citrina lowered her eyes and pondered what to say. It was definitely a compliment, but socialite language hid its thorns among flowers, so she had to be suspicious. As if she was aware of Citrina¡¯s distress, Countess Badil lightly clapped her palms together. ¡°I mean it¡¯s beautiful.¡± Please read only on salmonlatte.com It was a neat phrase, but it had an unfortunate ring to it. Citrina looked at the countess with questioning eyes. She felt something strange-like an ominous energy. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t show it. Citrina polished her expression and smiled back. It was time to explain her design and Adilac¡¯s craftmanship. ¡°It¡¯s a completely new design. So¡­the diamond is a solid gemstone. It¡¯s made with the meaning of love¡¯s passion lasting forever.¡± ¡°What about magic?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no enchantments, Madam. Just a little something to help you sleep.¡± Citrina kept her eyes on the case of the wedding band, not speaking. Countess Badil¡¯s searching eyes swept over Citrina. She opened her mouth. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite beautiful.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for your kind understanding.¡± The chat was short and hollow. There was no point in her coming all the way to the country house, but the pallor of the recuperating lady¡¯s face puzzled her a bit. She had the look of death. ¡®There¡¯s a strange¡­perfume.¡¯ Every time the countess bent her head towards Citrina, her mind went blank. It wasn¡¯t the scent of someone who was planning a remembrance wedding. ¡°By the way, does Lady Citrina believe in God?¡± ¡°In¡­God?¡± Please read only on salmonlatte.com It was an abrupt question. While the season was autumn, Countess Badil¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat. Citrina thought it was a little weird. However, before she had time to think about the oddity, Countess Badil murmured. ¡°I believe in God. And I believe in God¡¯s existence.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I think that God will answer me soon.¡± She spoke while taking the wedding band out and putting it on herself. It was a clumsy movement as she slowly slid the ring on her finger where nothing else had been. [T. L. Note: There was no other jewelry on the countess¡¯s hand before.] ¡°It fits perfectly.¡± With her fingers fully extended, the countess smiled approvingly. ¡°I¡¯m glad, Countess.¡± ¡°You may go now. We¡¯ll see each other again next time.¡± It bothered her to talk about God. But with Oslo¡¯s halo and the shallow honor of a fallen aristocrat, she couldn¡¯t refuse the Countess¡¯s request. Citrina clutched the pendant around her neck out of habit. Gemma didn¡¯t appear to be sleeping while at the country house. Citrina thought that was a little odd. She had a foreboding feeling about it. But before she had a chance to find any clues, Citrina had to leave. Only Countess Badil was left behind. CH 79 In the small garden of the country house, long after the warmth of Citrina had faded. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here, Genfiros-nim.¡± Badil held up her hand. Genfiros smiled approvingly. It was not up to Elaina. The spiritist¡¯s attitude was refined. If she made a name for herself, not only the jewel spirits but other non-human species would rise in this world. ¡®So¡­the arrogant non-humans will come out because of her. It¡¯s all because of her.¡¯ The mana of the sacred world was running out. Therefore, only the pure, chosen humans deserved the beauty and mana of this world. Genfiros held out his hand with a holy smile. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°You will be able to get closer to God.¡± ¡°I am honored, Genfiros-nim.¡± The smile on the countess¡¯s lips was unnatural. Genfiros ran his hand over the wedding band. It felt like a living, breathing, dirty, non-human. Genfiros¡¯s face contorted as if he had chewed on something uncomfortable. Despite his frown, he looked as holy as ever. He was a seeker of light and divinity. Therefore, Countess Badil would be left in this world as a fresh taxidermy to the divine. ¡°We will create chaos for the greater good.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Genfiros-nim.¡± Countess Badil blinked. Unlike when she faced Citrina, his eyes were irrational. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t seem to recognize it. ¡°The time has come for us to go.¡± Genfiros whispered softly. His voice held a certain rigor. The countess started walking further and further inside without realizing it. It was beautiful, this world. Countess Badil gasped as one would at seeing light for the first time. Citrina was back from Countess Badil¡¯s country house in her own home. ¡®I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this.¡¯ The day was uneventful, but Citrina¡¯s premonitions were oddly accurate. Unable to sleep, she brought out the commissions she had taken along from the atelier. A request to make a jeweled casket out of rubies, a request to make a woven necklace with lalima, a gemstone found only on the shores of Seore ¡­¡­;. Still, most of them had quite a few days left to complete. It was a good thing that the high-ranking nobles who were religious usually canceled their commissions. Citrina slowly scanned through the lists of commissions. A small letter peeked out from between the commission papers. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡®Was there a letter like this?¡¯ It was a matter of taste, but it was luxurious at a glance. There was no sender, just a recipient. Citrina cautiously opened the letter. Citrina, are you doing well? I¡¯m curious because I haven¡¯t heard from you since that day. How are things going with your guy? I¡¯m talking about the Duke! Hopefully¡­there will be some good news. Anyhow¡­I hope you¡¯re doing well. I¡¯ll see you at the succession ceremony soon. The letter was short, and Citrina¡¯s suspicions were put to rest. It was Princess Iana. Citrina¡¯s cheeks flushed as she read the letter. Princess Iana¡­was odd. Though the strangest thing about her was her self-confidence. Citrina¡¯s heart swelled like a balloon at Iana¡¯s words from the beginning to the end. -She¡¯s so weird! A small whisper from inside her pendant echoed Citrina¡¯s thoughts. She was surprised Gemma found out how she felt. She wondered how the connection worked at this level. -What¡­what is it? -No, I¡¯m talking about the country house. Wasn¡¯t there something wrong with it? I looked all around, and there wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary, except for a bunch of yellow tulips in the greenhouse, but that¡¯s still weird. -It seemed¡­a bit strange. And I think it¡¯s related to something else. Elaina¡¯s paladins couldn¡¯t stay in the empire forever. Therefore, she had been able to look past the harassment so far. But something was not right. -I need to find out what¡¯s going on. -How? -I¡¯ll ask my friends. Something¡¯s not right. See you in a bit! -Gemma, take care of yourself. Please read only on salmonlatte.com Without asking for Citrina¡¯s permission, the light quickly extinguished from the pendant. Gemma was always naive. Citrina sighed deeply, hoping she wouldn¡¯t get into trouble. It was a shame there was nothing she could do with the urgency of the situation. ¡®Still, sooner or later, when I receive my own aristocratic title¡­a lot will change.¡¯ Even if it was a non-hereditary title, the recipient of the title would get a new surname. It wouldn¡¯t be long until she was free of the Foluin name. She would be able to distance herself from Baron Foluin. That was enough. Now she had a new family that she was close to. And also¡­ She had someone to love. In the very brief respite she was granted, Citrina fell into a short daydream. CH 80 Meanwhile, Bowen, the head of the information guild, stood at Citrina¡¯s front door, pondering. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ It looked a bit ridiculous as he hobbled back and forth, but he was oblivious to the fact that people were glancing at him as they passed by. As the head of the information guild, he was transparent with all of his clients. But¡­ ¡®All the agents who tried to find rumors about Duke Pietro are missing.