《You Promised to Divorce Me》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The woman shouted as she was captured by the soldiers to be dragged to the place of execution. ¡°No! I¡¯m not Carinne!¡± Her appearance was a mess. Her red hair, which used to be alluring and shiny, was now frizzy, and her face, which used to be clean and free of any blemishes, was now stained with dirt. Adding to that was her chapped lips. The woman¡¯s eyes that used to shine like amethysts were now dim. The glamorous and beautiful woman who was once sought after in the social world was thrown before the crowd in her most miserable form. ¡°Please listen to me! My body has changed! I am Olivia!¡± she cried out, tears in her eyes. But no one listened to her. ¡°That vicious woman is talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Blinded by jealousy, she tried to kill her younger sister and His Majesty the Crown Prince, yet she acts so shamelessly!¡± Instead, the people threw stones and spit on her. Carinne, no, Olivia desperately pleaded her innocence, but it was to no avail. She struggled, but soon she was on the guillotine. The executioner began to list her misdeeds. Every time one of Carinne¡¯s numerous misdeeds was revealed, the crowd became even more enraged. ¡°¡­ Hence, Carinne Brienne is sentenced to the death penalty for attempting to poison the Crown Prince.¡± Her worst sin was attempting an assassination on the royal family. It was the crime that led to her death sentence. Carinne had long been jealous of her sister Olivia. Then, when Olivia became engaged to the Crown Prince, she tried to poison her. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince drank the poisoned tea instead. The royal family was shocked. As the investigation proceeded, all of Carinne¡¯s past deeds and crimes were revealed. The death sentence was unanimously decided at the trial, which was conducted swiftly. The case seemed to end with the death of Carinne Brienne, the villain of the story. However, a few days before the execution, Olivia and Carinne¡¯s bodies were swapped. ¡°Ugh! Hmmf!¡± Olivia struggled, her hands bound with rope. She still couldn¡¯t believe what had happened to her. It was so shocking that it felt like it wasn¡¯t real. ¡®This must be a dream. No, it has to be a dream.¡¯ Last night, Olivia was sleeping in her bed in the Imperial Palace. But, when she opened her eyes, her surroundings were completely different. The stone wall that was damp and filled with moss, a fishy smell that pervaded her sense of smell, and the cold air that pricked her skin were not in any way similar to Olivia¡¯s room. It was a prison. At the same time, another shocking realization struck her. ¡®My body has changed¡­!¡¯ Olivia had become Carinne. To be precise, her soul was in Carinne¡¯s body. ¡®Then, my body¡­¡¯ Her head quickly went blank. Then, soldiers stormed into the prison to take her to the place of execution. It all happened so quickly that there was no way to fix the situation. ¡°She¡¯s an evil woman who tried to assassinate His Majesty the Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Hurry and kill her!¡± Unable to come to her senses, Olivia barely raised her face. She moved slowly as if her neck was broken. Soon, Crown Prince Edwin, who was seated at the top, came into her view. The person next to him, holding Edwin¡¯s arm tenderly and whispering something in his ear¡­ ¡®Carinne!¡¯ Olivia widened her eyes in shock and let out a silent scream. It was Carinne inside of Olivia¡¯s body. The Crown Prince nodded as Carinne got up from her seat. Olivia looked at her as she approached her. ¡°I have something to share with my sister, so can you please step back for a moment?¡± ¡°But¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even the Crown Prince allowed it.¡± The soldiers hesitated for a moment and then retreated. Carinne approached Olivia, lowered herself, and hugged her tenderly. To someone who did not know the truth, it seemed like a gesture of forgiveness for her sister, who was about to die. But to Olivia, who was actually suffering, the touch was not such a gesture. Even if she wanted to reject it, her hands were tied with a rope, and she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Olivia, how are you feeling?¡± Carinne whispered to her ears. ¡°How does it feel? To die for my sins.¡± She wanted to scream, but an unintelligible sound came from her gagged mouth. Carinne smiled as she watched Olivia squirm. ¡°Stupid.¡± She uttered those words with Olivia¡¯s voice. ¡°You ate the curse in the form of poison every day without realizing it.¡± Poison? Curse? ¡®Why are you doing this¡­?¡¯ Because Olivia was engaged to the Crown Prince? Did Carinne really do this out of jealousy? After seeing her eyes, which were full of questions, Carinne burst out laughing. Then she spoke softly, ¡°Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re unlucky.¡± Sympathy seemed to flash across Carinne¡¯s face for a moment. As soon as she returned to her expressionless face, she whispered coldly. ¡°Even though I didn¡¯t mean to harass you, if there are obstacles in the way, we have no choice but to clear them.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t understand what Carinne was saying. She wanted to ask, but her voice couldn¡¯t come out. ¡°You¡¯ll die without knowing anything.¡± Carinne, who was savoring the shock and pain on Olivia¡¯s face, opened her mouth again. ¡°So accept it. That¡¯s the only thing you can do.¡± She was smiling with a gentle and calm face even though she had just pushed someone to death. Olivia¡¯s whole body began to convulse. However, it was unknown whether this was because of the despair or because of her anger toward Carinne. Carine smiled mischievously as she looked at Olivia. ¡°So, will you die for me now?¡± ¡´Reversed Lady¡µ The end. The moment I read the last sentence, I doubted my eyes. ¡°Could that even be called an ending?¡± The words ¡®The end¡¯ were disappointing. I still couldn¡¯t believe it. When I scrolled down, there was a sentence written by the author that I had never seen before. It was only one line. [The true protagonist of was Carinne.] ¡°Does this make sense?¡± I almost threw the cell phone I was holding. The heroine, Olivia, was my favorite character. I supported her journey through adversity and admired her positive outlook. At first, I thought that it was not a severe sweet potato novel*, but then the author proved otherwise. It was the worst sweet potato novel I had ever read. *TL/N: A novel that¡¯s so frustrating that it leaves a bitter aftertaste. Like the title, Reversed Lady, I looked forward to the heroine that would prevail despite the odds against her. But the twist was that Carinne, the ultimate villain, was the main character? Not surprisingly, the comment section was filled with clamors from readers who had already read the ending. Half of it was cursing and the other half was an earnest request. [Author, this is only the end of Part 1, right? I hope this isn¡¯t really the end.] [Write a story about Olivia¡¯s return and revenge! Please!] [I don¡¯t think it¡¯s really going to end like this.] The author¡¯s name stood out to me, ¡®Sweet Potato Villain¡¯. Only then did I realize who the real villain of this novel was. Unable to contain the boiling anger, my finger pressed the keys on the phone. [I wasn¡¯t going to make comments like this, but isn¡¯t the ending too harsh for Olivia? It was to an extent that I wanted to take revenge on her behalf.] Of course, I never dreamed that these words would come true, but just like how Olivia and Carinne¡¯s bodies were swapped, I had entered Olivia¡¯s body while sleeping. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 2 Chapter 2 As soon as I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the ceiling with a strangely antique decoration. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®I was lying on a folding mattress in my semi-underground room just a little while ago.¡¯ I got up from the bed I was in now and looked around hurriedly. The stylish four-person bed was so wide that even when I spread my arms, I couldn¡¯t reach the edges. This bed also had a canopy. Instead of the high-neck sweater and sweatpants I wore as a substitute for pajamas when I first went to sleep, I was wearing actual pajamas with elegant lace decorations on my chest. ¡®What is all of this¡­¡¯ As I was getting out of bed, I got startled when I touched the floor with the soles of my feet. There was surprisingly a soft rug on the floor. I scrutinized my surroundings and saw a well-lit room with neat wallpaper, furniture, and two spacious windows. There was also a small flower pot with fresh red flowers on the window sill. ¡°Wait, this is a scene I recognize,¡± I mumbled unintentionally, then got startled by my voice. ¡®That was coming from my throat?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know this language before, but I could speak and understand it naturally. ¡®No way, right¡­?¡¯ However, my head had already come to a conclusion. I took a long breath and exhaled. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I never dreamed of having a new life from possessing a story protagonist who had everything. When I had those dreams, I was an orphan, and I was frustrated by my harsh life of going back and forth between part-time jobs. Now I was suddenly here¡­ But, the most important question was, ¡®Who did I become?¡¯ When I turned around, I saw a mirror on the wall. I truly understood why so many possessors looked for mirrors in the first place. The first law of possession. It was when someone became a character in the novel they read about right before the moment of possession, or a character that they liked the most. ¡°At least, please don¡¯t be Olivia¡­¡± Just because someone liked a person didn¡¯t mean they wanted to be that person. The two are completely separate things. Who would want to be a fake female lead who ended up with a bad ending? But I had never been so lucky in my life. My ominous premonitions were always right, so much so that fortune-tellers might¡¯ve gone out of business. I prayed earnestly for the first time to God, who I never believed in before. But, of course, God wouldn¡¯t forgive the arrogant human who was once an atheist. ¡°¡­¡± The mirror reflected gorgeous blonde hair that cascaded down to the waist, green eyes reminiscent of emeralds, clear skin as if sprinkled with pearl powder, and long, slender limbs. There was a beautiful woman reflected in the mirror, but I knew better and held my hair in frustration. Out of all the characters, I became the younger sister who swapped bodies with her villainess older sister and died? If I had possessed Carinne, I would have had a happy ending. It seemed that there was no luck for me in this life either. I grabbed my hair for a while, then lifted my head and met my eyes in the mirror. ¡°Calm down. I can¡¯t die like that.¡± I had to survive somehow. I slowly pondered where, and how, to begin with my survival plan. ¡°First of all, I need to find out how the plot had progressed¡­¡± Just as I was recalling the original story, I heard a rattle and a light ringing of a bell outside the door of the room. ¡°Lady Olivia, this is Mary.¡± ¡®Hm?¡¯ I narrowed my eyes. Usually, the maids appearing around this time were loud enough to make their eardrums ring, and the door was bound to burst open. But of course, they didn¡¯t hesitate to do so. Rudeness, contempt, and clever harassment from the maids were basic examples of a pitiful female protagonist in a sweet potato novel. But, somehow¡­ ¡°If my lady has woken up, can I come in?¡± Her tone and choice of words were unexpectedly polite. I blinked my eyes in confusion and met my eyes in the mirror again. At that moment, a buzzing sound echoed in my head. Olivia¡¯s memories were being recalled little by little as if a light switch had been turned on. The feeling of having someone else¡¯s memories in my head was something that I couldn¡¯t explain in words. I thought while accepting her memories, ¡®What?¡¯ Suddenly, the transfer was cut off. The reason was unknown. It was certain, however, that only a fraction of Olivia¡¯s memories had been recovered. However, most of what I had recalled was more like information about this world rather than Olivia¡¯s personal memories. It felt like reading about a world or background description in a game. ¡®At least I gained something.¡¯ According to Olivia¡¯s memories, this was earlier than the beginning of the novel. Because the first incident in the novel hasn¡¯t happened yet. ¡°My Lady, are you still sleeping?¡± When the bell rang once more, I quickly came to my senses and answered, ¡°I¡¯m awake, so you can come in.¡± Then the door opened. The maid who came in was a young-looking girl with plain brown hair and freckles. I knew her name. It was Mary, who was Olivia¡¯s personal maid. She was an extra that didn¡¯t appear often in the original story. Because, despite being Olivia¡¯s maid, she neglected her work. Thanks to that, Olivia often skipped meals, had an unorganized room, and experienced many other inconveniences. ¡°Good morning, my lady. You woke up earlier than usual today. Did you sleep well last night?¡± I narrowed my brows slightly. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was rising in the middle of the sky. ¡®Come to think of it, I think I read somewhere that nobles wake up later than others.¡¯ I nodded my head, ignoring Mary¡¯s question. It was a good time to explore my situation, so I decided to not say anything frivolous or do something that stood out too easily. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re in good shape.¡± Mary was too polite. To the extent that it felt rather strange. In the novel, Olivia had to endure her pain until she was freed from Viscount Brienne with the help of the Crown Prince. Her father, Viscount Brienne, abused her, and her servants also secretly insulted and harassed her. Because of that, I was skeptical of Mary¡¯s actions. ¡®Even if they are a different person now, it was too different.¡¯ I had scoured through Olivia¡¯s few memories, but couldn¡¯t find any helpful information. ¡®How could this be?¡¯ It was strange. I haven¡¯t done anything yet to change the flow of the story. Usually, the information about the original story was useful. It was every possessor¡¯s cheat sheet. However, now that the initial settings have changed, the information I had was useless. ¡®It seems like my journey ahead will not be a smooth one,¡¯ I instinctively realized. Then, Mary spread a white cloth on the table and spoke politely again, ¡°Now then, how about eating breakfast?¡± ¡®Breakfast?¡¯ Mary went out the door again, and soon came in, pushing a large tray. With skillful hand movements, she began to place the plates on the table. The food was surprisingly plentiful. There was a light yet savory soup, a salad with fresh seasonal fruits, soft and warm bread and cheese, and a juicy steak. ¡®Something is really wrong.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t Olivia¡¯s world that I had transmigrated to, I would have been able to enjoy the meal with happiness while exchanging jokes with the maids. But right now, everything was too suspicious. Even more so in this situation, where the gap between the original story and the current events was too enormous. ¡°Come on and have a taste.¡± Perhaps it was strange to Mary that I was just staring at the table, so she said those words. But in a situation where vigilance and doubts had already begun to sprout inside me, I could not raise my spoon easily. It would be natural not to be able to do that. The maid reassured me, as if to comfort me, ¡°You should eat some today. You haven¡¯t eaten a proper meal in a while.¡± I found a hint in her words. ¡®Is Olivia¡¯s health deteriorating?¡¯ Come to think of it, Mary told me about my condition as soon as she saw me. ¡®But my body seems to be fine.¡¯ I checked my body just in case, but there was no particular pain or discomfort. Once I had a hint of the situation, I nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re feeling a lot better,¡± Mary said with a smile. It was a very gentle smile that comforted my heart. If I had transmigrated here without knowing anything, I would have fallen for her kindness. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 The child didn¡¯t respond to Yuria¡¯s words, but she didn¡¯t rush him to answer. She couldn¡¯t bear to leave the child alone, so she brought it up. However, you can¡¯t just hold someone¡¯s hand whom you barely know and met for the first time. It will eventually be the child¡¯s burden in the end. He also needs some time to think and be certain of his decision. Yuria was willing to wait. When she asked the child to go with her, her question contained compassion until she made that decision, but there¡¯s also something deep inside her. A life that didn¡¯t feel the true meaning of living. She had lived so weakly like a swaying reed in the midst of extreme loneliness and deprivation. It was Yuria who was already used to living her life for others rather than loving herself. Then she met a child that seemed to need her help. She hoped that she could find the meaning of life with that child. If she was with this child, it might be possible for her to escape this extreme loneliness and emptiness. If she was with this child, a child living his life like hers, it might be possible for her to escape the trauma of her childhood, giving a different life to the child. For Yuria who needed someone to hold out their hands, for Yuria who eventually didn¡¯t get the help she wanted and grew up incomplete, it might be possible for her to have hope to see a child who received hope and living a better life. Her actions and choices were with those expectations and thoughts. Living in this world was particularly difficult. She suddenly woke up here after living 20 years of her life in Korea, and even though half a year already passed, it wasn¡¯t enough to be fully adjusted to this world and get along well with people living here. Here, Yuria always felt alienated and treated like she was a different person. Even with the acquainted villagers, they only ever exchanged light greetings, but they were strangers regardless. For her, if she settled here with the child, then perhaps she would feel attached to this place. A long time had already passed, but the child didn¡¯t answer and stayed still. Yuria trembled in the biting cold as time passed. The cold here was incomparable to the winter season in Korea. Although she lived here for already past half a year, she thought that she was already used to the cold, but it was still too much and too hard for her to handle. Her face, hands, and feet turned frozen blue before she knew it. The child looked at her quietly. An emotion flashed in his eyes in a brief moment in his expressionless face. He had a face asking why she was with him even though she shivered in cold, and his expectations seemed to rise that she might differ from the other people, but it also disappeared in an instant. For a child who was deeply wounded, it was still difficult to accept the unfamiliar emotions inside him. Yuria looked at him when he turned away his head. In a relatively tight bundle, the child still seemed cold. He would get sick at that rate. He looked better than her for some reason, but was still in a critical condition as if he would collapse at any moment. So she was even more worried. She couldn¡¯t let him stay here, but the child looks like he didn¡¯t want to go. In response, Yuria stayed with the child in the cold. The day set, and a new day had dawned. Yuria has a resolute expression on her face that she couldn¡¯t do it anymore (because of the cold) and soon after, she got up. Then pretending he wasn¡¯t a little kid, the child quietly looked at Yuria. In his eyes were complex emotions that were hard to describe; even the child had no idea and couldn¡¯t understand his own feelings at all. At first, it was just the thought that ¡®finally she¡¯s leaving¡¯, but when he realized that, his chest felt cold rather than his whole body. Yuria, who got up, looked at the child, ¡°Wait here for a minute, I¡¯ll be back.¡± He didn¡¯t know if he should believe what she just said. He thought that maybe she was also like those people who eventually left his side. Unlike his small stature, his wound was deeper and bigger. But for Yuria, she didn¡¯t want to just leave the child without a word ¨C for a child who held expectations that got hurt. When Yuria disappeared, the child raised his blank face again. His fingers twitched, as if he wanted to hold her, but couldn¡¯t as if he¡¯s at loss with his uncertainties. Anxious and desperate, the child shook his head. Nothing was surprising ¨C it was natural for him to be alone. He had to be alone. He never held anything in his hand the moment he was born. He had nothing. He never lost anything. He didn¡¯t know the feeling of losing something. Yuria returned after a while holding a basket in her hand with food in it to share with the child. There was a thick blanket inside. She wanted to bring the child to her house but she couldn¡¯t do it unless the child gave her permission to do so. The blanket she brought with her wouldn¡¯t completely dispel the cold in the child¡¯s body, but it would be better than only having a thin coat over him. She also didn¡¯t know how long the child had been starved, so she brought food because she was worried the child might be starving. She was hungry all day today after only having breakfast the day before as an adult, so how much more painful was it for the child? The cold wind made the freshly-made food cold and lukewarm, but it would be better than starving. Yuria naturally covered the child¡¯s body with the blanket she had brought. The blanket was tied like a cloak, shielding the child from the shivering cold. It must¡¯ve been nice and warm to have a blanket with several layers. With this, she hoped to convey the warmth she couldn¡¯t personally deliver. ¡°There¡¯s so much food here. Do you want to eat with me?¡± Yuria said carefully as she took out food from the basket. The child looked at Yuria blankly, as if he had heard something unexpected, a questionable expression rising on his face. He didn¡¯t know why she said that. However, the child¡¯s hands trembled when he saw the food on the basket. Just because he refused to eat didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t hungry. He hasn¡¯t eaten for a long time. He was used to being hungry, but that wasn¡¯t enough for him to turn a blind eye to the food in front of him. In the end, the starved child was in big trouble. I want to eat, but can I eat it? Me? Someone like me? That kind of¡­ human food? Noticing the child¡¯s behavior, Yuria muttered to herself, ¡°I may have to throw it away if there are leftovers¡­¡± Not easily reaching out to the food, the child was clearly agitated. Yuria wasn¡¯t in a hurry, because the mere fact that she saw the child responding gave her a little hope. Meanwhile, the child¡¯s hands continued to tremble, repeatedly opening and closing. With a painful expression, Yuria looked at the child¡¯s hand, red from the cold. The child¡¯s hand looked as small and fragile as that of a toddler. With small expectations, Yuria grabbed a piece of food and offered it to the child. The child¡¯s eyes turned to Yuria, asking, Can I really eat this myself? ¡°Baby, I prepared this for you.¡± Yuria looked to the child with a friendly expression and spoke in a gentle voice to reassure him. The child carefully took the food from Yuria¡¯s hands after a while and hurriedly put it in his mouth. Have I eaten for a long time? It was the first time he hesitated. Once the child put the food in his mouth, he finished all the food in the basket without leaving any for Yuria¡¯s share. Realizing it too late, the child looked at Yuria with wide eyes, staring right into her. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Yuria said in a friendly voice. Carefully examining her eyes, the eyes looking at Yuria were both lovely and painful as if she had caught him eating all the food and scolded him. He was like a puppy afraid of being abandoned by the warmth of its owner. His shoulders collapsed with both of his hands clasped together. He seemed to be blaming himself. His expression didn¡¯t ease even with Yuria¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m full.¡± Seeing the child¡¯s eyes filled with worry and anxiety, Yuria muttered lightly as if she was talking to herself. Although she only ate breakfast yesterday and she was very hungry right now, she couldn¡¯t show it to the child. She was confident in her health, confident that she won¡¯t collapse even if she starved for one more day. Her first priority was to fill the empty child¡¯s stomach than hers, an adult. The child still looked at Yuria even after those words. His hearing was exceptionally better several times than an ever-age person, and he could hear the light rumbling of Yuria¡¯s stomach. He became frightened. What if she beats him up because he had been rude to other people? He was confident of being hit and enduring the pain with it, but he still hated it. Then another anxiety comes to him. What if Yuria abandoned him? He didn¡¯t even know why he thought that way when it was natural for him to be left behind. But the person in question didn¡¯t want to leave him. Maybe he instinctively thought that Yuria was different from the others, adding the great kindness in her actions. Yuria realized that her words could not calm the child¡¯s anxiety. Since it had only been a day since she met the child, it would be impossible for her to win the child¡¯s trust. Yuria just kept quiet and stayed by the child¡¯s side, hoping that the child won¡¯t stare at her anymore. Yuria¡¯s actions worked. When Yuria showed no action, the child was relieved. He felt a mysterious spark as Yuria stayed with him. The sun set again and shined again. It was the second day since she had faced the bitter cold. The cold that penetrated in the meantime got more brutal, but Yuria wasn¡¯t too worried because she was used to the cold. Especially when it came to health and strength, she¡¯s confident that she won¡¯t be sick. I won¡¯t collapse. Yuria¡¯s body was incredibly strong, which may be the aftermath of coming to this world. She didn¡¯t even catch a cold even after she wandered the cold mountains for half a day in the middle of the winter. Being accustomed to saying that she will come back to the child, Yuria came back to her home to fill her stomach. Before she knew it, five days had already passed. Yuria didn¡¯t force anything on the child, and she didn¡¯t want anything. They just ate food together and stayed with each other. Yuria got up and habitually said to the child that she will be back. It was then, ¡°¡­¡­Me too.¡± It was a very quiet voice, but Yuria was focusing on the child, so she heard it clearly. Only two words came out of the child¡¯s mouth, but Yuria could understand what he said right away. She quietly held her hand out, and the child, who had been hesitating for a while, grabbed her hand. The child¡¯s hands were colder than the wind. Even Yuria, whose hands were already frozen in the cold, was startled by his hands. Yuria didn¡¯t shake off his hand and instead, they walked for a long time deep into the forest ¨C heading home. And that¡¯s how Yuria and the child started living together. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 In an instant, my heart sank. ¡®Did it notice that I possessed this body?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t easily affirm or deny it. As I was contemplating an answer, Ash muttered a little. [I¡¯ve been through a lot¡­] ¡°What?¡± At my question, the bird jumped like it had been struck by lightning and responded in a hurry. [Ah, nothing!] It couldn¡¯t make eye contact with me, and avoided my gaze. It certainly looked suspicious. As if it had read my doubts, it quickly added, [I won¡¯t hurt you, I came here just to help.] But I realized at a very young age that there would be no one who would help without asking for something in return. ¡°You and I met for the first time today, so how can I trust you?¡± Ash rolled its eyes at my question. [I will give you power.] ¡°Power?¡± [Yes, the power you need and should have.] The bird, who had just moved from the palm of my hand to my wrist, muttered softly, [And also the power that was originally yours.] The bird¡¯s beak pecked on my wrist slightly. Then, a sparkling blue liquid began to flow from my wrist. ¡°This¡­ what is this?¡± [I am calling on the power contained within you.] In the blink of an eye, the blue liquid spread throughout my body. I blinked seeing the blue light that it emitted. It shined so brightly that my entire view was obscured. After a while, the liquid began to be absorbed back into my body. I trembled slightly, feeling the power that slowly seeped into my veins. It was unfamiliar, but somehow I felt a warm energy that evoked nostalgia. When I looked at Ash in confusion, the plump white bird smiled and said, [The name of your kind is Epure, you are a purifier who has just awakened.] ¡®A purifier?¡¯ In many stories, the female lead tended to have unique abilities. Maybe the ability to contract the spirit, healing powers, become a magic or swordsmanship genius, or at least something unique that captivated the male lead. So, just by hearing the name, I could guess what kind of power it was. It was the power to defeat evil spirits, and healing. But I didn¡¯t like it. ¡®The problem is that there¡¯s a good chance I¡¯m not the main character.¡¯ There is a reason why I vaguely judged that there is a high probability that I am not the main character here. Of course, the true protagonist of Reversed Lady, which the author acknowledged, was not Olivia, but Carinne. ¡®But there are suddenly many things that were different from the original.¡¯ The polite attitude of the maid, the sudden appearance of a bird, and the power I gained. ¡®It could be that me possessing Olivia¡¯s body itself is a big variable.¡¯ The appearance of a new character could change a lot of things. The storyline could already twist in a slightly different direction. If so, it was better for me. ¡°I need to be alert all the time to survive.¡± [Who is trying to kill you?] ¡°Huh?¡± I accidentally let out my thoughts, so Ash heard me. I wanted to make an excuse. ¡®But I¡¯ve already said Carinne¡¯s name. Even if it believed me this time, it¡¯s only a matter of time before it knows.¡¯ The bird who awakened the power within me didn¡¯t seem to be planning on leaving me anytime soon. ¡®Even if I pushed it to leave, it didn¡¯t seem like it would hear me.¡¯ In the end, I frankly confided in it, ¡°I think my sister wants to kill me.¡± I could not reveal that I possessed Olivia¡¯s body and that this world was a novel, so I gave a vague explanation of how I found out. [Hmm, I see.] I thought it would be surprised, but the response I got back was surprisingly relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it¡¯s just a speculation.¡± [You¡¯re probably right.] It was a confident answer. The bird continued with a small shrug, [Because you wouldn¡¯t have felt that way for no reason.] ¡°How are you so sure?¡± [Epure is by nature very sensitive to intuition. Have you ever heard of sixth senses? Have you ever felt that you are better at noticing risks or crises than others?] Without realizing it, my mouth opened slightly. ¡®How did you know that?¡¯ Ever since I was a kid, if I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen, it would always be right. But I didn¡¯t know exactly what would happen until it happened. In other words, it was a useless ability. ¡°Even if we detect it in advance, we can¡¯t avoid it anyway.¡± [It may have been like that until now, but it will become a necessary skill in the future. Epure is a special being with the power of purification.] According to the bird, Epure is a powerful healer, a curse-dispelling healer, and at the same time a detoxifier. ¡®It¡¯s a better power than I thought.¡¯ I thought it was just a healing ability, but I could also remove curses and detoxify. ¡®Wait, detoxification¡­?¡¯ I paused at the thought that came to mind while I was repeating Ash¡¯s words involuntarily. ¡®If what it said was true, isn¡¯t it safe to drink the poison?¡¯ If Carinne put a curse on me, I could use an Epure¡¯s power to release it. I felt as if the dark sky had suddenly changed to blue. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty useful power. In the future, if something happens to me, I can use this power.¡± But it only took a few seconds for my expectations to collapse like a deflated balloon. [I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s not possible. A purifier cannot heal itself.] ¡°What?¡± [Epure¡¯s holy purifying power does not reach the Epure themselves.] ¡®Crazy.¡¯ A curse almost came out of my mouth. Instead, my honest feeling came out, ¡°God¡¯s blessing?¡± [Yes.] ¡°This power is a blessing from God?¡± [Yes.] ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ I put a hand on my temple due to a headache. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get picked because of my former life as a pushover. [What¡¯s wrong, Olivia? You have the power, but you¡¯re not happy?] Rather than being happy, I was angry at the sight of it tilting its head as if it didn¡¯t understand me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Do I really need a power that I can¡¯t use?¡± [Even if you don¡¯t need it, it will be of great help to someone¡­] ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± I lost my patience and self-control in an instant. ¡°How is it a blessing to only do good things for others until the day you die? Damn! I am just an ordinary person whose dream is to live an ordinary life!¡± Of course, I sincerely respected great people who sacrificed and threw themselves into danger for others. But I couldn¡¯t be like them. As if my reaction was unexpected, Ash¡¯s expression went blank. Ash hurriedly started to comfort me with, [Don¡¯t be too negative. Do you know many beings covet the power of Epure?] ¡®Wait.¡¯ I grabbed it with both hands after hearing the words. ¡°That sounds like a lot of people are after me?¡± [Uh, that¡­] Ash looked me in the eye and hesitantly said those words. The sound of my death flag being raised again was heard in my mind. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± I was speechless. ¡®I¡¯m going to dig my own grave.¡¯ I was struggling to live, but there were more and more people aiming for me. ¡°I don¡¯t need this power, so take it back.¡± Then the bird was visibly confused. [I-I can¡¯t do that.] ¡°What?¡± The bird who was hesitating while looking into my eyes answered, [I can¡¯t get rid of the power I¡¯ve already drawn out.] ¡°¡­ Are you kidding me?¡± The words came out of my mouth in irritation. Ash was astonished and stuttered, not knowing what to do. [S-sorry. I never thought you¡¯d hate this ability so much. But it has always been yours in the first place¡­] It stuttered excuses, but they didn¡¯t even reach my ears. I had never seen a character in a story have powers without any reason. I didn¡¯t know what the God of this world was thinking when they gave me this ability, but it was definitely not for free. Was the poisoned tea the price? That great poison that could swap people¡¯s bodies and lives. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡®I forgot.¡¯ I turned around, leaving Ash alone. Ash, who was watching me, took a step back. ¡®I have to look at the tea leaves.¡¯ I lost my mind because of the bird who suddenly came over. When I walked to the table and opened the lid of the teapot, I saw the tea that had just cooled off. I laid a white handkerchief on the table and spread out the tea leaves one by one on it. The leaves that were soaked in moisture were restored to their original shape. ¡°They all look the same¡­ If the tea leaves weren¡¯t the problem, then is it the water?¡± While mumbling to myself and rubbing my forehead, Ash sat down on the table and asked me. [Olivia¡­ what are you doing?] I didn¡¯t respond. However, I didn¡¯t forbid the bird from approaching me. [Wait.] Then, the expression of the bird who had been paying close attention to the leaves suddenly became strange. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Ash suddenly said, [This one looks strange.] I was still angry with it, but as the situation was urgent, I had to ask, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a tea leaf?¡± [Look closely. It has a different shape from the other tea leaves. It is subtle, but there is a color difference.] I furrowed my brow, staring at the damp leaf. ¡®¡­Really?¡¯ It was longer than the other leaves and had an unusually pointed tip. The color was also darker. [Something smells suspicious.] ¡°Like what?¡± [It¡¯s a bit difficult to explain. What can I say¡­ if I had to describe it, it¡¯s a smell that is not suitable for this land.] ¡®How strange.¡¯ ¡°But you don¡¯t even know what these leaves are.¡± [Yes, not a clue.] I laughed out loud when I saw it confidently answer that it didn¡¯t know. Well, without Ash, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell the difference between the leaves. [By the way, did you say your sister¡¯s name was Carinne? She must have studied herbal medicine. I know a lot of stuff, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen it.] ¡°Don¡¯t praise Carinne in front of me.¡± Ash was startled when I scolded it, and then nodded its head. ¡®Anyway, I now know that the leaf is the problem, so I can find out about it.¡¯ I pulled out a piece of paper and started making a plan to identify what the leaf was. It was no exaggeration to say that the heart of the current Balkan Empire was the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. The emperor collapsed since his chronic illness rapidly deteriorated his health, so he gave up all of his duties. The emperor was suddenly absent. Fortunately, however, the internal affairs of the empire went on smoothly. It was thanks to his son, Crown Prince Edwin. It had already been several months since Edwin started to lead on behalf of the immobile emperor. Everyone quickly adapted to the change. The imperial palace, which had been in turmoil, soon entered a period of stability, and the daily life of the royals gradually became peaceful. And so, this morning, ¡°Wait a minute, please wait a minute!¡± A servant in the imperial palace who was restless ran after a man. But the man did not look back and walked through the hallway of the imperial palace without hesitation. Those who saw the man who had many rumors for the first time held their breath. Still, they couldn¡¯t stop looking at him. He was a man with such a magnificent appearance that they could not take their eyes off him. Adding to his wonderful aura, his black hair made him all the more mysterious. His eyebrows were hidden by his bangs that naturally flowed down to the forehead, and below them were a pair of dazzling red eyes. A high and neat nose bridge, seductive red lips, and a sharp jawline would make many people enticed in an instant. The word beautiful or handsome was not enough to describe his face which has clear contours and elegant lines. He was a head taller than many people. His smooth, toned body was reminiscent of an elegant leopard. As if an angel of war had incarnated, this perfect man¡¯s true identity was¡­¡­ ¡°Your Grace the Duke of Kravant!¡± The chamberlain called him desperately. ¡°¡­¡± Lennox, the Duke of Kravant in question, was now walking through the hallway leading to the crown prince¡¯s office. But no one dared to stop him or point out his arrogance. It was not just because of his title and his reputation as the guardian of the empire. There was an overwhelming atmosphere surrounding him that made people get goosebumps when they saw his expressionless face. His presence was very overwhelming. ¡°Your Grace, please¡­!¡± The chamberlain spread his arms wide and stepped in front of Lennox. But he didn¡¯t even dare to look at him, so he closed his eyes tightly. This was because he already knew what the crown prince had done. He also knew how uncomfortable the duke must have felt. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is busy with important things right now. Please make an appointment first¡­¡± ¡°Move.¡± ¡°I¡¯m begging you. You know you can¡¯t do this, right?¡± But the poor chamberlain¡¯s choice of words were not very wise. Instead of answering, a strong force went to his body. ¡°Akh!¡± The chamberlain knelt on the smooth marble floor. Following the pressure that made it difficult to even breathe properly, a creepy sensation came as if the fangs of a wild beast were slowly digging into his neck. A cold sweat ran down his body. In the surrounding area, the knights and servants escorting the crown prince were in the same situation. ¡°Rest assured. Your master will be safe.¡± A dry voice entered their ears, who could not even lift their heads under pressure from the power. ¡°Not yet.¡± Lennox, who spoke briefly in a low voice, opened the door to the crown prince¡¯s office without hesitation. The Crown Prince, Edwin, met Lennox¡¯s eyes calmly, even though he knew what was going on outside. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± The prince thought he still couldn¡¯t get used to that face no matter how many times he saw it. ¡°Loosen up your face, you¡¯ll kill people with just your eyes.¡± It was a friendly joke, but Lennox didn¡¯t even respond. Instead, he released something he had been holding in his hand firmly on Edwin¡¯s desk. ¡°What is this?¡± Edwin pretended not to hear and picked up a piece of paper that had been crumpled like a ball. ¡°What is this?¡± The crumpled paper was unfolded to the point where the shape was almost unknown. It was a page of a newspaper. ¡®Oh, they¡¯ve done well with the headlines.¡¯ Edwin sighed in admiration. The title of the article was provocative. Thanks to this, he was able to bring the duke, who had rarely moved from his southern estate, to the imperial palace. He smiled in satisfaction and read the headline again. [Secret Guardian, the special bride that Duke Kravant is looking for?] Even amid Lennox¡¯s rage, Edwin was calm. ¡°When did all of these articles come out? I don¡¯t know who wrote this, but it¡¯s interesting.¡± Lennox¡¯s patience ran out. ¡°Duke, I¡¯m just saying this just in case, I swear it has nothing to do with me¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°I¡¯m running out of patience.¡± Lennox expressed his current mood with actions instead of words. Suddenly, a sharp sword was in his hand. ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Edwin got up from his seat, stretched out his hands in front of him, and stepped back. ¡°Lower your sword first. Once you calm down¡­¡± But Lennox had no intention of following Edwin¡¯s words. He responded by infusing the sword with his power. Edwin exclaimed hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in case you forget, I¡¯m the Crown Prince of Balkan Empire!¡± Unfortunately, however, his words did not impress Lennox. The sword vibrated lightly with a sound. The cold air that seemed to freeze at any moment flowed around Lennox. Edwin quickly added. ¡°You know it¡¯s treason if you point that at me, right?¡± ¡®So what?¡¯ A faint annoyance was visible in Lennox¡¯s face. The Duke of Kravant was, after all, just as strong as he was rumored to be, as he was the sword of the empire and the strongest guardian. This young man, who ruled the vast southern area under his feet, naturally hated people who annoyed him. Even more so if it was a person who had been bothering him for decades. Edwin, who had felt as if he lost his mind, shook his head. ¡°First, don¡¯t use your sword. Why are you so impatient?¡± ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°Why is the duke always like this? I¡¯m not a pushover¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t come to your senses yet.¡± ¡°O-okay! Okay!¡± It was only after Edwin raised both hands in surrender that Lennox picked up the sword. The sword, which had been flashing due to his power, disappeared. Lennox naturally walked into the crown prince¡¯s office as if it were his own room. After sitting on a sofa, Edwin sat in front of him and grumbled. ¡°I called you to help me even though I was busy, but you threatened to kill me instead.¡± ¡°What bullshit are you spouting?¡± Lennox cut off his words. ¡°I don¡¯t have time, so just tell me. Why did you do such a foolish thing?¡± Edwin¡¯s face suddenly became serious. ¡°The oracle came down last night.¡± A slight ripple was seen in Lennox¡¯s eyes but soon it calmed down. Edwin raised one eyebrow in surprise. . ¡°You already knew? But how?¡± Ignoring Edwin¡¯s curious gaze, Lennox opened his palms silently. ¡°Huh? Did you know the oracle was coming? How?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so heartless.¡± ¡°I trusted you but you treated me like this.¡± Edwin grunted, took something out, and handed it to Lennox. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 It was similar to a white pebble, but the mysterious energy surrounding it revealed that it was not an ordinary thing. It was an oracle stone, a stone that contained an oracle. As soon as it touched Lennox¡¯s hand, the stone emitted a blue light and began to draw something in the air. It drew with strange characters that were not used anywhere else on this continent. It quickly completed a short sentence. Instead of observing the letters since he didn¡¯t know what they meant, Edwin observed other things. It was all because the mysterious oracle could only be deciphered by the duke in front of him. Lennox only stared at the letters with a dull, dry face as usual. Some time had passed. The letters that were drawn in the air disappeared and scattered a blue powder. At the same time, the stone with mysterious energy became an ordinary white stone. ¡°What did it say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°An Epure has awakened, right?¡± Lennox didn¡¯t answer. It was as if he agreed with Edwin. ¡°That¡¯s right! I knew it! Did you get that feeling right away when you heard the oracle was down? So, first, let¡¯s just post an article¡­¡± ¡°Article?¡± ¡°Hmf!¡± Edwin, who had stopped talking with excitement, quickly shut his mouth. Lennox felt a rushing headache and pressed his forehead. ¡°So that¡¯s why you came up with this crazy plan.¡± ¡°Who did you think all of this was for?¡± Lennox pretended not to hear that and said sarcastically, ¡°It was because the Crown Prince is so thoughtless. Indeed, the future of the empire is bright.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more definite than this? You¡¯re going to look for all the women in the empire and ask them one by one, ¡®Have you ever seen blue smoke on your hands?¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®He¡¯s annoying.¡¯ Lennox shut his mouth. The future emperor who sat in front of him knew a lot more about himself than necessary. Edwin was not an ordinary guy since he was a kid, even though his height was only around Lennox¡¯s waist before. ¡°I admit that the method was unscrupulous. But, if you couldn¡¯t find an Epure like this, what else would you do?¡± Lennox was silent. ¡°And maybe this time, the duke will get married¡­¡± ¡°Edwin Roam Balkan.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do the imperial doctors say there is nothing wrong with your head?¡± ¡°They say I have a strong body and a smart brain.¡± Despite the critical blow, Edwin playfully responded. But shortly thereafter, his face became more serious. The main topic started now. ¡°But, Duke, you need an Epure.¡± All of a sudden, Edwin lowered his voice. ¡°Desperately.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lennox clenched his fists, remembering the sacred stone in his arms. It was similar in size to an oracle stone, but it looked like a blue gem rather than a stone. The stone, which had been silent the whole time, began to vibrate for the first time. It vibrated, and a faint blue light surrounded the sacred stone. In fact, what Edwin did was only a secondary reason, this was the real reason Lennox rushed to the palace. ¡®An Epure.¡¯ He wanted to confirm that this premonition was true, and it was right. At last, an Epure was awakened. It had been a long wait. However, Lennox found himself surprisingly calm. Edwin tilted his head as if it was surprising to see him like that. ¡°Weren¡¯t you waiting for an Epure to appear? Don¡¯t you feel excited?¡± Ignoring the question he heard, Lennox thought to himself. It was something he had been waiting for a long time, but when it actually appeared, he felt nothing. Rather, he had no expectation. What¡¯s the point now? The feeling of hope, expectation, and excitement had already long gone inside him. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in Epures.¡± Then Edwin¡¯s eyes widened as if he had heard something surprising. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Even without an Epure, Kravant and the empire would survive.¡± ¡°But, Duke-¡± ¡°Stop. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Lennox cut him off. ¡°Anyway, stop talking nonsense. Each newspaper should have been contacted by now, so the correction article will come out tomorrow.¡± When Lennox got up after he finished talking, Edwin asked a question. ¡°You¡¯re really not interested?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If the duke doesn¡¯t want to, then I¡¯ll meet the Epure instead.¡± Lennox¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As you know, the Crown Princess¡¯s seat is vacant. I don¡¯t even have a fianc¨¦e.¡± Lennox grabbed the crown prince¡¯s neck in an instant. His body that had been seated was dragged halfway up into the air, but Edwin didn¡¯t care. ¡°See, you¡¯re interested in the Epure.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is it because of the curse?¡± Lennox gritted his teeth at the question. Edwin continued, ¡°If it¡¯s really an Epure, we must have a way to find them.¡± ¡°If your life is not worth it, talk more.¡± Lennox murmured coldly, applying strength to his clenched fist. Edwin knew that he was speaking the truth and immediately shut his mouth. Only then did Lennox release his grasp. Edwin¡¯s body slumped back onto the sofa. He sighed and shook his head as if he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Then what will you do?¡± ¡°Leave it alone. Do nothing.¡± What? Edwin looked at him with astonishment, but Lennox turned around without even paying attention to his gaze. ¡°You¡¯d better keep my words in mind. No matter what, it really is a rare chance.¡± It was enough for him to be given dreadful obligations. Even if she was a purifier, would she be able to withstand the stench of his filthy sin? Maybe it would be better for the woman whose name he didn¡¯t know to live without knowing that she was an Epure for the rest of her life. Lennox smirked and walked out to the door. Edwin screamed hastily from behind. ¡°Hey! If you miss it this time, you¡¯ll never know when another opportunity will come!¡± The man¡¯s expression began to crumble. Chances were¡­ probably never again. But wasn¡¯t that the ending the nobles wanted? It was the will of the merciless yet cruel God. He quickly returned to his usual expression and smiled coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± It took a full day to put the plan into action. In a space that was damp from the rain last night and even smelled horrible, Ash said with a frown on its face, [Olivia, no matter how much I think about it, I don¡¯t think this is right.] ¡°I can¡¯t help it. This is the only way to get out of the house without getting caught.