¡¯ Well, he wasn¡¯t dead yet. It was a kind of warning. Bowen¡¯s instincts, after years of gathering information, told him so. He pursed his lips tightly. What Desian Pietro had done in the imperial palace was covered up so well that no one could speak of it. Therefore, Bowen couldn¡¯t find anyone that would talk. Bowen slowly entered Citrina¡¯s townhouse. A young, well-dressed servant approached him. Master Bowen of the information guild decided to address Citrina Foluin first. In order for her to be granted an aristocratic title, she needed to provide the court with documents concerning her reputation. ¡°This is a report with details about your reputation.¡± Handing over a few papers, Bowen held up a small video sphere. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Citrina asked. Tiny images floated around a crystal ball-like sphere. Bowen tapped on one of them. ¡°These rumors were also spreading.¡± Were they bad rumors? [She¡¯s a great person. Ah, you can¡¯t tell anyone about this.] ¡­She recognized it as Foges from Foges Boutique. Looking at his face in the sphere, she confirmed it was him. ¡®What are they talking about?¡¯ ¡­Why was he showing her this? Citrina raised her head silently. Bowen¡¯s eyes were fixed on Citrina without wavering. Citrina asked in disbelief. ¡°¡­Is this about me?¡± A trembling voice spilled out of her mouth. Citrina looked at the man nervously. In response to her nervous question, he answered earnestly. ¡°Yes.¡± Citrina was embarrassed. She swore she hadn¡¯t done anything at Foges Boutique. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the others.¡± Bowen slowly turned on another video. [Maybe it¡¯s because of elementism, but there was definitely something extraordinary. It¡¯s been like that since the first time I saw her. Especially when the spirit in the pendant necklace appeared- the glow was so bright, it hurt my eyes. Maybe that¡¯s also Lady Citrina¡¯s ability? But why do you ask?] Well¡­ That sounded more like a folk tale, or a myth. Citrina was also confused by the familiarity of the tone and speech. The voice was Estelle¡¯s. Citrina was taken aback. ¡°These rumors have been spreading very stealthily among the nobles.¡± Citrina was struck dumb to hear how the results of the commission were so civil. There was even that incident where the nobles had withdrawn their commissions with the excuse of being sick¡­ The puzzle was beginning to come together. She asked in a subdued voice. ¡°Why are these stories going around?¡± ¡°Are you asking?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, of course. I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­it¡¯s because you are an elementist.¡± Bowen looked at her unwaveringly, but it wasn¡¯t a reassuring answer. ¡°I have some information about the paladins too.¡± She was feeling nervous, perhaps because of the strange feeling she had earlier. ¡°Well, there¡¯s something strange about them.¡± ¡°Something strange?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it. The paladins are constantly going to the border. Holy power and border magic must be opposites.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. The borderlands, where the dark tower is located, is a land dominated by dark magic.¡± The situation was suspicious. ¡°Elaina-nim didn¡¯t react much either. However, she often goes out alone late at night. I haven¡¯t been able to follow her.¡± ¡°In which direction did she go?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen her headed to the outskirts.¡± ¡°To the outskirts¡­.¡± The outskirts, a late departure, and Gemma¡¯s peculiar feeling. Steadily, the puzzle was completed. Citrina looked down at it. ¡°It¡¯s the report on Duke Pietro that you requested.¡± ¡°It looks like there isn¡¯t much in there.¡± She had paid a lot of gold. ¡°I told you from the beginning that a proper investigation would be difficult.¡± He drew a distinct line. [T.L. Note: Meaning, he is being firm in what he can and cannot do.] She accepted the little piece of paper and read it slowly. Duke Pietro has been buying up all sorts of mines lately. It seems like he is trying to secure gemstones and mana stones. He has also established an almshouse and cleaned up Dartrin Street. He has a history of pushing through several items on the agenda at court meetings, the contents of which are listed below. Citrina already knew all of this. ¡°I¡­was hoping to gather more information about infamous deeds he¡¯s committed.¡± Citrina wanted to know the specifics of the duke¡¯s notoriety. That¡¯s because no one would tell her such things since she was close to the duke. ¡°That would be difficult. He¡¯s a high-ranking noble, so there¡¯s a limit to what we can gather.¡± It was suspicious that even his dark acts were unknown. It felt like someone was deliberately covering it up. ¡°Is there something I shouldn¡¯t know?¡± Citrina asked in a carefree manner. Bowen slowly looked away from her gaze. He was not good at hiding his emotions-an uncharacteristic trait for the head of an information guild. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°First of all¡­okay, I get it.¡± Bowen rose quietly at Citrina¡¯s words and nodded his head lightly. It was a parting gesture. This was a bizarre situation, but it would all make sense at some point. ¡°Things that are hidden are generally more likely to be true.¡± The spark of suspicion and curiosity had already been lit. She already had a general idea, but she didn¡¯t know why he was hiding it, and she didn¡¯t know the specific truth he was hiding. ¡®It¡¯s not a big deal to me.¡¯ From the moment Citrina realized she was reincarnated, the story changed. Therefore, Desian was friendly and had no intention of killing her. ¡°Now, it¡¯s not Desian that matters, but the other death flags.¡± Coincidentally, Gemma had also left to gather intelligence, and Desian seemed to be out as well. So now was the time to use her senses and determination to see what lay in the future. ¡®Then, for now, let¡¯s sort out the future.¡¯ Countess Badil was suspicious and Citrina had a hunch. For the time being, it was better to survive and think about it later. CH 81 Chapter 81 The next morning arrived after a long night. ¡°Lady Citrina Foluin?¡± She received a sudden visit. Several knights showed up at the atelier. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± Citrina stopped as she was about to add that commissions were closed and got up silently. In his hand was a piece of paper with a red seal. And if Citrina¡¯s memory served her, this was an investigation. ¡°We will need your cooperation.¡± It was the knight for the Order of the Lance, Arte Pianan. ¡®This isn¡¯t like the Summer Ball.¡¯ Unlike their first meeting, his face was pale and pinched. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± However, Citrina was not the sort to compliantly be brought in for questioning without cause. Being a fallen aristocrat was a dubious position, but a noble nonetheless. ¡°Give me a reason.¡± Her voice rang out through the atelier with clarity. ¡°I understand you met with Countess Badil. Lady..¡± His demeanor was by no means overbearing, but it wasn¡¯t gentle either. When she heard the name Countess Badil, Citrina realized something had happened to the woman for whom she had designed a wedding band. ¡°The countess is currently in a coma. Lady Citrina was the final witness.¡± The term ¡°final witness¡± rang pretty grimly. The final witness was a euphemism. It meant she was a suspect. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to come to the crime scene with me and be interviewed.¡± ¡®It¡¯s clearly a trap.¡¯ Citrina sighed inwardly as the situation definitely fit with her thoughts yesterday. But the situation was a bit more extreme than she had expected. Arte Pianan pulled a sharp sword from its sheath. He didn¡¯t point it at her, but it was enough of a threat. ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t cooperate¡­¡± ¡°Will I die?¡± ¡°You will face immediate execution.¡± If they were truly the Emperor¡¯s knights, Citrina should have obediently cooperated with them. But judging from the knight¡¯s demeanor and the circumstances, the situation was strange. ¡°And, if you please.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°The medium through which you and the spirit communicate.¡± [T. L. Note: The medium is the pendant.] ¡°Why are you asking for that¡­¡± ¡°Because you might be able to use its evil power and escape.¡± Evil power? Citrina¡¯s eyes widened. How could they call a spirit an evil force? But before she could hesitate, the force of the knights surrounding her was too much. From the look on Adilac¡¯s face, and the tears pooling at the corners of Lita¡¯s eyes, Citrina could see- it wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°You know what my medium is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Of course, most spiritists use a medium. And Citrina¡¯s was her pendant necklace. She slowly unclasped the necklace. ¡°Now hand it over.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Citrina stared into his eyes and she began to suspect he had been investigating her for a long time. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly give it to you.¡± She took a step forward. With more urgency, Arte brought the blade to her neck. The odds were stacked against her. However, Citrina had already died once. She was afraid of death, yes, but she didn¡¯t let it turn her into a coward. She had her pride. ¡°This necklace seems suspicious.¡± A look of disgust flashed across Arte Pianan¡¯s face As he raised an index finger to snatch away Citrina¡¯s necklace. ¡°¡­Yes, the necklace is the medium for calling the spirit.¡± Citrina slowly covered her wrist so it would not be visible. Luckily for Citrina, he was too focused on the pendant to notice her suspicious behavior. Arte Pianan took out a thin, long metal pole. It appeared to detect traces of spirits. It hadn¡¯t been long since Gemma had left. There must still be some traces of her. ¡°Now then, follow me.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to the Imperial Investigation Office.¡± Citrina glanced out of the atelier. There was a carriage right at the door. The carriage he brought did indeed bear the royal seal but nothing could be trusted. Arte Pianan¡¯s eyes looked drowsy, and Citrina had seen plenty of untrustworthy things. But she had no other choice. Citrina thought of Gemma, who had not answered her calls, and the power at her fingertips. ¡®It¡¯s worth trying.¡¯ Though nervous, she nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Very cooperative, Lady Citrina Foluin.¡± He whispered, shoving the pendant necklace into her pocket. Citrina turned on her heel and walked out the door. ¡®I need to bump into whoever is behind this.¡¯ She didn¡¯t have any other choice right now anyhow. Citrina bit her lip. As she exited the atelier and closed the doors behind her, she heard a muffled sound. It was the gruff voices of the other knights to be exact. ¡°The atelier is closed for the day. Those staying here are not allowed to go outside.¡± What were Adilac and Lita thinking as they watched her walk away? She could only vaguely guess. Contrary to Citrina¡¯s expectations, Lita didn¡¯t cry. That¡¯s because he was clutching the bead in his hand. It was the bead Desian had given him. Lita¡¯s face shone with determination. CH 82 Citrina climbed into the pitch-black carriage. Arte Pianan sat across from her. The carriage windows were also blacked out like a shroud. ¡°You said you were going to the Imperial Investigation Office, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Despite the snippy answer, Citrina didn¡¯t give up and asked one more time. ¡°Am I charged with murder?¡± ¡°Not yet, Lady Citrina Foluin.¡± He kept glancing nervously at the watch on his wrist. Facial expressions lie from time to time, but the body language that accompanies the expressions is different. This told her he was running out of time. Was he trying to move her and fabricate the evidence? If that was his aim, it was a cliche-like development. Citrina stared at Arte Pianan, pondering. But what if he had a different goal? Citrina¡¯s mind flashed through several different scenarios, but one thing was certain. She had to survive and make it to the time Arte Pianan was waiting for. The carriage seemed to be traveling over a bumpy hillside. She couldn¡¯t see outside, but she could feel it. And there were no dirt roads on the way to the palace. Citrina instinctively sensed that fact. Where was she headed? Citrina remembered the ancient words on her wrist. ¡°Lady Citrina Foluin, will you allow me to blindfold you?¡± It was worded as a question, but she could only give one answer. Arte Pianan deftly pulled out a black blindfold. Citrina knew as a practitioner of elementism. This¡­was a type of bondage tool. [T.L. Note. Citrina, you don¡¯t need elementism to know that¡­] ¡°Yes. Because I¡¯m innocent.¡± ¡°Innocent¡­.¡± Arte Pianan¡¯s hand brushed a circle around Citrina¡¯s forehead. She got goosebumps as if snake scales were slithering against her skin. Citrina soon felt her vision darken. ¡®I have to summon Gemma without a medium.¡¯ Without the medium of the pendant, the summoning ritual would be complicated. But spirits were creatures that were sensitive to their contractor¡¯s emotions and senses. Citrina believed in herself and Gemma. Besides, her wrists were burning. When they stepped out of the carriage and went inside, the blindfold was removed. In its place were mana restraints that looked like handcuffs on both wrists. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡®I don¡¯t have any mana in my body anyway.¡¯ But saying that would only make her more miserable, so Citrina persevered. ¡°Please excuse me, Lady Citrina.¡± ¡°You already regard me as a sinner.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t all without faith in God have original sin?¡± It was an irrelevant answer. Citrina carefully picked out the keywords one by one. Since talking about God and original sin, not a word had been spoken about Countess Badil. She chose her words carefully. ¡°I see you believe in God.¡± ¡°Of course I do. Doesn¡¯t Lady Citrina believe in God?¡± ¡°¡­What answer are you expecting?¡± Arte Pianan¡¯s gaze was clouded. Citrina felt a sense of deja vu. It was exactly what Countess Badil said. ¡®Now I know for sure.¡¯ It was devotees to God that had led her to this place. Her sister, the paladin Elaina, Countess Badil and Arte Pianan who had a terrible longing for God, and the paladin¡¯s leader who hated elementism, Genfiros. ¡°What kind of answer do you expect?¡± And then things went from bad to worse. As if she had provoked him, Arte grabbed Citrina¡¯s chin. His grip was strong enough to make her jaw twitch, but she didn¡¯t look down. ¡°What do you think of God, Lady Citrina Foluin?¡± Citrina took a shallow breath. Arte was looking deep into her eyes, smiling. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Arte-nim, can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°How long have you been a knight?¡± ¡°Ten years now.¡± Arte Pianan¡¯s face showed pride in his knighthood. ¡°By the way¡­I see you have a new sword.¡± The white scabbard jutted out. Like the inscription on Citrina¡¯s wrist, his scabbard was engraved with something like a logo. It had been bothering her ever since¡­ Arte Pianan was a member of the Order of the Lance. At the time when he had informed Citrina about the ball, he had a dwarven sword. So why did he unexpectedly have a paladin¡¯s sword? ¡°Isn¡¯t it very beautiful? God has graced me with it.¡± He smiled as he spoke. Citrina was embarrassed by how innocent and friendly he appeared at this moment. Earlier in the carriage, Arte Pianan checked his watch constantly. Compulsively. But now that he was here, what he was doing was straightforward. ¡®You¡¯re deliberately killing time.¡¯ It was a room with no clock and no windows. In this place, only two people remained. She couldn¡¯t tell what was outside the room, but a knight would be guarding it, and her chair was connected to the mana restraint device. ¡°You better not think of trying to escape, Lady Citrina Foluin.¡± Arte sneered as if he had read her thoughts. But Citrina had no intention of escaping here immediately. ¡®I still have something to look into.¡¯ If she was correct, someone would enter this room soon. Citrina glared provocatively at Arte. ¡°A great messenger of God will come soon.