¡± Why would I do this if I could ride a carriage with elegance and dignity? The place we hid was in a large wagon. The wagon had a rough shape with four sides surrounded by wooden boards and covered with a cloth on a thin pole. Inside the wagon, all sorts of things were there and unorganized. I wiped the dust off the sack in a corner and sat down on it. ¡°It¡¯s not that far away, so bear with it even if it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± Riding in the wagon like this was no problem. I just needed to brush off the dust, and the smell was bearable. ¡­I certainly thought so. But there was something unexpected. ¡°Ugh!¡± [Olivia, are you okay?] ¡°No, I think I¡¯m going to die¡­ Ugh!¡± Inside the wagon that was shaking, I was nauseous. It was a catastrophe brought on by myself, not knowing how terrifying the shaking of the cheap wagon was. ¡®How the hell did Olivia ride this?¡¯ The reason I¡¯m in this wagon was simple. Because it was the method Olivia in the original used whenever she went out secretly. Of course, I didn¡¯t believe in the original story, which made me doubt it every time. However, behind the barn, there was a wagon identical to the original description. Even the description of farm tools and pieces of firewood scattered all over the place was accurate. So I believed it, but there must have been some kind of trap hidden there. Thanks to that, I was hit directly with terrible motion sickness. [Olivia! Don¡¯t throw up!] At least I¡¯m lucky that I won¡¯t be able to hear any sound outside due to the loud noise of the wagon¡­ The food that I ate at lunch, which had to wait quietly for digestion in the stomach, was constantly trying to escape. In a direction that counters gravity. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 [I see the square over there! Hang in there!] It was only just before I fainted that I was able to reach the downtown area of ??the capital. I didn¡¯t even remember how I got off the wagon. Fortunately, as soon as my feet touched the ground, my dizzy mind was cleared. I put the ragged hood on properly, then took the paper out of my arms and unfolded it. Once I was successful in entering the downtown area, it was not difficult to find my way. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I moved with excitement. But after a while, I realized that something was wrong. First, a large dog ran towards me. Just before being bitten, a soldier patrolling nearby saw it and stopped it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I lost the leash¡­¡± The man who seemed to be the owner of the dog made an excuse, but somehow it felt strange. The dog¡¯s pupils were completely dilated. Its saliva was dripping out of its mouth endlessly, and it didn¡¯t look alright. If it had ended there, I could have laughed at him for being a little unlucky. But the strange events continued. Next, I almost tripped over an obstacle that suddenly appeared. I managed to balance myself and look back, but to my surprise, there was nothing on the floor. ¡®As soon as I stepped on that certain point, something popped up.¡¯ This was not a normal situation. My nerves were on edge and all my senses began to get more sensitive. [Up there! Be careful!] As soon as I stepped back with a shriek, I heard an unpleasant sound of something smashing right in front of me. ¡°Hey, is it a flowerpot this time?¡± There was a flowerpot the size of a soccer ball in the spot where I had been standing a while ago. If I had been a little late, I would have been hit in the head. Ash¡¯s voice became serious. I gritted my teeth. Things were getting dangerous. ¡®It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡¯ At this point, even if nothing happened, I would be scared. Several threats were given in a short period of time in the middle of the day. Especially the last attack, it could have really cost me my life. ¡®They¡¯re making it obvious.¡¯ As the situation had come to this, the poisoned tea leaves were no longer the problem. I grabbed my hair, contemplating how to get through this crisis. [Olivia! Look ahead!] ¡®Huh?¡¯ While I was immersed in my thoughts for a moment, the scenery around me changed strangely. It was a strangely quiet street. An unpleasant feeling was emanating from passersby. There were cold gazes looking at me. I got goosebumps and the hairs all over my body stood. I could tell instinctively. ¡®I have to run away.¡¯ I walked faster on my own. The strange passers-by began to follow me. They were gradually, but surely, increasing in numbers. This time from the left, and the next block from the right. Because of them popping up here and there, I had to change the direction of walking several times. Then, at some point, I got an eerie realization that made me shudder and stopped. ¡®I¡¯m being chased by a crowd¡­¡¯ [Oh no! It¡¯s a dead end!] I turned around slowly, breathing in and feeling the chill on my back. I should have noticed sooner. Those who followed along were walking slowly after fully revealing themselves. They were walking like a hunter to its prey, like a spider approaching the butterfly that was stuck on its web. [Olivia, what are you going to do?] Ash¡¯s voice trembled. My heart started beating violently with the rising tension. I gritted my teeth and watched the people in front of me. ¡®Their movement is unnatural. As if someone¡¯s controlling them.¡¯ I didn¡¯t think it was their will to do this. Due to the tension, the knuckles on my clenched fist turned white. A cold sweat ran down my back. ¡®There is no way out.¡¯ As soon as I felt the crisis and bit my lower lip, a tremendous pressure was applied to my whole body. ¡°Argh!¡­¡± I groaned at the unexpected pressure and collapsed. [Olivia!] I could hear Ash¡¯s urgent voice, but I couldn¡¯t respond. My body trembled so much that it was hard to control it properly and it didn¡¯t feel like my body. Thud. It was then that I heard the sound of footsteps slowly stomping on the ground. . I lifted my shaky eyes in surprise. Soon the image of the person was reflected in my eyes. ¡®Who¡­¡¯ A man with black clothes walked into the alley. His aura was even more terrifying. When our eyes met, the surroundings became colder. I felt like I was suffocating from fear. And it seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling it. ¡°Gi, gii¡­¡± Each of the unidentified passers-by who followed me made a strange noise¡­ A mixture of fear and despair that sounded like a scream. Some tried to escape, but to no avail. The body of a passerby, who was the first to escape from the man, was split into two with a creepy sound. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡± I covered my mouth with my hand at the horrific sight, barely swallowing the scream that came out. But the most shocking scene came next. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡¯ The inside of the severed body was completely empty. As if all the contents had disappeared and only the shell remained. In the blink of an eye, their bodies turned black. At the second blink, they began to crumble like broken ceramic dolls. Then, everything was over. The things that were shattered into black ash were blown away by the wind that came from an unknown place. All that was left was a little bit of black powder scattered on the ground. I couldn¡¯t believe the scene in front of me. ¡®How, how could this happen?¡¯ It was impossible to even properly judge what had happened. I even felt faint. One by one, those cut by the sword turned into dust and disappeared. The man who had done all that slowly stood up straight. Then he looked at me. ¡°¡­!¡± My body stiffened instantly. My heart started pounding so much compared to before. The man who blocked my movements with overwhelming fear narrowed the distance leisurely. I stared blankly at him, not even thinking of avoiding him. The man quickly reached me. The moment I took a deep breath and crouched down, ¡°You¡¯re a human being.¡± A very low but soft, resonant voice entered my ears. My movements suddenly stopped. I had been closing my eyes for some time. I lifted my eyelids, which I had tightened so hard. Then I processed the man¡¯s words in my head. ¡®¡­A human?¡¯ I was out of breath in a different way than before. The man was quite tall. His solid and perfect proportions that could not be hidden with clothes clearly showed his strength. Shiny black hair, and elegant yet distinct features. Above all else, blood-red eyes that shone intensely caught my gaze. Even his expressionless face and the cold atmosphere he exuded were alluring. He was an overwhelming beauty that seemed to be out of this world. ¡®This kind of person actually exists.¡¯ It felt as if a celestial being who had set foot on the earth was looking down on a lowly human. He had such an unrealistic appearance. ¡°What did you do to bring out all those hidden things?¡± As I was staring at his face, I was startled by the voice I heard. When our eyes met, the man pointed to the back with a chin gesture. At that moment, my hazy mind suddenly returned as if I had been hit by cold water. ¡°A little while ago, what was that?¡± Then, I asked some questions before I answered him. ¡°Why did they try to attack me? How did you get rid of them? No, who are you?¡± Many questions came out of my mouth. I was going to ask more, but the man looked at me with a slight frown. A faint hint of annoyance appeared on his handsome face. ¡°I should hurry up and erase it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®What are you erasing?¡¯ While blinking without understanding what he said, a cold palm touched my forehead. ¡°No worries. When you wake up from a deep sleep, what happened a while ago will be replaced with ordinary memories.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Just treat it as if you met a robber.¡± I was shocked to hear it. He was saying that he would erase my memory. In addition to that, memory manipulation. I was so shocked that I couldn¡¯t even speak. I looked at him as if I was protesting, full of resentment, but the man didn¡¯t even blink an eye. And after a while, I felt a warm energy on my forehead. ¡°W-wait! Who said I want to erase my memories?¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 I hurriedly retreated. Then I pushed the palm that was trying to erase my memory. But there was a blue spark flashing as soon as my finger touched his palm. ¡°Ahh!¡± I let out a short scream. ¡°W-what¡¯s this¡­¡± I alternately glanced at my fingers and the man¡¯s palm before moving my gaze to him. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ And what I saw was a very unexpected expression. Clear agitation was on his face. Alongside that was a look of shock and bewilderment. ¡®Is he very surprised?¡¯ I was curious, but it wasn¡¯t the time to be curious now. If I didn¡¯t want my memories to be forcibly erased, I had to run away¡­ I was about to pull my finger back slowly, but the man grabbed my hand at lightning speed. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± There was no time to refuse. I couldn¡¯t say anything at the sudden contact. The texture of the skin I touched was too strange. ¡®It feels weird.¡¯ But what¡¯s even weirder is that I didn¡¯t feel bad about holding hands with someone I didn¡¯t know. I looked at the hand that grabbed mine. And soon, I witnessed something surprising. A blue liquid flowed from me, and it began to be sucked into the man as we held hands. ¡®What?¡¯ I glanced at the man. ¡°Haa¡­¡± He closed his eyes in content, as if savoring something. His eyelashes trembled slightly. Even after it stopped, he did not let go of my hand for a long time. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t like it. But¡­ The feeling of holding hands with a man was very strange. Because it was the first time, I felt this way. After waiting for a long time, I finally couldn¡¯t stand it and called him. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Only then did the man open his eyes. ¡°Can you let go of my hand?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Then he let go of my hand. Very slowly, as if he didn¡¯t want to let go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± I quickly hid my free hand under my cloak and replied generously. So that he didn¡¯t notice that it was my first time holding hands with a man and that I was embarrassed. However, my calm facade didn¡¯t last long. It was because he looked at me without saying a word. I asked him, feeling my face getting hotter, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± However, it wasn¡¯t an answer that I got. ¡°Now I know.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± When I was surprised, the man briefly smiled. Soon, he opened his mouth. ¡°You were the target.¡± The answer I heard was something I had never dreamed of. Target? Me? ¡°Who was trying to kill me?¡± Of course, I knew that Carinne was after me. But how did this man, that I saw for the first time, know that I was under a threat? In response to my reaction, he murmured, narrowing his forehead, ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡± He clicked his tongue and asked me back, ¡°Then do you know that you are an epure?¡± I widened my eyes. ¡°How do you know that?¡± He asked questions instead of answering again. ¡°How long have you awakened?¡± ¡°I found out yesterday, so it was a day or so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± When I saw that man¡¯s eyes looking at me as if I was pathetic, I choked up. To the point where I forgot that I was afraid of that man a while ago. It was only my second day after possession. I was struggling to survive, with no time to fully understand this world. In a situation where it was impossible to distinguish my enemy or allies, I did not trust people and was repeatedly suspicious of them. You wouldn¡¯t know how sad and unfair it felt if you haven¡¯t experienced it. Because I was frustrated, I said to him, ¡°Can¡¯t you kindly explain it to me?¡± ¡°Is there anything wrong with my words?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? How could I understand when you didn¡¯t even answer my questions?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He shut his mouth. At the same time, the atmosphere subsided. It was only then that I remembered he was a man who relentlessly sliced a mysterious creature. ¡®I¡¯m crazy.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe I even dared to argue with him. Sensing the awkward situation, I grabbed the soft flesh inside my mouth. ¡®Will he get angry¡­?¡¯ However, his red eyes were calm. When I looked at him, anxious about his reaction, an unexpected apology came instead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°My explanation was lacking. I apologize for being rude to you.¡± ¡®When a strong opponent reaches out for reconciliation first, I should hold it before it¡¯s too late.¡¯ I blinked and nodded quickly. Then he greeted me with polite manners. ¡°My name is Lennox Kravant.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the head of the Kravant family.¡± In an instant, my eyes darkened, and a cold sweat ran down my back. ¡°No way¡­¡± The man smiled elegantly. It was definitely a soft smile, but it didn¡¯t seem like a real smile to me. ¡°Th-the Duke of Kravant?¡± I could feel my eyes twitching. And, as always, my ominous premonition was right. ¡°Thank you for recognizing me.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± I hurriedly blocked the sudden scream with both hands. I just realized it. This was why he showed an arrogant attitude the whole time. Lennox Kravant. He was an extra who appeared briefly in the novel, but I knew exactly who this man was. This was because he was a very impressive person. The head of the Kravant family. Kravant was a family that saved the empire when it was in danger of destruction in the past and contributed greatly to its revival. ¡®Thanks to that, unlike other nobles, he said he enjoyed a privilege comparable to that of the imperial family.¡¯ In short, there is no one in this land for Duke Kravant to bow down to. ¡®¡­Even the emperor couldn¡¯t do anything against the duke.¡¯ I gulped and shook my head. In conclusion, the situation did not favor me. In the Balkan Empire, where status was important, he would definitely win. I later regretted getting mad at him. It was obvious that if the duke had any resentment towards me, my life would be hard. When I thought of his swordsmanship skills, my body stiffened. ¡®I should¡¯ve held it in.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m crazy.¡¯ ¡°I think that is enough to introduce myself. Now I want to hear your name.¡± In the midst of all this, an unnecessarily good voice entered my ears. ¡®It¡¯s no use pretending not to hear, right?¡¯ I glanced at my back. After roughly estimating the distance of the escape route, I gave up. Judging from my previous movements, I was sure to be caught before I could even take a few steps. ¡®Then¡­.¡¯ In times like these, what was needed was a quick change of attitude. I barely pulled up the tips of my quivering lips and smiled. I didn¡¯t forget to change the tone of my voice. ¡°Nice to meet you, Duke Kravant. I¡¯m Olivia Brienne, the second daughter of the Brienne family.¡± Fortunately, the duke was a man of common sense, and thanks to this, there was no tragedy in which my head was cut off for blasphemy. ¡®Once the crisis is over¡­¡¯ I had to investigate a lot of things. Also, about me being the ¡®target¡¯, as Lennox said. ¡®If Lennox knew that the person who was aiming for me was Carinne¡­¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t trust him. It was at the very end of the novel that Carinne got rid of Olivia in a bizarre way, and it was revealed that she was the main character. It was also the last chapter. But at this point, if there was someone who knew about Carinne¡¯s plans¡­ ¡®¡­An accomplice?¡¯ Of course, there was a second possibility. Besides Carinne, there was someone else targeting me. If that were the case, things would get even more complicated. The number of enemies I had to deal with was increasing. I slowly gathered my thoughts and opened my mouth. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± Then Lennox flicked his finger lightly. At the same time, a transparent film in the form of a dome with five colors of light was created. It looked like a round bubble was cut in half and placed on the ground. ¡®It¡¯s the barrier of Kravant.¡¯ I could tell naturally. In the original, it was information that was overlooked, but I remembered it vividly for some reason. ¡®The most overwhelming power of the Kravant¡¯s head.¡¯ As if hypnotized, I got up and walked to the edge of the barrier. ¡®It¡¯s consistent with the description in the original.¡¯ Chapter 9 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 9 I was slightly relieved by the appearance of the same setting. The knowledge from the original work felt like it helped a little this time. ¡°It appears that you have recognized its perimeters.¡± ¡°Is there anyone in the empire who doesn¡¯t know of the Duke¡¯s ability to create perimeters?¡± ¡°Is this perimeter the same as that of the Rutoru forest?¡± When I looked up at Lennox, he let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°It can¡¯t be said to be completely the same, but it¡¯s similar.¡± ¡°I have only read about it, but it¡¯s my first time perceiving it.¡± I quickly shut my mouth as I realized I had uttered the words unintentionally. Luckily, Lennox seemed to naturally understand what I said as ¡®read in a book in this world¡¯. ¡°Let¡¯s have a seat.¡± Lennox gestured to a bench made of white clouds that seemed to have appeared into existence. I walked slowly to where he pointed and gasped as I swept my palm over the fluffy surface of the bench. ¡°Your Grace knows how to make this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Lennox¡ªwho made his own bench¡ªsat opposite to me. ¡°You don¡¯t seem curious.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°I supposed you¡¯d ask if I was a wizard.¡± It was because I already knew that Lennox¡¯s power was not based on magic. However, I had no idea about what kind of power his ability was and where it originated. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not magic.¡± I guessed my answer was unexpected, because he just stared at me and murmured to himself a moment later, ¡°Is it because she¡¯s an Epure?¡± Then, he immediately changed his features. ¡°So, what is it that you wanted to know?¡± Taking a deep breath, I opened my lips. ¡°Your Grace said I was the ¡®target¡¯.¡± When I brought it up, he slightly tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen them, too. Evil spirits rushing after you.¡± ¡°Evil spirits?¡± Oh, so they were the evil spirits that followed me, who then disappeared when sliced in half by Lennox¡¯s sword. I stuttered in embarrassment, ¡°W-Why were the evil spirits following me?¡± ¡°Because your Epure has now awoken,¡± He shrugged lightly. ¡°The evil spirits usually feed on negative human energy, but Epure is a greater desired prey.¡± ¡®Oh, no¡­¡¯ Chills spread down my spine as I took in the shocking information. ¡°The energy of an innocent Epure naturally attracts evil spirits. They won¡¯t stop until they seek you out and consume you.¡± By this point, my body was trembling with shock and astonishment. ¡®You said I could purify! Does it make any sense that a person blessed by God themselves would be eaten by evil spirits?¡¯ Feeling betrayed, I reached down at the hood of my cape where Ash had hidden, after making my situation like this. But there was nothing in my hands. That astute creature had already vanished in the meantime. ¡®Just wait, I¡¯ll pay you back when you come back later.¡¯ Grinding my teeth, I decided to find a way to survive. ¡°Is there any way I can avoid or fight against such evil spirits?¡± I asked desperately, to which Lennox answered calmly, ¡°You need to fully realize the power of Epure in your hands. Because you can¡¯t do anything with just the awakening of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Otherwise, you are only defenseless and exposed to those who seek your power.¡± I bit my lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know how to express my strength. What should I do?¡± The completion of three stages is needed for a total awakening of Epure. Currently, my power is only at the first level of awakening. I had asked Ash how to advance to the next level of awakening, but he shook his head. [You have to enlighten yourself. That¡¯s the only way.] ¡°After the second awakening, the evil spirits will not pose any threat to you.¡± ¡°And before that happens?¡± I needed to know how I could deal with dangerous situations. At my question, Lennox glanced at me with the same persistent gaze as earlier. ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps, survive somehow. Regardless of what you do.¡± ¡°Haha~¡± I let out a nervous laugh, amazingly falsely. I had to survive by avoiding the threat of my life being snatched away by those evil spirits, until and unless my powers reach the next level of awakening. ¡®Will it be possible?¡¯ I failed to hide the nervousness in my tone. I chewed on the soft flesh inside my lips and gently pressed the handkerchief hidden inside my robe. Would I be able to reach it safely? I expected to get a clue if I visited the herbs dealer and asked about the identity of the leaves in my tea. However, considering my current situation, even that did not seem oh so easy. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ It was overwhelming just to deal with Carinne, but now even the evil spirits were chasing me. Adding to that, I couldn¡¯t see where Ash had escaped. As I was busy contemplating, Lennox¡¯s voice caught my ears. ¡°If you have nothing more to say, I¡¯ll call off the perimeter.¡± ¡°What? No¡­¡± Lennox stood up from his seat. As impatient as I was, I couldn¡¯t stay polite in that urgent situation. ¡°Your Highness, hold on!¡± ¡®What will happen after you leave!?¡¯ As soon as I grabbed his sleeve in an attempt to stop him, my hand brushed against his skin, and a blue fume erupted from within my skin. The generated fume was immediately sucked into Lennox¡¯s skin. ¡°Again¡­¡± Embarrassed, he ran his fingers down the bangs that covered half of his forehead. ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± It was understandable. Besides, it had happened a while ago when he grabbed my wrist. ¡®I¡¯m not sick or tired anywhere.¡¯ Yet, it felt like something escaped my body. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understand that the Duke didn¡¯t take it on purpose. It¡¯s just¡­Oh!¡± I exclaimed shortly after I spoke. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of that until now?¡¯ The answer to my problem was just around the corner. ¡°Just in case.¡± I clasped Lennox¡¯s hands tightly, trying to change my expression to look as innocent and desperate as possible. ¡°Could I ask Your Grace for a favor?¡± *** After a while, I entered the carriage belonging to the Duke of Kravant with Lennox. My eyes grew wide when I found the carriage¡ªwith no decoration on the outside¡ªto be so comfortable on the inside. But that contentment disappeared as soon as it came. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable that you ventured out of the mansion without an attendant when your power was at an incomplete awakening.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re very reckless. Why didn¡¯t you see that you were going to die?¡± The man had a unique skill of bringing a person on edge with his words. All the while, his words were only right. He didn¡¯t seem to like my request for a ride. ¡®Do you still have to do this?¡¯ I listened to his grumbles quietly as if I committed a crime, but he was only getting unfair as time went on. I protested timidly, ¡°I didn¡¯t come out because I wanted to die. If I had known that evil spirits would attack me, I wouldn¡¯t have come out without countermeasures.¡± ¡°Ignorants should not boast.¡± However, this man¡ªwho could detonate verbal bombs¡ªwas relentless. ¡°I wonder if you were out of your mind or if you felt your life was just a waste.¡± The bitter sarcastic remarks of his finally made me snap. ¡°What would I have done when I had something to investigate? There was no one to help me, so I had no choice but to proceed myself!¡± ¡°Investigate?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± I unfolded my handkerchief that I had folded finely earlier and held it out to him. Inside it was two tea leaves spread out straight with the dampness of water around them. ¡°Look. The leaves are different, right? I was trying to find out what kind of leaf it was because I thought something else was mixed with the tea leaves I was given to drink.¡± One of his eyebrows wriggled when he saw the tea leaves. ¡°Where did you get the Qualum leaves?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lennox pointed to the left leaf. Oh, his face was stiff now, alright. ¡°I asked, how did you get a hold of Qualum leaves?¡± ¡°Well, I told you, didn¡¯t I? It was mixed with the tea leaves I was given to drink. I had no idea what this was.¡± I stuttered as if I was making excuses in the suddenly frozen atmosphere. Lennox narrowed his eyes at the leaves as if he were measuring the authenticity of my words before he looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± I confidently stared at him¡ªwho was giving me a sharp scrutinizing look¡ªbecause I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡°Rather, I¡¯ll ask you. How did you recognize them?¡± How did Lennox know about the leaves when Ash didn¡¯t even know? ¡®If Lennox is an accomplice of Carinne¡­ and if he intentionally approached me¡­¡¯ I felt my heart sinking. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be possible.¡¯ I looked straight at Lennox, pressing down the suspicions that sprouted from the corner of my chest. ¡°Tell me what this Qualum is and how Your Grace knows about it.¡± Momentarily, his fierce eyes went back and forth between me and the leaves, as if he was wondering if I was an enemy or an ally. When he finally eased his eyes, he spoke, ¡°Qualum is a tree that grows only in the forest of Rutoru.¡± ¡°A tree¡­ in the forest of Rutoru?¡± The Balkan Empire, the most powerful country known on a continental scale, actually had a problem. The Rutoru Forest, also called ¡®the cursed land¡¯, was at the southernmost part of the empire. It was abandoned land that was off-limits. It was said that all kinds of unknown evil things still swarmed those woods. The person who was responsible for protecting the empire from such wickedness and keeping them from escaping the Rutoru forest was none other than¡­ ¡®The lineage of Kravant.¡¯ AKA Lennox. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 10 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 As much as I was surprised, I was relieved to find out that Lennox was not Carinne¡¯s accomplice. ¡®Why do I feel so relieved?¡¯ Just because he recognized the Qualum leaves did not prove that he had nothing to do with Carinne. Still, why did I want to believe in him? I just met him. ¡®Wake up.¡¯ Pushing the complicated thoughts aside, I returned to the original topic. ¡°But isn¡¯t the Rutoru Forest a prohibited area? How can the leaves of a tree growing there be distributed here?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to know more about that.¡± ¡°Could it be that someone sneaked beyond the boundary and stole it?¡± ¡°No creature can step into the forest without my permission.¡± ¡°What about someone who stepped out of the forest?¡± Lennox paused for a moment before he continued, ¡°Likewise, it¡¯s impossible to get out of the boundaries. Unless¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an evil spirit.¡± I shrugged when he looked slightly surprised. ¡°I just guessed. I heard that the forest is home to many evil beings.¡± In addition, I witnessed Lennox destroying evil spirits. Either way, it was not a very hopeful situation. ¡®I find it impossible to believe that something so illegal was being mixed in my everyday tea.¡¯ About time I felt hopeless. Whine¡¯The wagon stopped with the cry of the horses. Lennox said while glancing out of the window, ¡°So, you were going to the herbal store to see what those tea leaves were.¡± ¡°Right. But¡­ honestly, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be worthwhile now that I¡¯ve talked to Your Grace,¡± I muttered helplessly, looking down at the leaves on the handkerchief. A normal medicine herb dealer would not be able to recognize the Qualum leaves that only grew in the forest of Rutoru, let alone tell if they were poisonous. Now, I could only say that I was lucky to have met Lennox. Except for the person who fed me these leaves, he was the only one to know the identity of these leaves. ¡°The tea leaves of your drink were mixed with the Qualum leaves¡­¡± Silence filled the carriage as Lennox narrowed his eyebrows in thought. His long fingers began to tap the table. Tap, tap. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to interpret this situation.¡± The Qualum leaves, which should have been in the Rutoru forest, were found in the teacup of a noble lady. It was not very difficult to understand what was going on. ¡°Perhaps this leaf is not from the Qualum tree¡­¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± He shook his head firmly. ¡°Things from the Rutoru forest have a unique energy and I can feel it. This must be a Qualum leaf.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± [If I had to explain it, I¡¯d say it doesn¡¯t belong here in this land.] I smiled bitterly, recalling what Ash had said earlier. Then Lennox muttered, frowning a little, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why would someone secretly add Qualum leaves that have no effect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not toxic?¡± That was surprising. I thought I was in danger of being poisoned. However, Lennox calmly informed me about the facts without any agitation. ¡°The toxicity of the Qualum trees is only harbored in its fruits. The colorless and odorless leaves are just like any ordinary leaves.¡± ¡°How could that be¡­¡± This was really unexpected. ¡®So I ran for nothing?¡¯ If this was true, I was back to square one. I wasted my energy. I was motivated a minute ago, but now I didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Are you okay? It doesn¡¯t seem you were relieved by the information.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll get better soon if I rest a bit,¡± I waved my hand and laughed it off as if nothing had happened. But I failed to hide the twisting feeling in my stomach. Lennox sighed quietly when he saw me like that. ¡°I don¡¯t know your situation, but¡­¡± He stopped for a while as if to agonize over something before he continued in a rather cautious tone, ¡°Whatever choice you make, I hope it¡¯ll be for yourself.¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ The words were too vague for me to come to a conclusion. Yet somehow, they felt comforting. Throughout my return to the Viscount¡¯s mansion, I pondered on the words. *** Lennox contributed a lot to returning me to my bedroom safely. Not only did he walk me, but he also helped sneak me in through the side of the mansion to avoid being caught. There was a hole on the wall through which a small person could barely get in and out. It was often used by Olivia in the original work. Meanwhile, Ash, who returned to the mansion much later, became a victim of my interrogation. ¡°Be honest. You knew that evil spirits would target me, didn¡¯t you?¡± [Oh, no! I didn¡¯t know.] ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You said with your own mouth that many beings coveted the power of an Epure.¡± [T-That¡­] ¡°Well, I¡¯ll know by tomorrow morning. Because I¡¯ll jab your butt with horns if you lie.¡± [Eeep!] At my threats, it became anxious and hid under a blanket to fall asleep. I thought, ¡®no horns¡­¡¯ as I moved the sleeping bird to my bedside and lay flat next to it. Though it had been a very tiring day, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep easily. I stared at the ceiling until my vision went all dark late at night. *** Days passed peacefully without an incident. I¡ªwho was depressed a few days ago¡ªslowly regained my energy in the meantime. I secretly continued throwing away the Qualum leaves from my tea. ¡®It¡¯s unsettling.¡¯ Even though the leaves had no known hazardous effect, I didn¡¯t want them to go into my system. There was never a good intention for putting something so discreetly in someone¡¯s beverage. ¡°The weather is nice today.¡± I had been staying in my room to protect myself, but I was desperate for warm sunshine. I decided to take a walk outside, even if it was for a short while. ¡°Do you see anyone on the stairs?¡± [Nobody is here! I think you can leave now?] As Ash flapped its wings with the confirmation, I quickly ran down the hallway and scurried down the stairs. I was worried that I might encounter Carrine. However, my worries were subdued when I didn¡¯t encounter anyone on my way out. ¡°Huff¡­¡± I wondered where I found the courage when I secretly left the mansion the day before yesterday. Perhaps my expectations of this mystery being solved overcame my fear. [Then, I¡¯ll go look around the mansion!] ¡°See you at the detached building. Be careful.¡± Ash turned around after I waved at him. The path to the detached building was quiet. Unlike the well-maintained garden in front of the mansion, this path was filled with grasses here and there. But thanks to the warm sunshine, I felt like taking a walk. It was then that something caught my eye. There was a swing tied to the arm of a tree. ¡®They have swings in a place like this?¡¯ It seemed that the swing was steadily managed and used from time to time, seeing that it was strongly bound. ¡®Should I try it?¡¯ After sitting on the swing, I stomped a few times until I was floating over the ground. The swing began to move. The creaking sound cutting through the air felt refreshing. ¡°¡­I wish I could live like this for the rest of my life.¡± A life filled with simple happiness and no one to threaten ne. To gain that, I had to somehow find a safe way. A way to survive my enemy. ¡®I wonder what Carrine is doing.¡¯ I intentionally stayed in my room so as to not run into her, because I didn¡¯t know what I would do if I faced her without any prior measurements. Luckily, there were no mishaps such as Carinne wishing to see me. However, as time passed, my anxiety began to rise. ¡®Is it because of an Epure¡¯s premonitions?¡¯ I was afraid that Carinne would not sit relaxed. ¡®She might be thinking of every possible way to deal with me.¡¯ I kicked my feet vigorously against the air to shake off my depressed mind. I gazed upon the wide field of grass as my body rose higher. The lush green color helped calm my pounding heart little by little. Then, my eyes spotted a narrow trail beyond the field of grass. ¡®Where does that lead to?¡¯ [Olivia!] My curiosity was suddenly cut off by the call of Ash. ¡°How was your trip?¡± When I slowed down the swing and came to a stop, it sat on my lap. ¡°How was it? Did you find Carinne?¡± [Negative. I looked everywhere, but I couldn¡¯t find her. Are you sure she¡¯s in the mansion?] ¡°That¡¯s strange. Did you check each room through the window?¡± [Yes, but some rooms had too thick curtains for me to peek inside.] I was disappointed by its answer, but instead of expressing that, I patted its head and praised it for its hard work. ¡°I see. Good job.¡± Only a few seconds later, I heard someone¡¯s voice behind me. ¡°Lady Olivia.¡± It was Mary. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 11 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 Ash quickly hid itself while I pretended to swing alone. ¡°You were here.¡± ¡®What do you want?¡¯ Mary came out of the blue. ¡°You have to hurry up. Even if you start preparing now, you won¡¯t be able to make it by dinner time.¡± ¡®Dinner appointment? With whom?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s your first time seeing His Highness the Marquis of Velott, and if you arrive late, the Master is going to scold you.¡± The words woke me up. ¡®If it¡¯s the Marquis of Velott¡­¡¯ ¡®He was an antagonist who appeared in an earlier part of¡´Twisted Lady¡µand bothered Olivia.¡¯ ¡®So, the first incident from the original story is here.¡¯ Finally, the prelude to the story. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go.¡± I stood up from my seat, feeling brave all of a sudden. While I followed Mary back to the mansion, a question popped up in my mind. ¡°Oh, by the way, Mary¡­¡± ¡°Yes, my lady?¡± ¡°What¡¯s over there? It seems people use that trail to go somewhere.¡± I pointed to the trail I saw while I was swinging earlier. ¡°¡­¡± I got nervous for a moment from watching Mary freeze. ¡®Oh, did I ask something wrong?¡¯ It would be a little strange for Olivia¡ªwho lived here since she was born¡ªto ask an employee about the mansion. My heart sank at the thought of Mary suspecting why I asked such a thing, although she might not have figured out that I possessed Olivia¡¯s body. Luckily, she was quick to hold out a blank expression and smile. ¡°It¡¯s just an empty lot.¡± ¡°Empty lot?¡± ¡°Yes. There used to be a warehouse, but now there¡¯s nothing.¡± I nodded to her kind explanation. It wasn¡¯t important, but I thought I should refrain from asking useless questions in the future. *** Marquis Velott was an extra, but his character was great for making into an antagonist. ¡®Because he was garbage.¡¯ He had only two sons with his ex-wife, and both of them were older than Olivia. Not to mention Olivia¡¯s father, Viscount Brienne, was also a bad guy. ¡®This is pointless. Does it make sense to send your daughter to a man who¡¯s older than you?¡¯ The reason she was pushed towards a man of her father¡¯s age was because of Brienne¡¯s desire for power. Originally, the family of Viscount Brienne used to be a local aristocratic family. Thanks to the possession of rich fertile land, they could support themselves, but that was it. The young Viscount Brienne, who accidentally attended the imperial banquet, was fascinated by the splendor of the institutional aristocratic society. Finally, he decided to implement the system with a strong determination to enter central politics. However, it was not easy for him to successfully establish himself in the system without outstanding talent or power to support him. He even hesitated to speak out his mind in front of great nobles. Even after years of hard work, the results were insignificant. Then, the moment came when he quickly gained the attention of the social community. It was during Olivia¡¯s debutante party. He never cared to give proper attention to his daughter. ¡®Oh my gosh, is she Lady Brienne?¡¯¡®I didn¡¯t know Viscount Brienne had such a beautiful daughter.¡¯¡®It was a baseless and rude rumor to say that he didn¡¯t prepare a debutante ball until she was an adult.¡¯ Only then did Viscount Brienne realize that Olivia was the golden key he had. Not only would he have a solid background and connections to advance him to central politics, but he would also have the financial support necessary for the project he was planning. Through Olivia, he had a way to achieve all of that at once. ¡®Just like this.¡¯ It felt like Mary took hours to prepare me. I arrived at the drawing room with Mary, grinding my teeth towards the main culprits for the pain they gave me. ¡°Master. Lady Olivia has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, Olivia! Come on in.¡± I gripped my skirt tightly, fingers threatening to crack as I clenched my shaking hands. ¡®It¡¯s normal that I want to slap Marquis Velott¡¯s face, right?¡¯ But, if I messed up because of my anger, it would be me to see blood. Therefore, I stepped towards the open door, manifesting my patience and reason. ¡°Your Highness the Marquis. This is Olivia Brienne.¡± I didn¡¯t forget to take a deep breath when I bowed my head down. According to the description in the story, Marquis Velott¡¯s look was not a likeable one. Protruding eyes, a dull nose, a double chin, and a generous amount of belly fat. ¡®Let¡¯s keep in mind that I have to take care of my expression.¡¯ Making such a resolution, I raised my head. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ I blinked. ¡®This is the Marquis of Velott?¡¯ Next to him was Viscount Brienne, AKA my father¡ªwho I was meeting for the first time. I sent my father a questioning look. ¡°Is he the¡­ Marquis?¡± Something was weird. ¡®I wonder if he looks different here.¡¯ The man in front of me was much younger. Almost the same age as me. ¡°Oh, no. It must have confused my lady. Let me explain it.¡± It seemed that a look of distrust appeared for a moment on his face. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, my lady. My name is Michael Velott.¡± He greeted me with a smile. ¡®He is a Velott?¡¯ I paused after he introduced himself. Considering his age and gender, he would be one of the sons of Marquis Velott. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s the older one. But he doesn¡¯t look like him at all.¡¯ By the time I finished guessing, Viscount Brienne introduced him. ¡°Olivia, you know him, right? Lord Michael is very popular. He¡¯s on his way to becoming the next Marquis.¡± ¡°Yes, but what brings him here?¡± I looked at the uninvited guest as he explained. ¡°As the lady is aware, the lands of Brienne and Velott are going to be firmly united.¡± Even though I already guessed it, it infuriated me when I heard it. I gritted my teeth behind the smile I gave. Michael never noticed it. ¡°But actually, something happened to my father a few days ago.¡± I wasn¡¯t curious about all that. ¡°The event was too tragic for the marriage to go through. But how can we break the promise between our families?¡± ¡°It can be broken depending on the situation,¡± I answered cynically. However, Michael ignored it. ¡°Luckily, I found a way after deep contemplation!¡± Then, dramatically, he stretched out his arms and yelled out in a theatrical tone, ¡°The engagement contract described that ¡®the ruler of Velott¡¯ shall marry Lady Olivia!¡± ¡®Oh, my God.¡¯ It looked like I was meant to suffer through the progress of the story. ¡®No way. This can¡¯t be happening.¡¯ ¡°Then, I can replace that position, right?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± I opened my mouth in astonishment. I thought Marquis Velott was out of his mind, but his son was the same. He was barking crazily like a dog. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you, but you¡¯re not a singer yet.¡± Michael shook his head with a frown on his face. ¡°A few days ago, my father went to meet his lover¡­ Ahem, no, he was coming back after meeting a friend. He had a big accident. He¡¯s been in a coma since that day and hasn¡¯t been able to wake up.¡± ¡®What are you saying?¡¯ How did the Marquis suddenly meet with an accident? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡®Should I say it was a planned punishment?¡¯ Considering how the Marquis behaved, I didn¡¯t feel much sympathy because it resulted in my own gain. But, ¡®This is different from the original.¡¯ It continued to divert from the original progress. Feeling a little anxious, I bit my lips discreetly. If I did something wrong, things would get worse. Whatever choice you make, I hope it¡¯ll be for yourself. I couldn¡¯t help but think of what Lennox said to me. Perhaps, we would never see each other again. ¡®Yeah. It won¡¯t change anything.¡¯ Whether it was the Marquis of Velott or some other grand noble, I had no intention of being involved with either. Meanwhile, Michael kept rambling. ¡°Unfortunately, my father can¡¯t lead the family of Velott anymore, so I have no choice but to take his place. We have the consent of the gods, and now we only need the approval of Your Highness.¡± I couldn¡¯t listen to his nonsense anymore. I responded coldly, ¡°Then we should officially call off this marriage. You shouldn¡¯t just interpret an engagement contract in a contrived way and ask for such a ridiculous marriage.¡±¡°Olivia!¡± Viscount Brienne, who was listening, roared. ¡®Yeah, you should be angry. Why should I obediently marry someone for your goal?¡¯ But neither did I blink my eyes nor did I put my head down. I wasn¡¯t going to back away from my justification. ¡°Did I say something wrong? Marrying my fianc¨¦e¡¯s son? What kind of crazy family would have such a wedding?¡± ¡°What are you talking about! I care about you¡­¡± ¡®You¡¯re funny, you know.¡¯ When I laughed, the Viscount flinched while his voice trailed off. ¡®How dare you be so shameless?¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 12 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 12 ¡°It¡¯ll be worth watching how ridiculously people would think of my father and our family when they hear this.¡± ¡®I think my voice came out a little shaky.¡¯ I didn¡¯t sound like Olivia at all. Even in my previous life, I was not familiar with using the words ¡®father¡¯ and ¡®mother¡¯. The Viscount had an unpleasant expression, but he did not contradict me. ¡°It¡¯s better to think it over. If rumors spread in the aristocratic society, it would be difficult for Father rather than for me.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have a big impact on the project you¡¯ve been working on?¡± Freeze. His eyes shook, just as I expected. But from my point of view, it made me upset. It wasn¡¯t fun when you figured out a man, blinded by desire, was trying to sell his daughter for his own gain. I wondered if he noticed that too. ¡°My lady!¡± All of a sudden, Michael knelt down on one knee and began to beg in a desperate voice. ¡°The moment I saw the lady, I fell in love with her and kept her face deep in my heart! Regardless of all my other interests, I truly love the lady!¡± ¡°No possible way,¡± I chuckled coldly at the man who spoke of love so easily. ¡°I don¡¯t know when your heart began to say that, but if you were serious about me, you would have stopped Marquis Velott from sending me a proposal.¡± ¡°T-That¨C! There was a reason for that!¡± I guessed so. However, his reasons were too shallow to cover up this situation. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to give up the successor¡¯s position now that the lady hates me¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s gorgeous lips smirking at the actor must have stopped him from talking nonsense any further. Anyone would have been able to notice that it was just his acting. ¡°Funny, aren¡¯t you?¡± Michael¡¯s face was distorted. He glanced at the Viscount, perhaps asking for help. However, the Viscount slipped away from his gaze. Perhaps, the Viscount calculated that this marriage would not benefit his tactics any longer. Anyway, it was good for me. Michael stood up, realizing that he had no way of turning around the situation. ¡°You will regret treating me like this.¡± The man, who had been acting desperate like a heartfelt lover, was now glaring at me. Thanks to him, I understood that I made the right choice. Grabbing my skirt, I gently bowed down. ¡°Please take care on your way out.¡± *** It was the dead of night, at the Island of Duke Kravant. As usual, the duke¡¯s office was lit, but the atmosphere was quite different than usual. Nishir¡ªLennox¡¯s adjunct and shadow¡ªhad just finished reporting his mission with a nervous look on his face. ¡°Sorcery?¡± Lennox asked, narrowing his gaze. It was an invention of an evil sorcerer which caused the uprising of a holy war on the continent a long time ago. In the end, the technique was thought to have disappeared after a massive sweep of purification performed on the continent. However, the story came out of the blue from the mouth of Suha, when Lennox sent his investigator to learn about the Qualum leaves. ¡°What kind of sorcery would someone do with the Qualum leaves?¡± As he asked, Nishir took an old book out of his arms. ¡°This data has been found in the secret library of the imperial palace.¡± That part of the imperial library was known to be strictly restricted. Only a few of the imperial families were given access to the books found there. However, as always, such a rule was meaningless for Lennox Kravant. Whether it may be legal or illegal, there were countless cards he could pull. ¡®They¡¯ve hidden these records well.¡¯ The method of performing such a kind of sorcery was abandoned when the temple rose. It was to prevent evil power from harming people and disturbing the order of the world. But it was only an official announcement. In fact, the records of the method never disappeared from the world. ¡®I myself would have tried to use it somehow,¡¯ He smirked as he thought. He knew the greediness in the blood of the royal family better than anyone else. ¡°Look at this, Your Highness.¡± Lennox furrowed his brows at where Nishir pointed. ¡°The sorcerers performed it to make evil spirits?¡± ¡°Yes. And the essential ingredient for the magic was the Qualum leaves,¡± Nishir replied, gulping down the dry lump in his throat. This was because he knew well how sharply his master reacted to evil spirits. ¡°Maybe because of this, the Qualum trees were grown all over the kingdom of Shahar in the past.¡± ¡°Shahar¡­¡± Shahar¡ªthe collapsed kingdom¡ªused to be the last known base of the sorcerers. That pesky little kingdom was purified by the temple and absorbed into the Empire. The purification was also led by the then ruler of Kravant. In particular, the Rutoru forest¡ªwhich occupied the middle of the kingdom¡¯s territories¡ªwas the site of Shahar¡¯s royal palace in the past. ¡°It¡¯s not a false story.¡± A few of the Qualum trees still grow naturally in the Rutoru forest infested with evil things. Lennox gently closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t know why, but there was something that kept bothering him. ¡°¡­Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°Is there an issue with the investigation?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Lennox remained silent for a while. He needed to find out more about it later. Having finished thinking, he stated, ¡°Call in the shadows. Leave only a minimum number of subjects on the land.