¡± A messenger of God would be the Pope, a Cardinal, or a paladin if they stayed in the Petrosha Empire. ¡°A messenger of God¡­I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Lady Citrina will be impressed by them too, once she hears the story.¡± ¡°Perhaps so.¡± Citrina slowly took in the room¡¯s interior with an expressionless face. The halogen lights flickered, and the flowers in the vases were fresh. She glanced at the flowers in the vase. ¡®There¡¯s a tulip, and it¡¯s damp.¡¯ Tulips weren¡¯t in season right now. These were yellow tulips, a rare sight in the capital. ¡®The only place yellow tulips are grown is in the greenhouses of noble families.¡¯ This was most likely Countess Badil¡¯s country house. And Citrina¡¯s charge was that she had murdered Countess Badil. ¡®This is¡­quite a dangerous situation.¡¯ Please read only on salmonlatte.com If her guess is correct, Countess Badil was alive and well until Citrina was taken away. And the moment Citrina arrived at the country house, Badil¡¯s life was in danger. ¡®They¡¯re trying to frame me for murder.¡¯ Things weren¡¯t looking good, but there was still time to turn things around. In a crisis, the first thing to come to mind was Desian¡¯s face. It was serious. Citrina clenched and unclenched her hands. Still, she could think of some ways to use her powers to survive. ¡°Maybe¡­.¡± Arte approached directly in front of the chair Citrina sat on while staring at her. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± Arte¡¯s vivid smile was visible. Citrina calmly spoke of despair. ¡°If it¡¯s a question of life and death, then I¡¯m not comfortable.¡± ¡°Are you discouraged?¡± ¡°If you¡¯d like, I¡¯m discouraged.¡± Citrina¡¯s voice was weak. Yet, Arte lacked the absolute tolerance that is characteristic of a truly devout person. Nevertheless, he was also human, and having her tied up seemed to relieve some of the tension. ¡®I won¡¯t give up.¡¯ Citrina recalled the coordinates of exactly where this location was. There was some confusion with her memory. ¡®When will Gemma get here?¡¯ The inside of her wrist pulsed with pain. It was a signal of sorts. Citrina began carefully managing her facial expression. Already Gemma seemed to have realized her predicament. Without any summoning ritual, Gemma was flying toward her as fast as she could. ¡°You should stop expecting someone to come for you.¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t expect it because time has stopped here.¡± ¡°So you know.¡± It was a space where time had stopped. She glared at the water that refused to fall from the vase. She felt it since everything in this space had stopped moving. The water pooling on the tulips should flow downward according to the laws of gravity. But the droplets of water clinging to the tulips didn¡¯t fall. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡®They were thorough. A spiritist who needs a medium in a room where time has stopped can¡¯t use their power.¡¯ But they should have done more research on Citrina. She no longer needed a medium. It was then. Suddenly, someone appeared in the room. He hadn¡¯t been lying when he said God¡¯s messenger was coming. ¡°¡­ Elaina?¡± It was Elaina, dressed in a pious priest¡¯s robe instead of a paladin¡¯s uniform. ¡°Big sister, long time no see?¡± CH 83 Elaina walked over with an exaggerated stride and held out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you. I wish I could greet you, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t shake hands.¡± ¡°Do you want me to untie you?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t do it, Elaina-nim!¡± Arte tried to dissuade her, but Elaina¡¯s hand reached out, and instead of loosening the restraints, Elaina clutched her throat like a beast¡¯s throat. Then she laughed, almost ecstatically. ¡°You really are living here.¡± Citrina glared at Elaina. She smelled a certain scent on Elaina. It was a scent she¡¯d noticed on Countess Badil once before. ¡®Gemma told me the country house had a sleep-inducing smell.¡¯ Yes, it was a strongly anesthetic scent. Since Citrina had been granted the spirit¡¯s pure energy, she was not easily mesmerized. But the longer she waited, the more the deceptive scent would build up in her body. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alive. So what are you going to do with me?¡± Elaina was easily aggravated by Citrina¡¯s provocative sentence. ¡°Are you asking if I¡¯m going to kill or spare you? I think I¡¯d like to kill and taxidermy you -the cause of my only failure.¡± The cause of her failure. Elaina had a strong desire to succeed. She wanted to succeed, even if it meant trampling on other people. So it was only natural for Elaina to blame others when she failed. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Elaina.¡± Elaina was gritting her teeth. There was no time to spare. In a way, it looked like the kidnapper was Citrina, with their roles reversed. ¡°You can¡¯t succeed in everything, and you can¡¯t be the center of everyone¡¯s lives.¡± Elaina drew the holy sword in her hand which looked eerily familiar. The pattern resembled that of Arte¡¯s. ¡®That sword is provoking Elaina.¡¯ ¡°¡­ Elaina.¡± ¡°The Great Guide wants to keep you alive for now. I¡¯m a little upset.¡± ¡°The Great Guide?¡± With bloodshot eyes and red lips slightly parted, she looked as if she was preoccupied with something. Elaina could be selfish and self-absorbed, but she never looked like that. ¡°Right! So, big sister, if you want to live, kill Countess Badil¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, spirits are creatures that hate killing, so you¡¯ll lose your elemental powers and become a low-level criminal. But you¡¯ll still be alive, right, big sister?¡± Elaina giggled. There were even tears forming at the corners of her eyes, she was enjoying herself so much. ¡°Here, take my sword.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t kill.¡± ¡°Th, then I¡¯ll kill you. How about that?¡± Looking terribly flustered, Elaina took the sword from its sheath. The sword was unmistakably aimed at Citrina¡¯s side. The tip of the sword gleamed sharply. ¡°Are you going to kill me then?¡± She didn¡¯t believe she was in imminent danger. But as she faced the tip of the blade, she couldn¡¯t help but think of someone else. Someone who would be sad if she died. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± Citrina glared at Elaina Elaina gripped her sword tightly and brought it close to Citrina¡¯s throat. Her blade inched closer to Citrina¡¯s throat, and Citrina felt the sting as blood dripped out. ¡°Elaina.¡± Elaina didn¡¯t dare stab her. The sword vibrated near her neck. ¡°What? Are you going to leave a will?¡± Her voice was full of bravado, but Elaina didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of stabbing her. So it felt like her ego and her sword were clashing. Elaina¡¯s hand trembled as if she had a tremor. Citrina looked at her calmly. ¡°Put that sword down.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t want to die, do you?¡± Genfiros. Citrina knew what was wrong with Elaina, and she knew Genfiros would never show up in this room. So their struggles were all a game he had set up. But she didn¡¯t know what the hell he wanted. ¡°I have one final piece of advice for you.¡± ¡°Try me.¡± Elaina gripped the sword with both hands. The sword slid down past her neck and rested by her heart. If Elaina delivered a deep cut, she would die. Citrina couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She clenched her hand. ¡°Elaina.¡± Citrina focused on her fingertips, aware of the temperature that was heating up little by little, and directed all of her attention there. She recalled what Gemma said before. [T. L. Note: Referring to how Gemma told Citrina how to use spirit power] Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Leave the paladins.¡± As she finished speaking, the sensation at her fingertips intensified. It was a dizzying feeling as if it was digging into the tips of her nails. This was it. Instead of meeting Elaina¡¯s gaze, she looked at the hourglass. There was still time. A blue flame burst from her fingertips and the restraints binding her hands shattered. After flicking away Elaina¡¯s ¡®holy sword¡¯, the blue flame headed towards the door. Citrina spoke calmly to Elaina, who looked on with a blank stare. ¡°Because I don¡¯t intend to die.