¡± ¡°But Your Highness, there have been reports of unusual movement of evil spirits in the woods of Rutoru.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all headed for the dark spirit.¡± At Lennox¡¯s affirmation, Nishir¡¯s eyes went wide, but soon he complied without a word. ¡®If my master says, so be it.¡¯ ¡®Especially when it included evil spirits.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll send them your words right away.¡± Lennox, after he received Nishir¡¯s answer, glanced down at the old book. [The culinary sorcerers used to rehabilitate evil spirits by feeding them with Qualum leaves in water.] Was it just a coincidence? ¡°I thought something else was mixed with the tea leaves in my drink, so I wanted to find out what it was.¡± The face of the speaker he met a few days ago came to his mind. The woman who unknowingly lured in the evil spirits towards her. Lennox leaned his back against the chair. ¡®It¡¯s not like me to think like this.¡¯ He thought he heard her name to be Olivia Brienne. It seemed like his discussion with the careless woman was in vain. He didn¡¯t even seem to know what her abilities were worth. ¡°Could Your Grace do me a favor?¡± Her voice was cheerful and kind of high-pitched. Those glistening eyes of hers, so full of enthusiasm even after being chased by evil spirits down the street. Lennox closed his eyes slowly. The soft and warm touch of her hands. It was so vivid that he could still recall the feeling clear as day. Just thinking of it made him clench his fist around the armrest of his chair. ¡®Is it because she¡¯s an Epure?¡¯ It felt like the grime filling his body was being washed away at once. He had never felt that way before. He couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. ¡®¡­She was impossible to resist.¡¯ The power of purification he experienced in person was overwhelming beyond imagination. He felt helplessly dragged in. Epure. Purifier. Promised sacredness. The savior of the cursed blood. His black eyelashes trembled under his closed eyelids. A warm breath flowed out of his lips. ¡°There¡¯s no way something like that would happen again, right?¡± He recalled he couldn¡¯t answer the question she asked just before they separated. Why? It was just a simple question. Even though he knew the answer. ¡°Nishir.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Even though he was sure he wasn¡¯t being himself, Lennox acknowledged this incomprehensible urge. ¡°I wish to visit somewhere for a while tomorrow.¡± *** Everything peaceful that I knew about my life in this house was taken away. [Olivia.] Now, I was facing a very serious and critical challenge in my life. [Hey, are you okay?] ¡°Do I look okay?¡± [No.] Ash landed on the table, walked next to me, and wrapped its wings around my restless mind. ¡°It¡¯s spinning.¡± I sighed, glancing at my closed door and window one by one. My room was now a mess, as if it had been visited by a storm. ¡°I should¡¯ve known from the moment the lamp broke.¡± It was noon when the first incident happened. I never touched it, but one corner of the wall lamp flew away with a small explosion sound. At the time, I thought I could just ask Mary to replace it later when she came. Then, in the late afternoon, I felt something strange when the shadows began to droop long under the sun. It was when the canopy of my bed broke down. Next, I was rolling around on the bed and enjoying a leisurely afternoon when I heard it. Creak! An unpleasant sound, as if something was forcibly trying to cut through a hard surface. Then came Ash calling in through the window. [What are you doing!? You have to get out of here right now!] ¡®What?¡¯ [This energy, it¡¯s the same as the ominous beings you¡¯ve encountered outside! The entire mansion is filled with that energy!] I woke up to the cry of the bird that swooped into the room. But it was already too late. As if they were waiting for Ash to come in, the window and the door were closed and shut tight. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 13 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 13 I and Ash were now trapped shut in this room. I rubbed my face as I saw the pieces of the canopy of my bed torn apart and scattered on the floor. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m going to be stuck here forever.¡± [No! T-That can¡¯t be true!] ¡°Do you know you¡¯re stammering?¡± [A-A little, it¡¯s true that it¡¯s dangerous, but t-this is your home, right? H-How dangerous can it be?] I couldn¡¯t bring myself to believe in him when his feathers were trembling with fear. ¡°Oh, really? Then, let¡¯s say the knife from the still life picture on that wall comes to life and darts toward my neck.¡± [Gasp¡­¡­! Don¡¯t say that! That¡¯s really scary!] He shouted in astonishment. I stopped as I felt bad scaring the little creature. But even if I didn¡¯t scare him¡­ Squeak! ¡°Ahh!¡± As soon as I jumped up from my seat, the blackwood chair I was just sitting on broke into two pieces. [Olivia!] ¡°Oh my God. What the hell¡­¡± I stared helplessly at the wreckage of the chair. ¡®How did this break down?¡¯ First of all, a chair made from solid blackwood couldn¡¯t be broken just because someone sat on it. Secondly, the chair leg appeared to be sliced neatly. Thirdly, the pointed part of the wood was facing the roof. ¡®It¡¯s sharp enough to skewer a body.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it have penetrated my body if I was still sitting? [O-Olivia¡­] I gritted my teeth at his trembling voice. At first, I thought it was just a strange phenomenon, but it was gradually turning into a dangerous attack. And I could foretell what was causing it. The evil spirits will continue to seek you out to devour you. Wicked beings hidden in the darkness after escaping the boundaries of Rutoru forest sow all kinds of seeds to cause harm. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ I clenched my fist tightly. I had already tried all the ways to escape, but each one of them failed. I could instinctively feel that there was not much time left until the attacks became more aggressive. [There! T-The window!] ¡°I see it, too.¡± Needless to say, the glass of the windowpane was cracking. The same window that I tried to break earlier. The bright colors of the sunset were reflected along the cracked lines of the glass. For me, they were numerous forms of weapons waiting to stab me. ¡°Ash. When the window breaks, don¡¯t look back and run outside.¡± [What? What about you!] ¡°I will be right after you.¡± It was a lie. I couldn¡¯t escape by jumping off the window because my room was situated on the third floor of the building. Creak, creak, creak! The glass kept breaking with a creepy sound, with the sharp edges turning towards us. I tore off the wooden frame hanging on the wall and grabbed it like a shield. ¡°Get ready. Ash.¡± [I can¡¯t leave you alone. No, I won¡¯t go!] ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn and listen.¡± [Don¡¯t talk nonsense!] ¡°Whatever, you never listen to me.¡± I hid behind the frame after I caught the bird flapping his wings in front of me. His small and fragile body wouldn¡¯t be able to stand a single hit from a glass piece. ¡®Let¡¯s try it.¡¯ I would only have one chance to escape. Though I grew nervous, I was ready for the attack. But, it did not go as I expected. Crash! The glass pieces that were aiming for us stopped and plummeted downward. After hitting the floor, they broke into smaller fragments. [Huh? What happened?] Ash asked, his black eyes wide open. But I didn¡¯t know the reason myself. Perhaps because of the sudden silence, I felt goosebumps on my skin. I heard someone behind me. ¡°My lady, why was the door frozen shut¡­ Oh, my.¡± I turned around to see Mary standing outside my door. She looked pale, holding the tray tightly with both hands. ¡®The door is open?¡¯ The same was true for the window, too. It looked as if it was never locked. The evening breeze coming in through the window felt refreshing. All that was left was me standing in the middle of a ruined room. My solemn posture with the frame in my hand was a bonus. ¡°My Lady?¡± She could barely make a word out, her eyes switching between the room and me. She had a devastated look on her face. ¡°What happened¡­..?¡± If I was sweating due to fear earlier, it was due to a different situation this time. How could I explain this? If I told Mary the truth, she and the other servants would call me crazy. I sighed, touching my forehead with the back of my hand. ¡°Sorry. I guess I¡¯ve been under a lot of stress.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say a noble lady got hysterical about her issues.¡± *** Mary helped in solving the situation very well. She quickly called in the other servants and instructed them to fix the room and the furniture. ¡°I think you should stay in another room for a while until we replace the window.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary¡­¡± I tried to refuse because I felt sorry for increasing the work of the employees. ¡°It gets quite cold at night, my lady. You won¡¯t be able to sleep properly with the cold wind rushing in through the broken window. What if you catch a cold?¡± When I nodded, Mary smiled satisfactorily. Moving the room took less time than I thought. Not much of my luggage was moved either because my room was scheduled to be fixed very soon. ¡°Then, my lady, rest peacefully.¡± After Mary and the other servants stepped out, I looked around the room I was left alone in. ¡®It¡¯s quite simple.¡¯ I didn¡¯t realize it before because I used to live in a very small room in my previous life. Olivia didn¡¯t have the burden of a noble lady as a punishment. She could always leave home, saying she was going out on a trip. ¡®Come to think of it, Olivia always wanted to leave the mansion of Viscount Brienne.¡¯ Olivia didn¡¯t like the house. She was always afraid of her father, who neglected her and sometimes even hit her. She also used to avoid the maids who harassed her. On the day she left the mansion in the novel, and it was described as an ¡®escape¡¯. ¡®But I¡¯m okay since I¡¯m in a good environment.¡¯ Unlike the original, the servants were polite, the rooms they prepared were pleasant, and the food was of good quality. The Viscount was a bad guy, but he was never antisocial. The more I thought about it, the more questions arose in my mind. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± [What is?] Ash popped up in front of me all of a sudden. ¡°Ahh, when did you get here?¡± [What¡¯s weird about this?] I turned the topic to his curiously twinkling eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Did you check everything already?¡± [Yes. I checked your room again and I don¡¯t feel threatened anymore. I think it¡¯s all gone.] ¡°It¡¯s too early to be relieved. You never know when they¡¯ll start attacking again.¡± My judgment of the mansion being the safest place in this world was proved wrong. I was vulnerable to being attacked anytime, anywhere. It felt like I was playing a survival game with death traps everywhere. [Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯ll make sure of your safety whenever you need me.] I felt his reassurance, so I tried to hide my anxiety with a smile. [Isn¡¯t this room similar to the previous room? The size and the furniture are the same.] This room was also situated on the third floor. What changed was the direction it was facing. [You can see the garden from here. If you sit at the window during the day, you can see a lot of flowers. Honestly, the scenery of the detached building was a bit boring.] I could only see the grassy field from the previous room because its window was faced toward the back of the mansion. Thanks to what happened earlier, I could now see flowers growing in a flowerbed. I gazed down for a moment at the flowers that the gardeners had forgotten to change. The red flowers still hadn¡¯t lost their freshness. ¡°Pretty.¡± I was lucky that the beautiful flower bed was not disturbed despite the commotion earlier. [Oh!] It was Ash¡¯s exclamation that woke me up from my thoughts. [I¡¯ll be right back!] ¡°Where are you going when the sun is setting?¡± But even before I finished talking, he flew out of the window. His small body disappeared in an instant. ¡®Nothing will happen to him, right?¡¯ He seemed quite flustered when he left. I glanced at the sky and let out a worried sigh. ¡°Why the long face?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 14 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 14 The voice was low and heavy. I raised my head as the voice rang softly in the quiet room. ¡°You are¡­¡± A handsome man swiftly jumped over the railing. While looking directly into my eyes, which had widened in surprise, he smiled. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± I was speechless. How did he come up here? How did he know about this place? He chuckled as I failed to hide the confused look on my face. ¡°You told me.¡± ¡°When did I¡­ Oh!¡± ¡°I remember you kindly explained how to sneak into the mansion.¡± ¡°That was because I couldn¡¯t help it!¡± Before I knew it, I was shouting. I did tell him, but who expected him to put it into action in this way? Lennox¡¯s lips curled into a proper smile. ¡°I thought you wanted me to visit you in the same way.¡± ¡°Never!¡± I yelled at him, who seemed to have misunderstood something. ¡°No, why did Your Highness have to sneak in?¡± Just one message for his visit would have been enough to bring Viscount Brienne to wait at the main gate with a red carpet. Lennox replied calmly, ¡°Because it¡¯s annoying and cumbersome. Why do I have to stick to the uncomfortable method when there¡¯s a shortcut?¡± ¡°But this means Your Highness is breaking into the mansion of Viscount Brienne without permission, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Though it was a threat, I tried to point it out as smoothly as possible. I could not just shoot a threat openly to a Duke, so I took great care of my behavior. However, Lennox was very relaxed. ¡°Why? Are you going to report it?¡± ¡°Who said that I would?¡± Moreover, I would have to live in poverty if I reported a Duke to the institutional security. Instead, it would be better not to get dragged into that. ¡°How did Your Highness come in? The hole seemed too small to pass through.¡± He replied with a shrug. ¡°I crossed the wall.¡± ¡°What?¡± The wall around the Brienne mansion was twice my height. ¡®You simply jumped over that?¡¯ My eyes naturally lowered to his body. I had no doubt when I saw his solid and sturdy build. At the same time, I uttered what I had been pondering about. ¡°If you were going to visit, why didn¡¯t you come earlier¡­?¡± I expected him to ask about what happened, but he just nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that evil spirits could track your location and attack you. It seems like the energy your Epure gives off is stronger than I expected.¡± How did he know that evil spirits were attacking me? Lennox shrugged when my eyes grew wide. ¡°As soon as I entered the mansion, I felt the unique energy of evil spirits. I have taken care of the spirits that were after you, so rest assured.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It suddenly reminded me of the glass pieces falling weakly to the floor. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a coincidence.¡¯ The only individual who could cut down the strength of evil beings of the Rutoru forest and get rid of them was a Kravant. I was really lucky. ¡°Thanks to Your Highness, I¡¯m safe. You have my gratitude.¡± ¡°The rest of those creatures will protect themselves for a while because they know I¡¯m here. It¡¯ll be quiet for a while.¡± After I breathed out in relief, I thought about his sudden visit. ¡°Why did Your Highness come to see me?¡± Lennox calmly replied to my question. ¡°I have some news to share with you.¡± *** I offered him a seat, but Lennox politely declined. Instead, he leaned his back against the closed window before he opened his mouth. ¡°I found a record of the use of Qualum leaves.¡± I opened my eyes wide. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°According to the records of the temple, dark sorcerers used to perform certain spells in the past.¡± ¡®Dark sorcery?¡¯ I frowned at the unfamiliar information. ¡®There has never been a story related to sorcery in the original work.¡¯ An unknown anxiety grasped my mind. It was even more so because I had no idea how sorcery was described in this world. Presumably from Lennox¡¯s attitude, he seemed to think that I knew what sorcery was. If so, I should have had the least common sense, but no information came to mind. ¡°What kind of magic do the leaves hold?¡± How were odorless and nontoxic leaves used in dark sorcery? With what intention? My heart began to pound inside my ribcage. ¡°Is it used to make poison?¡± I didn¡¯t even know if it was toxic when mixed with tea. A chilly sensation flowed down my spine. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but anyway, don¡¯t drink that tea again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Your Highness should tell me why I shouldn¡¯t drink it.¡± Lennox pressed his fingers to his forehead instead of answering. Nervously, I bit my lips. ¡°Do you have to know?¡± ¡°Please tell me. What kind of sorcery is it?¡± I felt my voice shaking. He seemed to be pondering for a while, but he finally opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s used in sorcery to turn people into evil spirits.¡± The shock hit my whole body as soon as he said it. I stared blankly at him with my mouth open. I managed to ask, ¡°E-Evil spirit¡­.?¡± My head was spinning. ¡°Olivia Brienne!¡± Lennox caught me hurriedly. ¡°Are you alright? Breathe, slowly¡­ Damn it, come on, get yourself together!¡± I was hyperventilating, gripping on Lennox¡¯s arm as if it were my lifeline. My whole body was trembling. What was Olivia drinking until I came? ¡®Rather¡­¡¯ ¡­Even poison sounded better than this. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say it because I was afraid this would happen. Damn it, it¡¯s not good for you to drink that tea¡­¡± A man¡¯s voice was faintly echoing in my head. His other huge and warm hand was constantly patting my back. Until I regained my stability. As the shock went away, I hurriedly moved away when I realized that I was in Lennox¡¯s arms. ¡°E-Excuse me.¡± ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± I nodded and sat up straight. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for coming all the way here.¡± ¡°I just wanted to correct myself because I gave you the wrong information about the Qualum leaves before.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Still. It¡¯s rare for people to do this for someone they¡¯ve met for a while.¡± I meant it. He even took the trouble of infiltrating the Brienne mansion. I looked at him with gratitude. ¡°I will not forget your favor.¡± Then, his cheeks were flushed red like his ruby eyes and he turned his face in embarrassment. ¡°It wasn¡¯t much,¡± He answered firmly. ¡°It¡¯s equally important for me to investigate what wandered out of the Rutoru forest.¡± Somehow, him visiting me seemed odd in this inspection. He was a guardian everyone praised. In no way could he visit places like my room for such an investigation. Needless to say, I didn¡¯t give in and smiled. ¡°Anyway, thank you for coming all the way here to let me know.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be glad if it helped.¡± ¡°It is a huge help. I don¡¯t have a hobby of becoming an evil spirit. I don¡¯t want to be sliced into two by your sword.¡± I smiled briefly as Lennox chuckled at my joke. The stiff atmosphere which had developed due to tension and shock quickly collapsed. ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look very safe here either. Do you have a remedy in mind?¡± Until this morning, I thought I¡¯d be okay for the time being as long as I stayed home. My first goal was to live quietly and find out what Carinne was planning. I also had a faint hope that Carinne might¡¯ve not intended to harm me, unlike the original. But now, I had to survive the clutches of the evil spirits from the Rutoru forest. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it.¡± Suddenly depressed, I sighed deeply. Of course, I would have no solution even if I thought for a hundred days. ¡°Ash?¡± At that time, Ash flew in and dropped a piece of paper in front of me. I grabbed the paper before it hit the floor. ¡®Newspaper article?¡¯ I almost cheered for myself while reading the contents. I slowly faced Lennox, my eyes sparkling. Lennox¡¯s ruby red eyes paused at me as if shooting a laser beam. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I shouted, nodding my head up and down like a puppy in front of a hell hound. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°You will do what?¡± Lennox frowned at my excitement, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®This man was my only golden rope.¡¯ Even his frown looked beautiful and noble when I thought of him as my lifeline. The heavenly light showed itself behind Lennox. I couldn¡¯t believe he looked so handsome even when he smiled. ¡°You haven¡¯t found the right person yet, have you? I¡¯ll do it. I can perform the role very well!¡± ¡°What are you going to do¡­?¡± He stopped as I shook the newspaper article in my hand. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the bride you are looking for.¡± With a face brighter than ever, I said, ¡°What do you think about me?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 15 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 15 Has anyone wondered what the most handsome man in the world would look like if he faced a crazy person? ¡®What the? He still looks so handsome.¡¯ Lennox stared at me as if he had heard something impossible before he smiled vainly. ¡°You don¡¯t think when you talk, do you?¡± In short, if you drew out his core, it would be like he was screaming, ¡°Stop having crazy ideas!¡± It wasn¡¯t impossible to understand how he felt. If I were in his shoes, I would have responded similarly. But I found someone to trust. Ruminating through the newspaper headline stating, [ uke of Kravant looking for his Special Bride!], I thought I hit the jackpot. ¡°An Epure is the person whose special ability you are looking for.¡± However, the words I brought up confidently faced an unexpected contradiction immediately. ¡°I didn¡¯t publish that article.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fake rumor. It has been days since the corrected article was published.¡± Only then did I open my mouth in bewilderment after checking the date of the article that was more than a week earlier. ¡°But, then, the bride¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never looked for her and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be looking for her in the future. Apologies for disappointing you unintentionally.¡± I had no words for his blunt answer. In the meantime, Lennox stood up from his seat and straightened up. ¡°That¡¯s all for my business here. Hope you take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Hold on!¡± I urgently called after him, who was on his way to the balcony. I couldn¡¯t even get a hold on the only golden rope I had here. I quickly stated the conditions I could offer. ¡°The power of Epure, it could help Your Highness.¡± Lennox stared at me silently. I couldn¡¯t read his expression, but I waited for his answer with a little expectation. But, his response was cold. ¡°Not at all.¡± He rejected brazenly. But I didn¡¯t give up. ¡°It¡¯s because I haven¡¯t fully honed my skills, right?¡± I shouldn¡¯t have just given up when my life depended on it. ¡°Though my powers have only awakened, it wouldn¡¯t be long before I reach the next stage. It doesn¡¯t take much long to¨C¡± ¡°You seem to misunderstand.¡± He cut me off. The speck of kindness that he showed me earlier was nowhere to be seen in his cold look. ¡°I don¡¯t need the power of an Epure.¡± ¡°If not right now, you might need my skills someday.¡± As if there was nothing more for him to hear, Lennox opened the balcony door. ¡°Your Highness might get hurt while dealing with the evil spirits of the Rutoru forest!¡± That stopped him. Click¨C The door¡ªwhich was slightly opened ¡ªwas closed as the latch was locked again. I swallowed my breath as he slowly turned around. ¡°What did you say?¡± His momentum was far different. The flash of his bloody red eyes was threatening. But my situation was too dire to be scared of him. ¡°I can heal your wounds. Would it be too much for Your Highness to ask of me?¡± ¡°You amuse me.¡± The man strode heavily and narrowed the distance between us. I didn¡¯t even have time to reply. He leaned down close to me, faces threatening to touch any moment. ¡°Which way will it be?¡± His glare was so sharp that it made me wonder if it could penetrate my body like a sword. I bit my lip in an unknown tension, catching his straight gaze. After what felt like an eternity, a low voice rang out of the man¡¯s smooth lips. ¡°Do you know about me, or just happen to be right without your knowledge?¡± ¡°What are¡­¡± ¡°Get to the point. Have you heard about the craze of Duke Kravant?¡± ¡°What?¡± My eyes widened to the sudden question. ¡®Craze?¡¯ The word didn¡¯t match him. If the word had the same meaning in this world, that is. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°To be exact, I¡¯m going crazy.¡± My breath hitched. ¡°There¡¯s no way you won¡¯t get tired of living with a madman and wish to get away.¡± Lennox cocked a brow, looking down at me as I pouted my lips. ¡°Did you say I might get hurt while dealing with evil beings? Nothing in the Rutoru forest can touch the tip of my hair.¡± Finishing his speech, he waited for a while before relaxing his expression. ¡°I guess you had no idea.¡± No wonder I was out of breath. I searched for air while I met his eyes. ¡°Should I have known?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lennox chuckled softly. But his smile had a hidden feeling. ¡°If you knew my secret and tried to pry,¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve ended your life here.¡± My heart dropped. I could feel goosebumps all over my body. Despite the mild weather, I felt a chill as if I was standing in the middle of a glacier. I felt the skirt crumple under my palms. For the very first time, I faced the ferocious nature hidden under the elegant and noble outer shell of this man. ¡®I¡¯m so stupid.¡¯ When I thought about it again, it did sound weird. ¡®Why would I trust a person I¡¯ve only met twice¡­.?¡¯ I thought I could easily have Lennox on my side. I let my unconscious mind make decisions, without a doubt. I was going to trust someone I knew nothing about. But I still couldn¡¯t understand something. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be missing this man.¡¯ The yearning was too strong to be explained logically. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t miss me, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Olivia Brienne.¡± Did his patience reach its limit? His voice was violently low. The surroundings felt horribly weighed down. The sharp power of his blade pricked my skin. It felt like I was getting repeatedly stabbed. Strong. This man was really strong. Lennox¡¯s minimal courtesy was not seen in good eyes to other people. The reason was that they could not raise their voice or get angry. Just like how people didn¡¯t care what ants did under their feet. ¡°Let¡¯s stop joking around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± But that¡¯s the reason I was so sure. So I could hold on to Lennox. I didn¡¯t have any other cards to gamble. If I lost Lennox, I would not be able to make it for long. I didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. I did what I had to do. ¡®¡­..!¡¯ He looked down at my hand touching his sleeve and raised his head again. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you can slice off my arm.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Feel free to do so.¡± If it wasn¡¯t tempting to Lennox, I wouldn¡¯t have touched a part of his hair. But, he just stood still and watched me. His large hand was slightly colder than mine. I slowly, very slowly, intertwined my fingers with his. I could vividly feel the energy being created, rising from my fingertips and being sucked into him. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Lennox sighed in relief. ¡°The glory and sublimeness of one¡¯s youth come with sacrifices. But if there¡¯s a way to avoid it, is there a need to pay for it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My power can help Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As an Epure, I¡¯m sure I can heal whatever is troubling you.¡± Everything needed courage to be fulfilled. Especially if it was a life-threatening gamble. ¡°So let us make a deal.¡± Lennox warned quietly, ¡°I may be forced to use my abilities to Viscount Brienne¡¯s advantages.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he would do that to a woman whose life is in danger.¡± ¡°What do you know about me?¡± ¡°At least I know that I will get paid for my price.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the change in his gorgeous bright red eyes. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I want. Safety from the threat of evil spirits and other enemies.¡± Carinne Brienne. Even though we never saw each other, she was a possible threat to my life. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not asking us to stay married for the rest of our lives. Our marriage would last until my powers are completely awakened and I heal your craze.¡± We just needed to endure it somehow. After the end of the original novel. Until the end of the story. Until the curtains of the stage fall. Until the section where I could twist the writing of Olivia¡¯s death. If I just lasted until then. ¡°After that, our contract will be neatly cleared.¡± The moment Lennox¡¯s lips curled into a fascinating smirk, I felt myself winning. ¡°You¡¯re clever.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯m strategic.¡± Finally, he lifted his imposing power. I felt the weight in the air lifting slowly. ¡°Let¡¯s be clear about one thing.¡± Lennox spoke in a clear tone. ¡°My duty is neither honorable nor sublime.¡± It was a cynical statement, but we both knew I had no choice but to accept. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 16 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 16 When Olivia fell into a deep sleep, the top floor of the Kravant estate was brightly lit. Rather, it seemed the day was just beginning. In the middle of the hallway was Lennox¡¯s office. ¡°The one I asked about?¡± Nishir did not delay in replying to his master¡¯s incomplete question. ¡°There was nothing special.¡± Data collected perfectly in not more than half a day were organized on Lennox¡¯s desk. The relaxed expression of the man slowly reading the file was lonely. ¡°Her debutante was only a couple of months ago.¡± ¡°Yes. It was quite late, so there were many disgraceful rumors. But of course, they have faded since the debut.¡± ¡°Understandable.¡± Lennox laughed coldly. He was well aware of the behavior of the central aristocrats eager to find scapegoats to bite and tear. ¡°Rather, the peculiar thing is, the eldest was adopted by Viscount Brienne last year.¡± Lennox¡¯s smooth features narrowed into a frown. ¡°I wonder if that means she was adopted after she became an adult.¡± ¡°Indeed. Even rumors recently circulating say that she is not adopted, but an illegitimate child of Viscount Brienne before his marriage.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, that¡¯s a very chaotic story.¡± Lennox lightly clicked his tongue. ¡°Is this all the data you¡¯ve found?¡± ¡°Yes. I suspected it was too ordinary, so I investigated one after another¡­..¡± ¡°Then there won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Snapping the file shut, he leaned back against his chair. The image of a beast resting in his boredom created a strangely decadent atmosphere. ¡®It¡¯s normal, I guess¨C¡® No, it wasn¡¯t like that at all. A determined woman suddenly offered a marriage proposal to a man she only met a few days ago. She even proposed a deal using all the cards she could mobilize. ¡®Olivia Brienne.¡¯ At least she succeeded in imprinting her name on his lips. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d accept that suggestion.¡¯ But in the end, he responded with, ¡°We end the contract after we get what we want,¡± the moment he thought it would be okay for him to be in a relationship with a fixed deadline. Before he knew it, he found himself agreeing. It was an impulsive decision. But he didn¡¯t have any regrets or desire to go back on his word. ¡®It¡¯s only for a while anyway.¡¯ She was the one who chose him. If so, he had no choice but to be willing to enjoy a sweet deviation given for the first time in this never-ending prison of his life. Lennox¡¯s eyes slowly opened. His drowsy gaze said that he was a little interested. ¡°Nishir.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The fascinating man had a faint yet perfect smile adorning his lips. ¡°Cancel all my schedules for the time being.¡± Nishir had a surprised look in his eyes, but he dutifully bowed down. He knew the rule as a shadow not to question his master. However, he couldn¡¯t help but be shocked to hear Lennox¡¯s following words. ¡°I need to get ready to see my bride.¡± *** ¡°You¡¯re very happy today, aren¡¯t you?¡± [Really? I guess it¡¯s because I had a good rest.] Perhaps because I overslept until midday after blushing throughout the night, Ash looked quite enthusiastic unlike me. The bird asked cheerfully, [But Olivia, how did you come up with the idea of marrying the Duke?] When he sat on my palm and tilted his head, my eyes widened a little in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you brought me the newspaper article?¡± [Me? N-Not at all! I just gave it to you because I thought you¡¯d like it if you heard the news.] Watching him give off an excuse desperately, I rested my chin on one hand. ¡°Was that all?¡± [Yes! It¡¯s true!] ¡°But wasn¡¯t the timing of you dropping the newspaper so exquisite?¡± [No!] Ash, who was nodding his head up and down, quickly began to shake his head left and right. A smile found its way on my lips at the cute appearance of his fluffy round head moving busily. He was being obvious, but I wondered if I should let it slide this time. ¡°Okay, okay. I got it.¡± I reassured, gently patting Ash from his head to his tail with my index finger. At that, his stiff body slowly eased as a pleasant expression appeared on his face. ¡°Where did you get the article, though?¡± Ash was enjoying my touch, drooping happily when his back hardened at the question again. Looking everywhere but me and making awkward hand gestures with his wings, he stuttered, [Oh, um, c-coincidentally?] Although his expressions were too obvious, I decided to interrogate no further. Anyway, I was deeply grateful to Ash for showing me a way to survive. ¡°Thank you. I was worried about my future, but you solved it.¡± I put down my wrist that was holding my chin and shook it gently. The ornament jingled inside the bracelet I was wearing. Ash¡¯s eyes twinkled curiously as he touched it with his beak. [It¡¯s amazing! The charm on the bracelet must have the power to protect you, right?] ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what he said.¡± I recalled last night¡¯s conversation while gazing at the bracelet Lennox left me. ¡°Always wear this bracelet. The power contained here will prevent evil spirits from approaching you for the time being.¡± ¡°Is this bracelet effective?¡± ¡°They can locate the energy of your Epure. But if my energy from the bracelet is overlaid with yours, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°Oh? If I wear this bracelet¡­¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s only to trick their sensation, but it¡¯s a temporary measure.¡± Lennox had stated that coldly as soon as my eyes started to shine towards a different possibility. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ ¡°But what if I get caught and attacked?¡± ¡°The bracelet should block a few attacks. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come to rescue you as soon as possible until all your powers awaken.¡± Lennox said that I could detect an evil presence immediately if I honed my skills. Until then, the minimum safety device was in place. [By the way, would it be the right decision to wait like this?] ¡°Huh? What?¡± [What if the Duke changes his mind? What if he suddenly starts to deny the contract?] ¡°I don¡¯t think he will.¡± I knew I didn¡¯t know him well enough to say it. But at least, I believed he wouldn¡¯t break his promise so easily. I jumped up from my seat. [Where are you going?] ¡°The study.¡± [Why?] I smiled as I rubbed the bird¡¯s head. ¡°While Lennox prepares, we must do what is needed.¡± *** I opened the door, sensing a different atmosphere down the hall of the Viscount¡¯s mansion. Sure enough, as I walked toward the central staircase, I encountered some busy employees. ¡°Lady Olivia.¡± Mary quickly approached me the moment she found me. ¡°Where are you headed to?¡± ¡°I wish to read some books from the library.¡± I wanted to go without catching anybody¡¯s attention, but I failed. ¡°But, is something going on? Everyone looks busy.¡± Outside the window, various employees were seen unloading several packages from the cart. ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Mary hesitated. ¡°Lady Carrine is returning from her medical treatment.¡± ¡®Carrine?¡¯ Was Carrine not feeling well? I searched for clues in the original story, but nothing came to mind. ¡¶ Reversed Lady ¡·was a story that took place from Olivia¡¯s point of view, and it was in the second half when Carrine¡¯s evil deeds were revealed to the readers. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t seen her in the meantime.¡¯ How could I meet her when she wasn¡¯t even in the mansion? ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°She appears to have gotten sick on her way, so she¡¯ll be staying overnight at an accommodation nearby and reach the mansion tomorrow. Only her luggage arrived today.¡± Mary carefully asked after explaining the situation. ¡°May I bring some refreshments to your study?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. You must be busy.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± As soon as Mary¡¯s steps disappeared into the distance, Ash¡¯s voice flew in. Olivia. He was communicating through a method that delivered thoughts directly into the head instead of talking. Thanks to him, I was able to have a secret conversation even when I was with someone. I remember how surprised I was when he first used the method. But now, I learned to communicate with him just by thinking. Mary seems to know that you and Carrine don¡¯t get along. Did she? She was being careful when she talked about Carrine. Didn¡¯t you notice how many times she had been looking at your face? Just in case, I scrounged through my memories. ¡®What on earth fits with the original work here¡­? In ¡¶ Reversed Lady ¡·, Carrine pretended to be a good sister until her evil deeds surfaced later. To be exact, Olivia was deceived by Carrine. ¡®So when it turned out that Carrine was a villain in disguise, I felt so betrayed.¡¯ I was just at the beginning of being in this world, and yet I hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of the reversal. Anyway, Olivia allowed Carrine to rely upon her as an older sister and helper until the middle of the novel. ¡®But here, we¡¯re already at odds. To the point where even the employees are aware.¡¯ I could not predict the future awaiting me. So now, it was safe to say that the storyline differed from the main with the same exposition. ¡®But why are the most important things the same?!¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 17 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 Even though all kinds of settings were changed, there was something from the original that was unaffected. ¡®Olivia¡¯s tragic death.¡¯ The only thing consistent here were my constant encounters with death. As always, my hunch was never wrong. I thought I could sense almost everything in my surroundings, maybe even more meticulously than in the original. I didn¡¯t know my inner self, my purpose, or my future plans, but I wasn¡¯t going to let Carrine win. Ash. Yes? I pushed the door to the study as hard as I could. Time to work. *** [Olivia, I can¡¯t find anything about it.] ¡°How can there not be a single book?¡± I came to the study, curious to find some information, but there was no book related to the sorcery that I could find. There was a book with ¡®Rutoru forest¡¯ in its title, but it turned out to be a horror novel set in the mentioned forest. ¡®This won¡¯t work.¡¯ [Think carefully. Is there any other information you can gather from what the Duke said?] ¡°There was nothing different. He found that Qualum leaves were used in sorcery from a record of the temple¡­ Hang on, the temple?¡± I ran back to the bookshelf as a thought struck my mind. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen it around here¡­ temple, temple¡­ there!¡± History of the Barcan Empire: Its Foundations and the Temple The book was so enormously thick that I felt exhausted just by looking at it. As I put it on the desk with a grin, Ash flew in and settled at the end of the book. It felt strange to see a bird reading the letters, but at this point, I had given up judging how things worked in this world by its existing common sense to some extent. [Does it contain what you¡¯re looking for?] ¡°I hope so.¡± As soon as I opened the cover of the book, there was a breeze inside the closed room that flipped some pages over. ¡°Huh?¡± As I tried to return to the first page without much thought, my eyes landed on something. [Olivia, look!] ¡°Yeah, I saw it, too.¡± [ The sorcerers who were subjugating horsemen, started a war and brought darkness to sweep over the continent. It was inevitable for the Barcan army to step on the land of Shahara, which had fallen under the name of God. ] ¡°Shahara¡­¡± I had never heard of the land before. [ The great war took many lives of men, broke the reputation of evil techniques, and discarded records. ] Chapter 18 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 18 The man couldn¡¯t be more polite, but I found his dry voice to be emotionless. ¡°Butler,¡± Fortunately, I could guess who he was from the way he was dressed. ¡®Did he see me?¡¯ My heart was pounding but I mustered up the courage to continue speaking. Trying to hide my nerves, I said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He answered politely, his expressionless look unchanged, ¡°My master has been looking for you.¡± *** I thought one could guess why the Viscount was looking for me. ¡®Has Lennox contacted him already?¡¯ Apart from my dislike of the Viscount, my marriage to Lennox required the approval of the head of my family. But I wasn¡¯t very concerned. If I was getting married to Duke Kravant, my father would welcome him happily. At least, that¡¯s what I thought. ¡°You called?¡± ¡°Olivia Brienne!¡± I was greeted by the Viscount¡¯s angry, hoarse voice and his hand banging on the desk. He looked furious, blood vessels profound on his forehead. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him all of a sudden?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know why the Viscount was angry at me. ¡°Can you explain what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to marry Lennox Kravant? How dare you!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Kravant family, isn¡¯t it a perfect place for me to be alone? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so angry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He snooped his head at what I said before he gave a few gentle nods, ¡°Yes¡­. Indeed.¡± ¡®What the?¡¯ His attitude changed like a flip of the palm. ¡°You¡¯re right. Marrying the Duke of Kravant, of course, we should celebrate it!¡± When I felt something was wrong, I looked up at him to only prove my intuition correct. ¡®¡­!¡¯ He suddenly began to shake his head like crazy, ¡°No, no, no, no.¡± His pupils were half turned over before I knew it. His eyes, now mostly white, were giving me the creeps. ¡®What the hell¡­¡¯ At that stage, his whole body was shaking and his head was flipping from side to side. ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.¡± Face strangely distorted, eyes strangely shiny, and lips strangely twisted. He looked dangerous. My intuition told me that I should not stay alone with the Viscount. ¡®He¡¯s not in his right mind.¡¯ I instinctively stepped back to get away, but all his movements stopped sharply. The black figure regained its original position and stared straight at me. Goosebumps shivered down my spine. ¡°Not Lennox Kravant!¡± Face violently distorted, the figure rushed at me. ¡®Crazy!¡¯ Just before his big hand could grab a hold of my shoulder, I leaned down quickly to avoid him. Unable to control his speed, the man collided with the table. ¡°Arghhh!¡± There was a loud crash as the table went over. He groaned, clutching his forehead. ¡°Ugh, ughh¡­¡± I dashed toward the door to save myself, leaving the Viscount behind. ¡®Let¡¯s avoid him for now.¡¯ The Viscount was out of his mind now. It was clear that if I stayed here for no reason, I wouldn¡¯t be able to experience the good things in life. ¡®Let¡¯s take refuge in my room and do the rest later¡­¡¯ ¡°Ugh¡­..¡± Damn it. I was almost there. Stopping at a distance of grabbing the doorknobs, I eventually looked back. I couldn¡¯t just leave an injured person alone. What if he died after this? So to make sure, I walked up to where he collapsed. ¡°Excuse me, are you okay?¡± I thought he bumped his head. I carefully removed the hand holding his head to see a large nasty swell. It was fortunate that I didn¡¯t see blood. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll call someone. It might be a concussion, so don¡¯t make any reckless movements.¡± Whether it was a butler or a servant, it would be settled somehow after I called them. As I moved to stand up, he startled me with his voice saying, ¡°Olivia?¡± Regardless of his injury, he was looking up at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He had a surprised look plastered on his face. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­Father called for me.¡± ¡°Me?¡± He asked back with a blank expression. He seemed to know nothing of it. ¡®Is it that he doesn¡¯t remember?¡¯ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I hesitated for a moment before I helped him to sit up on the floor. He frowned and shook his head as if he was having a headache. Like a person with real amnesia. ¡°What happened to me? The room is a mess,¡± the Viscount stated at the sight of the broken debris on the floor. ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lying.¡¯ He was too calm for a person who was just after my life a moment ago. ¡°Do you not recall anything?¡± ¡°Yeah. I remember coming into the office and looking at the documents¡­ I feel as if my soul left my body.¡± His eyes were focused, but I decided to be careful. I was still shaken by his sudden outrage a few minutes ago. ¡°What did we talk about?¡± I glanced at him in doubt. ¡®It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to flip his eyes and rush towards me again, is he?¡¯ I wondered if I should talk or not, considering I witnessed such a grotesque scene just a while ago. ¡®It has to be decided one day anyway. This marriage won¡¯t be bad for him either.¡¯ Making up my mind, I gulped and began, ¡°My marriage.¡± ¡°Marriage?¡± Soon after making a strange look on his face, he nodded as if he was convinced. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get you a good marriage partner soon. It¡¯s a shame that your engagement with Marquis Velott is broken¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I found a better marriage partner.¡± His eyes widened at my words. Soon after, he started showering me with questions. ¡°I-Is that true? You? Since when? No, rather, you must tell me who he is¡­¡± ¡°Viscount Brienne.¡± It was then when he was interrupted by a voice¡ªlow enough to shake one¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± A slow cold breeze blew in from somewhere and shook my skirt. ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ I turned my head to see the yellow glow of a lamp illuminating the wide-open door and the dark hallway beyond. ¡°We meet again,¡± said the man who had a distinct presence of them all. ¡°Olivia.¡± He stared at me for a while before he slowly approached. I couldn¡¯t move an inch even though I could hear the clear sounds of his footsteps. The man stopped only when his feet met the partition separating the hallway and the room. My heart sank as half of his face was illuminated by the light. Gasp¨C I was very surprised at the visit of the uninvited guest. ¡°I think you know who I am by now.¡± Silence. ¡°Ah, since it¡¯s an official greeting, I must introduce myself.¡± His voice was soft. However, his unique arrogant gaze, relaxed attitude, and faint smile were those of an inherent ruler. ¡°I¡¯m Lennox Kravant.¡± *** ¡°Duke, Your Highness¡­¡± I could barely speak. However, my voice was cut off along with my fiercely beating heart. I was clearly agitated. I never expected Lennox to appear out of nowhere. ¡°How are you here¡­¡± Thanks to my clumsiness, I couldn¡¯t finish my question and swallowed it behind my throat. However, Lennox nodded slightly as if he had fully understood what I wanted to say. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you.¡± ¡°To see me?¡± ¡®In the middle of the night? Suddenly? Without calling me?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know if he read my face, but he smiled softly. The curves created by the cold smooth face were breathtakingly beautiful. It was clear that this man knew how wonderful his smile was. And he was skilled in using that charm of his. He spoke again, gracefully fluttering his eyes at me. ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not allowed to come here.¡± That woke me up from the trance I was in. ¡®I should get a hold of myself. Even if I¡¯m in a tiger¡¯s cave, I¡¯ll survive if I can control myself.¡¯ In this case, the tiger stormed into the rabbit¡¯s hole, but anyway. ¡°Is it an urgent business?¡± ¡°Am I only allowed to see you when I need something?¡± ¡®Excuse me, Duke. You¡¯re so confident about visiting someone else¡¯s house without a prior appointment that it feels so wrong. Anyway, I don¡¯t need to deal with this situation now.¡¯ I was frozen stiff, concerned about my response. ¡°It has gotten very late today. Why don¡¯t we talk about it again tomorrow?¡± But there was something I overlooked. ¡°My,¡± It was the fact that the man who could sneak inside a house without anyone¡¯s knowledge was determined to make his entrance known this time. ¡°How could you treat your only lover like this? My fianc¨¦e is heartless.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 19 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 19 He emphasized those words so gracefully, I was stunned. He quietly stepped inside the room, calm as ever, despite throwing a huge bomb inside the room. ¡®Did he eat something wrong? Or did he develop some kind of grudge against me?¡¯ ¡°L-Lover? Fianc¨¦e?¡± The Viscount stumbled weakly. I could hear the astonishment in his voice as well as he looked back at me. ¡°Olivia, tell me. What I just heard, is it true?¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­..¡± ¡°Tell me at once!¡± I shot a glimpse at Lennox, who was the spark of this whole situation. In return, what he did was give me the world¡¯s most elegant smile possible. ¡°Hah¡­,¡± I felt like I should give up on dealing with Lennox. ¡®I can¡¯t beat that man.¡¯ While observing my reaction with interest, he turned to the Viscount. ¡°I did send the Viscount an official proposal from Kravant, didn¡¯t you receive it?¡± And his face turned to me again. ¡°Who¡­ Who says that¡­¡± The focus began disappearing from the Viscount¡¯s eyes. ¡°No¡­,¡± he repeated through his half-opened lips, murky pupils, and a face devoid of any expression. He was like a doll under control. ¡°No, no.¡± Somehow, I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. ¡®Come to think of it, when the Viscount pounced on me earlier¡­¡¯ ¡°Not Kravant.¡± From what I observed, the Viscount wasn¡¯t against my marriage. He was trying to stop the marriage. To be exact, someone was controlling him to stop the marriage. ¡°No, no, no, no!¡± My eyes widened as he stretched out his hand toward me with a devilish glare on his face. But I couldn¡¯t move an inch, just like an elk facing the rushing lights in the middle of the country road at night. All I could do was close my eyes. Thud! I heard the dull sound of something hitting the floor. But I didn¡¯t feel any pain. I opened my eyes slowly to the shattered porcelain on the floor. The only other man¡ªwith no expressions on his face now¡ªwas looking down at the Viscount he made unconscious lying on the floor. I fumbled nervously, ¡°H-He¡¯s not dead, is he?¡± Bloody red eyes turned toward me. His gaze was so intense that I had the illusion of being attacked with a red arrow. I held my breath and waited for him to answer. ¡°He¡¯s only unconscious.¡± ¡°Whew¡­ Glad to hear that¡­¡± Lennox tilted his head sharply as I sighed in relief. ¡°Why would I want to hurt your father?¡± ¡°No, I never meant that. I was a little bit startled.¡± I bit my lips gently, staring at the fainted body of the Viscount. ¡®He couldn¡¯t cope after going through the same thing twice.¡¯ But it was scary. My heart was still beating like crazy. My palms were clammy. ¡®It was like he became a completely different person.¡¯ If I had to compare it, it was more like he became an evil spirit than a person. ¡®Would Lennox believe me if I told him that he was being manipulated?¡¯ Usually, one would think that he just lost his reason and got excited. ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Before I knew it, Lennox was bending one knee to get a closer look at the Viscount. ¡°When did the Viscount start acting so strangely?¡± Surprised, I asked, ¡°You knew that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fool if you can¡¯t tell after seeing this with your own eyes.¡± He responded indifferently, but I couldn¡¯t hide my joy, ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To know that there are people besides me who understand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have those qualities,¡± Lennox chuckled jokingly. But I was serious. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, it¡¯s very scary and lonely to know that you¡¯re the only one who is aware.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t belong to this world. I entered another person¡¯s body and now I had to live her life instead. I couldn¡¯t confess it to anyone, and I would probably carry this secret alone for the rest of my life. ¡°There are times when you wish someone would know about your feelings even if you can¡¯t reveal them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I raised my head to his silence, Lennox was staring at me with that persistent gaze of his. ¡°Oh, I seem to have ruined the atmosphere.¡± I waved my hands, realizing I had embarrassed myself. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. It doesn¡¯t mean much, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep secrets to yourself.¡± I was stunned by his response, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad to have at least one person to talk to. You can tell me if need be.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, only if you want to.¡± I didn¡¯t expect such kindness from him. His words calmed my mind, and certain unfamiliar feelings warmed up my body. ¡°I will.¡± His sharp gaze softened for a moment as he smiled at my reply. Then, he returned to his usual expressionless face. ¡°Since when did the Viscount start acting like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He looked alright a few days ago, but he was certainly strange with his behavior today.¡± ¡°Then it hasn¡¯t been long.¡± he gently pressed Viscount¡¯s neck with his long fingers. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to find the cause.¡± Red swirling lines flowed out of his fingertips to reach his neck. After a while of observation, his handsome forehead crumpled with dissatisfaction. ¡°A marionette, they chose a very classic method for him.¡± ¡°Marionette?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a kind of sorcery that prevents you from performing certain actions. It digs into human consciousness and instills a kind of possesion. It¡¯s triggered when certain conditions are met during your usual activities.¡± ¡°I think I understand what you mean.¡± The Viscount wanted to find a rich and high-ranking man as my marriage partner. But to oppose Lennox as my husband, who met all the conditions? That wasn¡¯t very logical. ¡°Looks like someone is displeased by our marriage.¡± ¡°Their plans to turn me into an evil spirit would have been disrupted. I don¡¯t know who it is, but they want to prevent my marriage with Your Highness by any means necessary.¡± Lennox was the only one who could beat the evil spirits and recognize the Qualum leaves from the woods of Rutoru. ¡°I thought the probability of having a sorcerer as the real criminal was low, but it seems like I should reconsider my judgment.¡± He pressed his forehead, a look of clear annoyance on his face. ¡°The Prince will be shocked to hear this news.¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s still one sorcerer left?¡± Lennox nodded. ¡°Well, there can be descendants who were lucky to survive. However, it¡¯s quite a serious problem to have passed on different methods of sorcery from generation to generation.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve only increased my work for no reason,¡± he muttered bitterly, heavily bothered by this situation. ¡°So, what about the Viscou- my father? Can he be cured?¡± Since he had recognized his condition, he must¡¯ve known how to cure it. ¡°No, you can¡¯t cure him unless you¡¯re the one who cast that spell.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s difficult. I require his permission as the head of the family, but just speaking of my marriage with Your Highness makes his eyes flip.¡± I was distressed, but Lennox was as calm as ever. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t lift the spell, you will be able to invalidate it.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You want to know?¡± ¡°Of course I do!¡± At that moment, his face glowed like that of a naughty child before playing some dumb joke. But whenever this man made that face, it meant he had his dream come true. ¡°Olivia Brienne.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Sure enough, he asked with a smirk on his face. ¡°Do you like playing games?¡± It was a voice reminiscent of, ¡°Let¡¯s start the game now.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t like games!¡± ¡°A strong denial means a positive affirmation.¡± ¡°No, I said no.¡± No matter how much I tried to get out of his trap, he wasn¡¯t someone to let his prey enjoy its freedom. ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll tell you how to invalidate the spell.¡± I knew this would happen. ¡°Let us start. Right this moment.¡± *** The servants could not hide their embarrassment while alternating their eyes between the collapsed form of the Viscount, Lennox, and me. But, they moved quickly to my instructions. ¡°Hurry, take my father to his bed. And call for the doctor.¡± Right after he was taken care of, Lennox and I returned to the room together. And now, he and I were sitting face to face with a table in between. ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± I was growing curious and impatient about how I could treat the Viscount. ¡°We both need the spell to be lifted, so what happens if you just tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fun if you get it that easily.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not like that. I just like to take an easy road. Why choose a difficult path when you already know a simpler way?¡± ¡°Let me know whenever you want to give up. It¡¯ll be enough if you just close your eyes.¡± ¡°When did I say that I¡¯d give up?¡± When I shot back, glaring at him, he only chuckled softly. ¡®Whatever, I hate you.¡¯ ¡°Ha¡­¡± The rules were simple. My victory was to prevent his victory. But Lennox couldn¡¯t be tackled in the game so easily. My ominous foreboding was bound to be correct, so I made three rounds in a row. ¡°What should I do now¡­¡± I concentrated on where to move my warriors on the chessboard. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 20 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 20 The situation was already considerably lopsided. ¡°Take your time,¡± Lennox said as he leaned leisurely against the chair. I could hear his pen scratching against the paper of our marriage contract. ¡°We have plenty of time anyway,¡± he mocked me. I glanced at him before focusing on the chessboard again. ¡®I have no hope after this¡­¡¯ I sadly looked at my white knight, that was heroically killed and kicked out of the battlefield. In particular, it was a big mistake to lose both bishops. I opened my mouth only after I moved the Queen to the right, blocking the path of the black pawn. ¡°It lasts until our conditions are met. After that, I¡¯ll be glad to tidy it up for you.¡± ¡°Your conditions are to provide safety from the things that threaten you. Correct?¡± I nodded my head. ¡°In return, I¡¯ll eliminate whatever disturbs Your Grace.¡± Lennox¡¯s handwriting began to be embroidered in the contract. I expected the letters to have a hard and angular shape, but he had surprisingly smooth handwriting. He was brief in writing the framework of the contract since it was clear what we wanted from each other. ¡°Now then, we need a few consultations for our smooth marriage.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± One of his eyebrows slightly rose to my swift answer. ¡°Perhaps you have any requests in mind?¡± ¡°I do, but depending on what it sounds like, Your Grace might feel uncomfortable. If I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯m not sure I can say it¡­ Ah! So mean!¡± Lennox aimed for my precious knight with his pawn. However, if I were to save my knight, the black Queen who was waiting behind would immediately aim for the King. I had no choice but to let him have my knight block his pawn. ¡°It¡¯s fine, so tell me.¡± This time, Lennox¡¯s knight fell back and was poised for an attack. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other intentions, so I hope Your Grace doesn¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± I swallowed to relieve my dry throat. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to interfere with Your Grace¡¯s private life, but I want you to include a clause that says you will be faithful to this marriage during the contract period.¡± Did he get what I meant? Shifting my eyes, I added, ¡°Your Grace can be loyal to his contract partner, right?¡± I was frozen stone under his shining but cold gaze. ¡°Do I seem that brazen to have an affair while I have a wife?¡± ¡°I just want some reassurance.¡± I pretended not to hear his question and caught his Queen with mine. ¡°If so, you shall have it willingly.¡± Straight away, his black rook knocked over my queen. Somehow, I felt a corner of my heart relax. ¡°As your husband, I promise to repay your faith and trust.¡± Lennox, who sounded frustrated but firm, added, ¡°But the same goes for you.¡± I was following the pawn¡¯s path to defend with a rook when my finger stopped. When I raised my head, he was looking at me. I was a little agitated under his unshakably still gaze. But his voice made it better, ¡°don¡¯t think about neglecting your duties as my wife.¡± ¡°Of course. I promise to be a faithful wife,¡± I nodded enthusiastically. I must¡¯ve tried very hard to express it with my whole body, because the stiffness from his face was slowly disintegrating. ¡°Then we move on to the next topic, the item given to you with your right as the mistress of the house.¡± I was confident about this. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the power of a duke¡¯s wife. I have no intention of exerting influence within the family.¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± Lennox narrowed his eyes as he asked. ¡°I find that hard to believe.¡± This was unusually rare, so I could understand. ¡°I mean it.¡± I decided to nail him with my faith. Trust was the most important thing in contracts. ¡°Our marriage is temporary. Our contractual relationship only needs what we decided to exchange.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I had no desire to intervene in the family¡¯s complex struggle for power. I would live quietly as if I wasn¡¯t there, and leave when our contract ended. A safe and peaceful life. That would be enough. ¡°After our divorce, Your Highness would be in search of his real wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In order for it to happen, it would be better if I leave as little traces of me as possible in the Duchy of Kravant. Isn¡¯t that right? I don¡¯t want myself to be hated by your future Duchess.¡± As I finished talking, I realized that Lennox had become quiet at some point. I said no more, and the conversation was broken off. We ate each other¡¯s pawns one by one, and our pieces cluttered over a few more meaningless movements. ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯ No matter how much I thought, I couldn¡¯t figure out what I said wrong. Rather, it was a good offer to Lennox, so he had no reason to refuse. In the uncomfortable and awkward silence, I nervously chewed my lower lip hidden from him. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t long before Lennox¡¯s lips opened to speak. ¡°I understand what you think.¡± It swept my chest with relief. ¡®Is he being considerate because he doesn¡¯t want me to feel bad in case I said I liked him?¡¯ Even at times like this, he proved himself to be a good man. He was not bad as a temporary husband. ¡°If so, we deal with this problem in accordance with the common practices of noble families.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± ¡°At least you won¡¯t feel uncomfortable as Kravant¡¯s Duchess. Checkmate.¡± ¡°Ah!¡­¡± Meanwhile, his black knight was aiming for my rook as well as my king at the same time. Indeed, this man could not relax for a moment. He had to be cautious for every trap his enemy might have set up. I had no choice but to sacrifice a look with tears. ¡°Next is¡­¡± I swallowed as I glanced at the contract. Finally, it was time. I moistened my lips with my tongue before I continued, ¡°The, the dowry.¡± I hoped that my poor tongue, which was going to say shameless things for itself, would not break down on the way. ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to proceed with it. We¡¯re going to get divorced anyway, and it only complicates the situation if Father has to split his property.¡± The division of property was an excuse and in fact, there was no money under my name. It was unlikely that Viscount Brienne, who only cared about fixing my marriage, would provide a dowry. ¡°However, I want you to allocate some of your money to me.¡± Deciding to put up an iron face, I continued with my gaze down, ¡°As the Duchess, it is necessary for me to maintain minimum dignity. You don¡¯t want to see the mistress of Kravant walking around like a beggar, right? What I mean is, this is not only for me but also for Your Grace.¡± I didn¡¯t even give him the time to answer. I shot the words out like a swift gun. Otherwise, I thought, the rest of my shame and conscience would make me unable to speak to the end. However, it took a great amount of courage to spit out the next words. ¡°The amount of money¡­¡± The most important thing in contracts was concreteness. Words such as ¡®appropriate¡¯ or ¡®sufficient¡¯ were ambiguous and unsuitable for documentation. ¡®Just close your eyes, pretend you never said it.¡¯ Still, there was something poking at me, so I moved my pawn diagonally with my eyes fixed on the chessboard. And finally, after capturing the black knight, I opened my mouth to speak. ¡°I want you to let me use about three hundred gold a month.¡± My face was hot and red with embarrassment. ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t hear Lennox answer for a long time. The silence continued. I couldn¡¯t stand it, so I glanced up to look at him. In place of his indifferent look, Lennox was watching me with an amused expression on his face. ¡®Did I ask for too much?¡¯ The timidness with which I raised my head was pushed into the corner of my chest. I specified the highest amount I could receive with the intention of bargaining, but it already seemed to be a ridiculous amount. Before I knew it, the black knight piece that I captured felt strangely large and overwhelming. ¡®Was three hundred gold per month too much?¡¯ I quickly decided to lower it. ¡°Perhaps two hundred gold would be good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­A hundred gold.¡± My confidence shrunk like a deflating balloon. It was true that I was too brazen on the subject of asking for money. I had a pessimistic view of my poor situation. Just when I was looking for ways to deal with this embarrassing situation. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know what I said wrong.¡± Lennox, who was staring at me with silence until then, began to move his other knight again as he spoke, ¡°First, I don¡¯t need a dowry. No matter how much you bring, it¡¯d be a penny¡¯s worth of Kravant.¡± ¡®Oh, yes. I see. I¡¯m just jealous of the enormous wealth you own.¡¯ ¡­It was too realistic for me to be sarcastic. I was barely able to press down my lips from saying, ¡®thank you!¡¯ ¡°And I was talking about my money.¡± I would be ready to accept even if he allowed only fifty gold. If he got offended and said he would not give it to me at all, I¡¯d be the one in trouble. My white king stepped back once and hid behind the shield. ¡°I was a bit much earlier, wasn¡¯t I? I was joking. Your Grace doesn¡¯t have to give me that much-¡± ¡°According to the documents I approved this morning, the amount of money that will be given to you is five thousand gold per month.¡± ¡°Yes, that will be eno- Hold on, what did you say?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 21 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 21 I was letting out my prepared speech automatically like a vending machine, but I stopped in the middle. ¡°Is it not enough?¡± ¡°No!¡± It was neither one thousand nor two. It was five thousand gold. That much was enough to plan the rest of my life after my contract with Lennox was over. ¡®If I save money every month, I don¡¯t have to worry about making a living for a while, do I?¡¯ Meanwhile, I could see a bright halo behind the attractive man in front of me. I hurried before Lennox could change his words. ¡°I have no more say!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have my doubtful future wife write in our sacred contract.¡± Lennox pushed the completed contract toward me. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I added as I nodded. ¡°When I invalidate the spell¡¯s effects and Father returns to his senses, he may ask Your Highness for this and that as a wedding condition because I was supposed to marry Marquis Velott.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean the son of Marquis Velott, do you?¡± ¡°Sadly, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Though, I heard that the Marquis had a big accident recently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why without my knowledge, my marriage partner was changed to the young Marquis.¡± Lennox chuckled at my grumbling. ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± He briefly evaluated the situation and gave me the answer I wanted. ¡°I don¡¯t care what your father wants. I can fit into his requirements, and¡­¡± He smirked as he finished, ¡°if necessary, I don¡¯t need to use gentlemanly methods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a more reliable answer.¡± He and I burst into short laughs at the same time. When my laughter became softer, Lennox gazed at me with a serious look on his face. ¡°This contract is unfavorable to you in many ways. Do you know that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. We regret more when we lose money.¡± ¡°Or just tell me if you have any more conditions. I¡¯d listen to all of them. Check.¡± ¡°Please cut me some slack!¡± ¡°The world of victory is cold.¡± ¡°This is enough. I¡¯ve been promised with a faithful marriage as I wanted, without the involvement of neither my dowry nor the Viscount¡¯s money,¡± I replied by blocking his surprise attack. ¡°What if you regret it later? Check.¡± ¡°Ah, seriously!¡± My breath hitched as Lennox neutralized my shield one after the other. All I could do was look for a moment to slip away. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± He was constantly attacking, but he put his hand to a stop and asked. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do your duties include nightly duties to your husband?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Check.¡± Lennox resumed his attack while I was out of spirits due to an unexpected mental attack. ¡°You¡¯re so mean!¡± ¡°I¡¯m strategic.¡± ¡°Did you really have to do that?¡± ¡°Never let your guard down on the battlefield.¡± He seemed like a persistent man. I didn¡¯t want to lose this round. I wanted to block his attacks with all my might, but there were few pieces left. ¡®If it goes like this, there¡¯s no chance of winning.¡¯ Sink or swim, I had to try to make a winning move. ¡®All or nothing.¡¯ I raised my head to look at the man sitting opposite to me with a table in between. Lennox Kravant. In the original work, the name made an appearance only once. But here, he was a man I chose to help me survive. I would definitely win the game I started. Even if it was equivalent to a gamble. *** That was how a few turns went by. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, Your Highness.¡± His eyes widened as he looked down at the chessboard as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. Even though it was for a moment, he smiled. A very pleasant smile. ¡°Perfect check.¡± No matter how many times he aimed, my king kept avoiding him. It was a draw. Finally, Lennox decided to withdraw from the game. I won. ¡°Now tell me. How to invalidate the spell.¡± ¡°This is it.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± He passed over the paper he was holding. ¡°Whatever the contract is, the most important thing is its documents.¡± he smirked playfully. ¡°A marriage contract does not require the seal of the head of the household.¡± Marriage contract. The paper with ancient magic twinkled softly. ¡°To invalidate the spell, you need to create a situation where the spell cannot be established.¡± ¡°A situation where the spell cannot be established?¡± ¡°The spell cast on the Viscount prevents Lennox Kravant and Olivia Brienne from getting married.¡± ¡°Oh, then¡­¡± The spell would not be established after our marriage. ¡°If we get married, the spell will lose its effect.¡± I looked over the marriage contract again. Lennox¡¯s signature at the bottom of the document was clear as day. ¡°Olivia.¡± He looked at me with the most serious expression possible. ¡°Lastly, I¡¯ll ask. Are you confident you won¡¯t regret marrying me?¡± I picked up the pen instead of answering. Then, without any hesitation, I signed my name on the place next to Lennox¡¯s. The paper shined with a golden glow, signaling that our contract had been established. I smiled as I looked up at him, ¡°I won¡¯t regret it.¡± The game was finally over. *** It was quiet in the middle of the night. I walked through the path leading from the mansion to the main gate with Lennox by my side. ¡°It¡¯s late. Would it be okay? Your Highness can stay overnight in the guest room.¡± ¡°If you were going to stop me, you should have told me before I came out,¡± he said, even though he knew I said it out of politeness. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Embarrassed, I touched my nose and coughed. ¡°Can you stay here?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone in the viscounty who¡¯s after your life. Our marriage will be revealed tomorrow at the latest, but I don¡¯t think they will wait.¡± As he said, there was a possibility that my opponent would try to hurt me as soon as they could. ¡°Did you find out the culprit?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Carinne was the most likely suspect, but it was only a guess. ¡®I haven¡¯t found any solid evidence yet.¡¯ Above all, considering the different progress from the original, I couldn¡¯t be certain that Carinne was not involved with the darkness. ¡°Any guesses about the reason why the culprit is after you?¡± ¡°Reason?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re trying to harm you, there must be a corresponding reason.¡± ¡°Well, maybe¡­¡± An event in which Carinne took control of Olivia¡¯s body and killed Olivia¡¯s soul trapped in Carinne¡¯s body. It was during the engagement with Prince Edwin. ¡°I have to clean up an obstacle that blocks my path.¡± At the execution site, Carinne had certainly told Olivia that. A bulb lit up in my head the moment I remembered the scene. ¡®Then won¡¯t it be solved when I marry Lennox?¡¯ If Carinne bullied Olivia and wanted to kill her, wasn¡¯t it because Olivia was going to become the Crown Princess? I couldn¡¯t believe there was such a simple way. Now that the contract had been established, I was safe¡­.. Wait. Was I really safe, though? ¡®Why is it so easy?¡¯ I paused when the thought crossed my mind. Logically, I was right about the escape. Indeed, but¡­ Somehow, the aftertaste felt very bitter. Considering my experience, my ominous hunch was always proved right when a disaster followed. Even now, my survival antenna was blinking like crazy, signalling a warning when there shouldn¡¯t have been any. ¡®Something feels weird.¡¯ I started to feel as though it was not a simple problem to solve. ¡®Let¡¯s wait and see. I don¡¯t have to be pessimistic about the situation.¡¯ I quickly shook off the complicated ideas. ¡°Have you ever done anything to deserve a grudge? Something a person isn¡¯t allowed to do?¡± ¡°You know everything, yet you¡¯re scratching my insides on purpose? Are you still going to be like this after you¡¯re done with my research?¡± At first, he seemed to have a cross expression on his face, but he quickly returned to his usual insensitive look. ¡®Hey, my handsome future husband. I noticed your face.¡¯ ¡°Relax, I was joking.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± As I was snorting, I realized I arrived at the main gate. I could barely make out the shape of the carriage. Lennox turned to look at me. Those red eyes¡ªwith no remaining mischief in them¡ªfaced me. ¡°If you want, you¡¯re allowed to come with me.¡± I wouldn¡¯t deny that it was a tempting offer now that I was able to leave the Viscount¡¯s mansion as I wished. But the moment I remembered someone, I shook my head. ¡®I can¡¯t leave my Ash behind.¡¯ Although he was very talkative, he was affectionate and thoughtful. I didn¡¯t want to make him feel terrible by abandoning him, even for a short while. That would really break his heart. ¡°That¡¯d be a lot of trouble. I have some things to pack. But¡­¡± Therefore, I was willing to take a short risk. ¡°Would it be possible to pick me up again when the sun comes up?¡± *** As soon as I returned to my bedroom after sending Lennox, I started to look for Ash. ¡°Ash, where are you?¡± However, no matter how many times I called his name and used our secret communication method, I received no answer. ¡°Where did he go¡­¡± I was searching for a long time until I remembered something. ¡°Oh, did he go to that room?¡± I left the bedroom to go to my original room, holding a small bed lamp to guide me. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 22 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 The corridor was dark. Although every other light on the wall was turned on, there were blind spots everywhere because they were dimmed. ¡®Too bad it¡¯s on the same floor.¡¯ If I had to climb or go down the stairs, I couldn¡¯t be sure I had secured enough vision to prevent my fall if anything were to attack me. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I brought my bed lamp.¡¯ Thanks to the bed lamp that I remembered to bring, I was able to safely arrive in front of my old room. Click¨C I opened the door I was familiar with, the shivering cold wind of the midnight blowing through the broken window that cut into my skin. I had to be careful that it didn¡¯t plunge me into darkness by turning off the lamp. I walked across the room, placing the lamp on the table behind me. ¡°Ash.¡± Still, no answer. Soon, however, I was able to find the sleeping bird with his body rolled up on the floor outside the balcony door. ¡°Oh God, what if you catch a cold while sleeping here?¡± It seemed he had fallen asleep while he was waiting for me. I carefully picked Ash up and wrapped him with the warmth of my hands before standing up, my hair fluttering from the fresh wind. ¡°The scent of grass, it¡¯s refreshing.¡± When the smell of healthy grass tickled my nose, my eyes inadvertently flitted to view the outside of the railing. It was still the middle of the night, so it was dark. I could see nothing outside in the dark¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ Within a short moment, something caught my eye. The shaking of a light. ¡®What is that?¡¯ I leaned on the railing of the balcony in order to get a closer look. At first, I just saw a round light, but when I looked closer I could make out a human silhouette. ¡®Who is that¡­?¡¯ Relying on a single lamp, the person walking below seemed familiar. I focused on who they were. And not very long after, my eyes grew wide with surprise. ¡®¡­Mary?¡¯ It was the middle of the night. Too dark to perform your duties, or even to go somewhere. My eyes followed Mary¡¯s walking direction as I muttered softly under my breath, ¡°she said it was an empty lot.¡± When asked where the trail¡ªthe one I found while swinging¡ªled, Mary certainly replied that way. ¡®I¡¯ll have to follow her.¡¯ I hurriedly moved Ash to my bedside. Though he seemed sensitive to light and abandonment, he did not wake up because he was deeply asleep. I was glad that I was dressed in outdoor clothes from having to see Lennox off and then going straight to find Ash. In the short period of looking after Ash, Mary had gradually moved away, and before I knew it, she looked as big as a finger. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I whispered to the sleeping form of Ash before I went out. I pressed my feet on the ground, each step loaded with urgency. Killing the sound of my footsteps, I ran fast to catch up to the light of her lamp. *** After a while, my forehead gathered into a frown. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not an empty lot?¡¯ There was lush vegetation. Looking at the trees, bushes, and grass that grew arbitrarily, it could be said without a doubt that this place had not been touched by any human. ¡®Mary lied to me.¡¯ There could be several reasons for people to lie. And in this case, it was probably¡­ ¡®To hide something.¡¯ I could feel my muscles tense. The chilling sensation of finding out something so crucial and at the same time, a dangerous truth. ¡®What is she doing here?¡¯ Mary crossed the path thick with bushes as if she were going to her home. She was so fast, it was hard to catch up. I was lucky there wasn¡¯t a dry leaf or branch on the floor. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve heard my rustling steps behind her. Then, Mary suddenly stopped. I reflexively hid behind a large wooden bark next to me. At the same time, I caught the thick voice of a man. What he said was nothing but shocking. ¡°Are you back, Lady Carinne?¡± *** ¡®Carinne?¡¯ I opened my eyes and stared ahead. Unless my ears heard wrong, the man definitely called out to Carinne. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°You always say that.¡± The voice exchanging words with the man was certainly Mary¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t be mistaken by her unique voice. ¡®But why did he call out to Carinne¡­?¡¯ I was still trying to figure it out. ¡°Anything special?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Listening to their conversation, I seemed to have caught on to a new fact: ¡®Mary¡¯s way of speaking completely changed.¡¯ It was an elegant yet overbearing tone of the ruling class. She seemed skilled in speaking informally. No part of her expressed that she spent her life as a maid in the mansion. ¡°What about the girl? Did she wake up by any chance?¡± ¡°She almost came to her senses a while ago, but I put her back to sleep with the scent.¡± ¡°You must be working hard.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± the man spoke, the lamp illuminating his face as he turned at an angle. The only things revealed were his fierce blue-gray eyes beyond his mask. But for some reason, I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The dry and blank look of those eyes. ¡®I have seen them somewhere.¡¯ Even amid chaos, I recalled the faces of the people I had met in this world one by one. And soon I was able to come to a conclusion. ¡®The butler?¡¯ Why was he here? Just Mary and him? What were they doing in the middle of the night? I had countless questions. But there was no time to think deeper. Because the two of them had begun to walk deeper into the foliage together. I followed, keeping my footsteps quiet as much as I could. They stopped shortly after. On a night under a moonless sky, my surroundings grew even darker. Even the stars were covered by the shadow of the lush trees. The only light I could see was from the lantern between Mary and the man. Taking a risk, I tiptoed on my feet to get a good look ahead. The first thing that reflected in my eyes was something white. The color¡ªwhite and pale. As I was confirming it, a strong indescribable sense of fear struck me. Every part of my body screamed rejection against my actions. ¡®I have to hold it in.¡¯ I could barely cope up with the intuitive urge as I leaned on further to check. I forced my eyes open. A white cloth hanging like a hammock was seen between two wooden pillars. There was a person lying upright on its top. The butler jumped onto a nearby branch and in a flash, he was closer to the lying body. ¡®¡­..!¡¯ I could barely swallow the scream that burst out as I covered my mouth with my hand. A woman with red hair was lying asleep with her hands neatly placed on her stomach and eyes closed. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ A phrase came to my mind. ¡¶ Beautiful red hair that burns like the setting sun and purple eyes that have the subtle shine of amethyst. ¡· It was Carinne. Like a strike of thunder, a scathing realization pierced my whole body. I remembered what I hadn¡¯t thought of earlier. The realization that the unconscious part of my mind blocked to protect itself even though it was actually known. ¡°Please listen to me! My body changed! I am Olivia!¡± Like a bright light, the truth flashed in the back of my mind. ¡®Carinne has switched bodies with Mary!¡¯ My vision was shaking like crazy, threatening to turn black. I was at risk of falling to my knees with my body shaking in shock. I got chills all over my body. How? Since when? The past few days of staying at Viscount Brienne¡¯s house passed by my mind like a flashback. I recalled those memories at a high speed. ¡®Carinne was said to be on her way back from her treatment. She was supposed to arrive when the sun came up.¡¯ But even that information was given by Mary. There was nothing I could be sure of. ¡®Does that mean Carinne¡¯s treatment was actually a lie for the cover-up?¡¯ Above all, was Mary¡ªwho told me the news of Carinne¡ªthe ¡®real¡¯ Mary? I was muddled with questions in my head. From when to when was she in Mary¡¯s body? Or should I have asked, was she Mary from the very beginning? ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± It was too complicated to grasp. My head started to spin and my breaths came out ragged. Why hadn¡¯t I noticed? I had only suspected that Mary was Carinne¡¯s accomplice, but never dreamed that she might¡¯ve been Carinne herself. If I could just remember about the amazing ability Carinne possessed. I was only buried with the idea of not drinking the tea, so I must¡¯ve missed all the important points. Like a complete fool. ¡®Carinne was never away to recuperate.¡¯ The reason why Ash had never seen Carinne even though he was on watch every day. It wasn¡¯t because Carinne left for medical care. It was because she¡ªin possession of Mary¡¯s body¡ªwas walking around the house, hiding in plain sight. Mary was sleeping inside Carinne¡¯s body. ¡®I have to pull myself together.¡¯ It was not easy to catch up with my reason, but I tried to catch my breath. I needed to know their purpose and what they were trying to do here. Just in time, they started conversing again. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 23 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 ¡°Are you turning back now?¡± Carinne stared down at her real body as she said, ¡°No. Let me sleep for one more day.¡± ¡°But Lady Carinne, that will strain your body.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I expect.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± The man¡¯s tone was extremely hard, as it normally was when he spoke to me. But strangely enough, that dry voice of his made me feel as if he was worried about the lady in front of him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already start experiencing chills and fever? I¡¯m afraid without sufficient preparation, this method of sorcery is something¨C¡± ¡°The human body cannot endure. I know, Richard.¡± It seemed that the butler¡¯s name was Richard. I noted the name. ¡°Lady Carinne.¡± At Richard¡¯s reproaching call, Carinne¡¯s lips burst into a laugh. A laugh with an unclear meaning to it. Ridicule, close to mockery. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t she be worth it?¡± My breath caught in my throat when I heard her bring me up. ¡°Olivia, that girl, I mean.¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°She¡¯s secretly throwing away the tea I give her.¡± My heart dropped suddenly. She continued, tilting her head to one side, ¡°It¡¯s weird, though. The scent and taste are the same as I recall.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I wonder how she ended up doubting the tea when she had been drinking it well.¡± I clenched my lip, the subtle taste of iron lingering in my mouth. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let Olivia go out. I didn¡¯t expect her to run into Lennox Kravant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Lady Carinne¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°I did nothing at all. Thanks to that, I made a painful mistake.¡± ¡°The magic spell caught by Brienne is still valid. The Viscount will not allow their marriage so easily.¡± Thump. my heart sunk deeper. ¡°There shall be time before the approval. I¡¯ll find a way in the meantime.¡± ¡°No,¡± Carinne answered sharply, looking up at Richard. ¡°Lennox Kravant himself came all the way here. I¡¯m sure that he recognizes the spell cast on the Viscount.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As long as he intervenes, we won¡¯t have time, Richard.¡± A short silence followed. It was Richard who opened his mouth this time. ¡°Do you think it was her Epure that found out what the Qualum leaves were?¡± Epure. The moment I heard that word, my mind shook once again. I stood up straight behind the tree I was hiding, clenching my teeth as I supported myself so that I would not fall. ¡®I knew it!¡¯ They knew that I was an Epure and a purifier. If it weren¡¯t for Ash, I wouldn¡¯t have known about the awakening of my powers by myself. How much did Carinne know? What more things was I unaware of? A cold sweat trickled behind my back while my lungs begged for more air. My jaw trembled as terror hit my whole being like a wave. I bit my lips, preventing any sound that might slip out. In the meantime, Carinne¡¯s answer flowed into my ears. ¡°At least the Duke heard that the Qualum leaves grow wild in the Rutoru forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps he has figured out the purpose of those leaves as well.¡± Richard, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth again. ¡°But how did they recognize the Qualum leaves mixed with the tea? It must have been difficult to distinguish with the naked eye since it almost has the same shape and size.¡± ¡°The Epure may have sensed a different energy through her instinct, perhaps¡­¡± Her words were cut off there. She remained silent for a while as if lost in thought. Such silence could arouse anxiety among the viewers. By the time I felt my chest weighing down with the growing tension, Carinne¡¯s lips finally opened. ¡°If I watch her a little more, I¡¯ll get a definite answer.¡± ¡°No. You have to return now.¡± Richard shook his head firmly. ¡°Not longer than half a day from now, Lady Carinne¡¯s body will begin to collapse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Carinne affectionately soothed Richard. It was just as she did to Olivia before revealing her true character in the original novel. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you need some rest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t slept properly lately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She reached out to Richard, her finger brushing lightly against the masked man¡¯s cheek before it jerked away. It was very fast. A short movement that would never have been noticed if I hadn¡¯t focused on watching. Carinne soon turned away, indifferent as though nothing had happened. The soft airflow between them broke immediately. Turning around, she called him with a steeper and drier voice. ¡°Richard.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My plan is going to change a little bit.¡± The eyes of the man grew slightly. I saw Carinne¡¯s eyes sinking darkly into Mary¡¯s sockets. Her eyes weren¡¯t cold, but rather they looked submerged inside the swamp of dead leaves and decaying soil. Maybe it was inside an unknown abyss. Carinne whispered, ¡°I might have to push Olivia off this chessboard first.¡± *** I did not know how I got out of there. I retraced my path, thinking only that I had to get away from them. From some point on, I had been running like crazy. My heart thumped violently as though it wanted to leap out of my mouth. A terrible pain squeezed my chest, but I didn¡¯t stop running. I couldn¡¯t stop. I was so afraid that I jumped two stairs at once to get to my bedroom. Even the darkness-filled hallway was weak in front of such a fear. [Olivia!] When I saw the small bird who promised to stay beside me when I first came to this world, it was only then that I was completely relieved. [I was looking for you because I couldn¡¯t see you. Where have you been?] Relaxed, I collapsed on the floor of the hallway like a broken marionette. [What¡¯s wrong with you! What¡¯s going on!] He shouted in shock. I was on the verge of tears because I was very grateful and glad to hear his voice. [Olivia, it¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s calm down and talk about it.] I could barely form the words through my grasping breath. I shook my head, my chest trembling as I breathed out, ¡°Car¡­inne¡­ I saw her.¡± [Carinne? But wasn¡¯t she coming back from her treatment tomorrow?] ¡°Mary¡­ it was Mary.¡± I fumbled, but that was enough for Ash. [Oh my God¡­] His face grew pale as he covered the back of my hand on the floor with his soft white wings. My mind gradually calmed down as I felt his warmth. [Let¡¯s talk about it in detail.] Ash snuggled me into the room. I breathed slowly as I sat down on the sofa. Little by little, the tension eased and my head, which was hazy as mud, began to clear up. ¡®Carinne is going to get rid of me.¡¯ The engagement between me and the Crown Prince was not an impossible future, unlike the original. Nevertheless, Carinne did not withdraw her goal of killing me. Rather, she was trying to change the plan and speed up her actions. ¡®Why?¡¯ Because I was an Epure. And I was going to marry Lennox Kravant. ¡®Then why?¡¯ Ever since the day I possessed Olivia¡¯s body, the question had been making me uncomfortable throughout. It slowly appeared on the surface of my mind, after hiding itself in a deep unconsciousness. Yeah. Maybe I was making a wrong assumption from the beginning. I had to reflect on everything from scratch. Carinne¡¯s ultimate goal, for example. ¡®Carinne¡¯s wish was to become the Crown Princess, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ It was necessary to judge her coldly. If Carinne had planned to become a Crown Princess, she should have let go of me when I was trying to marry Lennox. But she was still aiming for my death. ¡®Then for what¡­¡¯ The story ¡°Reversed Lady¡± ended with Olivia¡¯s death. Carinne¡¯s actions after the end were unknown. This was the only thing I was certain about. That my existence as an Epure hindered her goals. For Carinne, I was an obstacle that needed to be ripped off. As she said, she wanted me to be removed from her chessboard like her opponent¡¯s Knight. ¡°Ash. Carinne knows that I¡¯m an Epure.¡± [Is that true?] I calmly told him what I perceived in the ¡®vacant lot¡¯. By the time I finished, the sun was rising with bluish light permeating into my room. Ash asked with a serious look on his face. [Since when was Mary Carinne?] ¡°I don¡¯t know. But this isn¡¯t her first time changing her body.¡± Carinne would have done that periodically to make sure Olivia was still dancing on her palm. [It¡¯s highly likely that she changed her body with servants other than Mary.] I nodded and agreed. ¡°What¡¯s more, the butler is helping Carinne, so using the employees would have been easier than a piece of cake.¡± At this point, everyone in this mansion¡ªwhether voluntarily or controllably¡ªwas at Carinne¡¯s hands and feet. [I wonder how they were so meticulous.] ¡°It would have been a disaster if I hadn¡¯t found Carinne going towards the vacant lot. Thank God-¡± I stopped my muttering as a frightening thought hit my brain. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± Immediately, I got up and opened the door to the balcony. The garden¡ªlit at dawn¡ªwas full of fresh flowers with dew. ¡°That¡¯s why they changed my room,¡± I laughed as I continued. ¡°So that I wouldn¡¯t find that vacant lot.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 24 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 In the room overlooking the garden from the front, I couldn¡¯t see the detached building with the empty lot. What if I didn¡¯t go to my old room to find Ash? Assuming it was an emergency, I started getting dizzy again. I was rubbing my eyes roughly, and it was then that my eyes landed on the window. ¡®Huh?¡¯ It was the place where a single pot was kept, with a pretty red flower¨C There was a flower¡­ but it disappeared. ¡°Why did this happen? It was fine until yesterday.¡± I picked up the pot with trembling hands. ¡°Who did such a thing¡­?¡± The flower¡ªwhich had bright red petals and pretty leaves¡ªwas in shreds as if it were eaten by a mouse. ¡°Was there an intruder?¡± It was then that my nerves began to tighten again. [It¡¯s not like that.] Ash peered at me with an awkward look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± After rubbing his forehead for a long time with the tip of his wings, he hesitantly opened his beak. [Actually¡­ I did that.] ¡°What? Why?¡± [It wasn¡¯t an ordinary flower. It causes a strong sleeping effect.] I froze as he said it. ¡°Hold on, what are you saying¡­¡± [It helps you sleep well, and you don¡¯t wake up for at least 6 hours once you fall asleep.] My mind went blank. [Even after 6 hours, you¡¯d find it hard to leave your dream world unless someone woke you up.] Now that I recall, I often overslept after coming here. ¡®Like a fool, I thought I was just sleeping more in the morning.¡¯ I thought I was only adjusting to the habits of Olivia¡¯s body from the novel. Suddenly, I was reminded of the first day I found myself in her body. ¡°Good morning, My Lady. You woke up earlier than usual today. Did you have a good sleep last night?¡± Mary¡ªwho came to wake me up on the first day¡ªwas taken by surprise. I didn¡¯t think much of it back then, but now that I think about it, she was very surprised to see me awake. ¡®She has been aware of my change since then.¡¯ Then, she kept observing me through Mary¡¯s eyes. ¡°How did you know that it caused sleep?¡± [When I came alone to your room¡­] ¡°When you left me and disappeared?¡± At the time, my heart sank when the butler suddenly appeared in front of me. [Sorry.] He apologized with an awkward look and continued to speak. [I felt a strange sensation coming from the flower. Chills, perhaps? So I tried the petals.] ¡°You ate it?¡± [When something feels ambiguous, that method gives the most accurate results.] Ash added with an apologizing look on his face, [I was flying to tell you about its sleeping effects, but I guess it was too strong for me. I fell asleep on the way.] Thanks to him falling asleep on the balcony of my old room, I could get a glimpse of some of Carinne¡¯s secrets. ¡°Why did you do that? What if something had happened to you after eating that dangerous thing?¡± [As long as you can see, I have no problem. Thanks to that, I found out about the improved variety of the sleep-causing flower.] ¡°Improved variety?¡± [Yes. If it were normal sleep-producing flowers, I would have known. Do you remember when you said Carinne studied medical herbs?] I nodded as I thought of a verse I got from the original work. ¡¶Recently, in the central aristocratic society of the Balkan Empire, enjoying magically-improved colorful flowers has been spreading like a trend.¡· [She has improved the flowers so that you can¡¯t recognize them.] Such creepy thoroughness. Carinne had kept her poker face intact even after she became suspicious of me. I shuddered, my body twitching like a tree. [Olivia, are you alright?] I slowly took a deep breath to calm myself. At times like this, I had to keep my mind cool. ¡®The reason Carinne is watching me before she kills me is because I didn¡¯t have enough of her poison.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t enough to be made into an evil spirit. And there must have been a reason to choose the cumbersome method of ¡®sorcery¡¯ as a way to get rid of me. ¡®This place is dangerous.¡¯ I stood up straight, looking out at the dim light of dawn in the sky. Then, I started to pack only the essential items in my handbag. [Olivia, what are you doing?] ¡°I¡¯m going to get out of here right now.¡± Whether or not he thought I was acting emotionally without countermeasures, he shouted in surprise, [Are you serious that you¡¯re going to leave this early in the morning?] ¡°Carinne knows that I¡¯ve decided to marry Lennox. There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll let me leave her cage through this marriage.¡± [But how will you do that? There¡¯s no place for you to stay outside!] ¡°I¡¯m going to leave with Duke Kravant. Lennox has decided to pick me up.