¡± The blue flame continued to burn at the door. She soon felt a powerful force emanating from inside her wrist. From outside the door, a tiny spirit flew through the doorway. -What a find! She had used her elemental powers and the summoning had worked perfectly. Now it was time to confine Arte and Elaina. Citrina stepped in front of Elaina. Elaina did not meet Citrina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Elaina.¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t kill her, older sister, then I will.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to kill someone? You?¡± Someone who had nothing to do with this? Citrina was silently appalled. Elaina grabbed her sword and made the sign of the Holy Cross. Her power still wasn¡¯t enough to bind Elaina. Elaina vanished like a ghost. She couldn¡¯t believe Elaina had given up and left this place so soon. -Citrina, what does that mean? Didn¡¯t we win? All that was left inside the country house was an unconscious Arte, a stunned Citrina, and¡­ the hourglass Elaina had stepped on when she left. -Gemma. -Yeah? -Find Countess Badil, quickly! As soon as she said Countess Badil¡¯s name, the color drained from Gemma¡¯s face. CH 84 They left Arte alone and headed out of the fiery door. ¡°¡­Rina.¡± Here was a man walking into the room with blue flames, with an unsteady woman by his side. It was Desian Pietro and Countess Badil. The countess staggered towards them with a confused face. Desian wasn¡¯t helping her. He was just looking at Citrina. Citrina faced Desian. ¡°I came to save you.¡± His voice was as soothing as always. Citrina smiled at his words. She gestured to the completely broken remains of the restraints. ¡°Del ¡° The burning sensation on her wrists was still lingering. ¡°I saved myself.¡± With that declaration, she slowly stepped in front of him. Being so tall with broad shoulders, her vision was full of him. No, it blocked her vision to him alone. ¡°But¡­thank you for the help.¡± He was like home to her because he was always there whenever she turned to look. His gentle, supportive shoulder was steady. It was like turning on a brilliant light and feeling wonderfully comforted. Citrina collapsed in his arms. Thanks to their size difference, her face rested somewhere near his heart. Desian¡¯s hands slowly slid around her shoulders. ¡°And for coming¡­thank you. How did you get here?¡± Her voice was so small, she wasn¡¯t sure if he heard her. ¡°Lita, he called.¡± But Desian picked up on her tiny voice and answered. ¡°I can¡¯t bear the thought of losing you.¡± Desian spoke softly. Citrina understood, burying her face into his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not dead.¡± His heart was beating quickly. And her heart, too, was pounding in a similar rhythm. Since then, everything rushed by quickly. The countess returned to her mansion alive. Knights of the Pietro family escorted her. And all that remained in the country house were Desian, Citrina, and Arte¡¯s corpse. ¡°Is he¡­dead?¡± With one hand on his sword, Arte had vomited up blood. Desian covered Citrina¡¯s eyes. An unknown man rushed up to Desian¡¯s side and disposed of the body. ¡°There was a seal of bondage.¡± ¡°¡­Genfiros, is he the one who did this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was not that she pitied Arte Pianan. But a man was dead. She had almost died. Citrina bit her lip inside the broken country house. ¡°I wanted to make sure. I needed to check if it was really him, Genfiros.¡± Of course, there were many evil people in this world, but the one who harmed her directly was Genfiros. It was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Citrina wasn¡¯t about to go through this and take it lying down. That just wasn¡¯t in her nature. ¡°I¡¯m going to pay them back twice as much.¡± But how? He was a priest of the Holy Kingdom, dispatched to the empire. She had to find evidence that was incriminating. Citrina narrowed her eyes. The one thing Arte and Elaina had in common was a holy sword with a seal on it. There must be something wrong with that sword. ¡°I think there is a problem with that sword, Del.¡± Desian snatched the sword away too easily. ¡°The sword is enchanted.¡± And he gave her an answer easily. Citrina looked at him in astonishment. ¡°Sword magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an enchantment that locks spirits of the dead within the sword and binds it to their master, Lina.¡± Citrina said in a shaky voice. Desian took Citrina¡¯s trembling, cold hand. His other hand held the holy sword loosely. ¡°Your hands are cold.¡± Citrina wasn¡¯t strong enough to be indifferent to the dead in front of her. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with this later. Let¡¯s go back.¡± For now, he meant to keep him properly buried. Desian Pietro had kept Arte Pianan alive long enough. Sword magic is an art that invokes the spirits of the dead. Desian was the closest living person to the dead. However, there was no reason to save him. As long as Citrina existed, that was enough. There was no reason to keep an enemy who sought to destroy their world alive. Desian felt Citrina¡¯s eyes on him. Finally, She chose to love him instead of being wary of him. Desian had never loved before so he had been patient and waited. And as he waited, the time had perfectly ripened. CH 85 That day, Citrina was at Duke Pietro¡¯s annex. Given the events of the day, it was decided it was safer for her to stay there than to return to the townhouse. ¡°Genfiros wants chaos.¡± ¡°Chaos¡­¡± She looked at Desian. There was no sign of emotion as she glimpsed at Desian¡¯s profile. No worries showed in that moment. He opened his mouth. ¡°Rina, do you want to kill Genfiros?¡± ¡°I never thought about killing him. I just want him to disappear from my sight.¡± She didn¡¯t have the guts to kill someone without hesitation. As she answered, Citrina looked at the roses blooming for eternity in Duke Pietro¡¯s garden. A rose has thorns. Conflict and adversity were to be expected. Citrina had no intention of saving Elaina. She wasn¡¯t even in a position to do that. ¡°If Genfiros wants chaos, he must have thought my death would bring that about.¡± Citrina¡¯s gaze drifted over to Desian. ¡°Then he won¡¯t give up on killing me.¡± Citrina¡¯s flint-hard gaze held Desian¡¯s. Desian¡¯s pitch-black eyes, as always, never faltered as she spoke of death. ¡°You won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Yeah. We still have some time.¡± Desian nodded lightly. When Genfiros had laid a hand on Citrina, Desian destroyed a holy object. Genfiros went on a rampage without realizing his wrists were tied. There was plenty of time for Citrina to sort through her thoughts. Desian looked at her trembling lips. Citrina spoke slowly. ¡°Del, I don¡¯t want you to have blood on your hands because of me.¡± She had agonized over it and come to this conclusion. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re very special to me.¡± Was that too ambiguous? ¡°Rina.¡± Desian had broken through Citrina¡¯s guard. The woman who had taken everything from him was starting to like him, so there was no point in hesitating any longer. He ran a hand slowly through her hair. Coincidentally, they were in the garden where they had first met. This was the same place where Desian had become intrigued with Citrina. Desian smiled picturesquely at her as they stood together under the roses. ¡°You know it as well.¡± A shadow fell across Desian¡¯s face. Leaves rustled in the wind. The air was crisp, as summer ended and autumn began. Desian recalled what Citrina had said at that time. In that first meeting, she had said it was summer and asked him if he liked summer. Desian had told her, maybe. But now was the time to give a definite answer. ¡°I like you.¡± It was a simple line without much skinship. [T.L. Note: Skinship is physical touch that is a sign of affection. It can be between friends as well as couples, but it¡¯s mostly associated with a romantic context.] However, Citrina knew the deep heat that radiated from that sentence. ¡°So, Rina¡­¡± And her heart leaped at his confession. Like a rushing wind, like fluttering rose petals. She felt better. ¡°Let me protect you.¡± Desian¡¯s eyes were sincere. Citrina lifted her hand and rested it somewhere near her heart. It was jumping so hard she could hear it with her ears. ¡°No, Del.