¡± Ash¡¯s eyes widened. I had made a promise with the Duke, knowing this was going to happen. I didn¡¯t have time to explain it from the beginning, so I roughly answered, ¡°It happened, somehow,¡± and looked down at the bracelet Lennox gave me. The jewel the size of a little nail sparkled in bright colors. ¡°You¡¯re right. It is very early,¡± I muttered, grabbing the golden bangle of the bracelet and turning it around. The jewel, which was connected to a thin gold chain, rolled over my opposite palm. I threw it into the fireplace without hesitation. [Why are you ripping off the bracelet¡­ Gasp!] The jewelry, worth a considerable amount of money, was engulfed in hot flames. ¡®He told me that he can detect dangerous situations immediately.¡¯ If the bracelet¡¯s true intent was broken or was damaged, to be exact. I wrapped my wrist tightly with my other hand as I stared at the jewel beginning to be shattered by the angry flames of the fire. ¡®So, Lennox.¡¯ ¡®Hurry up and take me away from here.¡¯ *** Nishir¡ªLennox¡¯s shadow and loyal adjunct¡ªwas somehow satisfied with his work. Being an aide to the relentless and brutal man demanded a fairly strong heart, but it didn¡¯t matter to him. Rather¡ªdue to the nature of his master, who preferred thorough and efficient processing of work¡ªthis work itself was easy. Since there was no end to his orders. In other words, Lennox had never surprised his subordinates by making hurried decisions about his unscheduled duties. But at this moment, Nishir was in one of the most critical moments of his short life thanks to his master, who suddenly dropped the bomb. ¡°Did you say¡­ 15 days?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nishir¡¯s head started to spin. A whimper came out on its own. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± It was only yesterday that his master notified his sudden marriage. Nishir was so surprised, he almost bit his tongue as soon as he heard it. The rest of the Duke¡¯s subordinates¡ªwho heard the news from him¡ªwere also surprised. ¡°Sir Nishir. You didn¡¯t eat something wrong last night, did you?¡± ¡°I heard that if you suffer from overwork, you can hallucinate or hear things, so I suggest you take a vacation for a while¡­¡± It was such a shocking event. The master had never paid attention to women, let alone married someone. To be precise, he never took interest in others. Not only did he never bring someone to his mansion, but he also never stepped into society. Nishir wiped his face dry with both hands. He was frustrated at his inability to respond in this situation. He asked again, eagerly hoping that he had heard it wrong, ¡°Pardon me, My Lord wants us to prepare a wedding in 15 days?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said,¡± came the relentless answer. His master appeared too natural for him to be surprised. Nishir had been using obedience as a virtue without judging his Lord¡¯s orders, but he had no choice but to express his opinion on this matter. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for My Lord to take time for the marriage? There¡¯s no need to rush like this.¡± ¡°There is,¡± Lennox answered straight away. ¡°I have already signed a contract.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Nishir¡¯s eyes were big enough to pop out of their sockets. Clicking his tongue lightly, Lennox snapped his finger before Nishir¡¯s shocked face, which was usually serious. A piece of paper appeared in the air with the sound. The surface of the paper was shining¡ªa soft golden vine pattern bordering its edges. Along with the two signatures at the bottom of the document, the seals notarized by special ancient magic were evident. ¡®A marriage contract!¡¯ Nishir gulped without realizing it. ¡°What are you waiting for? Take it.¡± Nishir received the contract with trembling hands. It was written in clear words. [Within 15 days from the day of the finalization of the contract, the couple shall complete all the procedures¡­] Nishir¡¯s eyes became dark. He did nothing to hide his expression. ¡®This is impossible.¡¯ A wedding wasn¡¯t a task to be performed so easily, like a flick of a magic wand. He could reschedule the employees to send invitations to Duke Kravant¡¯s officials, but even so, he could not guarantee that they would be able to finish the preparations in 15 days. Nishir¡¯s mouth was dry. Carefully choosing his words, he managed to express his opinion. ¡°The time is too short. It would take at least 10 days to prepare and send the invitations.¡± However, Lennox smiled slowly as he leaned against his leather couch. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Because only two are needed to attend the wedding.¡± Lennox added in a terribly arrogant manner, ¡°Me. And the woman who I shall marry.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 25 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 The formality and righteousness of the nobles that had been passed down along with the history of the empire was nothing more than a single human custom in front of this man. Nishir forgot who was in front of him in the midst of embarrassment and opened his mouth. ¡°Pardon me for saying this, but¨C¡± ¡°As long as every word sounds fine.¡± However, this time, Nishir had no choice but to say it. ¡°Your Highness is the owner of the great Kravant.¡± A family of contributors to the founding of the country¡ªA family that saved the Balkan kingdom from collapse and turned it into an empire. One could not even properly explain the history of the empire without mentioning the name of Kravant. Even now, the empire enjoyed an unprecedented abundance and prosperity under the protection of Kravant. My Lord will wed his bride with humble preparations? No matter how long the contract marriage lasted, it couldn¡¯t happen under Nishir¡¯s watch. In addition, it could¡¯ve also been the first and last marriage in his master¡¯s long life. Therefore, Nishir wanted to prepare a grand wedding if possible. But Lennox smiled, twisting his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me an excuse to let flies enter your mouth.¡± Even though it did not match its high reputation and great power, Kravant had many things hidden. Except for the achievements of the founding period, no other information or internal circumstances were exposed. Most of the previous emperors did not even know the face of the Duke of their time. In other words, it meant that many were anxious to line up with Kravant if they had a chance. The greedy monkfish people. ¡°It¡¯s just annoying to call them. I¡¯ve also reached an agreement with Olivia Brienne on the wedding.¡± ¡°But, Your Highness.¡± Lennox¡¯s eyes narrowed when Nishir finally made an effort to speak. ¡°Nishir Hosen,¡± he warned in his cold voice. Before he knew it, Nishir felt the room turn into a chilling silence. The feeling of his head and shoulders being pressed down was not an illusion. Shivers ran down his back. He didn¡¯t dare raise his head to see his master¡¯s face. ¡°Should I say more?¡± Nishir realized that he had narrowly stepped over the line. Or, it was already over him. Kravant¡¯s cold-blooded sheath demanded only one fair thing from its subordinates. Absolute loyalty. Perhaps it was a matter of course. Lennox was Kravant himself. The shadows, including Nishir, were practically parasitic on him. ¡°Answer me. Nishir.¡± In the stiffening silence, Lennox¡¯s dull voice rang out. Nishir managed to raise his head and face his master. Perfect face with no flaws. His curved lips were drawing a smooth smile. But his frighteningly cold eyes revealed that he was not smiling. Nishir¡ªwho recalled the Duke was a master who could not accept any questions or objections¡ªswallowed. He had no other answer to give. ¡°No, Your Highness. I understand your orders.¡± The tightness in the air was loosened instantly. Only then did Nishir ask carefully, after finally being able to breathe. ¡°Where should we go for the wedding?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He did not expect him to answer immediately. Nishir, who was politely lowering his eyes, glanced up. Lennox¡ªwho looked somewhat awkward¡ªwas rubbing his temple with the hand holding his chin. ¡°I forgot to ask,¡± he mumbled while frowning as he recalled his conversation with Olivia. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a simple wedding be sad?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not in a position to choose. If we can speed up the marriage, we can skip the wedding customs altogether.¡± She said she didn¡¯t even want a wedding present where she was unable to provide the dowry. ¡°But of course, if Your Highness gives it to me, I will not refuse and receive it thankfully.¡± She said that with two opposing looks saying, ¡®Will you still give it to me? You really won¡¯t give it to me, right?¡¯ Lennox smirked, his straight closed lips collapsing into a smile. ¡°¡­!¡± Nishir was startled at his master¡¯s sudden change of expression. It was because he noticed Lennox¡¯s faint smile. It was neither a twisted laugh, nor a contemptuous snarl, nor a cynicism that was worth freezing your spine. Slightly curved eyes, accompanying a natural smile. A comfortable expression that said he was reminded of a good memory. Nishir could swear that he never saw his master like this before. It was also an incredible sight to view upon. Nishir stopped as if he had hardened in his place and blinked. When the unfamiliar peace and warm atmosphere began to permeate the office. Crash! A strong red spark arose from Lennox¡¯s wrist. It caused Lennox to jump up from his seat. ¡°Your Highness! Are you alright!¡± Nishir urgently shouted, but instead of answering back, Lennox kicked open the door. ¡°Olivia Brienne!¡± Something had happened to her. *** Ash¡ªwho did a perimeter sweep around the mansion¡ªreported the news with a bright face. [Everyone must be asleep. There¡¯s no one.] ¡°What about Carinne?¡± [I haven¡¯t seen her yet. Maybe she¡¯s still in the vacant lot or the back of her room?] ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± I patted my chest and packed my handbag. I had to escape this place before Carinne could plan something different. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here before we get caught.¡± [Shouldn¡¯t it be better to wait until the Duke arrives?] ¡°He¡¯ll arrive soon. If I should wait, it would be safer to wait outside the mansion.¡± Ash must have understood it, and he didn¡¯t want to stay for another hour in his enemy¡¯s private residence. I opened the door carefully. The hallway was still dark. However, thanks to the slowly rising sun, it was difficult to see the way. From the hallway to the stairs leading to the central entrance, I hurried my steps. As I pushed the front gate open, the unique chilly breeze of dawn rushed inside. ¡°Haa¡­¡± I¡ªwho had been extremely nervous when coming down¡ªfinally let out the breath that I had been holding. I didn¡¯t even have the time to fawn over the beautiful garden. Across the middle of the garden, I saw the main gate at the end of the straight line. It wasn¡¯t that far. Nevertheless, I was experiencing unexplained impatience and anxiety. Like someone was chasing me. I wonder if that thought became a seed. ¡°Olivia, where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The voice was calm in a tone that was neither too high nor too low. The soft and slow way of speaking felt alluring. It was my first time hearing it, but I could tell who she was even before I could confirm. My grip automatically tightened around the straps of my bag. Carinne Brienne. Biting my lips, I slowly turned around. A distance of about 10 steps away, she stood facing me. Her overflowing red hair caught my eyes. Her pale skin contrasted with it. Her almond-shaped purple eyes glowed with unusual energy in them. She was a breathtakingly fascinating beauty. But I felt suffocated in a different sense. ¡®When did she come back to her original body?¡¯ When I overheard the conversation earlier, Carinne insisted on staying in Mary¡¯s body despite Richard¡¯s dissuasion. ¡®But why¡­¡¯ She hadn¡¯t appeared all this time, so why now? My fingers trembled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you saw me. Right?¡± ¡°¡­Sister¡­¡± Clogged with fear, when I forcibly opened my lips, a voice like a suppressed moan came out. ¡°It¡¯s still dawn, but why are you here¡­¡± Opening her pretty eyes in a circle, she tilted her head. ¡°I normally don¡¯t get enough sleep in the morning. I wanted to get some air.¡± ¡°Is it okay for you to walk outside in the early morning breeze? I heard you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Carinne smiled, pouting her lips. ¡°I was surprised. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re awake at this time. It¡¯s not like usual.¡± Is it my illusion that I sound like I have bones in my throat? Carinne took a step toward me. I instinctively bit myself and glanced toward the main gate. ¡°Did you not sleep well last night? Or, did you wake up from sleeping?¡± Her purple gaze was as cold as ice. My mouth dried up in fear that I would be exposed to everything soon. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± Carinne stared at me. I added another excuse. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to take a walk. Like you.¡± Her cold gaze finally relaxed a little. She smiled brightly. ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t disturb you, did I?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± I hurriedly shook my head. I was so nervous, my palms were sweating. I was at the point that I prayed to God again, who I never believed in. ¡®Please, let me move on this time.¡¯ Carinne followed my head, which kept glancing behind me to get out of here. When she saw the main gate, she exclaimed a little, ¡°oh!¡± Then she smiled mysteriously as her eyes found the bag in my hand. Shivers ran down my back. ¡®She caught me trying to escape!¡¯ As my muscles contracted with tension, my heart began to beat faster. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 26 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 I silently clenched my teeth. ¡®I have to endure it somehow. At least, until Lennox arrives.¡¯ Whether it was to run away or launch an attack. ¡°Then, enjoy your walk.¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡°As you said, the weather is chilly, so don¡¯t stay outside for too long.¡± But contrary to my expectations, Carinne let me go too easily. ¡®What? This is impossible.¡¯ She turned away, leaving me at a loss. My pulse suddenly went away. ¡®Good, that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s get out of here before¨C¡¯ ¡°By the way, Olivia.¡± Carinne¡ªwho was walking towards the mansion¡ªsuddenly stopped and looked back at me. Her lips drew into a smile with only her head turned. But something felt off in her delicate expression. ¡°Have you ever entered my room?¡± Thump. My heart sank. ¡°No. Why would I do that?¡± I tried to pretend, but I could not hide the tremble in my voice. ¡°Yeah, why would you come into my room? Unless you had something to take in secret.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± My whole body froze as if it was in ice-cold water. Carinne noticed. All of it. ¡®That¡¯s why I came back to my original body. You don¡¯t have to fool me like you fooled Mary anymore.¡¯ Recognizing her doubts, she took off the mask she was wearing and showed her true colors. -Olivia! What are you doing! At that moment, Ash¡¯s lively voice rang in my head. It was then that the front door opened with a loud noise. People began to rush out through the open door. Everyone in the mansion, not only the Viscount Brienne but also the servants. The only ones I couldn¡¯t see were Mary and Richard. My eyes captured the blank white of their eyes. It looked exactly like last night when the Viscount rushed to me. ¡°Who¡¯s the fugitive?¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°I have to grab it.¡± The sight of them exchanging words with an evil spirit¡ªlike a snake that wanted to wrap its body around its prey and crush it between its fangs¡ªwas horrifying. My survival instinct worked quickly. My leg¡ªwhen both seemed to be frozen on the ground¡ªmoved on its own and took a step back. There was a sound of something dropping and breaking under my feet. At first, the entire mansion was engulfed in silence. Slide. Dozens of people turned silently at once, and a dozen pairs of eyes flashed toward me. -Olivia! Ash¡¯s cry hit my ears again. When I came to my senses, I was already running toward the main gate. ¡°Grab it!¡± I heard the sound of a horde chasing after me. I ran to avoid being caught. Perhaps, I thought, I also threw my bag somewhere. Nevertheless, the thud of steps behind me was getting closer little by little. Plus, there was one fact that I overlooked. ¡®What kind of stamina is this!¡¯ Olivia¡¯s body couldn¡¯t stand the pressure. No matter how much I ran, I was already gasping for breaths. It was suffocating enough to make my heart stop. ¡°Hurry, grab it!¡± ¡°Grab it! Grab it!¡± Leaving the creepy voices behind, I desperately hurried my feet. I saw the main gate in front of me. Just a little bit more¡­ However, just a few steps ahead, my legs gave up and I lost my balance. ¡®No!¡¯ With an indescribable fear, I closed my eyes. When my body touched something warm and hard, and I felt like someone was hugging my back strongly. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡¯ It was right after I noticed something strange. ¡®Hold on, hug?¡¯ When I opened my eyes, I saw a man looking down at me with his eyes narrowed. At the same time, a sense of relief flooded in me. ¡°You came on time.¡± It was Lennox. ¡°You look like you¡¯re in trouble.¡± Lennox jutted out his chin behind me. ¡®Right, I was being chased!¡¯ I felt like I was hit by cold water when I came back to reality. ¡°This is not the time to be like this! I have to get out of here right now!¡± However, Lennox skimmed through the people running to catch me and pulled one corner of his mouth into a leisurely smirk. ¡°Really?¡± His silent bright red eyes seemed to shine, and then they sank in a daze. And, ¡°Gasp!¡± A huge and transparent wall erupted between them and us. The wall was high enough to be Lennox¡¯s boundary. Blocked by the boundary, they slammed their faces into the wall like crazy. Their madness was incomparable. But there was no incontinence inside the boundary, and none of them approached me anymore. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Did you finish packing anything?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± I turned my head and found Ash. -I¡¯m here, Olivia. I felt something sitting on my shoulder with a voice spreading in my head. As I turned my head, I saw a plump white body. -You didn¡¯t get hurt either, right? -Of course not. The shape of his confidently stretched-out chest was even intriguing. -Just because I ran a little like you doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m hurt. I have wings, so I don¡¯t need anything. -What? -Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you check your physical condition? I¡¯ll take this time to strengthen my stamina. Ash winked playfully. ¡°That¡¯s the bird I saw last time.¡± Thanks to Lennox, who spoke just in time, I couldn¡¯t respond properly to his teasing. ¡°Your Highness has a good memory. You must¡¯ve had a glimpse of him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not polite if I can¡¯t remember the top contributor of our marriage.¡± Ash had dropped the article about Lennox looking for a marriage partner at an exquisite time. -Olivia! Don¡¯t reveal my identity to the Duke! Okay? -How about ¡®you¡¯re just a bird?¡¯ -Not in any way! Lennox¡¯s eyes, which were watching us, shined as they narrowed sharply. He couldn¡¯t hear our conversation, but he felt something strange. ¡°As you can see, he¡¯s a smart bird.¡± But doubts were just doubts. Unless there was evidence, it was enough to play innocent. ¡°I can take him to the Duke¡¯s residence, right? I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t bother you.¡± As she asked, he turned to study the bird before slowly pulling into a meaningful smile. ¡°Of course. Since you¡¯re raising it, should I get you a few birdcages?¡± -No! Say you don¡¯t need it. I hate being trapped the most in the world! Ignoring Ash¡¯s shocked expression, I nodded. ¡°Just one.¡± -Olivia! -Can¡¯t you see Lennox is suspicious? I¡¯ll take you out when there¡¯s no one, so be careful not to get in trouble, I snapped at him as I smiled brightly at Lennox. ¡°I¡¯d like a generous size, please.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± replied Lennox with an unexpected smile. Ash¡¯s dissatisfied cheeks swelled up. -Are you getting revenge on me? -What revenge? -You¡¯re upset because I told you that you have poor stamina! Oh, poor stamina? I raised one eyebrow as I smiled. -Ash, will you say that again? When he saw my fierce expression, he shivered. -I, I was just saying to take care of your health¡­ The bird quickly lowered his tail as if he just lost his anger. The conversation ended smoothly. Suddenly, feeling a gaze, I turned my head to where it was coming from. ¡®Carinne.¡¯ Standing still, she looked at us with nothing distracting her. Her dull face¡ªdevoid of any warmth¡ªwas like an inanimate object. ¡°¡­¡± Biting my lips gently, I turned away from Carinne. I could feel her persistent gaze enough to stab my back, but I tried to play cool. With whatever I packed, I was eventually running away from her now. Someone might regard me as cowardly and incompetent. ¡°Let us leave, Your Grace.¡± But nevertheless, I wanted to live. Earnestly. *** The Duke¡¯s residence was much larger than I expected. Even after we passed through the main gate, the mansion appeared only after a long ride in a carriage. ¡®This is the Duchy of Kravant¡­¡¯ I imagined a dark castle-like mansion, but surprisingly, the duchy gave me a feeling of a quiet villa. There was even grass on both sides of the road with regular neat plantations of shrubs and flowering plants to make your eyes happy. The smooth water from the fountain reflected the shining sunlight. The guest room that I was going to use temporarily was also very comfortable. ¡°Wait a little bit. I¡¯ll have the servants move your luggage to your bedroom as soon as the construction is finished.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great here. I can just stay here.¡± It was much better than my own room. It was a moment when I could feel Kravant¡¯s wealth that he said he didn¡¯t need my dowry. ¡°You¡¯d like the new room even more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Not long after, Lennox and I were sitting face to face for tea. ¡°I want to hear it now.¡± The teacup clattered as he placed it on the plate. The sound was probably made on purpose. His red eyes looked at me. ¡°What happened at the Brienne mansion.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Rate the novel on Novel Updates. Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 27 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy Chapter 27 I expected such a question from him. ¡®It¡¯s weirder not to notice.¡¯ I called Lennox, breaking the magic of the bracelet. And he clearly witnessed the strange disturbance on his own. ¡°I waited because I thought you were reluctant to talk.¡± As Lennox said, I was hesitant to bring up this topic the whole time I was in the carriage to the Duke¡¯s mansion. No wonder I couldn¡¯t say Carinne¡¯s name. Every time I tried to spit it out, my voice wouldn¡¯t come out. The reason for such displeasure was fear. An instinctive and unconscious urge to escape from a fearful object. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mumbled in the teacup I was drinking. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was going to tell you earlier, but I couldn¡¯t open my mouth.¡± My gaze slipped down. The tea reflected my nervous face. I anxiously rubbed the flower on the surface of the cup when his answer came back. ¡°That¡¯s nothing to be sorry about.¡± I rather felt brave by the insignificant response. I carefully brought up the subject. ¡°A sorcery to change your body with another person? Have you ever heard of its practice?¡± His ruby eyes slightly grew bigger. ¡°Changing bodies? Does it mean that the souls can be exchanged?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing it.¡± He leaned, supporting his elbows on his hard thighs and interlocking his hands. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. I saw it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Then you found out who was trying to hurt you?¡± Of course. Somehow, I felt nervous and wanted to open my mouth after taking a deep breath. No, I was going to open my mouth. ¡°¡­Umm!¡± ¡°Olivia?¡± Lennox looked curiously, but I couldn¡¯t respond. ¡®My voice won¡¯t come out!¡¯ My lips were closed as if they were sealed with wax. No sound came out of my mouth as if my throat was completely clogged with cotton. Some unknown great force was restraining my body. Why? Why all of a sudden? Shuddering under the pressure on me, I resisted but couldn¡¯t speak. Eventually, I started feeling nauseous. ¡°Um, ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Olivia!¡± When I bowed down and pressed my throat, Lennox hurried to help me even when he was surprised. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡± When I shook my head reflexively, the pressure on my body decreased as if it had been waiting. ¡®What was that¡­¡¯ I smacked my lips to explain again to Lennox. But again, I was blocked by an unknown force. The feeling of being controlled at will was so creepy that no words could explain it. ¡®It¡¯s stopping me from revealing Carinne to Lennox.¡¯ At the same time as the vague realization, a dull shock hit me. ¡®If Carinne has already cast a spell on Olivia¡¯s body, then¡­¡¯ At that moment, the pressure on my body started to loosen up. Considering that Olivia had been drinking the Qualum leaf tea for quite a while, it was a good assumption I made. I managed to catch my breath and looked straight at Lennox. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is.¡± When I decided to exclude Carinne¡¯s name, words came out as if nothing was wrong. ¡°You said you saw it yourself.¡± ¡°They were covering their faces.¡± It was a clumsy excuse. Lennox¡¯s eyes narrowed but he luckily did not ask anymore. ¡°However, there was a helper from inside the family.¡± The butler of the Brienne family. The man Carinne called Richard. ¡°You don¡¯t even know who the helper is?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± It was impossible to reveal Richard, and I modified my assumption a while ago. Carinne¡¯s name was not the only one I couldn¡¯t say. Feeling the dampness of my sweaty palms, I clenched my jaw. I remembered the girl watching me run away with a bleak expression. She didn¡¯t want the truth to be revealed. That¡¯s why she had to cover my mouth. She had the ability to occupy a person¡¯s actions. If what¡¯s happening to my body now is really Carinne¡¯s fault, then¡­ It was terrible. I felt my heart freeze and all the blood in my body escape to my toes. ¡®But if I had a spell on my body, Lennox would¡¯ve known¡­¡¯ He was the one who noticed at once that Viscount Brienne was under the spell of a marionette. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Pressing down my heart pounding with fear, I asked, ¡°Can you check if I have a spell on my body?¡± Lennox¡¯s face hardened. But instead of asking me why, he quietly placed his finger on the back of my neck. After a while, he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°It¡¯s clean.¡± Phew¡­ With a sense of relief, I let out the breath I was holding in. My heart also began to regain its original beat little by little. ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ Lennox patiently waited while I calmed down. Moments after, I opened my mouth to continue our conversation. ¡°I think the criminal can switch bodies with anyone in the mansion.¡± ¡°Then it is no exaggeration to say that the entire Viscounty is in their palm.¡± I nodded, recalling the conversation between Carinne and Richard. ¡°¡­The purpose of the person who made me drink that tea mixed with Qualum leaves, perhaps they didn¡¯t mean to turn me into an evil spirit.¡± The sharp man quickly suggested, ¡°Their purpose was to change their body with yours?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I continued as I squeezed my hands. ¡°However, there must be a necessary condition for the complete transfer of the souls. If it doesn¡¯t meet the conditions, your body will suffer and it can only endure it temporarily.¡± ¡°You¡¯re assuming that the victim is required to drink Qualum leaf tea on a long-term basis.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That makes enough sense.¡± Lennox was lost in thought with his elbow on his armrest and his jaw clenched. ¡°The reason they want your body out of all the people¡­¡± His forehead gathered into a frown. ¡°Do they know that you¡¯re an Epure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how they found out the secret,¡± I nodded with mixed feelings. ¡°An ability to exchange souls.¡± Lennox¡¯s eyes, which moved quietly as if he was talking to himself, sank heavily. The situation was not good. While all my cards were exposed to her, I knew very little about Carinne. I couldn¡¯t even reveal her to Lennox¡ªthe only one who could help. This was such a disadvantageous fight for me. ¡°That¡¯s why I came out of the house. I thought it¡¯d be dangerous if I had stayed longer.¡± I didn¡¯t know when I would also lose my body. ¡°Thank you for bringing me here.¡± ¡°I only kept my promise.¡± Lennox responded to my thanks and handed me the blanket kept in the corner of the sofa. ¡°Why this¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been shaking since earlier.¡± I was? Only then did I find my fingers shaking slightly, desperately grabbing the teacup. How did this man recognize the slight tremors that I didn¡¯t even notice? ¡°The tea is cold.¡± The blanket fell on my shoulders with a rustling sound. It was soft and cozy. Wrapping the blanket around my shoulders, he said, taking a teacup from my hand this time, ¡°From now on¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Drink only the right tea.¡± The cold tea in the cup was thrown away and replaced with new tea. The teacup in my hand was surprisingly warm again. His gestures were too natural. I didn¡¯t even notice him get so close that I could feel his breath. ¡°If you can¡¯t do that, I¡¯m here to help you.¡± My small hands tightened around the cup he handed me. ¡°As your partner, I¡¯ll be glad to do it.¡± The way he spoke was hoarse yet calming. However, just those words were enough to calm down my anxious mind. ¡®¡­I can do it.¡¯ I may not be killed miserably. I don¡¯t have to struggle alone to survive. ¡®I can get away from Carinne.¡¯ Hope pressed down my fear and I raised my head. ¡®I can live.¡¯ Instead of giving in to my predetermined fate of destruction. Instead of being dragged by the flow of the original novel that never changed like an absolute proposition. I looked at the man I chose, who signed a contract with me. Leaning down with one hand on the back of the sofa I sat on, he was gazing at me. ¡°So, relax.¡± In the quiet room, his whisper was strangely loud in my ears. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lennox¡¯s eyes slightly relaxed on mine. Suddenly, I began feeling hot. I did not know if it was because of the teacup or the slight graze of his warm touch a moment ago. *** Brienne Mansion. After the stir, the mansion was filled with bleak energy even in the middle of the day. It might¡¯ve been because of the person who left the house, but it was not just that. Someone¡¯s footsteps appeared in the corridor at noon when the sun shone brightly above the head. The woman who appeared silently climbed the stairs across the central hall as if she was familiar with the place. The gentle steps were beautiful. Movements as graceful as the flow of water permeated through her unique attitude after a thorough, long education. ¡°¡­¡± After a while, the woman stopped at the door of her destination. Her white and smooth hands held the doorknob and slowly turned it. Soon after, the tightly closed door opened wide. The revealed bedroom was not much different from its usual appearance. Skimming her eyes through the furniture, she spoke in a subdued voice, ¡°You left quite hastefully.¡± Chapter 28 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy Chapter 28 Richard¡ªwho was following Carinne like a shadow¡ªbowed his head silently. It wasn¡¯t like she wanted a response anyway, so she stepped into and entered the bedroom. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I wanted to take a walk. Like you, sister.¡± Over the past few days, Olivia had changed dramatically. Her aura, the way she talked, and even her smallest habits. It wasn¡¯t even a few months ago when she couldn¡¯t conceal her anxiety and vigilance, she was even more different from the recent days when she gave up after despair and endurance. Though her suspicion and distrust toward her surroundings remained, her eyes became more alive and watchful. Just as if someone gave life to a doll, which only used to be an empty shell. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t do anything even though I noticed her change.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect Olivia to act so fast. It was a definite mistake. Carinne clenched her fists, blue veins standing out on the back of her dry hand. ¡°Lady Carinne.¡± Richard sounded worried. She quickly changed her expression. Pretending to be fine was her best skill. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just need to change my plan.¡± It was an unexpected variable, but it was within her reach. Her plan itself had not yet been greatly affected. The situation was only somewhat complicated, and Olivia Brienne was still under her control. ¡®You may be mistaken that you ran away.¡¯ ¡°If she lets her guard down, we¡¯ll be all the more grateful.¡± Carinne, who put her mind back in place, slowly moved her feet. She was by the window when her slow steps suddenly paused. Her fine eyebrows slightly frowned as her eyes noticed something. What caught her attention was a flower pot. To be exact, the red flowers that she painted into the pot herself. ¡°¡­It¡¯s torn apart.¡± The flower petals that exuded deep sleep energy had disappeared. Only the stem and leaves were left in shreds and scattered over the soil of the pot. Richard¡¯s eyes, which confirmed the condition of the pot when he walked behind her, were also slightly agitated. ¡°Do you think Olivia Brienne noticed its sleeping effects?¡± ¡°She did.¡± Her answer had no hesitation. Carinne brushed her elongated white finger over the flower bed. ¡°I really liked this flower.¡± ¡°Had she noticed other things?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Carinne said calmly. However, there was a chill in her dry voice. ¡°But this has made it clear.¡± She slowly turned around. Her gaze turned to the man who was a head taller than her. The man who would give everything for her, perhaps even willing to give his life. ¡°That¡¯s why the girl ran away from here.¡± A red flame rose from Carinne¡¯s hand and quickly wrapped the pot. The fierce flame burned the pot as if it were feeding on it, and soon there was no gravel left. Her voice continued slowly. ¡°Pull out all the flowers you planted.¡± ¡°¡­Do you mean everything?¡± ¡°I collected the seeds, so it¡¯s okay. If necessary, we can grow them again.¡± Although her tone was gentle, it was a firm order. After finishing her speech, Carinne left the bedroom as if she had nothing more to see of it. Richard followed her silently again. The mansion was still quiet and the hallway was empty. That was because everyone was asleep and wouldn¡¯t be able to wake up for hours. In a mansion with no one to disturb, Carinne opened the door to another room. The wind from the broken window of the room touched her cheeks. It was Olivia¡¯s previous bedroom. Instead of going inside, Carinne looked down at the floor. Someone¡¯s footprints were stamped on the floor of the room sprinkled with white power. In the bright daylight, it looked more prominent. It was not difficult to guess whose it was just from the size and shape of the sole of the shoe. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been working hard to find something here.¡± The room was full of footprints. Carinne turned her eyes and looked out over the window this time. The wide grassy field was glistening green under the sunlight. However, it was not the quiet and peaceful landscape that she stared at. Carinne, who followed the traces of white footprints to the balcony, grabbed the railing. ¡°Looking down from here, you can see the path very well. It must¡¯ve caught your eye because it was open.¡± The place where her soft gaze reached was the trail leading to the vacant lot. ¡°Your mind must¡¯ve been clear since you removed the flowers I potted.¡± Richard shortly gasped as he realized what her words meant. ¡°Richard. I just thought of a short story. Would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, My Lady.¡± He could guess what she would say, but he answered meekly. ¡°The day the effect of the flowers disappeared, my sister couldn¡¯t sleep. All throughout the night.¡± Carinne¡¯s low voice scattered in the air. ¡°She was looking for something and entered her previous room when she accidentally found something shining through the darkness. When she looked closely, it was the maid under my control with a lamp.¡± She stopped for a while and closed her eyes slowly. ¡°But the direction she walked towards was a little suspicious. Because the maid said that the path led to a vacant lot that had nothing.¡± Carinne smiled brightly. ¡°So, what did Olivia do?¡± The smooth story ended with a question. ¡°Do you think she took an excessive leap forward?¡± ¡°¡­No. In fact, it¡¯s a very slim chance. It¡¯s only possible if there were several more coincidences.¡± The gentle voice was soft like she was soothing a child. ¡°Maybe she didn¡¯t check outside because she was so focused on the mansion. Even if the light caught her attention, and even if she found a maid, that didn¡¯t mean that she would have followed her.¡± But Richard was already forming an answer in his head. It was because of what happened this morning. *** Richard found unfamiliar footprints in the vacant lot shortly after the two had just finished their secret conversation. They were neither Carinne¡¯s nor his. Someone knows their secret! As soon as they noticed it, they first went to check Carinne¡¯s bedroom. Even if they searched the bedroom, they didn¡¯t find any evidence, but that didn¡¯t mean the person didn¡¯t steal anything. ¡°Lady Carinne, nothing seems to be missing.¡± ¡°No. Something is missing.¡± Carinne¡¯s beautiful face was distorted as she looked down at the fishbowl full of clean water. She had rarely been embarrassed. ¡°They took the oracle stone.¡± ¡°What? How did they find out¨C¡± ¡°I should go back to my body. Get me prepared, Richard.¡± Carinne, who regained her original body, ran into someone on her way back to the mansion. Olivia Brienne was trying to escape in the middle of the night. Of course, it didn¡¯t work. To restrain her, Carinne forced her unfaithful body to perform magic. ¡®But why now?¡¯ Lennox Kravant, the man appeared. That¡¯s how she lost the sacrificial victim. Along with the oracle stone. It¡¯s only a matter of time before she finds out that the stone is the oracle stone. It was time for Richard to reminisce about today¡¯s incident and reflect on his mistake of not noticing the intruder in the vacant lot. ¡°Richard.¡± Carinne slowly took off her hand from the railing and stood straight on her feet. The rumpled posture reminded him of the dignity of the royal princess. ¡°Get rid of the greenhouse. Even small traces of evidence will pose a great threat to us.¡± Until now, the greenhouse of the vacant lot had played a role as a secret place. They used it to grow improved breeds of flowers or switch bodies with others. Sometimes, to test the new food they made. ¡°If you give me a few days, I can move to a safer place.¡± ¡°No. We don¡¯t have time.¡± Carinne was determined, and eventually, Richard said what he could for her. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Will you, for me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I must be giving you a hard time again.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Be careful so you don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Richard, who answered like a loyal dog, stared at his master¡¯s side profile that was staring into space. There was still a gentle smile over her dull face as if to veil something. At first, it was a mask to hide her feelings, but the fake smile almost became part of her body as she grew up. ¡®¡­¡¯ Richard thought about when Carinne used to laugh sincerely. It was so distant that he couldn¡¯t remember it well. At that time, words flowed out of her red-painted lips. ¡°Why do things keep going wrong?¡± Though her voice was low as the sound of a grass bug, it was loud enough for Richard. He was an outstanding warrior and hunter. Furthermore, not to mention how all the senses of his body were opened to only one person. ¡°Is it because of me¡­?¡± Richard could feel it. Carinne¡¯s agitation. She was calm on the outside, but on the inside, she wasn¡¯t. He watched painfully as her beautiful purple eyes were eroded by darkness. ¡°¡­It bothers me.¡± She wasn¡¯t happy with this situation. She must be feeling frustrated and angry at the strangely twisted and complicated things. If so, it was enough of a reason to cut off the twisted threads altogether. The loyal man, who had remained silent, opened his mouth that had been firmly closed. ¡°Lady Carinne.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Shall I use my hands?¡± Those blue-grey eyes were flashing with determination. Chapter 29 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy Chapter 29 Then, Carinne¡¯s eyes gazing off into space looked back at Richard. He couldn¡¯t move under the strong gaze that shot straight at him. As always. Nothing went his way when he stood in front of her. Even things about himself. ¡°No. It¡¯s not your time yet.¡± Carinne, who looked at Richard as if she could see through him, finally said aloud. ¡°Lennox Kravant protects Olivia. As long as he needs the Epure¡¯s ability, he will try to keep her alive.¡± She, who stopped talking for a while, exhaled a long sigh. ¡°If you approach without care, you¡¯ll be in danger. Until I find a definite way, I forbid you to move in advance.¡± Despite the cold anger, Carinne¡¯s judgment was brutally realistic. ¡°Let¡¯s do what we can until then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We have been¡­ outnumbered.¡± *** The lunch was more than I expected. I put down the tableware, feeling satisfied and full. Then I turned to Ash, who was still focused on eating. Fresh fruits cut into smaller pieces for his convenience were constantly disappearing into the mouth of the finger-sized fellow. His white cheeks were as full as a hamster who ate a lot of sunflower seeds. -Is it that good? -We skipped breakfast. I was starving to death. He shook his head and raised one wing, as if he was signalling to not disturb him, before he went to poke an apple with his beak. Lennox, who had been eating in an elegant and restrained position across from me, opened his mouth as he pressed down on the side of his lips with a napkin. ¡°Your bird has a good appetite.¡± ¡°He likes to eat anything. Especially apples.¡± Then, subtly dragging his mouth, he asked me this time. ¡°Do you like your first meal here?¡± ¡°It was the best food I¡¯ve ever had.¡± From salads to beautifully plated desserts to stimulate appetite, it was a meal that had nothing short. ¡°Should I ask him to bring more desserts?¡± ¡°This is enough. If I eat more, my stomach will explode.¡± Lennox smiled at my exaggerated tone and beckoned lightly. The servant who was waiting began to clean up the plates on the table. He looked skilled in his movements, but strangely like a knight. After a while, on the clean table, two teacups were placed. The aroma of the deep scarlet liquid smelled like roses. ¡°Is there any wedding venue in your mind? My eyes widened as he asked this question. ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t going to take marriage vows.¡± ¡°We agreed on holding a simple ceremony, but never said we wouldn¡¯t at all.¡± I blinked as I asked back, ¡°Is it okay for us to have a wedding?¡± At that moment, his fine straight eyebrows wriggled with discontent. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ To be honest, I didn¡¯t think Your Grace would want anything cumbersome like a wedding.¡± A considerable amount of time and money were required to hold a wedding ceremony, regardless of age. Not to mention how it¡¯d be for the marriage of the Duke of Kravant, the great nobleman of the Balkan Empire. ¡°I heard that people in the Empire regard weddings as special, which only happens once in a lifetime. Wouldn¡¯t it be sad if we skip it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What¡¯s with the way of you speaking as if you¡¯re talking about someone else, as someone else in the Balkan Empire? Besides that, ¡°Who says it¡¯s only once in a lifetime?¡± ¡°What?¡± He looked at me as if I were saying something atrocious. But that¡¯s the face I wanted to make! I jumped up from my seat. ¡°Are you telling me to bow for the rest of my life after I divorce Your Grace?¡± ¡°Hold on, that¡¯s not what I¨C¡± ¡°Your Grace is going to marry the new Duchess, but I can¡¯t marry again? Did you write something weird on our contract?¡± Lennox, who had a shocked expression for a while, soon smiled briefly. ¡°If you¡¯re so anxious and find it difficult to believe me, see it for yourself.¡± ¡°W-Who said that?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I don¡¯t mind skipping the wedding.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say no.¡± As soon as I replied, his red eyes like rubies narrowed on me. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it. The wedding.¡± I faltered down on the chair. I was embarrassed that I raised my voice, but my desire to have a wedding was greater. ¡®I did yell out that I would remarry later, but¡­¡¯ It was weird. Somehow I couldn¡¯t imagine myself marrying someone other than Lennox. ¡°I don¡¯t have a specific wedding place in mind, but I will look for it.¡± Lennox looked at me half-heartedly with an unreadable expression and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere was the sound of a knock. ¡°Come on in.¡± As soon as Lennox gave his order, a man entered the room. The man with long, tied pink hair and a monocle greeted Lennox first, then turned towards me. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, My Lady. I¡¯m Nishir Hosen, an aide to the Duke of Kravant.¡± It was a very simple and flawless introduction. ¡°This is Olivia Brienne.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Nishir offered a golden tray to Lennox, who went straight to the point. ¡°A messenger came from the imperial palace. This is a letter from His Highness, the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Have words leaked out in the meantime?¡± Lennox frowned. When he opened the seal and read the letter, he was blatantly annoyed, his expression more noticeable in the middle of the day. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lennox answered, putting down the letter without showing sincerity, ¡°If I want my marriage approval, I¡¯ll have to come to the imperial palace with you.¡± In the Balkan Empire, it was customary for aristocratic marriages to be approved by the Emperor. Since the Emperor was suffering from illness, the Prince would conduct it. ¡°He asked me to come with you?¡± ¡°Yeah. What sort of dream is this?¡± Prince Edwin Roam Balkan. In the original story, he was Olivia¡¯s fianc¨¦ and the male protagonist who performed well throughout the story. And in the end, the person who sent her to death. ¡®He was supposed to appear by now.¡¯ As I didn¡¯t make the same moves as in the original, there seemed to be a changing variable in my meeting with Edwin. Well, I don¡¯t know what the original story means now. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go,¡± Lennox said, considering his interpretation of my troubled expression. ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep up with the rhythm of a foolish man.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the order of His Highness. Can I do that?¡± ¡°Yes. You can do that,¡± Lennox replied arrogantly. ¡°Because you¡¯re my wife.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± I almost spat out the tea I was drinking. ¡®This guy is really¡­!¡¯ However, he was calm and weak. He even looked relaxed. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be accurate. We¡¯re not married yet, are we?¡± I whispered with dissatisfaction. ¡°We¡¯re almost married.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only true once the marriage contract is stamped with the imperial seal.¡± ¡°Excessive calculations make relationships stark.¡± Suddenly, his lips drew into a playful smile. It was clear that he was intentionally teasing and enjoying my reaction. I didn¡¯t have any bad taste. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Even him playing innocent was cheeky, but it was funny to see him get angry during the day. ¡®Because he¡¯s uselessly handsome¡­¡¯ Apart from the unexpected behavior of this man, I couldn¡¯t help but admit his mind-blowing beauty. It¡¯s truly harmful. ¡°Anyway. Don¡¯t you have to comply with His Royal Highness to get approval for marriage?¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± I leaned close to Lennox so that Nishir could not hear me. ¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to threaten him? Or use force?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just in case, I guessed that was his answer. There was nothing more to hear. Is it really necessary for him to start a civil war just to get married? ¡°Let us go to the imperial palace together. It¡¯s not that difficult.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. It¡¯s only customary to get the Emperor¡¯s approval, but it¡¯s not an obligation.¡± Unexpectedly, Lennox was being stubborn. It felt like he did not want to let me meet the crown prince. Nishir, who was waiting silently, opened his mouth at that time. ¡°Among your words, I apologize¡­¡± He took another letter out of his arms. The envelope looked exactly like the one before. There was only one difference. The wax that sealed the first letter was red, but this time it was blue. ¡°The messenger told me to give this letter if Your Highness refuses.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing all sorts of things.¡± Lennox received the second letter, his annoyed expression returning to his face. After tearing off the seal roughly, his face distorted as he read the letter. I could hear him clicking his tongue and clenching his teeth. ¡°Is this a joke?¡± His cold angry voice made my spine stand up. The Crown Prince¡¯s handwritten letter was crumpled mercilessly in Lennox¡¯s hand. ¡°Excuse me, the letter from His Highness¡­¡± I tried to dissuade him gently, but it didn¡¯t work. Eventually, Lennox jumped up from his seat and threw the crumpled paper into the fireplace. My mouth fell open as the flames¡ªgaining new firewood¡ªquickly set the letter ablaze. ¡®What was it about?¡¯ Chapter 30 Translator and Editor: Lea and Ishy Chapter 30 Now, I was really curious about the contents of the letter in question. I didn¡¯t dare ask, but¡­ Then Lennox, who was watching the blazing fireplace, turned his nuclear frame. ¡°Olivia.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± The voice towards me had become softer before I knew it, but I stuttered without realizing it. ¡°Do you really want to go to the imperial palace?¡± I swallowed as the eyes stared at me. From his reaction, I thought I should say I wouldn¡¯t go, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡®I need to meet the Crown Prince in person.¡¯ At least to know if he was an ally or enemy. I looked at his face and asked carefully, ¡°Can I be honest?¡± Lennox eased his momentum, perhaps because he noticed my tension. ¡°Sorry. Did I surprise you?¡± ¡°A little. But it¡¯s okay.¡± I waved my hand, expressing that I was alright. Only then did his hardened mouth loosen up. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me and tell me what you want. Are you forcing yourself to go because of your obligation or do you truly want to visit the imperial palace?¡± ¡°I want to go.¡± Even though I knew he wouldn¡¯t like my answer, Lennox nodded calmly. ¡°Okay.¡± Then he looked back at Nishir. ¡°Deliver it to the Crown Prince. I¡¯ll enter the palace with her tomorrow.¡± *** The next day, Lennox, Ash, and I were together in the carriage heading to the Imperial Palace. He was brought along because he said he would hide well without being noticed. Sitting on a fluffy seat, I fiddled with my first expensive dress. The dress, made of dark green soft silk, went quite well with the color of my eyes. I also wore colorful ornaments on my ears and neck. They were all given by Lennox. ¡°I don¡¯t have clothes to wear to the Imperial Palace, what do I do?¡± I escaped from the Viscounty empty-handed, so I had no money or valuables with me. Let alone a formal dress to greet the Crown Prince. Then Nishir, instructed by Lennox, brought some large boxes. Although the color of the surface was a little faded, the box was even beautifully packaged with ribbons. Somehow, I felt like I was receiving a precious gift, so I carefully untied the ribbon and opened the lid. I was then speechless at the feast of dresses and jewels inside the boxes. ¡°Oh my¡­ Where did you get all these dresses and jewelry?¡± ¡°A warehouse.¡± ¡°There are things like this in the warehouse?¡± ¡°Tell me if you need more. There¡¯s a lot.¡± It was a trivial reaction, as if he simply took candy out of a pocket full of it. Anyway, thanks to this, I was able to visit the Imperial Palace in perfect attire. ¡®When the original Olivia first met the Crown Prince, he gave her a dress as a gift.¡¯ At that time, the color of the dress she received as a gift was pink. Luckily, there was a difference. -Olivia, are you nervous? Ash, who was glancing at Lennox, spoke to me in my head. -It¡¯s my first time seeing His Highness. I¡¯m worried that I might make a mistake. I was on my way to meet a main character from the original story, so I was bound to be nervous. -Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do well. And the Duke is also with you. You don¡¯t have to worry. He pointed at Lennox with his beak. Perhaps Lennox noticed the irrelevant gesture, because he tilted his head. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re having a fun conversation.¡± -Eek! Ash hurriedly hid behind my back. You fool. If you act like that, he¡¯ll get more suspicious. ¡°You look very close to the pet bird, Olivia.¡± Lennox blinked as he looked at me. His chuckle was creepy, yet attractive. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± I tried to avoid the gaze, but his persistent stare caught me. I quickly changed the subject and asked a question. ¡°By the way, what kind of person is he?¡± ¡°Do you mean Edwin?¡± His name came out of Lennox¡¯s mouth so naturally. For a moment, I hesitated. I wondered if I could call the Crown Prince¡¯s name at will. ¡®No way. Lennox is in a position to call him like that.¡¯ Quickly convincing myself, I nodded. ¡°Yes. I thought if I knew beforehand, it would be helpful when I greet him.¡± The more information about the Crown Prince, the better. Without thinking hard, Lennox said as he frowned, ¡°An annoying idiot.¡± -Oh my God¡­ Ash opened his mouth wide. I didn¡¯t say it, but I felt the same. He cursed at the Crown Prince when he¡¯s not around. But still, this is a little¡­ Shrugging, Lennox added when he noticed my freaked out expression, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± And after a while, I realized that Lennox¡¯s immortality¡ªwhich I had just peeked at¡ªwas just the tip of an iceberg. *** The parlor of the Crown Prince¡¯s palace was a luxurious room decorated with all kinds of expensive items. Everywhere my eyes touched, there were so many colorful decorations that my eyes were spinning. Sitting on a luxurious couch covered with gold velvet cloth, I waited nervously for the Crown Prince. Of course, Lennox next to me drank tea in an elegant posture without an inch of disruption. Not long after, I heard a voice. ¡°Your Highness will be arriving shortly.¡± Calmly taking a breath, I tried to stand up. ¡°Just stay seated.¡± Lennox held my hand softly. The cool temperature of his large hand was conveyed right through my bare skin. I snapped, trying not to be conscious of our touch, ¡°Your Grace, you can sit down, but I have to greet him properly.¡± ¡°No way. Did you forget that you¡¯re the only one who holds Kravant¡¯s name besides me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not yet¨C What?¡± While bickering with Lennox, I suddenly found something unexpected. ¡°It¡¯s not coming out anymore?¡± Though Lennox touched my hand, blue smoke was no longer released out of it. I gently squeezed his pinky with my other hand. There was still no response. ¡°I think you can handle the energy now. You won¡¯t be able to use your abilities yet, but I don¡¯t think your energy will be released at will all the time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lennox nodded as he explained, ¡°Think of what you felt when you were losing your energy. Then imagine how you sent me your energy.¡± I closed my eyes and recalled that moment. My first meeting with him was when he saved me. ¡®At that time, I thought you were a real messenger of God.¡¯ I shook off my fear of losing my life and caught him. ¡°Focus.¡± As if to encourage, I heard his low and serious voice. I was sitting right next to him, but his voice felt distant for some reason. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Slowly, but clearly, I felt the pulsating power deep in my body. It was very warm. No wonder I missed it. Gradually boosting up my energy, I focused on his fingertips. Soon, my body was filled with energy. A subtle warmth lingered throughout my body and gathered at my fingers. The moment the built-up force exploded, I opened my eyes. Before I knew it, Lennox and I were surrounded by a sparkling blue haze. ¡°You did it.¡± As the released energy melted into Lennox¡¯s body, his grip on my hand tightened a little. He looked like he was trying to endure something. ¡°Your Grace, are you alright?¡± Did he absorb too much energy at once? I anxiously looked at Lennox. His black eyelashes were trembling. I grew nervous as my eyes flitted to his tightly closed lips. Finally, his thin lips opened and he let out a long exhale. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°Wow,¡± came a stranger¡¯s voice along with the sound of a hand hitting the wall. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see the power of an Epure in person, which I only heard as a legend. It¡¯s an honor.¡± Blonde hair like honey, blue eyes like sapphires. Edwin Roam Balkan. He was the Crown Prince. I got up in a hurry, correcting my posture as I greeted him. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet Your Royal Highness, the future of the Empire.¡± Perhaps because of the tension, my hands were clenching my skirt. In the original, the Crown Prince fell in love with Olivia at first glance, but I couldn¡¯t guarantee it would be like that in reality. ¡°I should have come a little later for the two of you. I was surprised that the way you used your abilities was much more intimate than I thought.¡± His tone was teasing. At the same time, I could read a strong curiosity in his eyes. However, I did not feel any special feelings other than goodwill. When I realized that, I felt relieved. ¡°You are here at the right time, Your Highness. The tea hasn¡¯t cooled down yet,¡± I answered mildly. The Crown Prince obediently followed my intentions. It wasn¡¯t long before he sat across and sarcastically looked at Lennox. ¡°The Duke doesn¡¯t speak much, huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± It was a very concise answer. It reminded me again that even the imperial family could not be reckless in front of him. And what surprised me more was, ¡°Is something wrong? The Duke spoke formally to me.¡± Far from being embarrassed, it was the reaction of the Crown Prince who replied as if he was already familiar with it. Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ¡°If you don¡¯t like the honorifics, I can go as usual.¡± ¡°No. The Lady is here too, so please give minimal respect.¡± The Crown Prince wasn¡¯t uncomfortable, as if he had been interacting with Lennox like this for a long time. ¡®Come to think of it, the Crown Prince knew that I was an Epure.¡¯ In the original novel, the Crown Prince and Lennox were not this close. However, they were neither hostile nor uncomfortable with each other. To be exact, there was no mention of their relationship at all. I inconspicuously observed Edwin. He was the only person that helped Olivia in the original story. But at the last minute, without realizing that her soul was exchanged, he became the decisive person to drive her to death. Edwin Roam Balkan was perhaps the biggest variable in my future. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point,¡± Lennox declared as he took a document out of his arms. It was the marriage contract in question that made us come to the imperial palace together. ¡°There¡¯s no need to say much. This is where I need your seal.¡± He was so confident that I was embarrassed. We were here to get a marriage approval from the Crown Prince. It didn¡¯t mean that he had to say something disappointing. ¡®This man is really¡­!¡¯ I poked his side. However, my husband¡¯s expression did not change an inch, let alone shift. ¡°You must¡¯ve heard the news right away. I came as you wanted, so don¡¯t say anything unnecessary and approve it.¡± Edwin clicked his tongue. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Why are you so busy?¡± ¡°Marriage preparation.¡± ¡°Your assistant will do everything, anyway.¡± The way he spoke to Lennox without missing a beat felt like a boy playing pranks on his much older brother. And Lennox played with his immature little brother on the top of his palm. ¡°The Crown Prince of such a large empire seems to be free while conducting background investigations on others. Do you want me to make you work?¡± It was such a neat threat. Edwin shook his head, changing his expression like he had realized that he had chosen the wrong opponent. ¡°It was my fault to ask the Duke.¡± He blatantly entered the beehive, but couldn¡¯t find any honey. So his next target was none other than me. ¡°By the way, how did the Lady end up with the Duke?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I wanted to choose the right words for the answer when, ¡°I fell in love at first sight.¡± Lennox hit the play button. ¡°You?¡± Edwin opened his mouth as if he had just heard a shocking thing, and I was also embarrassed. You fell in love at first sight? With me? Lennox? If someone else found out about what he said, they would¡¯ve burst out laughing. ¡®What are you talking about!¡¯ I protested with my eyes, poking his arm harder. However, Lennox gracefully picked up the teacup with a carefree expression as if he had no problems. In the midst of the stir that he caused, he was the only one who was relaxed. Edwin pouted for a while, but managed to spit out a few words. ¡°So, the Duke¡­ is in love with the Lady?¡± Edwin¡¯s wide-open gaze flitted between me and Lennox. ¡°You heard it right.¡± Finishing the tea, Lennox slowly put down the cup on the plate. Even those movements of his were smooth. ¡°I knew well that Prince Balkan had no hearing problems, so now I want you to do what you have to do.¡± Lennox tapped the marriage contract with a long index finger. ¡°I want to get married. Do you need more reasons than this?¡± The way this man spoke was light in a good way and too unfriendly in a bad way. Nevertheless, it was natural, despite being rude. Only he can do that. The arrogant and relaxed attitude I witnessed throughout the day was an aura left only by those who reigned at the peak of a long time. Everything seemed so natural. ¡°¡­¡± Edwin looked at Lennox with a blank expression for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. ¡°Who dares to object to Duke Kravant¡¯s marriage? You¡¯re being unnecessarily forceful.¡± ¡°You must know I¡¯m forcing you.¡± Lennox was still indifferent. There was an unspoken pressure to get the seal done instead of having small talk. ¡°But I¡¯m curious.¡± Edwin¡¯s blue eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Why did the Duke, who had been single for so long, suddenly decide to marry?¡± ¡°Edwin Roam Balkan,¡± Lennox warned in his low voice. But Edwin took no care. ¡°Who broke through the barrier and took the seat next to Lennox Kravant, whom no one could shake? Wouldn¡¯t you have been curious?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. I guess you probably found the Epure.¡± I was surprised to hear that sentence. ¡®I thought Lennox already told the Crown Prince that I was an Epure.¡¯ Edwin might have known Epure¡¯s existence, but he didn¡¯t know who it was. Then, the article came out about Lennox searching for an Epure as his marriage partner. As a result, his guess was correct. ¡®Plus, he confirmed it when he saw me release the energy.¡¯ I glanced at Lennox, who was sitting beside me. He silently stared at Edwin with cold eyes. He looked as if watching how far it would crawl. Recognizing the beastly gaze, Edwin flinched and turned to me. ¡°But seeing the Lady today, I wonder if the Duke actually proposed because he fell in love with her beauty.¡± Making a joke, Edwin winked at me. ¡°That¡¯s a big compliment, Your Highness.¡± Edwin looked a little embarrassed when I briefly answered in a cold tone. I could have responded moderately, but I didn¡¯t want to. ¡®You¡¯re tiring.¡¯ I didn¡¯t like him asking difficult questions even though he knew that Lennox was displeased. From what I observed so far, he didn¡¯t seem like a bad person, but I didn¡¯t intend to completely let go of my suspicions. Edwin finally took a step back, perhaps noticing my uneasiness. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been so careless to the Lady. I ask for your generosity to forgive my rude behavior.¡± ¡°Your Highness should apologize to the Duke, not me.¡± His eyes grew wide in surprise. Perhaps he thought I would accept his apology. ¡®The original Crown Prince wasn¡¯t like this.¡¯ Edwin, the male protagonist of ¡°Reversed Lady¡±, used a more serious tone in the story. Above all, in various episodes, he showed reliable aspects for Olivia to rely on. If you had to compare it directly, he was like Lennox. ¡°It¡¯s fine, so just get the seal.¡± The moment I remembered Lennox, his voice awakened me from my thoughts. Thanks to him, the tension surrounding the parlor was also broken. ¡°Yes. It isn¡¯t polite to make the Lady wait longer.¡± Immediately convinced, the Crown Prince took the chance to move on. Soon after, the Emperor¡¯s tensile ring was pressed on the red wax. The sentence of the Imperial Family of Balkan was clearly stamped on the marriage contract. The marriage was now officially established. Edwin, who took the seal, smiled playfully at Lennox. ¡°Congratulations on becoming a married man, Duke.¡± Now that the purpose of coming to the imperial palace had been achieved, it was time to give way. Lennox would not have accepted the invitation just because the Crown Prince called him. It was probably because of Carinne. ¡°Under the Imperial law, performing sorcery is a felony and the performer can be executed immediately after discovery.¡± Soon, Edwin would learn that a sorcerer was still alive and steadily revealing their powers. I didn¡¯t even know if that person was Carinne herself. Anyway, if Edwin found out, he wouldn¡¯t sit by this. ¡®Good for me. At least that could hold Carinne back.¡¯ I stood up when the atmosphere was moderately ripe. I made an excuse that I had to return because I wasn¡¯t feeling well. Lennox, sharp as always, quickly realized the reason for my actions. He whispered in my ear, ¡°I¡¯ll come to the palace separately, so let us leave together today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°What if you run into evil spirits?¡± ¡°Now that I can control my energy, I won¡¯t be exposed as easily as I used to be.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Those red eyes seemed worried. It seemed like it bothered him to let me go alone. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you in the carriage. And I¡¯m not alone, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Winking, I pointed to the window. Ash, who had traveled around the imperial palace, was snooping his head over the window. Walking along with an attendant leading me to where the carriage stood waiting, I glanced sideways occasionally. I could see the beautiful garden outside the round arch of the open corridor. And Ash, hiding through the trees, was following me closely. ¡®It¡¯s the imperial palace, so no wonder everything is luxurious.¡¯ The exterior of the buildings was milk-white accompanied with designs of gold. Thanks to this, the palace was shining under the sunlight. The garden, which began after the corridor, was also beautiful. Well-maintained grass neatly cut to a certain height, shrubs and flowers all over the place entertained my eyes. The water from the fountain, where angels blew trumpets, broke the light into seven colors like a prism. Each of the statues adorning the garden was a piece of art. ¡°Huh?¡± It was then that I saw a strange sight in my eyes while enjoying the shape. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 A group of workers was plowing up the flower beds on one side of the garden. ¡°Why are you plucking out all the intact flowers?¡± I asked the attendant, unable to contain my curiosity. He replied with a smile, ¡°Normal flowers wither quickly, so we¡¯re trying to replace them with improved ones that last longer.¡± ¡°Improved?¡± As soon as I heard that familiar word, I felt suffocation from my throat. ¡°Yes. The flowers are bigger and more desirable. Not to mention, the flowering period is also longer, so there is no reason not to change them. As the Lady knows, improved flowers are popular all over the continent these days.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Despite the logical reason, the uneasy feeling did not go away. I guessed Ash read my worries when he spoke in my head. -I checked earlier. It¡¯s just a normal improvement that has increased the size and lifespan of these flowers. I sense no sleeping effect or poison in them, so you can rest assured. ©\I told you not to eat it so carelessly. Knowing how he could find the potency of flowers, I lightly rebuked him. Anyways, I was glad that it was an ordinary flower. -By the way, did you receive the Crown Prince¡¯s seal? -Lennox did, rather than us receiving it. -That¡¯s the same thing. A couple is said to have one mind and one body. -I know, right. I chuckled at Ash¡¯s words, but suddenly stopped walking with a sense of incongruity that crossed my mind. A pair of shoes stopped, and the attendant turned his head back at me. ¡°My Lady?¡± In no time, we were almost at the destination. I saw the Duke¡¯s carriage, which had been parked in the distance. The knight, who spotted it, straightened his posture and bowed. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. You can go back now.¡± ¡°Watch your steps, My Lady.¡± Having sent the attendant, I got into the carriage. And as soon as the carriage door was closed, my expression turned terrifying. Ash, aware that there was something off, looked restless. I silently leaned against the back of the seat. [Olivia?] ¡°You,¡± the little guy flinched as I pressed my eyes. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± [W-What are you talking about?] ¡°That a couple usually has one mind and one body. Is there such an expression in the Empire?¡± [Gasp!] Only then did the guy notice his mistake in his breath. His black eyes¡ªresembling watermelon seeds¡ªshook as he began to flap his wings. ¡°Where are you trying to run away?¡± Thud. The window of the carriage was firmly closed with a snap. As a result, his escape route was completely blocked. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer honestly from now on, it won¡¯t be fun for you.¡± [W-What¡¯s wrong with you¡­?] ¡°Don¡¯t be rude.¡± Ash¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment when it was clear that he wasn¡¯t here to look after me. ¡°Who the hell are you, really?¡± His beak snapped closed, a gesture clearly showing his stubbornness not to say anything. I decided to speak first. ¡°You know I¡¯m from another world, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The day we first met, you were definitely like that. You said that you were struggling with returning it. What did you mean by ¡®returning?¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me?¡± His head, with his beak sealed, moved from one side to another. Ha! ¡°Ash.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After this, it was only a meaningless war of attrition. Contemplating for a while, I made a decision. With a click, I opened the window again. ¡°Okay. If you don¡¯t want to say it, then don¡¯t.¡± His eyes widened at me. Looking into the bird¡¯s eyes with dim hopes, I calmly uttered what I had to say. ¡°Instead, don¡¯t show up in front of me again. I can¡¯t live with someone who deceives me.¡± [Olivia!] The white-feathered bastard screamed at me, but I turned away coldly. Not knowing what to do, he stomped his feet and came up on my leg, begging desperately. [I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you. It was because of the circumstances that I had to do it. Please don¡¯t kick me out. Please?] ¡°So what was the circumstance?¡± [T-That¡­] He hesitated again. However, unlike before, he was shaking rather than retreating. ¡°You know Carinne Brienne is a sorceress, don¡¯t you?¡± [Umm¡­] As expected, there was a reason for this phenomenon. ¡°I can¡¯t reveal to others that Carinne is a practitioner of black magic. But there are no restrictions on telling you about her.¡± I was offended by this, since I couldn¡¯t tell Lennox. ¡°I think I have a plausible reason for it.¡± Those last words took courage to speak. The bird turned his anxious gaze towards me. ¡°Perhaps you brought me here.¡± Ash closed his eyes tightly. That confirmed my suspicions more than necessary. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± [Olivia¡­] He suddenly dropped his head. [Sorry.] I let out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not resenting you. I don¡¯t regret coming here.¡± After all, I had no regrets in my previous life. It was close to just surviving day after day, without having any attachments to anyone or anything precious. ¡°I just want to know how I got here,¡± I tried to persuade him. [I really shouldn¡¯t say it¡­] Instead of rushing, I waited quietly. [Did you ever think in your previous life that things never worked out your way?] That was true. I had an elaborate story, to the point that had me wondering what kind of life this could be. [It¡¯s because your body and soul didn¡¯t match. They didn¡¯t fit together.] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [This is the world you were supposed to be in.] It took me a while to understand. It wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about, but because I was refusing to accept it. ¡°¡­What?¡± Ash sighed. [Olivia and you were supposed to be born at the same time on the same day in your respective worlds. But due to the mistake of the one in charge¡­] ¡°Mistake?¡± [The souls fell into opposite worlds.] My head was pounding at the contents of the information. ¡°So, you mean, if it was the original, I would have been the real Olivia?¡± [Yes.] ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Stunned, I grabbed my head. [When an unauthorized soul enters a different world from which they¡¯re supposed to be in, a rift is formed between the two worlds.] ¡°That¡¯s why you brought me here and the previous Olivia to where she should have been?¡± [Right.] ¡°And Olivia¡¯s soul went into my body in my past life?¡± Ash nodded his head apologetically. ¡®So I didn¡¯t enter the world of a book?¡¯ ¡°For now, let¡¯s say I am here. What about Olivia?¡± Would she be able to accept a modern life after being a noble lady in the Balkan Empire? It was already proven to be a miserable life for me. [Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m sure the former Olivia is just as well adapted as you.] ¡°How do you know that?¡± [You also saw this world reflecting in your dreams. It was the same with her.] ¡®It wasn¡¯t a dream, it was a novel I read.¡¯ Since I used to sleep dreamlessly, the memories seemed to have been delivered in the form of a novel. ¡°If you¡¯re going to return a soul to its place, you should do it when it¡¯s young. Have you ever wondered how embarrassing it would be for someone to come here like this?¡± [I wanted to do that as well!] He cried out, ashamed. [But there was a condition to bring you back.] ¡°What condition?¡± [The transfer could not be established if both of you did not want to return to your original world.] ¡°Olivia wanted to go to the world I was in?¡± [Yes. She even made a wish for a year before you made up your mind.] ¡°But I never wanted this.¡± [No way. If you had not wished for it, magic would not have been established according to the laws of the composition of the universe.] ¡°But I really¨C¡± I stopped when I suddenly remembered my past. After reading the ending of ¡°Reversed Lady¡±, didn¡¯t I leave a comment full of anger? [Author. Wasn¡¯t that too much for Olivia? It even makes me want to take revenge for her by entering the book.] Have I come to this place just because of that one comment? ¡°Ha, haha¡­¡± It was so ridiculous, I couldn¡¯t even get angry. ¡°One question. Are you the one responsible for committing that mistake?¡± Ash wavered his eyes and nodded. [Sorry.] ¡°You mean you¡¯ve been keeping your mouth shut even after doing something like that?¡± Of course, what he did was disgraceful, but I didn¡¯t like it when I saw him discouraged. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ As my gaze softened, Ash quickly climbed onto my palm. I was quick to catch on. I stroked his back, and his tiny body froze, as if he was very nervous. [Sorry, Olivia.] ¡°If you¡¯re really sorry, you should compensate me for your mistakes.¡± He tilted his head to my joke. [Haven¡¯t you already received the compensation?] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 What was he talking about? ¡°No? I didn¡¯t get any of that?¡± [Strange. Is there some kind of misunderstanding¡­? I obviously made a proper application, but the compensation hasn¡¯t been paid yet?] ¡°What¡¯s the kind of reward I get?¡± Ash shook his head. [I don¡¯t know that either.] ¡°You don¡¯t know? Am I supposed to believe that?¡± When I gave him a look of suspicion, he looked like he had been judged unfairly. [I¡¯m telling you. Even though I did apply for the compensation, I can not determine the details. However¡­] ¡°However?¡± [The reward is to give the person what he or she needs the most.] I paused at the words. There was only one thing I needed right now. ¡®Survival. Or the power to survive.¡¯ ¡°Is it perhaps the power of Epure?¡± [No. That power belongs to you,] He immediately shook his head, which led me to wonder. [Maybe it¡¯s because the right ¡®time¡¯ hasn¡¯t arrived yet. I have heard of rewards being presented at a particular time.] The more I listened to his explanation, the more complicated this notion felt. ¡°Anyway, how do you know if one¡¯s been rewarded?¡± [I just naturally realize it.] ¡°Can¡¯t you find out what the reward is?¡± [No. I couldn¡¯t tell you even if I knew. It¡¯s forbidden to divulge things that are yet to occur.] He added before I could say anything, [If I break the rules again, I will be annihilated.] He had a serious expression. It didn¡¯t feel like he was lying. I was curious about the reward I would receive, but it wouldn¡¯t have been enough to lose Ash. I would find out eventually anyway. ¡°Then, did Olivia receive compensation as well?¡± She was now living my previous life with my body and name. There were many twists and turns in my life, but I wanted her to live happily and well. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that she hasn¡¯t been rewarded yet, right?¡± When asked carefully, Ash replied with a slightly chirping voice. [Wait, let me check.] About less than ten seconds passed before he opened his eyes. [The former Olivia has received a reward.] ¡°What? Already? Can you tell me what it is?¡± [Yes. Besides, you¡¯re from a completely separate world, so it will be fine because it is not related to your future.] ¡°So, what did she get?¡± My eyes twinkled with curiosity at him. [The principle was that you¡¯d receive what you needed the most, right? Before you came here, think about what you needed the most in your previous life.] The answer was so obvious that I didn¡¯t need to think about it for long. ¡°Money?¡± [Correct!] ¡°Did you give her counterfeit money?¡± That was illegal. As I muttered, Ash poked my palm with his beak. Then he whispered, [You bought lottery tickets sometimes, right?] ¡®No way¡­¡¯ The bird read my expression of shock and grinned. [Winner of the lottery with a probability of 1 in 8 million that carried over for 3 consecutive months. That was her reward.] Edwin frowned at the unwelcoming information. ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s been very long since black magic practitioners were eliminated¡­¡± ¡°Did you forget about the Epure that appeared for the first time in a thousand years?¡± ¡°What is the source of that information? You said you don¡¯t even know their identity. Isn¡¯t it difficult to conclude that it was a black magic practitioner?¡± ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you. My business is done here.¡± The Duke responded coldly. His ignorance was what made Edwin conclude, ¡°This is crazy.¡± He rubbed his face roughly with his palms. It would be nice if it was fake information like he wished, but the chances were slim. Especially if the person who gave the information was none other than Lennox Kravant. ¡®Why did it have to be during my generation?¡¯ The descendants of surviving practitioners now could shake the empire from its roots. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s nothing wrong with having preparation. I¡¯ll make well use of this information.¡± Instead of answering, Lennox got up from his seat. His business was over now. Except for one thing. It was time for Edwin to follow and see him off to the gate. ¡°By the way,¡± said Lennox, who suddenly stopped walking and turned his head. Edwin trembled involuntarily as the Duke¡¯s gloomy eyes scanned his entire body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°How did you know that I was getting married?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± In an instant, Edwin¡¯s face was flushed in a surge of embarrassment. He quickly fixed his expression. ¡°There was a rumor. Also, I have a source planted in Count Brienne¡¯s area.¡± Although imperials like him were taught to hide their emotions, he couldn¡¯t fool Lennox¡¯s eyes. ¡°You planted a spy. At my house.¡± Edwin¡¯s face hardened as the words stabbed his head. ¡°No one dares to do such a thing in the duchy, but I see you¡¯re good at annoying the head of an institutional mansion.¡± Lennox did not hide his smirk. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see filth, get rid of that dog you sent to my house. And¡­¡± He emphasized his next words, ¡°If you send me such a letter again, I will not wait for even a second to lift the boundaries around the Empire.¡± Edwin stood still with his mouth open until Lennox, who had finished threatening him, walked casually out of the drawing room. Meanwhile, Lennox felt very uncomfortable walking down the Imperial Palace hallway. He was barely enduring the discomfort by gathering as much patience as possible. If it weren¡¯t for Olivia, he would have choked Edwin to death. In fact, it was not the first time he had to endure the Crown Prince¡¯s petty jokes. His efforts were so great that they even got along sometimes. But this time, he crossed the line. ¡®How dare he.¡¯ How dare he bargain over Olivia? Lennox clenched his fist tightly. It was actually the first time that he couldn¡¯t wipe the Prince from his mind. Edwin¡¯s letter, which had been burnt down, was stamped in his head like an afterimage. ¡¶ If you don¡¯t visit, I¡¯ll reveal the secret to Lady Olivia that time doesn¡¯t pass for you. ¡· Trapped in time. That was Lennox¡¯s punishment. His body, which deviated from the providence of life, stopped growing long ago. And therefore, he was trapped in the passage of time. Birth, growth, aging, and death. Beyond that logic, he could not live a normal life. Let alone marriage, he had never had a deep bond with anyone. He never hoped, and he wasn¡¯t disappointed. So in a way that it surprised Edwin to suspect about his marriage. Actually, the Duke was surprised by himself. It was too light to be a deal, and too natural to be a choice. ¡°How about me?¡± ¡°As a purifier, I¡¯m sure I can heal whatever disturbs you.¡± Olivia firmly believed that she could heal him with the power of Epure, but honestly, Lennox did not expect much. Epures were rare, but making it to the third stage of awakening was even more of a challenge. Considering the short human life, it was almost impossible. Therefore, Lennox planned to let her go by saying that he was healed when the right time came. In other words, he wouldn¡¯t gain anything from this deal. Nevertheless, he accepted her proposal. He couldn¡¯t find a reason why he did such an uncharacteristic thing. He¡­ He just wanted to. He had never been with anyone. To marry someone so unexpectedly. Strangely enough, he thought it would be fine. Even though he knew that it logically didn¡¯t make sense. And now, Lennox was angrier than ever. It was because what he was worried about had exactly happened. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have brought her.¡¯ Lennox ground his teeth as he recalled Edwin¡¯s eyes watching Olivia. His nails dug deep into his palms, leaving marks, when they were always kept neat. ¡®That jerk.¡¯ He was certain that those blue eyes unique to the imperial family were filled with interest and curiosity. It was also what he was most wary of. Though Edwin was just a puppy to Lennox, he was the Crown Prince of the Empire. It was not easy for a person who lost everything since birth to truly care about something. ¡°Who broke through the barrier and took the seat next to Lennox Kravant, whom no one could shake? Wouldn¡¯t you have been curious?¡± Interest and curiosity. It didn¡¯t seem like a big deal, but in the end, everything started there. Lennox clearly remembered the conversation he had with Edwin in the past. ¡°If the Duke isn¡¯t interested, I shall meet the Epure. As you know, the Crown Princess¡¯s seat is empty.¡± The moment he recalled those words, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He was only able to relax until he mercilessly pressed down the Crown Prince, breaking his spirit. It was a rather emotional response for him. Emotions that have been piled up over the years included negativity such as anger and anxiety, so it was not normal for Lennox, who was indifferent to everything. Edwin couldn¡¯t answer back with a single word, but it was also because he was quite shocked to see him like that for the first time. ¡®I should¡¯ve scared him properly.¡¯ When he remembered that puppy¡¯s face, who had no intention of hiding his interest in Olivia, he felt extremely disgusted again. This interest needed to be eliminated firmly so that it would not grow again. While Lennox tried to figure out how to kill Edwin, he arrived at the place where the carriage stood, waiting for the departure. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 Lennox¡ªwhose eyes were piercing through the crack of the closed window of the carriage¡ªlooked inside. Someone was in there, he was sure of it. His legs strode faster. The anxiety he felt while closing the distance for less than a few minutes was indescribable. It was then that a pair of emerald eyes reminiscent of a forest caught his figure. Lennox missed the time to open his mouth. ¡°Lennox?¡± Olivia stared at him with her eyes wide open like a surprised rabbit before she blinked a couple of times. ¡°Welcome back. You¡¯re earlier than I thought you would be.¡± He remained motionless even when she delightfully offered him a seat. He only stared at her with a penetrating gaze. ¡°Lennox, what¡¯s the matter?¡± He couldn¡¯t answer. The moment he saw her, he felt a sudden sense of relief washing away his discomfort. It made him realize how insanely anxious he was. He couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What is it? Perhaps the Crown Prince¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Lennox cut her off as soon as she mentioned Edwin. Then he sat down opposite the woman who blinked at his ignorance. Soon, his questions under the guise of calmness followed. ¡°Have you been waiting for any mishaps?¡± Olivia, relieved by his usual attitude, squinted one of her eyes as if wondering how to answer. ¡°Unfortunately. I was nervous about the appearance of an evil spirit, but nothing happened.¡± ¡°Sounds like you were bored.¡± ¡°Is that really what I sounded like?¡± Her chuckle tickled his ears. ¡°I saw the garden on my way¡­¡± He hated hearing that noise, but strangely enough, her voice was pleasant. He quietly thought about the strange changes he was experiencing. The most incomprehensible change was after he met the woman in front of him. ¡°Lennox, are you thinking of something?¡± ¡°I heard you liked the fountain in the garden of the Imperial Palace. Shall I build one in the Duchy as well?¡± ¡°Really? Do you promise?!¡± Nodding at her bright smile, Lennox couldn¡¯t help but swallow the question that was poking him since. ¡®Olivia Brienne.¡¯ ¡­Who on earth are you? All I did today was have a brief meeting with the Crown Prince, but I felt exhausted to my core. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m as weak as they say.¡± I was seated on the sofa, relaxing my stiff neck and shoulders. Next to me was Ash, who slept contentedly on a comfy cushion. ¡°But, Ash is still asleep.¡± Soon after our conversation in the carriage, the little guy fell asleep and did not open his eyes even after a few hours had passed. He slept so deeply that he didn¡¯t even budge when I poked his body. If it weren¡¯t for his heaving chest, I could¡¯ve believed it was a doll. Thanks to this, my room was very quiet. I collected the piece of paper that I had hidden at the bottom of my desk drawer and sat down on the chair. ¡°¡­I wrote whatever I could remember.¡± It contained a brief summary of the main events of the original novel, which I had secretly written last night. ¡°I wonder if this will help.¡± If I had possessed a body, this world was from a novel, and the future was progressing step by step as planned originally, then the knowledge I gained from the novel would have been of great help to me. However, since this was an existential world and since I was the real Olivia, it became difficult for me to predict an inch ahead. I changed the future because I wanted to. And I didn¡¯t have any regrets about the results I would receive. ¡°No matter who Olivia was in the novel, I am me.¡± I slowly got up and approached the fireplace. Then I let the piece of paper slip from between my fingers to be swallowed by the red blazing flames. ¡°This is enough.¡± Even though the records I stored burned without a trace, it was not regret or anxiety that I felt. ¡°I feel relieved.¡± ¡°What¡¯s making you feel relieved?¡± ¡°Kya!¡± I screamed as I turned around to find Lennox leaning against the door. ¡°You scared me!¡± ¡°I did knock quite a few times, but you didn¡¯t answer me.¡± ¡°¡­You did?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think I heard a knock.¡¯ As I stared at him doubtfully, his lips bent into an elegant arc. ¡°I was afraid that an evil spirit had broken into your room.¡± Sure enough, I could see his mischievous smile. I felt attacked by this man again. I asked, narrowing my eyes. ¡°When did you say I¡¯d be safe from evil spirits?¡± ¡°Only once.¡± ¡°Now that I see it, you have a knack for telling lies, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°Such a pity.¡± I stared at him as he took his seat on the sofa after I led him. Then his eyes fell on the sleeping form of Ash. ¡°He¡¯s still like that?¡± ¡°He must have been very tired. I tried to transfer some energy, but he didn¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°What a waste of time.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I reproached him, doubting my ears. ¡°Why are you so harsh? Your Grace, how many times have you taken your energy from me?¡± ¡°I never exactly took it, I just let it flow by itself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite different.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stubborn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being stubborn, I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± I slapped my forehead. ¡°How can a man not lose every argument?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m right.¡± Lennox added brazenly, ¡°Don¡¯t use your energy for nothing. The ability of an Epure shouldn¡¯t be used on something that is nothing more than a pet bird¨C¡± ¡°What do you mean, a bird?¡± I lost my temper. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he looks like to you, but he¡¯s the most important to me.¡± ¡°Important?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The fact that I had to explain it made me even more upset. I recklessly yelled out in anger, ¡°No matter what anyone says, he¡¯s my one and only friend. Who is Your Grace to conclude that it is insignificant to use my energy on Ash?¡± ¡°Your husband.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Your legal husband. Your real family, who can¡¯t be compared to a bird that¡¯s simply a friend to you. Now, am I wrong?¡± I snapped, saying whatever came to my mind first. ¡°Are you jealous of Ash?¡± I thought he¡¯d definitely cut me off by saying, ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ ¡°So what if I am?¡± Instead, I was left speechless at the most unexpected reply. When I looked at him in dismay, Lennox chuckled briefly. ¡°Why? Should I not be jealous? Since he¡¯s the most important individual to my wife and her one and only friend.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¨C¡± ¡°Olivia.¡± The initiative passed to Lennox in an instant. ¡°Did you forget what you promised?¡± ¡°What promise?¡± I stuttered, uncertain as he tilted his head and looked at me with those shiny red eyes. ¡°So you¡¯ve forgotten.¡± ¡°But what have I promised¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to work.¡± All of a sudden, his face was very close to mine. ¡°Hold on!¡± Surprised, I tried to flee but I was blocked by the backrest of the sofa. There was nowhere to hide. Meanwhile, Lennox murmured in a low voice, ¡°I was talking about our contract.¡± ¡®Contract?¡¯ ¡°The contract based on which we promised to be faithful to each other during our marriage.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Still looking at me¡ªwho couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment¡ªhe asked, ¡°Even after you swore to be a faithful bride to me, when did you change your mind?¡± My eyes widened at his bright red pupils. ¡®Too close.¡¯ I gently pushed his chest. ¡°Your Grace, first, get away from me¨C¡± ¡°Lennox.¡± Hesitantly, I met his gaze. The unexplainable glare of those bright red eyes was too seductive. My eyes flickered from his intense gaze to his red lips. ¡°Call me Lennox.¡± His low, deep voice tickled my ears to the point where my heart pounded against my chest. ¡°We¡¯re married, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Today.¡± His long white fingers stroking my loose strand near my lips was as natural as ever. He was calmly waiting for an answer. I belatedly realized that I had been completely enclosed within Lennox¡¯s arms. ¡°But we haven¡¯t had a wedding ceremony yet.¡± I pleaded like a trapped animal, even though I knew it was an absurd excuse. ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, shall I tell them to hasten the preparations of our marriage?¡± ¡°No, Your¨C¡± I gulped exceptionally loudly. His ruby-like eyes narrowed beautifully. ¡°Say it now.¡± His deep voice did not feel sweet anymore. My heart was racing. It was a very clever strategy if Lennox intended to seduce me with his stunning beauty. For I had no way to stop him, rather I could be helplessly swayed. ¡°Call me by my name.¡± With his knees gently pressing against the leather of the sofa right next to my thighs, I felt my body slowly sinking. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 If one of us moved even a little, we would be touching each other. He smelled like a gentle forest. Refreshing and calming. It was true that it was my first time smelling his scent, but it felt like I had known this fragrance for a long time. ¡°Olivia.¡± When I was called again, I swallowed my breath before I managed to open my lips. I was only calling him by his name, but strangely enough, my face heated up. Not to mention, my ears felt like they were burning. ¡°¡­Lennox.¡± I ushered the name out of my lips. ¡°Well done.¡± I heard him chuckle. The satisfying laughter of a predator rang deep in his throat. ¡°I look forward to seeing you again.¡± His smile grew deeper at his desired result. ¡°Oh dear.¡± Something white and plump appeared from somewhere and burst in between us. [You punk! Get away from Olivia!] ¡°Ash?¡± I didn¡¯t see when the bird woke up from his deep slumber. [Threatening someone weaker than him to get what he wants! A mean and savage human being!], cried Ash, flapping his white wings. He even began to peck Lennox¡¯s hand with his beak. ¡°Ash, stop!¡± [Are you going to ruin the last hope we have? If that is how it¡¯s going to be¡­] He was absorbed in the attack, muttering incoherently.His fast movements made his sense of battle seem like no joke. Not Lennox, but Ash. Meanwhile, Lennox watched the bird leisurely with one eyebrow raised slightly. This made Ash even angrier. [Scoundrel! You are useless!] It was only when Lennox had managed to dry out the excited fellow that he spoke. ¡°D*mn bird¡­¡± He glanced sternly at Ash, who had finally calmed down, but turned his head and looked away. I sighed as I leaned my back against the sofa, feeling my back pain. Lennox was so calm that I thought he was okay, but no matter how small the bird was, an attack was an attack. The back of his hand was now swelling red. Of course, I was ashamed of myself for claiming Ash as my ¡®most precious friend¡¯ a while ago. ¡°Your bird doesn¡¯t seem to like me very much.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± I couldn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°The wound on your hand may get worse, so it¡¯s better to get it treated right away.¡± ¡°This kind of wound heals quickly.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°There seems to be something more important than that.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± His smile looked sinister and uneasy as he reached out. [D-Don¡¯t¡­!] Noticing something strange, Ash crept towards me, but it didn¡¯t work. [Eek!] Lennox, who caught the bird in the blink of an eye, smiled with one corner of his mouth raised. ¡°It¡¯s too much to accuse someone of being a scoundrel without knowing them properly.¡± [Gasp¡­!] ¡°Of course I admit to being savage.¡± He glanced at me as he spoke. I flinched like I had been found guilty. ¡°That¡¯s disappointing, Olivia.¡± ¡®Oh my God¡­¡¯ It was only then that I realized¡­ ¡°But I am your husband, and I think you should tell him this important fact in advance.¡± Ash, who had lost his reason, did not use our private communication method when he was making a fuss the whole time. [How could you cage such a cute and adorable bird, you cruel and heartless human?!] ¡°Cute and adorable, you say? No matter how bright you are, do you have no shame?¡± I didn¡¯t know why that shame belonged to me. I poked my head quietly. The first thing Lennox did after Ash was discovered was to lock him in a large cage. [I would not do that anymore, so let me out!] ¡°You¡¯d be punished if you did something wrong.¡± [The wound is healed anyway!] The back of Lennox¡¯s hand was already clean. Not because he was treated, but because of his great resilience. It took just a few minutes for the wound to heal, regain new skin, and its swelling to subside. I couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut watching the amazing process. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean that it would wash away what you¡¯ve done, would it?¡± [It¡¯s every bird¡¯s instinct to peck the danger with its beak! I couldn¡¯t help it!] ¡°A bird that speaks the language of man speaks of its instinct. That¡¯s the most interesting story I¡¯ve got to hear recently.¡± Lennox turned away, not casting another glance at the bird. [Olivia, help me!] He called me anxiously instead, realizing he couldn¡¯t feed grain to Lennox. ¡°Sorry, Ash. You¡¯ll just have to rest there for a few hours.¡± [Sob sob¡­] He had a tearful look on his face. I felt sorry for him crouching down on the floor of the cage, but I couldn¡¯t help it. For my position to explain to Lennox was no different than Ash¡¯s. Lennox¡¯s office was very simple. There were no unnecessary decorations in the room. Every piece of furniture was polished without a speck of dust. It was so neat that I felt desolate. ¡°Have a seat.¡± He led me to a leather sofa and sat across from me before opening his mouth. ¡°Now that no bird is overhearing our conversation, let us talk about our marriage.¡± I felt struck by a thousand bones. ¡°Forgive me, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive Your¨C¡± ¡°Lennox.¡± ¡°Yes, Lennox. So, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you. Um¡­ Honestly, I don¡¯t think creatures like Ash are common.¡± It was true that ¡®humans easily reject and dislike things that they don¡¯t understand.¡¯ ¡°I thought I might be misunderstood.¡± ¡°To be using a forbidden trick, for instance?¡± ¡°¡­Similar to that.¡± It was also true that I was frightened of being cornered as a sorcerer. I shivered a little, recalling the fates they had suffered in the past. ¡°You didn¡¯t trust me, did you?¡± His question stabbed me in the heart. It was just as he said. I trusted Lennox more than anyone else, but I didn¡¯t have complete trust in him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± After all, all I could do was apologize. Lennox stared at me with a puzzled look on his face and spoke slowly. ¡°No known bird can speak the human language so easily.¡± Nervously clasping my hands on my knees, I waited for his next words. ¡°If he can¡¯t be a sorcerer, then perhaps¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he laughed. ¡°Is he a messenger of God?¡± ¡°What?¡± A messenger of God? Surprised, I put my hand on the table as I half-shouted, ¡°C-Could that be t-true?