¡± She was not the sort of person to sit back and wait for someone to save her. ¡°When things get hard, hold me.¡± Citrina smiled. It was as fresh as the cool autumn air. ¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡± Even the breeze was green and crisp, with a confession as fresh as the weather. Citrina suddenly felt that she would never forget the sweet smell of grass from this spot. Desian smiled sweetly. Then he slowly bowed his head. Was this¡­ -smooch- Their dewy lips met. It was embarrassing but pleasant for a first kiss. Citrina took one, then two steps back. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡± And with that, she turned at ran out of the room without seeing his response. Citrina enjoyed being honest with her feelings. In this life, you didn¡¯t know when you would meet your end. If you knew your mind, the best path was the one that followed your heart. ¡°Alright, Rina.¡± With those words, she heard Desian¡¯s cool chuckle behind her. It was obvious that affection was blooming on that normally bored face like the first bloom in spring. She had created that lovely kindness in him. ¡®I still have a lot to do, but I never thought I would feel this good.¡¯ Citrina tried to control her expression by trying to suppress the sweet image that bloomed in her mind. Soon, she would need to meet with Lita and Adilac. It¡¯s always exciting at the start of a relationship. Nevertheless, as with any first relationship, everyone has secrets and things fall through the cracks. CH 86 A few days passed. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Ci, Citrina-nim.¡± ¡°So¡­are you going to get married?¡± Citrina, who had been drinking some water to relax, spat it out. ¡°Why are you talking about marriage all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Th, that butler¡­I heard him muttering.¡± It was about Harold. He must have said something to Lita. Citrina looked at the spilled water and spoke. ¡°Oh¡­maybe that¡¯s something we¡¯ll think about later?¡± All of a sudden talking about marriage. Then again, this world was conservative. With her memories of her previous life, Citrina had a mixture of this period¡¯s standards and those of the modern world. ¡°Ah, well, congratulations, master!¡± -You fell in love at last. You¡¯re finished, Citrina. Hearing Lita¡¯s exuberant words mixed with Gemma¡¯s cursing, Citrina laughed bitterly. Whether she loved Desian or not, Citrina was Citrina. And she was the owner of the atelier who loved jewels. ¡°Citrina, there are people outside! Maybe they were sent by His Majesty?¡± Citrina looked out the window. Alright, it looked like her life was about to change. -I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s go out! This was the final hurdle before being awarded her title. It would prove her usefulness to the court parliament. The documents from the information guild had already been submitted. Citrina quickly checked her attire before entering the imperial court. Her bonnet was tied under her chin, while her long muslin dress had sleeves that reached the back of her hand, meeting her thin white gloves. The outfit was perfect, thanks to the duke¡¯s dressmaker. The court of the imperial palace of Petrosha was as old-fashioned as it was historic. A long marble hallway led to the small court parliament chamber. Even though it was a single-ranked title, nothing was lacking in the appointment of the noble title. The high-ranking nobles sat in the uppermost seats in the venue. ¡°Citrina Foluin.¡± ¡­so when Citrina¡¯s name was called, it was no wonder that everyone turned to look in her direction. ¡°Yes.¡± Citrina answered. Although the stares felt a little stinging, she¡¯d had her fair share of fame lately. ¡°Ciel Rivight.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Joro Payne.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Please read only on salmonlatte.com There were a total of three people being granted a non-hereditary title. Citrina looked around her. ¡®After today, I¡¯ll be a licensed spiritist.¡¯ Citrina lowered her eyes. Her heart was pounding as if she had returned to the moment before confessing. Ciel Rivight held out his sword to receive the title of baron, as did Joro. At last, came Citrina¡¯s turn. ¡°Show me your spirit.¡± His voice was hard. The purpose seemed to be to analyze her spirit¡¯s class. It meant they would divide the spirit¡¯s phases and convey a title accordingly. Citrina nodded without much thought. She watched as the knights hoisted the inspection machine on top of the parliament table. It was in the shape of a small scale, with the top part worn out. In a world where spirits were so rare, even the imperial palace didn¡¯t seem to have a modern machine to test them. It was doubtful it would even work. But seeing it made Gemma extremely excited. -Citrina. -Yeah? -C, can I come out now? -That, are you okay with it? -Yeah! Gemma had been looking forward to her debut since this morning, wearing all sorts of jewels all over her body. A lovely pink opal, a blue sea glass, a sunstone redder than the sun, and other gems she hadn¡¯t yet made into jewelry. ¡­Gemma was a bit of an attention-seeker. Then Gemma appeared, sprinkling the council with glittering, colorful gem dust. The eyes of the members of parliament showed interest in the cute, fairy-like figure. ¡°Well, please go in here¡­¡± -I got this! Gemma sucked herself into the inspection machine. Citrina¡¯s shoulders were covered in gem dust, and she looked flustered. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡®¡­I guess you¡¯re okay.¡¯ -Yeah, I¡¯m fine! Gemma climbed onto Citrina¡¯s shoulder once more. The man in charge of the examination glanced over at her with a surprised look on his face. His voice was trembling a great deal. ¡°Based on its unique attributes, it¡¯s a¡­high-level spirit.¡± ¡°A high-level spirit?¡± The white-haired old man spoke with sparkling eyes. He was a noble who sat on the court parliament. His crooked face showed deep interest. ¡°What is its level of capability? Can it upgrade gems to mana stones?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Citrina answered curtly. The old man chuckled at her words. ¡°It will be a good force in the case of war.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­I suppose it¡¯s the complete opposite of divine power.¡± A debate erupted in front of her. Citrina didn¡¯t join their conversation. She knew it would lead this way in any case. ¡°At this rate, I must speak to His Majesty again. A spirit master who has dealt with this level of spirit¡­hasn¡¯t existed for a hundred years.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been more than two hundred years when magic was still thriving.¡± As if his mouth was itchy, the energetic young noble gave his opinion while shaking his head. -You¡¯ve got people looking up to me? I love it. -Yeah, it¡¯s because you¡¯re amazing. Gemma¡¯s nose seemed to have risen. [T.L. Note: Meaning Gemma¡¯s ego has grown.] Citrina was nervous, but she didn¡¯t want to ruin Gemma¡¯s happy mood. Perhaps conscious of the other people, including Citrina, the old man at the center of the room coughed. ¡°In any case¡­you can go back.¡± It wasn¡¯t an insult, but rather, a statement. Unless there was a particular reason for disqualification, she would receive a ¡®real¡¯ feudal estate. It was the peerage and title that the Foluin family wanted so badly. It was the family who exploited Elaina so relentlessly, hoping to capitalize on her success and re-enter high society. Thinking of them made her heart grow even colder. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Citrina bowed her head deeply and slowly exited the palace gates. There would be a carriage waiting for her outside the gates. She wanted to rest. So much had happened. ¡°Citrina.¡± ¡­but why was she here? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± Citrina said, clearing her tightened throat. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± With an unstable gaze, the woman holding an out-of-date parasol over an old-fashioned dress, was Citrina¡¯s mother, Baroness Foluin. CH 87 In a small cafe, not far from the imperial palace, Citrina and Baron Foluin sat across from each other. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been alright.¡± Saying that Citrina reached for the chilled sorbet in front of her. Baroness Foluin looked at Citrina with a sidelong glance. Citrina avoided her eyes and spoke secretly to Gemma. ¨C Gemma, can you block out the surrounding sounds? -Got it! It doesn¡¯t seem like anyone is listening, except for the monster¡¯s knights. The ¡®monster¡¯ sounded like Desian. It kind of felt cute to her. Citrina coughed lightly. The inside of her wrist tingled as she could feel her magic being activated. ¡°¡­I was worried though I knew it wouldn¡¯t make a difference, but I heard you were coming to the imperial palace today.¡± Worry. It was Citrina¡¯s first time hearing her use that word. Baroness Foluin also seemed quite awkward saying she felt worried. ¡°What did you hear?¡± It was the story of Countess Badil¡¯s kidnapping. Citrina¡¯s eyes narrowed. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°¡­How did you know that?¡± Rubbing her already puffy and creased eyes, she spoke. ¡°Elaina came home for a while. I noticed she became odd since she became a paladin and that she¡¯s acting unstable.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I thought it was strange that she was taking all of the things that you had touched¡­and then I heard her talking to herself about it later.¡± The baroness bit her lip at that point. Citrina sensed that the next words out of her mouth would be even more dangerous. ¡°She said that she could not get to you, so she would put a curse on you.¡± ¡°¡­a curse.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand it completely, but Elaina is out of her mind, Citrina.¡± There was nothing in her face that looked like she was degrading herself or her daughter. Since long ago, she had been emotionally abused by Baron Foluin, so it wasn¡¯t unmerited. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to save Elaina, because she¡¯s harmed you. ¡­I just want to you be safe. That¡¯s all.¡± Their wealth had ebbed and flowed away. Their territory was non-existent. The only things they had to rely on were a small pension as nobles and a dilapidated mansion in the capital. Baroness Foluin was just as old. ¡°¡­Yes. Thank you.¡± Citrina hated herself for feeling compassion for her. ¡°Thanks for telling me.¡± As she turned away from her mother, Citrina thought that she would never see her again. But despite the deepening emotional rift, Baroness Foluin did what she needed to do for her. ¡®Elaina and Genfiros are hatching a new scheme, which must have something to do with the curse.¡¯ Please read only on salmonlatte.com Of course, she never thought they would give up so easily. Yet this was a new update. She realized that she should probably talk to Desian. -It doesn¡¯t sound like a lie. I guess she¡¯s actually trying to curse you. -I see. The baroness couldn¡¯t hear Gemma speaking. She quietly murmured again. ¡°Well, and your patron, the duke¡­you know.¡± The look on her face hinted that she had something else to say. ¡°¡­You¡¯re talking about the duke?¡± ¡°Right.¡± The baroness seemed afraid to speak his name. Her knuckles were blue and white as she clutched her coffee cup. ¡°Some terrible rumors are floating around about him, so be careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m careful.¡± ¡°Okay, please take care of yourself.¡± The baroness was the same woman who had sent Citrina to the duke¡¯s mansion in the past. But when she spoke of Genfiros and Elaina, she sounded terrified. ¡°What do you mean? What sort of terrible rumors are you talking about?¡± She looked at the baroness with cold eyes. ¡°The Duke of Pietro is completely different now from in the past!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference? I only ask because it seems like I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know.¡± She wanted to hear what was so different. Nevertheless¡­¡­ -clink- Gemma dropped the baroness¡¯s teaspoon onto the floor. Oh, dear! Ci, Citrina, shouldn¡¯t we be going? Gemma interrupted the conversation in the most unnatural way possible. She glanced around. It was getting late in the day. The cafe was slowly emptying of customers. Meanwhile, when the teaspoon fell, the baroness seemed to suddenly come to her senses. After looking around a few times, she bent down and picked up the teaspoon. That was the maid¡¯s job. Citrina suddenly became aware that her mother¡¯s back was bent. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°¡­No, no. I said something terrible.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me about Genfiros.¡± Citrina looked at Baroness Foluin. The image of her as she was now slowly overlapped with the image of her from ©‚Elaina¡¯s Flower Garden©ƒ where she was unconcerned about Citrina¡¯s death. ¡®Why are you showing remorse now when my heart has already frozen to you?¡¯ But if there was one person in her family she could forgive, it would be Baroness Foluin. The realization of that hurt. CH 88 Citrina was ushered into Duke Pietro¡¯s reception room. Harold, who was escorting her, looked as if he wanted to say something to her. ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner will be a formal affair, Lady Citrina.¡± ¡°Thank you, Harold.¡± ¡°Not at all! It¡¯s a day where everyone can be together, so I should be diligent.¡± He hummed as he led Citrina into the reception room. It was like watching an overjoyed new groom. ¡®His attitude has become strangely burdensome.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t Harold¡¯s attitude that was a problem, but the final words of the baroness. Genfiros, Elaina, Desian, and the curse. All of these things swirled around in her head. And the last thing that lingered like an afterimage was the baroness¡¯s expression of dread. If not for the sudden drop of the teaspoon, Citrina would have heard the answer on the baroness¡¯s lips. -Gemma. It was obvious Gemma meant to drop the teaspoon. -Why did you do that before? -I, I just wanted you to be happy! Gemma began fidgeting around. She flickered around the table. Looking at Gemma, Citrina whispered to herself. -So if I heard what the baroness was going to say earlier, I would be unhappy? Gemma stopped dead in her tracks. Citrina licked her lips. She hadn¡¯t planned to pry, but when everyone else kept covering it up, it made her curious. What could that vicious rumor be? They all seemed to know, but everyone wanted her to stay ignorant. Citrina whispered to herself. -I can only imagine what the rumors are about. She didn¡¯t believe in rumors. However, there was the information guild¡¯s brief report, plus the baroness¡¯s comments. Not to mention Gemma¡¯s attitude. -Are you suspicious? -Yeah. But I¡¯m having trouble deciding if my suspicions are reasonable. -Well¡­ Gemma swallowed hard. It was then. With a click, the door to the reception room opened in a flash. Desian¡¯s footsteps were more dull and regular. So, naturally, it wasn¡¯t Desian who entered. ¡°Citrina! I missed you!¡± She hadn¡¯t expected Aaron to be here. Citrina tried to get up to greet him, but there was no need. Aaron was at her side, hopping like a rabbit. ¡°Aaron!¡± Aaron waved wildly in her face before plopping down on the couch across from her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I smell like sweat after training.¡± She got the feeling he would have sat next to her if he didn¡¯t smell like sweat. It was really cute. Citrina laughed and shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t smell like sweat, and even if you did, I wanted to see you.¡± ¡°Oh? You were waiting to see me? I¡¯ve been too busy with my training!¡± ¡°What have you been up to?¡± He told her about all of the work he had been doing as a knight. It seemed he really had been busy. Citrina listened to Aaron¡¯s chattering with amusement. He shook his head in frustration, muttering how difficult it was to be a knight. He sounded like a kid at times like this. Citrina smiled and spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something.¡± Not knowing what Citrina would ask, Aaron shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Yeah, you can ask me anything! I¡¯m a second-class graduate of the Selene Knights Academy.¡± At Aaron¡¯s proud face, Citrina spoke in a flat tone. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°I heard there are some bad rumors about Duke Pietro.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Aaron was as stiff as Gemma. While looking at Aaron, Gemma shook her head in disbelief. -Ah, what a fool. He¡¯s so obvious. ¡­You did the same thing a minute ago. Citrina smiled at Aaron, who was oddly trying to avoid meeting her eyes. ¡°What kind of rumor is that?¡± ¡°I just know there¡¯s rumors going around. I really don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about. It seems like the people the rumors are talking about don¡¯t know about them.¡± ¡°No, it looks like you know more than I do.¡± Aaron suddenly began to sweat profusely. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°Oh¡­curious? Why?¡± Aaron asked, half puzzled, half expectant. Citrina immediately guessed the truth. He was preventing the bad rumors from spreading, and he didn¡¯t want Citrina to hear them. ¡°¡­Well, I don¡¯t think you need to hear it. It¡¯s only rumors.¡± ¡°Aaron.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± His shoulders that were relaxed earlier slumped down, dejected. Citrina looked at Aaron with a small smile. ¡°I like Desian.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± ¡°Since I like him, I don¡¯t believe the rumors. I¡¯m just curious about it.¡± Aaron¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°Because he¡¯s a really good guy.¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s right. He¡¯s really good to you, isn¡¯t he, Citrina?¡± ¡°Yeah. So you don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Citrina slowly bit her lip. Aaron was looking at her with a guilty look in his eyes. Citrina looked into Aaron¡¯s eyes, eyes that were similar yet slightly off from Desian¡¯s. Aaron bit his lips roughly and looked at her. ¡°Well, that is¡­ack.¡± Aaron ran a hand through his hair. ¡®¡­is it really something you can¡¯t say?¡¯ Please read only on salmonlatte.com If he couldn¡¯t say it, don¡¯t say it. It¡¯s not like it was that important. She was simply curious about these vicious rumors everyone seemed to know. ¡®Honestly, I¡¯m more curious because they¡¯re hiding it like this.¡¯ Aaron sat across from her on the sofa, rubbing his head against the back cushion. It was strangely cute that Aaron was suffering like that. Still, she didn¡¯t need to know. But before Citrina could open her mouth, the door to the reception room opened once more. -step, step- The door swung open silently, but the heels of his shoes made his footsteps fall heavily. Aaron¡¯s head shot up as if his savior had arrived. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, brother.¡± Aaron scrambled to his feet and straightened up. Citrina brought a hand to the corner of her mouth and giggled. Desian¡¯s gaze met hers. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing, Del.¡± The moment she spoke, facing him, Desian¡¯s entire field of vision was captivated by her. Even Citrina could notice the difference His eyes fluttered languidly as he smiled. -See, he really likes you. Gemma whispered, so low that it was barely audible. Citrina was impressed. It seemed like a statue was smiling. It was almost too good to be true. He slowly approached where she was sitting. In an instant, Desian was sitting right next to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were here, Rina.¡± Desian tucked her flowing hair behind her ear. His white fingertips lightly touched her earlobe. Citrina looked up at him and smiled brightly. ¡°I missed you.¡± He didn¡¯t know how to respond at first. Desian, who had imitated her, looked like a big, shy dog. Across from Citrina, Aaron¡¯s mouth dropped open. Citrina suddenly remembered Aaron was in the room too. She snapped back to reality. She had to tell him why she had come by here. ¡°Ah, I need to talk to you.¡± Citrina glanced at the door to see if the entrance to the reception room was tightly closed. Fortunately, it was sealed shut. Relieved, Citrina began to tell her tale. ¡°Baroness Foluin came to see me earlier.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aaron asked, jumping like a rabbit with its tail on fire. Desian leaned back comfortably. Based on his lack of surprise, he had heard everything from his knights. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright.¡± Desian seemed to realize that Citrina wasn¡¯t very agitated. Nevertheless, Desian wrapped his chilly fingers around her even colder hand. It made her hand feel strangely warm, even as it grew colder and colder. Citrina kept her eyes down and spoke in a low voice. ¡°It went well. I have more important matters to attend to.¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­.¡± Aaron, who didn¡¯t yet know the whole incident, made a dumb sound. His eyes fixed on Desian and Citrina comfortably holding hands. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°Aaron, are you listening?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m listening.¡± He blinked his large eyes as he spoke. Citrina briefly explained what had happened, from what Baroness Foluin had said up till now. When Citrina was done explaining, Aaron spoke quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Curses harm the one who uses them, yet a paladin is using them?¡± Citrina remembered the original work all of a sudden. Aaron had ceaselessly studied and taught himself about curses in order to prove that the twins were not cursed. ¡°That means the curse giver is going to die as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± ¡°Those people are crazy.¡± Citrina thought that was a definite possibility. Elaina had boarded a runaway locomotive called Vengeance. The conductor was likely Genfiros, her boss. She didn¡¯t know how it had come to this. Was it due to brainwashing? But there was no time to think about Elaina. She didn¡¯t have the time or place to convince her sister. She had to survive and protect her friends, the dwarves, the animal people, the spirits, and all the other species that the church denounced. Citrina let go of Desian¡¯s hand. She fiddled with the pendant she always wore around her neck. ¡°I want to respond in a way that harms as few people as possible.¡± ¡°I have something in mind, Rina. And¡­Aaron.¡± ¡°What is it, brother?¡± Aaron whispered, turning red. He wiped the sweat from his brow. He really did look like a sweet male lead from a romance novel. Just as Citrina was admiring him a bit, -grumble, grumble- At that moment, Aaron¡¯s stomach growled. ¡°Then we¡¯ll talk over dinner!¡± She happened to be hungry too. ¡°Shall we, Rina?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Aaron.¡± Desian looked at Aaron and smiled. At the mention of his name, Aaron clutched his stomach, looking embarrassed. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m busy, so I won¡¯t be able to stay for dinner.¡± Aaron blinked rapidly and stuttered. Citrina tilted her head to the side. ¡°But it sounds like you¡¯re hungry?¡± Even though his stomach had growled, he couldn¡¯t bear to say he was hungry. Aaron seemed to realize it as well. And yet, he stammered back. ¡°¡­Yeah. I just remembered that there was training.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even eat dinner?¡± It bothered her. Aaron¡¯s complexion turned pale as Citrina continued to talk. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very busy.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. So I guess I¡¯ll have to leave without dinner.¡± Aaron said he apparently had to leave, but it looked like he was dragging his feet. Citrina watched him walk away slowly. Please read only on salmonlatte.com ¡°I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± ¡°Yeah, catch you later!¡± Aaron waved, tail wagging, as he slammed the door behind him. What was going on with Aaron? That small question sprang forth, but Citrina pushed it away at once. That¡¯s because Desian¡¯s hand touched her shoulder It was a loving touch. Instead of making her blush, it warmed her heart. She leaned her head awkwardly against his shoulder. It was the first time she had been so excited, so nervous. She leaned into his warmth, forgetting about dinner. It was a sweet, lovely day. Until that evening, when she saw ¡°that¡± sword in Desian¡¯s hand.