¡± ¡°Or it¡¯s just the result of a spontaneous mutation.¡± What was he talking about¡­? ¡°It¡¯s just a rough fit.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was only joking.¡± For a moment I lost my mind. I must have looked so foolish. Lennox burst into laughter. It was only then that I realized that he had made fun of me. ¡°Do you know that you are unexpectedly naive?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± I gave him a sharp glare, but he chuckled as if that were more interesting. I hated him. I wondered if I could trust him in the future. It was when I was complaining with such a discontented face that he said, ¡°Olivia.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I spat, already occupied with my own thoughts. But Lennox seemed unaffected. ¡°From tomorrow, we shall earnestly begin preparations for the wedding ceremony. I don¡¯t have much time on my schedule.¡± I nodded. I was the one who ushered him into marriage from the beginning. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Not really. You just have to decide.¡± ¡°What do you mean, decide?¡± ¡°Everything from the dress to the wedding venue. I don¡¯t care about anything, so do as you please.¡± It seemed like a suggestion that I had no reason to refuse. ¡°Could I really do whatever I want?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have something else to say later.¡± ¡°You worry about nothing. I won¡¯t say anything, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Even though I liked the idea, I suddenly hesitated. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I smiled, stroking my nose bridge awkwardly. ¡°How shall I put it¡­ it hurts my conscience to be someone who didn¡¯t pay a single gold coin in this marriage?¡± Lennox looked confused at my words. ¡°Who was the one who wanted to skip the dowry because they didn¡¯t have any money?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the one who bargained for a lot of money?¡± ¡°When did I say I was rich? You said you didn¡¯t want to take my money!¡± It was not until I, embarrassed, protested that Lennox stopped joking. ¡°I have instructed those needed to come to the mansion. Your first schedule is to choose your dress and my outfit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In the midst of my satisfaction, I remembered something I had forgotten. ¡°But Your Grace-¡± ¡°Lennox.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Lennox.¡± Correcting my address quickly, I went on. ¡°I must contact the house of Brienne.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 I succeeded in escaping safely from my family but had not yet received the consent of my father, Viscount Brienne, to marry Lennox. Whether or not he had read my concerns, Lennox relievedly said, ¡°We are officially married from the moment the Emperor¡¯s seal is affirmed. Our relationship has already been established since we signed on an ancient magical contract.¡± ¡°I know, but I¡¯ve skipped the stage of getting consent from the head of my family and immediately got approval from the Crown Prince.¡± Of course, there would be no particular problem because of the Emperor¡¯s seal. However, marriage without the consent of the head of the family was eventually treated as a half-marriage in aristocratic society. ¡°I would like our marriage to have a perfect completion. I don¡¯t want to get caught up in unnecessary gossip.¡± I wanted to complete this marriage neatly, even though it was contractual with a fixed deadline. The plan to divorce in the future remained unchanged, but as long as the marriage was maintained, we promised to enjoy our rights and fulfill our obligations as legitimate spouses. In order to do so, it was necessary to make sure that the first step was taken. Even if it was a little troublesome, it was right for each other¡¯s future. ¡°I shall contact the house of Brienne, if you wish. There¡¯s no harm in perfecting our marriage registration.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to get an agreement. The house is under a spell.¡± ¡°The spell has already failed to achieve its purpose. There is no reason for a sorcerer to maintain the spell any longer.¡± ¡°Do you mean the magic has worn out?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m correct, maintaining the spell is also quite laborious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± It felt like the twisted thread was slowly loosening. If we solved it one by one, wouldn¡¯t the end come one day? ¡°Lennox.¡± I called him by his name, which was still awkward to say aloud. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Just trying to say it.¡± ¡°For practice?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His eyes bent into a soft curve. The smile on his sculptured face was breathtakingly beautiful. ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear. Please practice more often.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see, Your Grace.¡± ¡°See, here we go again. Do I have to do something to ask you to call my name?¡± ¡°If necessary. Who¡¯s the disappointed one now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have to work harder from now on. Since my wife doesn¡¯t trust me, and I want my name to be properly called by her, who has a lot of secrets.¡± The attack was well planned. He pointed out Ash¡¯s hidden identity. I, who was guilty of deceiving my husband, protested timidly, ¡°¡­Are you going to be this cheap?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything if you want to get something. Isn¡¯t that the basis of a strategy?¡± I meant that I would gladly use my guilt. I couldn¡¯t help but say a word to that calmness. ¡°Your Grace, you know you¡¯re very mean, right?¡± ¡°Very well.¡± He was much more brazen than I expected. ¡°I am selfish, arrogant, and self-righteous. You saw it clearly.¡± ¡°You say it yourself¡­¡± ¡°Then, shall I say that I¡¯m considerate, affectionate, and kind?¡± ¡°No, on second thought, I think you¡¯re well aware. I don¡¯t think you need to correct it.¡± Accepting it quickly, Lennox¡¯s beautiful face was filled with a relaxed smile. The smile was so dizzying that it made my heart race. The more I watched it, the more I felt like I was possessed by it. ¡°Olivia, I feel sick.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Lennox reached out to me. Of course, the back of his hand where Ash pecked him was clean without a trace of injury. ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright, is it not?¡± ¡°Not that,¡± said Lennox, tilting his head. ¡°I think I¡¯m losing my mind.¡± ¡°Already? You looked cheery a while ago.¡± It had been less than a day. Besides, I didn¡¯t feel like I used much energy today. ¡°I know. Perhaps it¡¯s because your precious, lovely bird pecked me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I had no talent to beat a man who was taking full advantage of that event. ¡°I¡¯m willing to forgive him as soon as I receive your energy.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. As soon as it¡¯s over, I¡¯ll take him out of the cage right away.¡± It was a tempting offer when I thought of Ash whining that he didn¡¯t like the stuffy cages. Nevertheless, when I felt that I couldn¡¯t trust him, he spoke to me. ¡°Do I have to swear?¡± Somehow, he looked impatient. He seemed to be nervous. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do that.¡± I decided to accept his proposal and held out my pinky finger. ¡°What? A finger?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a custom in a faraway country, and it¡¯s used to make a promise. You just have to hold out your pinky and swear in your heart that you won¡¯t break your promise.¡± Lennox stared at my finger without a word. ¡°I can give you energy through my fingers as a bonus.¡± When I waited still, I became embarrassed and tried to take my hand back. ¡°I promise.¡± Lennox extended his little finger to me. His white and shapely finger touched me for a while and soon began to slip slowly, gently sweeping the soft skin between my ring and small fingers. The sensation of being touched by someone was very unfamiliar. I watched as his long, straight finger encroached on my motionless finger. It was the moment when the roots of the two fingers touched each other. Lennox¡¯s finger wrapped around mine like a snake wrapping its prey. ¡°¡­!¡± I managed to swallow a scream. It wasn¡¯t because I was scared or I hated it. It was just because it¡­ ¡®¡­surprised me.¡¯ It was nothing special, but I felt like I was sitting on fire. ¡°A promise, is this how you do it?¡± ¡°Oh, right. Let¡¯s get started.¡± I nodded hastily. It was a simple task to give Lennox the energy of my Epure, but I couldn¡¯t concentrate well. Was it because of the senses transmitted from my finger? Or because of his unwavering gaze? ¡°Take your time.¡± My heart pounded as he spoke in his low voice and stared at me with a much deeper gaze. ¡®Focus, Olivia.¡¯ Fortunately, I felt the energy flowing through my fingers not long after. At the same time, he let out a low exclamation. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Lennox¡¯s voice became murky as if he were suppressing something inside him. Somehow, he looked like a person with a terrible thirst. It looked dangerous, but strangely fascinating, at which I stopped breathing. Lennox¡¯s fingers greedily absorbed my energy, as if it were not enough. My heart thumped violently at his strangely savage appearance. I bowed my head to hide my red face and looked at my hand. After a long absorption of energy, it stopped with a regretful look on his face. ¡°Is it¡­ done?¡± I tried to get rid of it quickly. But he didn¡¯t relax his fingers. ¡°Lennox?¡± Instead, he entwined them like vines and held my finger firmly. As if it was just the beginning. I looked at him in a panic, but he remained firm. ¡°Lennox, it¡¯s finished.¡± Then his strength loosened, and I quickly pulled out my finger. I stood up with a hunch that I shouldn¡¯t be here anymore. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve had enough tea yet.¡± Lennox pointed at my cup with his chin. The tea, which had not even been half-finished, rippled in the cup. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Ash will be waiting, too,¡± I excused myself. It was true that Ash would have been waiting for me to come back and free him. Lennox raised his mouth at an angle. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your pet bird need more time to reflect?¡± ¡°That¡¯s mean.¡± At my grumbling, he smiled faintly and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your room.¡± Knowing Lennox¡¯s stubbornness, I tried to answer that I could go well by myself. ¡°It¡¯s just in front of the door.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied softly, bending his eyes and reaching out his hand. I paused for a moment because of what happened a while ago, but soon I carefully lowered my fingers on the palm of his hand. Then his big hand clasped mine, as if it had been readily waiting. All I had to do was hold his hand. The feeling was astonishingly clear. It was natural that I was nervous to walk beside him in the hallway. ¡°Can¡¯t I be jealous?¡± I didn¡¯t know why I remembered that. I shook my head, trying to shake off my thoughts. ¡°We¡¯re married, aren¡¯t we?¡± No. I can¡¯t think about that, either. I glanced sideways at the man about one head taller than me. The late afternoon sun had produced a distinct shade of his beautiful features. Deep eyes like bright red jewels, a high nose bridge, and thick lips. Even the smooth skin and sharp jawline. He was truly a terribly perfect man¡ªwithout a flaw in his appearance. I thought I could believe that he was a heavenly being, not a human being. I couldn¡¯t believe he was my husband. It was true that our relationship was only temporary and based on a contract, but the fact that I married Lennox had somehow disappeared from my mind. ¡°¡­¡± Did he feel my gaze? When his head tilted at an angle, I quickly looked forward. I concentrated on walking as if nothing had happened. The clacking sounds of my shoes grew a little louder. The mansion of Viscount Brienne was enveloped in curious silence. Even though it was still midday, the door to the mansion was locked shut. The windows were tightly closed and thick curtains were drawn in each room. Inside the mansion, where no one could enter, there was deep gray smoke piled up to knee level. Richard walked through the deserted place and entered the only room with an open door. ¡°Lady Carinne.¡± The woman with long red hair raised her head. ¡°Was that everything?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 Richard replied in silence, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve burned all the Qualum leaves that were kept in the mansion.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Carinne looked down at Viscount Brienne lying on the bed. He was in a deep sleep. Richard spoke anxiously, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°By now, the Crown Prince must have heard of the existence of a sorcerer. The situation is against us.¡± ¡°One can¡¯t find the caster just from the traces of sorcery.¡± ¡°Olivia has witnessed me.¡± Of course, Olivia wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything for the time being. The seed she planted in Olivia¡¯s body was not magical, so Lennox Kravant would not be able to recognize it. However, Olivia was awakened and her influence was rapidly growing as she stayed with Lennox Kravant. It was only a matter of time before Carinne was named as a prime suspect. Now that this was the case, it would have been better to perform a spell and erase the evidence completely. ¡°If we let our guard down, everything could collapse in an instant.¡± It was an opportunity that Carinne had managed to grasp after many years. It would never happen again. So she had to be perfect. ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t you rather have it all removed?¡± ¡°I would rather have a house to come back to one day.¡± There might be ways to kill those who could be proof, but the Brienne family still had its use. ¡°This will strain you physically.¡± Richard finally dissuaded Carinne, but she was stubborn. It was her way to take one arm off rather than risk the whole plan being ruined to keep herself intact. ¡°Will you wait?¡± ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Richard replied reluctantly. Carinne lowered her eyes gently. Soon, the ancient spells of sorcery began to flow from her red lips. The process was performed to erase the memories related to sorcery from people¡¯s minds. As time went by, Carinne¡¯s complexion turned pale. Richard couldn¡¯t hide his nervousness as he stared at his master. It was only once the ceremony was over, when¡­ ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Lady Carinne!¡± Her body was greatly reeling. Richard rushed to support Carinne. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± She casually spoke, but her voice sounded rough. Richard couldn¡¯t say anything back. ¡°¡­¡± Instead, he just quietly clenched his teeth at the hopeless sight. Her white palms, which she had been gripping, were dark red and moist with blood. But Richard¡¯s indignation was lost and sank back into the depths of his heart. As it usually did. He silently took a handkerchief out of his arms. There was no emotion on his face. However, the hand that wiped off the bloody hands was sincere. The white cloth soon turned red. ¡°Allow me to take you to the carriage.¡± ¡°I can walk alone.¡± ¡°Let me take care of you.¡± Carinne sighed at the repeated stubborn requests. It was hard for her to beat Richard at a time like this. Carinne slowly raised her arm and wrapped it around Richard¡¯s neck. He held her skinny body carefully. While they were leaving the mansion, the two remained silent. Outside the main gate, a carriage with no patterns or decorations stood alone without a coachman. Richard, who opened the carriage door, carefully seated Carinne inside. The sunlight that passed through the window shone on Carinne, whose eyes were closed. Her face was pale, without a trace of blood. Seeing the drops of blood around her mouth, he bit his lips deeply. ¡°You need to rest for a while.¡± It was a reproachful voice that was unlike Richard¡¯s usual tone. Carinne smiled faintly in response. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to worry you.¡± Richard clenched his fist with a troubled face. He didn¡¯t mean to blame his master. However, what he wanted to say was only at the tip of his tongue, and it never came out of his mouth. For her, and for him, weakness was an unforgivable luxury. ¡°Forgive me.¡± He said what he had to say, swallowing the feeling of suffocation. Carinne nodded with her eyes closed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, please tell me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just focus on getting us to our destination.¡± Despite no one watching, Richard politely bent down and closed the carriage door. His hands were rather rough, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat and grabbing the hump. Neigh! With the cry of the horse, the carriage began to move away from the mansion at a rapid pace. Even after the images of the two disappeared completely, the birch, where everyone was asleep, was still. It was a peaceful, sleepy environment with a latent secret inside. ¡°Hah!¡± I jumped up, horrified. My eyes quickly scanned the surroundings I was in. Sitting on the sofa, I could see my body half-leaning against the backrest. It seemed that I fell asleep here after returning to his room. [Olivia! What¡¯s going on?] Ash, with a worried look on his face, looked at me. ¡°Nothing. Just a nightmare.¡± [What kind of nightmare was it? ¡­Oh, my God, you¡¯re in a cold sweat.] He was making a fuss. I brushed my forehead with the back of my hand. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I had such a dream.¡¯ In the dream, I had become Olivia, who had been imprisoned. The Olivia, whose soul was in Carinne¡¯s body and was about to be taken to the execution site. The cold and shady prison, with bone-chilling temperature, had a strong scent of death everywhere. Carinne had appeared as I trembled with terror. ¡°Poor thing.¡± Taking over my body, she looked at me with abominable sympathy. ¡°Oh, I should¡¯ve fired a word.¡± [What?] ¡°There was something.¡± If she had laughed at me or mocked me, I wouldn¡¯t have felt so dirty. ¡®A bad guy should just be a bad guy.¡¯ A villain with a backstory story was just uncomfortable. ¡®You¡¯re already a failure in evil sorcery.¡¯ As soon as I was relieved that things were going well, I dreamed of Carinne. It was just a dream and I wanted to forget it. The more I reflected on what I had been through in the Brienne mansion, the more I suffered. ¡°Ash. Let me ask you a favor.¡± [What is it?] ¡°Go check on Carinne¡¯s activity.¡± [She¡¯s not showing up at all¡­] ¡°If it¡¯s difficult with Carinne, look at Richard¡¯s movements. They work together, so maybe we can find something.¡± [Got it.] Ash, who nodded decisively, floated out of the window. His back gradually faded away. I murmured, rubbing my frowning brow, ¡°¡­It¡¯s gonna be okay.¡± It felt strange. I wasn¡¯t anxious or afraid, but I felt like something was off. ¡°We¡¯ll know when Ash comes back.¡± For now, it was best to wait for the news he would bring. Worries that couldn¡¯t be solved anyway were just a waste of time. It was when I had just turned around by the window after I succeeded in shaking off my worries. ¡°Madam, this is Nishir.¡± As soon as we went to the palace and got the marriage approval, the Duke¡¯s servants changed my title. The wedding was still left to do, but thanks to Lennox¡¯s orders, they treated me as the Duchess. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Nishir, who bowed deeply, marked the start of my afternoon schedule. ¡°The craftsmen who are in charge of the wedding robes have just arrived from the boutique.¡± A few hours later. I had come to realize how much hard work it was to change clothes. ¡®How long do I have to wear things and take them off for?¡¯ Not only dresses, but headdresses, veils, gloves and shoes had to be tried on dozens of times. There was no end in sight. Later, I was confused about whether I was wearing the clothes or the clothes were wearing me. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the next dress.¡± There were dozens of white dresses, each of a different design. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t this the dress I wore earlier?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied the fastidious-looking craftsman, who was wearing glasses. ¡°I think it¡¯s the same¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s completely different, from the lace decorations to the drag at the bottom of the skirt and the jewelry insertion at the top of the bodice.¡± Just in case, I was blocked off. Another craftsman with pink hair neatly opened a large box. ¡°You¡¯d better wear gloves up to your wrist. Don¡¯t look too frustrated.¡± ¡°Your hands are so white and thin, I think you¡¯d look good in lace gloves.¡± Dozens of gloves began to be neatly placed in front of me again. I hurriedly picked up any glove I could see and shouted at the ghastly sight. ¡°This one! I¡¯ll take this one.¡± But the tenacity of the craftsmen was truly frightening. ¡°That¡¯s not bad, but there will be more suitable gloves.¡± ¡°Sure. How many pretty gloves are there in the world?¡± I was speechless when I saw their eyes blazing with pure aspiration. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get the most perfect wedding dress in the world!¡± ¡®D*mn it. Wrong line¡­¡¯ Since then, the labor of wearing and taking dresses had continued. I gave up counting from the 40th dress. ¡®I want to pretend that the wedding and everything isn¡¯t going to happen¡­¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s almost over now, so cheer up.¡± I opened my eyes to what the craftsman said to comfort me. ¡°Really?¡± ¡®Yes, just a little bit more trouble and it¡¯s over¡­¡¯ ¡°You only need to try on ten more clothes.¡± ¡­Far from winning, I felt like crying. Before that, I was sure I was going to faint¡­ Even on the day of the wedding, I was starved without lunch to save my clothes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 Chapter 38 My stomach, which had been asking for something to digest for a while, had long calmed down. My exhausted mind was gradually giving up on rational thinking. ¡®Did Lennox intentionally tell these people not to feed me?¡¯ He might have been pissed that I tried to hide Ash¡¯s identity and now he was trying to get revenge on me. Considering the temper of the handsome man, that was most likely so. ¡°Olivia, are you done yet?¡± It was then that the voice of the criminal who caused this situation was heard. I felt exhausted, like a dog stretched out in the yard of a country house in the middle of summer. ¡®What do you think I¡¯m doing¡­!¡¯ I wanted to chase him out, but my survival instinct was ahead of him. ¡®Now is the only chance to escape from here.¡¯ Instinctively, I realized that he was my way out. Now that Lennox had come, it was a great opportunity to escape the clutches of the hideous boutique craftsmen. ¡°Oh, Lennox!¡± I shouted hastily, half-dressed beyond the partition. ¡°Is it time already?¡± I continued speaking in the same breath. ¡°Come to think of it, you said you had an important schedule tonight, right? Oh, my. I was so busy that I forgot about it.¡± It was fortunate that I couldn¡¯t see Lennox¡¯s face at all thanks to a series of partitions higher than my height. If I had talked to him face to face, I wouldn¡¯t have acted so brazenly. He was faster than a nine-tailed fox. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t have noticed my desperate need to get out of here. That was not the problem¡­ ¡®You¡¯re not going to pretend you don¡¯t know, right?¡¯ Sure enough, Lennox¡¯s blasphemous murmurs flowed over the partition. ¡°It is an important schedule¡­¡± He sounded like he was laughing. I took the initiative quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up soon, so please wait a little bit!¡± If he left first, I wouldn¡¯t forgive him. Swallowing those words, I turned to the boutique craftsmen. They were just getting ready to put on a new dress for me when they heard our conversation and looked embarrassed. I tried to press down on the corners of my mouth, which were about to soar up, and looked as sorry as I could. ¡°As you may have heard, I have a very important appointment.¡± I could get an award for ¡®best actress¡¯. ¡°I tried my best to consider your preparation and hard work, but this is what happened. You¡¯ll forgive me, won¡¯t you?¡± The response was how I expected it to go. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been very grateful to you for following our instructions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough that you have tried on our designs. I¡¯ve written them down.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll definitely fall in love with the dress we¡¯ll make. You have our word.¡± A determined resolution came into their eyes. Should I say that it was an artist¡¯s unique aura? I smiled and nodded as nonchalantly as I could. *** ¡°Lennox!¡± As soon as I changed into an indoor dress, I opened the partition and called him back. The appearance of this man was strangely on time, but it was the first time that I was so glad to see him. ¡°I didn¡¯t keep you waiting long, did I?¡± I approached him with a smile. He saw through my blatant lie, but he did a good job of going along with me. ¡°I had no time to be bored because I wanted to ask you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When did I make such a promise that I didn¡¯t even-¡± ¡°Oh, Lennox! It¡¯s so touching! You came to pick me up in person!¡± I shouted exaggeratedly. It was purely for the purpose of stopping Lennox¡¯s evil mouth. One of his straight eyebrows, interrupted by my nonsense, lifted up. Then, his smooth lips slowly melted into a smirk. His red eyes turned towards the craftsmen, who were just packing their bags. ¡°Come on!¡± I snapped my fingers at Lennox. My unexpected behavior caused him to narrow his eyes but he pretended not to see me. Humans could do anything for their survival. Now, I was on the verge of dying of hunger with muscle pain flooding all over my body, so I was very desperate. Even if it was empty words, I voluntarily folded my arms with my husband. ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go!¡± I pulled Lennox¡¯s unmoving arm with all my strength. He was looking down at me like a cat observing the situation, but then he stepped with a meaningful smile. It was obvious that he was walking slowly on purpose. ¡®I hate you so much.¡¯ As soon as I left the room and got out of the eyes of others, I looked at Lennox. The smile on his lips became prominent. I put my hands on my waist as I questioned him. ¡°You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°All of it!¡± ¡°Well, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Lennox answered back casually. He even shrugged his shoulders as if he knew nothing. ¡°I wanted you to wear a pretty wedding dress. Did you not like any of it?¡± ¡°The dress isn¡¯t the problem! Do you know how hard it was? I didn¡¯t have a moment to rest.¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± He looked pitiful as I rambled on in anger. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t allowed to eat anything, and my heels were so tall, and I couldn¡¯t breathe in those tight dresses¡­¡± I was going to ask Lennox if it was intentional, but gradually, my words turned into complaints. ¡°I¡¯m so exhausted that I can hardly walk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a problem. You can¡¯t have a wedding safely if you¡¯re not healthy.¡± It was then that Lennox, who looked worried, wrapped one of his arms around my waist. ¡°Kya¡­!¡± Meanwhile, his other arm slipped behind my knees. And thus, he lifted me in a bridal style. ¡°Your Grace!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lennox. You were calling me by it perfectly fine before, and now ¡®Your Grace¡¯? Again?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± The sense of this man, which was unnecessarily sharp, was admirable at this point. Being at a disadvantage, I quickly changed the subject. ¡°You won¡¯t let me off if I tell you to, will you?¡± ¡°You should know better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t your arms hurt? I¡¯m pretty heavy.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± Smiling, he suddenly uttered an eerie remark. ¡°You said you had a hard time, but you feel lighter. How do you think I should punish those who overworked you?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Shall we lock them up in prison and keep them out of the sun forever? Now that your status is equivalent to the Imperial family¡¯s, you have the right to punish people of status similar to the Imperial Family¡¯s.¡± ¡°No, what are you¡­¡± My mouth gaped in astonishment. So now this man was going to punish craftsmen who were only guilty of hard work. The person who caused this situation was Lennox himself! ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know they gave you such a hard time. Would that be enough reason to ruin this useless boutique?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± I shouted in a hundred decibels to the man who casually said scary things. ¡°They just did what they had to do. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to punish them for doing what they¡¯re supposed to do. Where did you sell your conscience?¡± ¡°Why would I need that?¡± he asked back confidently. I felt the terrible arrogance of the ¡®had never bowed to anyone and had always lived with people under their feet¡¯ aura from him. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t do anything. It wasn¡¯t the craftsmen¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the fault of those who didn¡¯t even understand their client¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it your fault that you asked for a perfect dress?¡± ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re covering up their incompetence like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not covering up anything, this is common sense. I¡¯m telling you-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be enough for me to ruin their work. I¡¯m going to have to order for them to be captured.¡± ¡°Lennox!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but shout. But he grinned with satisfaction, rather than anger. ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear. Say it again.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you not know? If I feel better, I might change my mind.¡± ¡®Wait, this¡­¡¯ Did you protest until now because I called you ¡®Your Grace¡¯? When I looked at him with a doubt, the bright red eyes I encountered bent like a crescent moon. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking, perhaps it is true.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 Chapter 39 I got goosebumps at the eerily omniscient answer. He was a man of extraordinary character, yes, but this was a lot more than expected. Also, there was something odd about his appearance right now, like he was slightly out of focus. Was this marriage going to be okay? When I first proposed, Lennox had looked at me like I was crazy. Compared to that time, the situation and atmosphere were so different, and it was even more difficult to adapt when he embarrassed me like so. ¡°Olivia, what shall we do?¡± His eyes glimmered dangerously. Feeling like a sheep led to slaughter, I answered cautiously, ¡°Just let it slide, Lennox.¡± I didn¡¯t want to sacrifice the innocent craftsmen in our petty squabble. ¡°Even though you suffered so much?¡± ¡°But my dress will be pretty.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Lennox¡¯s eyes instantly softened, a satisfied smile gracing his face. I shook my head with a sigh. He was far too stubborn for me to handle. As he had already gotten what he wanted, he began to walk again with me still in his arms. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°To the dining hall. I told the staff to get ready so that you¡¯ll be able to eat right away.¡± I looked at him, mildly surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m just wondering how you found out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not such a fool that I wouldn¡¯t know if my wife hasn¡¯t eaten yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the best thing you¡¯ve said all day.¡± It was awkward at first, but being in Lennox¡¯s arms was unexpectedly comfortable. He effortlessly carried me down the stairs. My tired body naturally leaned against him, my head touching a solid chest. I jolted. Lennox laughed. ¡°Why? You looked quite comfortable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I snapped back, prompting another laugh from him. Fortunately, we arrived at the dining hall just in time. The slight tension between us dissipated when I sated my hunger. ¡°I might have eaten those dresses if you hadn¡¯t come in time,¡± I joked. ¡°If I had known it was that bad, I would have hurried more.¡± ¡°The food is delicious, so I¡¯ll forgive your tardiness this time.¡± ¡°How gracious. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity.¡± I burst into laughter. Lennox looked at me with a serious expression. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Because you look good,¡± he answered immediately. ¡°It¡¯s nice seeing you laugh.¡± My heart pitter-pattered in my chest, excited about the compliment even though my mind knew it was a joke. ¡°Stop teasing.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not.¡± Lennox put both of his arms on the table, leaning closer. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m teasing you?¡± He really had a talent for asking hard questions. ¡°A smiling face is better than a crying one, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± I knew I would lose if I responded seriously. ¡°Are you going to avoid me like this?¡± I turned my head away as if I hadn¡¯t heard anything, but I could still feel his gaze on me. ¡°Why are you still looking at me?¡± Before he could answer, I heard a familiar voice. [Olivia!] Ash shot like an arrow through the open window, not even bothering to speak into my mind directly. [Olivia! She¡¯s gone!] Even though Lennox was here¡­ [Carinne! She¡¯s nowhere to be found!] I blinked. Blinked again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Exactly what I said. There¡¯s no trace of her left, it¡¯s like she evaporated. The man named Richard is gone too.] ¡°But there must have been people inside the mansion.¡± [They were all put to sleep. Even Viscount Brienne.] ¡°All of them?¡± [I don¡¯t know how the spell spread throughout the entire area, but it would only have taken two whiffs of it to put an ordinary person to sleep.] I gulped. ¡°But they¡¯re safe, right?¡± [They won¡¯t die. But no one knows where Carinne is.] My hands clenched under the table. Also, Ash had mentioned Carinne¡¯s name twice already, which meant that he wasn¡¯t restricted from saying it like I was¡­ and that Lennox heard it. ¡°You mean Carinne Brienne?¡± Ash and I made eye contact. I rubbed my forehead, which was starting to throb. Oh, right! Had the restrictions been lifted? I clearly remembered how powerful they were, even though Lennox couldn¡¯t see signs of a spell. ¡°So, have you two decided on who¡¯s going to answer me?¡± [Gah!] Ash screeched. [Don¡¯t do that!] ¡°The bird is as timid as it looks.¡± [Who are you calling timid?] ¡°Are there any other birds besides you here?¡± Lennox grinned. Ash pouted. ¡°Even if you want to sulk in silence, you have to finish the conversation properly.¡± [I wasn¡¯t talking to you,] the bird replied, balking when bright red eyes met his. ¡°Do you know what makes people angry?¡± [I don¡¯t know¡­!] he made a last-ditch attempt at defiance, but soon lowered his tail. Lennox put his fingers on the top of Ash¡¯s head, then winked at me. ¡°He¡¯s so cute that I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Couldn¡¯t help what? Look at Ash like a snake did a mouse? At any rate, it seemed like enough bullying for the day. Lennox stepped back and nodded. ¡°Explain.¡± [You think I¡¯m going to reveal information to you?] ¡°Do you want me to pet you one more time?¡± ¡°Lennox.¡± ¡°Oh, so will you tell me?¡± I stiffened. [Olivia, I¡¯ll do it.] ¡°Wait a minute.¡± I tried mumbling Carinne¡¯s name. It no longer felt like it was stuck in my throat like the last time. ¡°Yes, he was referring to Carinne Brienne.¡± The words flowed freely. ¡°Did you send the bird to observe your sister?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°There must have been a good reason for your actions.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°Ah, I¡¯d been wondering who the sorcerer was.¡± His expression became unreadable, and a cool air current began to swirl around him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The mood in the room suddenly grew thick with tension. Under the covered table, I gripped my skirt tightly with my hand on my thigh. I was pretty sure that Lennox would ask me why I hadn¡¯t spoken of the sorcerer¡¯s identity until now. He was a tenacious man, so I knew he wouldn¡¯t let this slide again. But what I heard him muttering to himself was not what I was expecting. ¡°So it wasn¡¯t that the viscount picked up an illegitimate child, but that he was manipulated by his adoptee. I¡¯m going to tear that woman apart, even if it kills her.¡± An illegitimate child? What? Lennox excused himself, saying that he would look into it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Carinne is an adopted child.¡± It was only a year ago when she came into the Brienne family, the year when she reached the age of majority. That was something that hadn¡¯t appeared in the original setting. [Did you really not know that Carinne was adopted?] ¡°Really. As I¡¯ve told you, only certain parts of the former Olivia¡¯s memory were transmitted.¡± [Isn¡¯t this something too important to be forgotten?] ¡°That¡¯s what I want to say. Transmigration¡­ This whole thing should have been done right. Why is it that I can¡¯t even remember important things like this?¡± [¡­Sorry. Did I miss something while bringing you here?] Ash immediately apologized. ¡°It¡¯s funny that I never considered it. We have no similarities in our appearance.¡± Although our hair colors were different, the viscount and I had the same green eyes. But Carinne, who had red hair and purple eyes, didn¡¯t look like anyone in the Brienne family. ¡°So she left the mansion without anyone knowing. She knows I¡¯ve caught her, so she¡¯s decided that it¡¯s too dangerous to stay¡­¡± [What if she just doesn¡¯t need to stay anymore?] ¡°Maybe¡­¡± The restrictions that were on me were lifted, and Carinne had disappeared at the same time. Was it a coincidence? I remembered the conversation with Lennox from a while ago. ¡±Olivia, I want you to answer my questions honestly from now on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do with Carinne Brienne?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He stared at me. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to reveal information about your so-called family, you can be punished. It could get difficult.¡± ¡°Sorcery is a crime on the level of treason. Is it even an option to stay quiet?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do. But you can¡¯t do anything as long as the investigation is ongoing.¡± The meaning of Lennox¡¯s words, which had sounded like he was reading words monotonously off a menu, was obvious. Whatever I chose to do, Carinne was to face a world of punishment. ¡°What is she thinking?¡± I was now convinced that her goal was not to marry the Crown Prince, so there must be something else. The problem was that I didn¡¯t know what it was. ¡°Ash. There really aren¡¯t any traces of magic left on my body, right?¡± I had also told Lennox why I couldn¡¯t say Carinne¡¯s name at first, and asked him to double-check if there were remnants of a spell on me. Unlike the last time he did it, it took quite a long time to confirm that there was no magic left on my body. But I couldn¡¯t shake my anxiety. [Maybe it¡¯s not Carinne¡¯s magic.] ¡°No, there¡¯s no evidence, but I feel like it was Carinne¡¯s back then.¡± That unpleasant sensation had never been wrong. ¡°She¡¯s also the only person who would do such a thing.¡± Whether it was magic or otherwise¡­ ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure what exactly happened to Olivia because of my imperfect memories.¡± Under constant surveillance, I had been given tea mixed with Qualum leaves. In the original story, I had drunk it every day. [Don¡¯t worry too much. Carinne won¡¯t be able to move for a while.] And then Ash said something most unexpected, [She must have used up a lot of her life force.] ¡°What¡­ do you mean, ¡®life force¡¯?¡± Ash blinked quickly and stared at me in wonder. ¡°You¡¯ve never said anything like that before.¡± [Oh¡­ it¡¯s just written in the book I read in the library¡­ Life force is used in exchange for dark magic.] Was there a story like that? [Haven¡¯t you read it yet?] ¡°Haven¡¯t I?¡± Of course, I could have missed it¡­ [Oh my!] I opened my eyes wide when I held him firmly with both hands to prevent him from running away. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? That I¡¯m going to fall for it once again?¡± There was no way I would have missed something so important. ¡°I know there¡¯s so much you didn¡¯t tell me.¡± [Oh, Olivia¡­] Did he think I would have mercy if he pretended to be a pitiful creature? He scolded himself for making so many mistakes and a lack of foresight. ¡°If you wanted to keep something a secret, you should have hid it perfectly. If you¡¯re careless, I¡¯ll drag it out of your beak.¡± I flicked my finger lightly against Ash¡¯s forehead and glared at him. He laughed. I relaxed my grip and he cuddled into my hand naturally, expressing affection by rubbing his head against my skin. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have any bad intentions, but do you have a reason why you can¡¯t tell me about it? Let me ask you one thing, at least.¡± Ash contemplated his options for a bit and then nodded. [If I can answer.] ¡°Do you know my future?¡± [No¡­] He shook his head. [Not even God knows the future. The only thing we can do is reflect on the past and predict what might happen based on the data. The future is not set in stone.] ¡°Are you sure? We really don¡¯t have an inevitable fate?¡± The bird nodded violently. [Of course. That would shake the basic order of the world. If there¡¯s a world like that, it must be a terrible one.] His firm answer relieved me. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± It was enough to know that Olivia¡¯s ending could be changed. The knowledge was comforting. I frowned. Actually, why did she agree to switch bodies with me in the first place? She¡¯d been born into an aristocratic family, so she lived without any scarcity. My life before I transmigrated had been the epitome of unlucky and miserable. Was Carinne really the reason? It made some sense. By the time Carinne was adopted, Viscount Brienne would already have been under her spell. Olivia would have noticed that she couldn¡¯t trust her father, her maids, or anyone else in the Brienne household. The situation might have been irreversible at that point. Ash and Lennox were there for me this time, but there was no one for the original Olivia. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how terrible it must have been to despair in loneliness and helplessness. I shook my head and my thoughts away. ¡°Alright, so what exactly do you mean about life force being exchanged for black magic.¡± [Using black magic shortens one¡¯s lifespan. Depending on the technique, it¡¯s only a few hours, or at most, a few days or years.] ¡°Then, the more you use magic¡­¡± [Not only does your lifespan get shorter, but your health also deteriorates. In a way, it¡¯s like your body breaks down.] Listening to Ash¡¯s explanation made me feel uneasy. What was Carinne¡¯s goal? Why was she so determined to reach it at the expense of her own life? In the same way that I was struggling to survive, it seemed that she also had things she desperately wanted to fight for. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 Chapter 41 I clenched my fist. ¡°How do we find Carinne? If you still have energy, maybe we can retrace her steps.¡± His face clouded and he shook his head. [It¡¯s impossible. There are traces of magic, but none point to who cast the spell.] ¡°Someone erased them just enough so the caster wouldn¡¯t be identified. Our only lead is the Brienne estate.¡± [I guess so.] ¡°It¡¯s back to square one.¡± I felt as if my plans were unraveling. Still, what little I knew was still better than nothing. Carinne¡¯s whereabouts were something I¡¯d have to keep looking into, along with her abilities. [No, you¡¯re safe.] Ash groaned as if he had read my mind. [I bought us time.] ¡°Time?¡± [Time to figure things out.] He winked at me. [The intricacy and scale of the spell must have used up a lot of life force.] I thought about Ash¡¯s words for a moment, and he kept looking at me expectantly. Finally, I realized his point. ¡°She needs to recover.¡± [That¡¯s right.] ¡°Until she regains her health, Carinne can only keep quiet while we snoop around.¡± He nodded with a proud look. She was certainly at her most vulnerable right now. Additionally, I had Lennox on my side. As much as she had been planning for this, the situation was still in my favor at the moment. I had to make the most of this opportunity. [You can take a break. You¡¯re going to have a wedding and your honeymoon. Those are all things you¡¯ve never experienced before.] ¡°But can I afford to¡­¡± [It¡¯s only been 15 days,] Ash murmured to himself. [If you had been able to change your fate during that time, that must have been no small feat¡­] ¡°Ash?¡± [It means you have that much freedom and influence in the Brienne family you¡¯ve been struggling to escape. Don¡¯t feel guilty and enjoy your rest as much as you want. The night is too late to keep thinking about Carinne.] At the strangely persuasive remarks, I carefully asked, ¡°¡­Can I?¡¯. Ash smiled and nodded. [Of course. The time you¡¯ve lost will never come back, so value your life and relationships now. Go ahead.] He paused, then added, [Don¡¯t have regrets later on.] He seemed to mean it. [Everyone is going to be alright, Olivia.] ¡°¡­Yes¡± I leaned on the sofa with my eyes closed. I was still nervous, but perhaps it was because of the late hour, the fatigue rushed in rapidly. Dreams quickly ate me up. At that time, A fingernail-sized beak touched my wrist Whispering followed, [Epure¡¯s power will protect you.] I think I heard a small voice. But I wasn¡¯t sure. *** As Ash expected, in the investigation conducted by Brienne, there was no evidence that Carinne was a sorceress. The only thing anyone had to say about the sickly lady consisted of normal ordinary memories. Even Mary, who had switched bodies with Carinne, was put under a spell and couldn¡¯t remember any of it. ¡°Miss Carinne left the mansion without a word at all?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Rather, they heard that she had left because she was concerned about her safety and health. And the Viscount Brienne in question¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve adopted someone I don¡¯t even know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I guess I was out of my mind.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± As soon as the spell was released, Carinne would officially be stricken from the family register. His daughter¡¯s unexpected marriage to Duke Kravant was a huge boon to him, so he approved of it the very next day. He sent a letter to me as well. [Congratulations on your wedding, Olivia.] At first, it started out like any other common letter. [I¡¯m wishing you a happy marriage.] Gradually, the content became more and more complicated and strange. Maybe because the paper was high-quality, but it burned very well, just like firewood. [Aren¡¯t you going to tell the Duke about it?] Ash, who had read the paper over my shoulder, asked. ¡°My father is pathetic. I don¡¯t need to tell Lennox.¡± [But the letter asked for a response.] ¡°Asking for money is basically just asking to be ignored.¡± I¡¯d already lost money to the people in my life before. [Will the viscount stay quiet, though?] ¡°What else is he going to do? He didn¡¯t even provide me with a dowry and now he wants to lean on his son-in-law? How shameless.¡± He wasn¡¯t wielding a knife, but he was a robber indeed. [Maybe he¡¯ll come here.] ¡°Let him. I¡¯ll chase him out.¡± Viscount Brienne hadn¡¯t been a good father in the story I knew, and he clearly wasn¡¯t any better this time around. While the biggest trigger for Olivia¡¯s demise was Carinne, the fact that she had given up on this world meant that she didn¡¯t have a good relationship with the viscount either. He was an indifferent man who only saw his daughter as a stepping stone for his career or a product he could put on the wedding market. ¡°I¡¯m done with him.¡± I¡¯d never liked him anyway. *** Ten days passed in the blink of an eye. No major incidents happened in that period. Well, except for Ash sleeping for four full days. ¡°Are you alright?¡± [Yep. One must sleep when they are tired.] ¡°But you didn¡¯t eat for four days?¡± [I¡¯ve tried sleeping for a month. This is nothing.] I frowned. He wasn¡¯t a hibernating animal, was he? He laughed my concern off. The days went by peacefully at the ducal house. Even the worries that I had thought would chase me faded. Before I knew it, my wedding was just around the corner. *** ¡°Asuna, take it easy. I¡¯m going to pack everything here. Are you calculating?¡± I was busy packing from one side. She dissuaded me. Asuna was one of the newly hired staff as the older group of servants was replaced. She originally lived in the Duchy of Kravant¡¯s estate She volunteered to clean up after me, and in many ways, she was a great maid. I was kind of getting used to having her around. The problem was I was also a perfectionist. That was the point. ¡°You need everything¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve already packed seven handkerchiefs. You know I¡¯ve improved, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be sad if you don¡¯t have it¡± ¡°Why would I need a handkerchief so much?¡± Looking at Asuna working while I was about to go to sleep, I was jealous. She answered back naturally, ¡°It¡¯s the sleep that determines the quality of travel. People usually have trouble sleeping when they change their beds. That¡¯s why you need to bring your pillows with you. It will help you sleep well.¡± Oh, my God. I buried my face in my palms. ¡°Madam, the first booking on your itinerary is just sightseeing in Elysium. You can think about what kind of delicious food you¡¯ll get then. I¡¯ll take care of the work.¡± Asuna smiled and pointed to the book in my hand. Your Wedding Venue & Honeymoon Recommendations I replied back with an indifferent look, ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie about the Elysium part, but I¡¯ve also read this over ten times.¡± ¡°You always say that, but you take a look inside every time you see it.¡± She was right. ¡°And¡­¡± I coughed and pretended not to hear. Asuna laughed and set her attention back to packing. Olivia, you can¡¯t stop Asuna anyway. Just give up. Ash spoke to me silently, and I wordlessly agreed. Yeah. I¡¯d just read a book to kill time. Thanks to the bookmark, as soon as I opened the book, the first page of the part appeared. ¡°Pretty¡­¡± With the shining sea and blue sky in the background and a regal ancient temple, our wedding hall was beautiful. [The ocean city of Elysium. Nature and ancient history in between heaven and earth It was a vacation spot with a castle that used to be the seat of power of a kingdom. The whole city was a historic site¡­ One of the most famous attractions in Elysium was the Delphion Temple. With its unique sacred atmosphere and beauty, it was popular as a wedding venue.] Even though it was just a depiction, the temple was dazzling ¡°As expected, I¡¯m glad I chose this one.¡± As soon as I saw the Temple of Delphion, I knew it was¡ªwell¡ªlike fate. There were other locations that were more expensive and seemingly luxurious, but they didn¡¯t even catch my eye. ¡®I¡¯m going to marry Lennox here¡­¡¯ As soon as I started imagining it, my face burned up. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m making such a fuss. We¡¯re already married on paper anyway.¡¯ I hurriedly fanned my face to cool my cheeks. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Olivia.¡± ¡¯Speak of the devil¡­¡¯ I closed the book. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Ash promptly opened the door. As expected, it was Lennox. And as always, his appearance was perfectly impeccable. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I sighed, gesturing towards my luggage. ¡°Any more preparations and that¡¯d mean taking everything in this room to Elysium. Asuna rubbed her face in embarrassment. Lennox took turns looking at us in the room. ¡°That¡¯s a lot,¡± he commented blandly, then held his hand out to me. ¡°It¡¯s not your job anyway, so don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s go.¡± His white gloves did nothing to hide his long, elegant fingers. It seemed that before I realized it, I¡¯d gotten used to holding hands with him. In front of the mansion was a large, gilt black, four-wheeled carriage with four muscular horses. ¡°It¡¯s incredible.¡± I put my hand against it, then pulled back immediately. The surface of the carriage was marked with fingerprints. ¡¯Oops.¡¯ I pulled on my sleeve to wipe it off quickly, but my wrist was caught in someone¡¯s grasp. When I turned, my handsome companion was frowning. ¡°Why are you doing the coachman¡¯s job?¡± Well, it was my fault that my fingerprints were smudged on such a noble carriage. I laughed awkwardly. ¡°I just moved before realizing it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Does it look bad?¡± Red eyes stared intently at me, and then the hand on my wrist loosened. ¡°Whether you scratch the wagon with your fingernails or make prints, just leave it alone.¡± But why would I do that? ¡°Alright,¡± I just said, then got into the carriage. They began to move when Lennox, who sat opposite me, knocked on the wall behind him. ¡°How long does it take to get to the portal?¡± ¡°About an hour?¡± ¡°That¡¯s shorter than I thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just outside of the island.¡± Considering this body¡¯s severe motion sickness, it was very fortunate that we could be able to go to Elysium using the portal. Of course, this carriage was extremely high-quality, but long-term trips were still a burden. ¡°What does it look like?¡± ¡°Nothing special. It¡¯s just a flat rock with engraved magic lines.¡± There were things that I became accustomed to while living with Lennox for nearly a fortnight. For one, it was no longer uncomfortable or awkward to talk to him. We chatted about this and that, and we arrived at the portal in no time. Lennox got out of the carriage first and assisted my descent. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s easy to lose your footing because of the gravel.¡± Thanks to him, however, no such mishap occurred. ¡°Welcome, Your Highnesses.¡± A man who appeared to be a knight of the Imperial Army came running, bowing his head. ¡°Is it ready?¡± ¡°You can go right away,¡± the knight replied bravely. After walking for a few minutes, I could see a huge beam of light shooting up to the sky. The rainbow-colored light looked like a beautiful curtain, and under it was solid white rock. ¡°Lennox, isn¡¯t that too big?¡± The size of the portal was much larger than I expected, seemingly fit to be used by hundreds of people at a time. ¡°It¡¯s the top portal. Rather, considering the population of the system, it¡¯s not large enough.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it need a lot of mana to operate it?¡± ¡°Whether big or small, the amount of mana used is similar.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I¡¯d thought that it would take more if the portal was larger. ¡°On the contrary, it¡¯s more economical because it can move many people at once.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I stepped cautiously on the white stone. Lennox supported me unwaveringly. ¡°Don¡¯t step on the magic lines as much as possible. Apparently, touching the light often causes nausea.¡± [The portal will be up and running soon. Destination, Elysium. Five minutes before departure.] While my heart was busy pounding with excitement, I finally noticed something. ¡°But why are we the only ones here? We¡¯re leaving soon.¡± It was only our group who stood in the huge magic circle. There were about ten people, including Asuna, Nishir, and other knights. ¡°We¡¯re the only ones using this portal.¡± Then did he¡­ rent the entire thing? Lennox shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t really like mingling with strangers.¡± Just for that? This was the equivalent of renting out a whole plane as opposed to just buying first-class tickets. [Three minutes before departure. Passengers, please do not step out of the magic circle.] ¡°You could do that? Doesn¡¯t that cost so much more than the usual fare?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know since I¡¯ve always done that.¡± I gaped at him, and didn¡¯t even notice his arm wrapping protectively around my waist because of the wind. ¡°The ground shakes when it starts, by the way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And it could be dangerous,¡± he added, then pulled me to him. My face was buried in his chest. ¡°Lennox, wait a minute, this is too close¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll only be for a moment,¡± he responded lightly, tightening his embrace. [One minute before departure, please be prepared for the tremors.] I tensed as I felt the firmness of Lennox¡¯s body, the contours under the thin fabric of his clothes. Thump. Thump. Thump. The pounding heartbeat didn¡¯t seem like mine. I hoped desperately that he would not notice it, feeling that the minute was stretching on for eternity. [Countdown. Ten, nine,¡­] There was a slight tremor under my feet, but I was able to keep my balance due to Lennox¡¯s help. [Six, five, four,¡­] I bit my lip, feeling shaky and dizzy in a way entirely unrelated to the portal¡¯s activation. [Two, one, zero. Warp.] Deep relief flooded me when we were finally on our way. *** ¡°Wow!¡± Olivia burst into admiration. Lennox¡¯s gaze at her was surprisingly tender. ¡°We¡¯re really staying here for a week?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She looked ecstatic as she held her hands to her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s so nice! Ah¡­¡± The Kravant villa on the meadow above the coastal cliff made a picturesque view. From the inside, the mysterious jade sea was visible from the window, as well as the sturdy, centuries-old trees surrounding them. The architecture, old-fashioned gadgets, and cute trinkets were all very pleasing to Olivia. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a better place than this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s high praise for those who have prepared it.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true. If I had the opportunity to choose the things I liked and built a villa, it would have been like this.¡± Most of the things related to the wedding were decided by her, but the accommodation was an exception because of safety and security issues. She only knew that there were quite a few escorts around the villa. In any case, Lennox¡¯s choice was excellent, and Olivia was very satisfied. ¡°So, is what you see right now beyond your expectations?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. Just in case you didn¡¯t know, I have another lodging downtown.¡± ¡°Yes? What do you want to do, stay there? What a waste!¡± Deep down, still a frugal citizen, Olivia expressed regret at the thought of having another set of accommodations. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to like this place this much.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old villa.¡± ¡°How long has it been since it was built?¡± Lennox briefly went silent, though it went unnoticed. ¡°About a thousand years.¡± ¡°A thousand? No way, I never would have thought that.¡± Subdued wallpaper, unvarnished furniture, a soft carpet¡­ It looked as if it had just been built. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. You seem to have taken care of it very carefully.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. Also, I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Lennox answered quietly. She was right that he had been managing it with great care after all those years. It was also the only villa where he sometimes rested. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 Chapter 43 ¡°Can I sit down?¡± Olivia touched the seat of the sofa embroidered with subtle floral patterns. ¡°If I say no, would that stop you?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± She smiled bashfully and sat. The soft texture felt pleasant against her back, and the irregular crackling sounds from the fireplace were calming. She smiled. ¡°This place is very cozy and comfortable.¡± Lennox observed her peaceful face. ¡°The scenery is nice, it¡¯s quiet, and the house is just the right size. We should come here more often¡­ wait¡ª¡± Olivia shot up, looking at the mantel. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± The cute wooden animal carvings lined up above the fireplace caught her eye. A cat with two paws together, a puppy wagging its tail, a rabbit with its ears pricked up¡­ They were delicate and elaborate, the craftsmanship of a master. Each characteristic was expressed so lovingly. ¡°Cute¡­ Where did you buy them?¡± ¡°I made them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Olivia whipped her head around to face Lennox. ¡°I make them in my free time, so there¡¯s quite a lot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lennox grinned as she looked back and forth between him and the mantelpieces. ¡°This is one of your talents?¡± She ran to him and grabbed one of his hands with both of hers. Olivia touched his knuckles lightly, admiring his long, elegant fingers. ¡°You can make those with this big hand?¡± The animals were all dainty, only as tall as his pinky finger was long. Lennox nodded in affirmation, and she gasped. His lips curled upwards in response to her honest reaction. It was amazing that it wasn¡¯t unpleasant to him that she expressed her thoughts and feelings without reserve. It felt so natural. ¡°So cute and pretty.¡± ¡°You can have them. I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Can I really have them?¡± Her large green eyes widened. ¡°Such precious things?¡± she added timidly, though her eyes now glittered with expectation. Clear and vibrant green, full of life. Like a boatman drawn to a siren¡¯s song, Lennox found himself drawn to her. His heart ached. ¡°¡­!¡± He stepped back reflexively, only a little because Olivia still had his hand. ¡°Lennox?¡± The ache disappeared instantly, though the sensations lingered. Olivia, apparently, misunderstood his actions. ¡°You¡¯ve worked so hard on them, so it¡¯s hard to let them go, right? I¡¯m happy just looking at them.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s really alright.¡± Lennox shook his head. It was for the best that someone would cherish those things that had been neglected by their creator. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked carefully He smiled, and her face was transformed by sudden delight. ¡°Thank you!¡± Immediately, her gaze shifted to those little carvings. Lennox felt a little sorry that their eyes lost contact so soon. ¡°It seems fair to only take one, but which one should I take? Ugh, they¡¯re all adorable¡­¡± Olivia murmured softly, cheeks flushing with excitement and a joyful agony. He stretched out his arm, enchanted, fingers almost touching her face. Embarrassment struck, though, and Lennox withdrew his hand, eyes uncharacteristically troubled. What was happening to him? He¡¯d never wanted to touch anyone willingly before, much less unconsciously. There were now more and more exceptions to his rules. His hands clenched. He felt his nails dig into his own palms. A little painfully. Lennox tensed at the sudden realization, his composure cracking. It couldn¡¯t have been real. He repeated his disbelief to himself even as he stared at his hand as he opened it¡ªthe movement unusually slow. As soon as his hand fully opened, a huge wave of shock crashed against him. His eyes shook violently. ¡¯Impossible.¡¯ ¡°Lennox?¡± Olivia, who found him just in time, had surprise and intrigue coloring her voice. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good. Is everything alright?¡± He finally came to his senses and managed to get his expression back to his usual confident one, if not his mind. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Those clear green eyes looked at him with anxiety and tenderness. They shook his resolve without him knowing it. No, he knew it and he welcomed it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said hoarsely. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I just thought of something briefly. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, and you don¡¯t need to choose just one. You can take them all; at least they¡¯ll have someone to take care of them now.¡± Although she was still worried, Olivia nodded reluctantly. ¡°You must be tired, so get some rest. The wedding¡¯s tomorrow, so it¡¯s going to be hectic.¡± Lennox swerved away from the drawing room, too fast for her to catch up to him. He shut his bedroom door roughly, leaning against it and dropping his pretense of calm. After wiping his face agitatedly, he looked down again at his hand, his perpetually trimmed nails. It was so pathetic that he hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier. It was meaningless to ask when it had begun because he knew what exactly it was that was causing this change. Or rather, who. ¡°Olivia.¡± The promised savior. His eyes closed slowly, thick eyelashes trembling lightly. The time that was lost due to an irreversible sin. The providence that he thought would never come back. At last, it began to flow again. *** Deep into the night, the Kravant villa was silent. Olivia and her little bird were fast asleep. Lennox, however, was not. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s Nishir.¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± Nishir had a silver jewelry box in his hand. Lennox opened the lid and checked its contents. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± he commented. His aide swallowed a sigh of relief. The sudden request left all the shadows on high alert. Fortunately, there was something they could work with in the duke¡¯s treasure room. It¡¯d been unused for a long time, but it was in good condition. When the craftsman, who had been urgently hired, polished it a little, the set of ornaments sparkled as if it had just been made. ¡°And the temple?¡± ¡°The instructions have been delivered. In addition, it is now firmly guarded by our people.¡± ¡°Just in case, place shadows appropriately on every street corner.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The silver box was closed with a click, then placed on the oak desk. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 Lennox glanced out of the window. The darkness told him that it was well past midnight. The average person would have already been finished with their day. But for him and the shadows, it might as well have been noontime. His sleep time was incomparably shorter than that of ordinary people even if he looked and acted normally. In a sense, he was in the same shape as he had been the morning they arrived at Elysium. Usually, he would have been working, but there was something Lennox had to do. He took off his jacket and handed it to a surprised Nishir, who knew that with so much time before dawn, it was not yet time for his master to sleep. Next, Lennox took off his vest, then loosened his cravat to scratch his neck pensively. Tsk. At odds with the rough manner in which he undid his cravat, he gently ran his other hand through his hair. Nishir watched the unfamiliar sight unfold. ¡°Well, my lord¡­¡± He stared at the subtle changes in Lennox¡¯s hands and neck. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡± Lennox allowed his aide the time to be shocked as he unbuttoned his cuffs. ¡¯I¡¯ll have to trim them.¡¯ Even the small act of disrobing grew annoying due to his longer fingernails. He finally opened his mouth after undoing three or four buttons on the front of his shirt. ¡°This is taking too long.¡± The only sound that came from Nishir was a gulp. ¡°You¡¯ll soon start to change too.¡± Lennox opened his palm slowly. A small vortex rose above it, a blue sacred stone appearing. Its color had become lighter since they first arrived on the island. It had changed, just as much as he had. As much as Olivia Brienne had shown her ability. ¡°Your wife¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s thanks to Olivia.¡± Nishir¡¯s eyes shook like a stormy sea. He, too, had eagerly been waiting for an Epure. All the sinners who had been banished from that high place were waiting for her. Unquestionably. But nobody had known it could be that simple. ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡± Nishir¡¯s voice shook. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Any of Lennox¡¯s shadows would have felt the same. ¡°We will regain our glory, Nishir.¡± The duke¡¯s eyes flashed with anger and despair. Nishir held his breath. He knew well how humiliating and disgusting this disgraceful exile was for his master. ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°This is our best chance.¡± Olivia¡¯s words had proven true¡ªher abilities could help him. He really needed her now. What would have happened if he had refused her offer? Lennox had done it impulsively, but the results were satisfactory. It seemed that she had awakened her abilities without knowing it. Olivia was already capable of so much, and her potential was even greater. At this rate, she would reach the second stage of her awakening soon, and the third stage was only a matter of time. It may have all been a coincidence, but Lennox knew that this was the last chance given to him by a cruel god. And he was going to hold it to him as hard as he could once it was in his hands. ¡°¡­Olivia,¡± he murmured. Nishir, who was excited by the unexpected development, stopped in his tracks. He could sense the desire in his master¡¯s red eyes. The yearning. ¡°Your Highness,¡± he began, ¡°what will happen with your wife?¡± The woman who entered Kravant as their hostess was a little eccentric, but she was a good person, not just because she was an Epure. Her warmth just influenced her surroundings. He could tell just by looking at her bird, who didn¡¯t want to leave her side. Although her time with them would not be long¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everything happens smoothly with her. Your unwavering loyalty would be appreciated.¡± Nishir flushed in embarrassment. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. I was not doubting you.¡± It was rather surprising. He knew that his master took special care of his fiancee, but he didn¡¯t expect him to be so affected. At the same time, he felt sympathy for Olivia. ¡°The duchess agreed to marry Your Highness on a contract. You will divorce as soon as the terms and conditions have been fulfilled¡­¡± ¡°There will be no such thing,¡± Lennox cut him off. Divorce was unacceptable. The mere mention of the word made him feel dirty. Nishir tried to persuade his frowning master, ¡°The marriage contract was notarized by an ancient magic, so it is almost impossible to destroy it.¡± ¡°Almost, but not impossible.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a real problem, the contract can just be hidden. Besides, we didn¡¯t set a time limit.¡± Nishir was stunned¡ªhe had never imagined that he would want to contradict the duke¡¯s words. Fortunately, the handful of wits he had left restrained his mouth. Still, he had a hunch that something was going wrong. Lennox and his soon-to-be-wife were so different from each other. While he had learned a lot about humans in his long life, that did not mean that he fully understood them. On the other hand, Olivia had only been alive for 20 years¡ªfar too little time to understand him. It was as improbable as a fish understanding a tiger. Nishir didn¡¯t know how to stop his master. He didn¡¯t even think it was possible. Meanwhile, Lennox was rationalizing. ¡°Olivia can just be given reasonable compensation.¡± He held in his hand everything that humans valued. Money, power, status, and ability. ¡°Anything she wants will belong to her.¡± Olivia would simply have all the things she deserved as his wife. ¡°It¡¯s much better for her to stay with me than to divorce and live in instability.¡± Nishir finally gathered his courage for the future of their hostess. ¡°But if she reaches the third stage of her awakening, you will return to your original position. If that happens, you¡¯ll have to be separated from her anyway¡­¡± ¡°Olivia will go with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nishir¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You mean, you¡¯re taking your wife?¡± ¡°Is there anything we can¡¯t do?¡± Ignoring his aide¡¯s paling face, Lennox was lost in thought. ¡¯Yes, we can go together. I don¡¯t think it will be too hard for an Epure.¡¯ After concluding such, everything became clear. He was still a little uneasy, a little guilty, but he was able to get past the feeling. Like a child who trampled on the soft grass under their feet as they chased a colorful butterfly. But even Lennox, with all his power, knew that a person¡¯s heart could not be forced. Which meant that he had to seduce her. So that she would run to him of her own volition. With a plan, he was confident that he could and would do anything and everything. ¡¯I will win Olivia¡¯s heart. I¡¯ll be a perfect husband, whatever that is.¡¯ ¡°Nishir.¡± Lennox glanced down at the beautiful jewelry box on the desk. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash up, so get ready.¡± He had to greet his wife. The sun shone brightly on their wedding day. In the clear sky, clouds slowly passed with the warm spring breeze. It was the perfect weather for a leisurely day. Things were, however, a little different for me in the bride¡¯s waiting room at the temple. This was because I was busy with preparations since morning. ¡°Ashuna, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°A little more¡­ It¡¯ll be over soon,¡± replied the woman who was busily combing my hair. [Olivia, how do you feel now?] came Ash¡¯s voice from inside my head. He was sitting on the dressing table, looking strangely excited. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m still in disbelief.¡± [Your wish to be with Lennox is coming true.] Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly a wish, but I didn¡¯t need to correct it. It was true that my marriage to him was necessary. [Aren¡¯t you happy?] ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t know how to explain it. It feels weird that I¡¯m getting married.¡± Despite those words, my heart fluttered for some reason. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 ¡°It¡¯s all done.¡± Ashuna, who had just finished dressing me, brushed away the thin cloth that was covering the mirror and revealed my image. ¡°You look beautiful. His Highness will fall in love with you again when he sees you.¡± I took a good look at myself in the mirror. Each strand of my hair was smoothed to perfection, and seemed to glow as if lit from within. My light green eyes were bright against my fair skin, and my lips were painted an eye-catching red. A body that I thought was someone else¡¯s body but was actually mine. Olivia. The name rolled off my tongue less awkwardly than before. Maybe I¡¯d get used to it more and more as time went by. This name, this body. Life as Olivia. Staring at myself, I slowly shifted my gaze to the dress. The crystal beads stretched long to the floor, drawing an elegant silhouette. As expected, the pure white dress fit me perfectly. ¡°How did they make a dress this beautiful?¡± ¡°According to the boutique¡¯s chief tailor, all the craftsmen there stayed up all night working on this dress.¡± ¡°Ah, then I think it would be better to remove the hair accessories.¡± ¡°What? But it¡¯ll be too flat if you remove everything,¡± Ashuna dissuaded me, but my thoughts remained the same. The tiara on my head was too heavy, and that wasn¡¯t even accounting for the jeweled clips that rested on my head. When all the colorful accessories hanging from my head were removed, my neck felt lighter. I heard a knock and a voice announcing the visitor. ¡°Ma¡¯am, your master is here.¡± Ashuna grinned. ¡°Just in time. ¡± I finally turned to the door, double-checking my appearance for the last time. Ashuna held the dress carefully so that it didn¡¯t get wrinkled. My heart began to pound, prompting me to take a deep, calming breath. ¡°Come on in.¡± The brief movement of the door opening felt particularly slow. I saw spotless black leather shoes and slowly raised my eyes. Perfectly fitted trousers and a vest with golden buttons, a jacket embroidered with golden thread and a richly colored silk tie¡­ By the moment I finally saw Lennox¡¯s face, I was already breathless. My heart, which had barely calmed down, began to beat recklessly again. He looked brilliant and absolutely at ease in his formal wear. Lennox, in the same way that I was, was also staring in surprise. He did, however, catch himself in the middle of it and quietly stepped closer first. I inhaled sharply. His pristine white shirt and tie was right in my line of sight. I could feel his breath, and I could almost imagine him taking a nervous swallow as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed through the collar of his shirt. ¡°Olivia.¡± The name calling my voice was lower than usual. ¡°Your dress looks good on you.¡± The thumping in my chest worsened. I managed to open my mouth, trying not to show my face. ¡°I could say the same for you.¡± Fortunately, my voice didn¡¯t tremble. As he drew a smile, Lennox¡¯s face, which had been intense, became more comfortable. Did he know that this gentle smile could affect other people so deeply because of how rare it was? I struggled to shake off my thoughts, so I looked down. It was then that I saw something in his hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Lennox, releasing a brief sigh as if he had just remembered that he was holding something, lifted his hand. ¡°This?¡± I looked closely, and it was not a simple flower crown as I first thought, but one made of jewels. Oh, my. The slender stems, leaves, and even small flowers were delicately formed. I carefully touched the edge of the petals with my fingertips. The platinum and diamond craftsmanship was so elaborate that I felt like I could smell flowers when I put my nose near it. ¡°In the old stories of Elysium, it is said that a husband gave the bride a flower crown on her wedding day. Over the years, it turned into a headdress.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I nodded. ¡°Thank you. You must have been busy, but you prepared this for me.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Very much.¡± ¡°Do you want me to put it on you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t have any decorations on your head. ¡± Ashuna, who was apparently still next to me, clapped her hands. ¡°This is exactly what we needed. Madam didn¡¯t like her headdress from before. It seems as though your thoughts are in tune.¡± I looked alternately at the hair ornament and Lennox and nodded hesitantly. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± As he approached me, his distinctive, refreshing scent tickled my nose. Soon, I felt the crown rest gently on my head. I could feel Lennox¡¯s hand carefully fixing my hair, giving me goosebumps. The scent from his body, the touch of his hand, and the breath that brushed the top of my head were too vivid. As if all my senses were open to him, I held my breath and strained to keep my body still. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Lennox, who took a step back from me, soon became silent. Nervous about his reaction, I bit my lower lip gently. ¡°I would have regretted it if I hadn¡¯t brought it.¡± A pleased smile began to grow on his face. ¡°Pretty.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. The hairpiece, yes, and you, even more so.¡± I doubted my ears, gaping at him with a heart that had not yet tired out from all the exertion it was putting itself through. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, see for yourself.¡± Lennox gently wrapped his hands around my shoulders and turned me towards the mirror. ¡°There.¡± I took in the image of us in the mirror. We looked as romantic as a couple in an old fairy tale, where contracts and deals and conditions had no place being. But I knew better than anyone else that the facts were different. Lennox was just keeping his word. As long as the marriage was valid, we would be faithful to each other and do our duty. Under a contract. Even though I knew it well, I had a bitter taste in my mouth. I met his eyes in the mirror by chance. He smiled and lifted his elbow slightly. ¡°Shall we go, ma¡¯am?¡± I quickly hid my agitation. ¡°Alright.¡± I put my hand on the arm that he had offered to me naturally. As if nothing had happened and we were truly only business partners. *** Inside the most sacred place in a temple, two people entered the hall. The woman admired the temple. The long rectangular space nearly shone. On the high ceiling, there was a mural depicting the power of the deities, and on either side of it, an arched window. The interior was bright even without lighting thanks to the sunlight pouring in from the windows. As if guiding two married people, there was a long piece of cloth stretched all the way to the innermost altar. Olivia, who was briefly overwhelmed by the decadence of the hall, soon walked slowly along the path with Lennox. With no other people, the entire place was quiet. Not even the sound of footsteps could be heard. At last, the couple reached the marble altar¡ªas white as most of the temple interior¡ªand stopped. In the beam of light that fell like a blessing, the two looked at each other. The man stared at the face of the woman who would become his wife. His one and only. ¡°Lennox.¡± As she awkwardly called his name, with a hesitant gaze, he opened his mouth with a gentle smile. Still, she could not look directly into his eyes. ¡°I swear our eternal union before God,¡± A low, heavy voice began reciting the wedding vows. He continued his oath in a slow but clear voice, and there was no playfulness in his face until the end. ¡°¡­even death will not defeat this promise.¡± At that moment, Olivia felt her heart throbbing in a way that was clearly not just out of nervousness. But without allowing her a moment to reflect on what was happening, Lennox clasped her hand. Soon, Olivia¡¯s slender finger was adorned with a ring. The perfectly cut blue diamond ring refracted the light. He kissed the ring and her fingers one after another and raised his head. ¡°Olivia.¡± Her green eyes came up to meet his, finally. She hesitated for a moment. A very short one. The eyes that contained all the beauty of a forest looked directly at him. ¡°Kiss me.¡± Her eyes were full of promise. Lennox¡¯s lips drew a fascinating curve. ¡°I will, ma¡¯am.¡± Obeying her orders, he slowly lowered his head. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Warm, soft lips pressed against hers. The feeling was unfamiliar and strange, but not unpleasant. Olivia screwed her eyes shut, trembling. It was just their lips touching. It was a tradition. A necessary step in the marriage process, that was all. But despite knowing that, her face turned bright and her heart pounded fiercely enough that anyone close to her might hear it. And Lennox was indeed close enough for that, his breath skating over her face. They pulled apart after a while, and she opened her eyes with a small sense of relief. Red eyes shone with a desire like an eternal flame. Embarrassed, she called out to him cautiously, ¡°¡­Lennox?¡± ¡°I swear to you,¡± he began in an unusually low voice, ¡°that I won¡¯t break this sacred vow no matter what.¡± She looked at him curiously. What was he doing? ¡°Oh, the marriage contract.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Come here.¡± A firm hand on her back pulled her closer. ¡°¡­!¡± Lennox¡¯s thumb came up to her face, resting on her lower lip as he gazed at her carefully. Her face flushed due to the sudden intimacy. He grinned, satisfied with her response. ¡°I need you to fulfill your part of the promise right now, though.¡± Olivia blinked slowly. Lennox felt his throat burn, like he needed something clean and cool to fill his lungs. He ached for relief. Yes, relief¡­ His eyes turned to her lips. Tempting, beautiful lips. Those same lips parted slowly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lennox replied steadily, ¡°I need your strength.¡± ¡°The energy of epure?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. He nodded. ¡°Then, let¡¯s put our hands¡­¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a more efficient way than holding hands.¡± Lennox smiled, lowering his head to bring his lips closer to her ear. ¡°A more intimate, deeper contact.¡± Olivia flinched, making him laugh softly. ¡°The deeper the contact, the better I absorb the energy. Rather than holding hands, it¡¯s better to have your arms around me.¡± Her eyes trembled slightly. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯re married, can we use a more effective method?¡± The frank explanation and soft tone were surprisingly convincing, but it was clear that he was leaving the decision up to her. ¡°It¡¯s been three days since I got energy from you, so I¡¯m starting to go crazy.¡± Olivia could tell from his aura that despite his composure, his desire was at a high level. Lennox clasped her hand, recalling the sensation of his lips touching hers. ¡®It was the first time I¡¯ve felt so satisfied.¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just because of the energy of the epure. It was her softness, her warmth and fragrance, that made her so hard to resist. He wanted to feel her again, even if he had to give her a ridiculous excuse. ¡°Well¡­¡± Olivia bit her lower lip nervously. The sight was insanely tempting, but he reined his anxiety and desperation in. And his patience was rewarded. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ experienced in those matters. Please don¡¯t expect too much from me.¡± ¡®That wasn¡¯t my goal, anyway.¡¯ Lennox swallowed those words as Olivia hesitantly stretched her arms towards him. Now, it was his eyes that widened when her hands met behind his neck. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be so assertive. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, do it right.¡± She laughed playfully, all signs of trepidation gone. ¡°If you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t be able to do it again,¡± she threatened cutely. His eyes closed in bliss. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve realized, but¡­¡± Lennox gently put his hands behind Olivia¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m an apt learner.¡± Then he kissed her again. He savored the moment first, gently making contact, before coming to bite her soft lower lip. ¡°Ah!¡± She didn¡¯t feel any pain, but the thrilling sensation brought forth the short exclamation. Lennox didn¡¯t miss the opportunity, slipping his tongue into her mouth as it opened wider. ¡°Unf¡­¡± Everything she gave, he took with gusto and responded in kind, until soon it felt like they were sharing a single breath. There was no hesitation between them, Lennox revealing a deep lust in his demanding motions, Olivia awash in curious desire. Her breath began to stutter. Lennox, noticing that she was overstimulated, caressed her back gently. And yet he didn¡¯t let her go. They pulled apart only to breathe before diving back into each other in an attempt to quench their thirst. Eventually, Olivia could no longer hold herself up and Lennox pulled himself away with a finality. ¡°Ha¡­¡± I was dizzy and my legs were shaking enough that I needed to lean on Lennox. Also¡­ ¡®That was¡­¡¯ The memory was too vivid. My face felt like it was burning. I needed to remember that it was just to fulfill the conditions of the contract. That it didn¡¯t mean anything else. Slowly, my feelings subsided. I pushed Lennox¡¯s arms away with both hands and he stepped away without complaint. ¡°That¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it?¡± He tilted his head, lips curling languidly. ¡°Do you want the honest answer?¡± ¡°No,¡± I shot back instantly. ¡°A polite answer would be better.¡± I hastily changed the topic before I got caught in a trap again, ¡°Anyway, there were no problems, so we¡¯re done with the wedding.¡± ¡°Did your dream come true?¡± ¡°Perfectly.¡± I smiled broadly and nodded. ¡°I initially didn¡¯t like that it was a temple that was no longer used, but that was because I hadn¡¯t known how beautiful the interior was.¡± It was common to officiate outdoor wedding ceremonies on the lawn of a vibrant temple, in front of the guests. On the other hand, Lennox suggested a wedding with just the two of us in an unknown temple. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay that we don¡¯t have a witness?¡± In the empire, people were required to bring at least one person to testify to the validity of their union. Yet again, we boldly avoided that tradition. I liked that it was only between us, but the question had remained in the corner of my mind. ¡°You agreed that you and I were witnesses to each other¡¯s vow.¡± ¡°But just in case¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just etiquette. These procedures are only man-made, after all.¡± Lennox glanced at the wall behind the altar. ¡°That¡¯s not the custom that¡¯s really important.¡± The pure white marble had a relief that reflected the light. I stared at the wall, then slowly shifted my gaze. Something caught my eye. There were statues surrounding the altar in a semicircular shape, as if protecting it. Angels of God, presumably, the heavenly creatures of varying abilities and characteristics. My feet brought me closer. One was carved with long hair, closing its eyes in prayer. Was it because the statue was already white that I imagined that the angel really had white hair? It somehow felt familiar¡­ even though this was the first time I¡¯d seen it. I quickly cleared my mind and moved to another statue. But¡­ something was strange. All the statues were of similar height and style, placed at regular intervals. There was one spot, however, with nothing in its place. There was a faint discoloration on the floor, like a trace of a statue that was no longer there. ¡°But why?¡± Lennox tilted his head. ¡°It¡¯s because it was cast away to be exiled forever. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 I turned around instinctively to the voice I had heard, flinching because I recognized who it was. ¡°Lennox?¡± His eyes looking down at the floor were so sharp and cold. Why did he look like that? It was at that moment that embarrassment flooded in. Lennox raised his head. ¡°If you¡¯re done, shall we go now?¡± Before I knew it, he was back with his usual expression. The frost of the past moment was suddenly nowhere to be found. In a low, soft voice, he asked again, ¡°Or is there any place you want to go?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Actually, I wanted to stay a little longer, but I lied. For some reason, I felt like I had to. Leaving the temple with him, I was lost in thought. Why did he make such a cold face? I¡¯d never seen Lennox¡¯s face like that before. A cynical, heart-wrenching look. I couldn¡¯t do this. I tried to pretend I didn¡¯t know, but I couldn¡¯t let it go. The soft sound of his steps on the marble floor stopped. ¡°Lennox.¡± I walked toward him, and he started walking beside me. ¡°What happened to the angel who was expelled? I looked at his expression as soon as I asked the question, in order not to miss any small changes. ¡°He committed a great sin.¡± But he only answered calmly with such a peaceful face. ¡°He broke the taboo and did something he shouldn¡¯t have done as a warrior of God.¡± When I looked at him in shock, Lennox stared at me and slowly opened his mouth, ¡°He had intervened in the affairs of the human world. To stop the disaster.¡± Disaster, the moment I heard the word, my heart sank for some reason. ¡°A black magician created a calamity to win the war.¡± It was the story of the black magician who reappeared. ¡°Was it during the time of the founding of the Vargan Empire?¡± ¡°You got it right.¡± The contents of a history book dealing with the founding process of the empire came to mind. Worshipping demons, practicing all kinds of terrible magic¡­ It was said that there started a war that killed many people. To rule the world, for a single goal. But there was no disaster-related content in the history books. ¡°What kind of disaster was it?¡± For a moment his eyes flashed. ¡°They brought demons to this land.¡± ¡°Demons?¡± I covered my open mouth with my palm. ¡°You¡¯re saying this world has demons in it?¡±¡® It was unexpected to hear this about history. The original story always baffled me, but hearing what happened was also quite shocking. It was a completely different matter to fear such creatures from my imagination and to hear that they very nearly were in my reality. ¡°The whole human world was captured and fell into the hands of the demons.¡± I swallowed painfully. ¡°But there was no such thing as a disaster in the history books.¡± His voice trembled, perhaps because he was nervous. ¡°It¡¯s only because the record was written that way.¡± ¡°And it had something to do with the angel?¡± ¡°The new emperor of Vargan, who feared there would be great chaos if the invasion was known, covered up the whole truth.¡± ¡°But there must have been more than one person who saw the demons, right?¡± Lenox¡¯s mouth was filled with laughter. ¡°People who encounter unrealistic situations often look for other reasons. It wasn¡¯t hard for the emperor to make a reasonable reason because there was a public enemy called a black magician.¡± After that, Vargan searched for all the hidden black magicians and charged them with death. The punishment was swift and cruel. In just a few years, the last sorcerer was executed, and the lines of magic were cut off. ¡°I¡¯m sure you think it¡¯s over now.¡± When I remembered Karine, I sighed. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re saying that an angel prevented the demons from invading the human world, right? He did a good deed, so why is it a sin?¡± ¡°Because his whole clan used divine power in human warfare.¡± ¡°The demons came to the human world because of an invitation from the black magicians, so the conditions are quite different. Unlike the heavenly race, they were not constrained.¡± ¡°The races of each world said that they could not harm the lives of other worlds without being summoned.¡± ¡°But how do you even know this? I hear it¡¯s a lost history.¡± For a moment Lennox paused. But soon he replied nonchalantly, ¡°At that time, Vargan was able to protect the kingdom from the demons with the help of Kravant. No emperor can touch this record.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I nodded in agreement. Kravant, the founding family of the Empire. In a way, he was superior to the royal family. I didn¡¯t think he was lying, but¡­ Strangely, it occurred to me that he wasn¡¯t telling me everything. Just before leaving the temple, I paused and looked back. The pure white altar with its surrounding statues were still in place. And the last place where my eyes touched was the empty space of the now-missing statue. ¡°The angel,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°What happened after you were expelled?¡± Lennox turned his head obliquely and looked down at me. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°What?¡± In the calm, subdued gaze, I could not read the emotion in his red eyes. But somehow they felt lonely. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Rather, I was lost in thought when I got the question back. A heavenly being who was deprived of the noble status of supporting God and exiled forever to be banished from heaven. The unspeakable misery and despair were beyond me. ¡°I¡¯m certain it¡¯s very painful and hard¡­¡± I pursed my lips, deep in a slow thought. The more I thought about that angel, the more anxious I became. ¡°¡­It must have been painful.¡± Was it because I was a human? I did not understand why a good creature who wanted to save humans from destruction could become a sinner. Was doing the taboo for that one reason really so bad that it warranted being banished and having everything taken away? ¡°But I don¡¯t think what the angel did was a sin.¡± Lennox¡¯s eyes grew slightly as if he had heard unexpected words. ¡°Just because you shouldn¡¯t be involved in the rest of the world doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s easy to just let it fall to ruins around you. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s right, but¡­¡± As I watched the calm red eyes fluttering softly, I continued, ¡°So I want him to be happy no matter what he¡¯s done, wherever he is.¡± It was then that Lennox¡¯s well-behaved face was disturbed for an instant. A strange expression, neither smiling nor crying. Still, he quickly returned to his usual face. ¡°Yes,¡± he murmured absent-mindedly. ¡°It¡¯s time to go.¡± He looked at me and spoke in a low voice. In the scarlet eyes that became darker, I felt a strong emotion that I couldn¡¯t read. It was that strange heat that seemed to hold and bind my whole body, and I held my breath without realizing it. Lennox gently loosened my hand that had been clasped around his arm. Then, without hesitation, he linked our fingers together. ¡°¡­!¡± The sensation of his fingers gently squeezing mine was overly stimulating. I couldn¡¯t say a word and held my breath. My whole body throbbed with an undercurrent of want. ¡°Olivia,¡± he whispered my name and slowly stretched out his other hand towards my head, gently smoothing the tips of my hairpiece. ¡°Luck is coming to us, Olivia.¡± A warm breath touched my ear. I was painfully aware of the proximity of our faces to each other. ¡°¡­It seems to me that I¡¯ve already found it.¡± His gaze was slow and intent. ¡°And the angel will be saved as well.¡± Lennox smiled with crinkled eyes. ¡°Because that¡¯s what you wanted.¡± It was a sweet but dangerous smile. I felt as if I had been caught in a trap that I could never get out of. The old temple had a narrow road and a carriage could not access it, so we had to walk toward the main building as we had when we came in. We were the only ones on the trail surrounded by big trees, and walking side by side felt surprisingly elegant. The occasional wind shook the lush leaves and made a soft sound. As I walked while enjoying the peaceful scenery and atmosphere, I saw a fork in the road. Lennox pulled my arm slightly. ¡°It¡¯s on the left.¡± I nodded reflexively. ¡°I know. If you turn right, it¡¯s a cliff road. Then he stopped and looked back at me. His expression was strange. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Huh? I blinked. I thought back to the brochures I¡¯d read. There was no such thing in them. I was certain of that because I had pored over them over and over until I memorized their contents. If it weren¡¯t for Lennox¡¯s proposal, I wouldn¡¯t even have known about this old temple. Was it the original Olivia¡¯s memory? It seemed implausible, but there was no other reason that came to mind. I decided to lie. ¡°Ash told me.¡± There was nothing else I could have done. Telling the truth would have involved revealing that I was from another world and inherited someone else¡¯s body and memories. ¡°Your pet bird knows everything.¡± ¡°You said it yourself that it was smart.¡± ¡°Yes, to the point where it gossips about your husband at every opportunity.¡± Something felt off with my theory, but what other explanation did I have for my knowledge of the terrain? Chapter 48 Chapter 48 I rolled my eyes and caught a glimpse of a smirk forming on his face. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t hear that¡­¡± [Olivia!] ¡°Madam!¡± Speak of the devil¡­ At the end of the trail, I saw a bird flying towards me at full speed, calling my name loudly. Ashuna was with him, too. ¡°Did the wedding go well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve followed all the procedures, right? You did the vows?¡± Ash, who was silent, suddenly turned to look at me. I was wondering what was wrong with him all of a sudden, and an unexpected question flew into my head. [Did you share the kiss for the vows?] Wait, what¡­? For a moment, I was flustered beyond speech. But he added nonchalantly, [You know, kissing. One person puts their lips on another person¡¯s and they rub against each other¡­] ¡°Stop!¡± I spluttered as the explanations he gave me grew more and more explicit. Lennox and Ashuna, who couldn¡¯t hear us, looked at me as if something was wrong, but there was no time to care. [Did you?] I didn¡¯t want to answer because he was asking so persistently. The naive expression on his face made it even stranger for me, and I couldn¡¯t tell why he was asking me that. [If you want to make the kiss deeper, you should turn your head and open your lips.] ¡°I did it! We kissed!¡± I ended up shouting. It wasn¡¯t enough that just my face was burning up, I felt like my whole body was flushed. ¡°Oh my!¡± Ashuna¡¯s eyes opened wide and her face brightened at once. In the meantime, Ash, who sat on her shoulder, nodded his head with satisfaction. I was the one who got married, but why did it seem like they were even happier than I was? ¡°Olivia.¡± The low voice made my thoughts pause. I felt my face burning with embarrassment, and when I lifted my head, I saw a mysterious smile on his face. Sure enough, the sense of foreboding didn¡¯t go away. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you liked to flaunt your romantic exploits.¡± ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°Really? You just bragged that I kissed you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± I realized right then whatever I said, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win this conversation. Lennox was too good with his words. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, so don¡¯t make it seem like there¡¯s something more.¡± I spun on my heel and walked to the open carriage. Nishir, who was waiting for us, opened the door for me. ¡°Where shall I take you?¡± Lennox looked at me. ¡°Do you have a place in mind?¡± The schedule at Elysium was going to be done according to my wishes. ¡°Today, instead of overdoing it, I just want to take a walk in the downtown area¡­¡± Ashuna yelled, ¡°What do you mean, ma¡¯am?¡± She sidled closer and whispered, ¡°Go back to your villa right now and get ready!¡± ¡°For what?¡± She hit her chest with her fist in frustration, and whispered urgently again, ¡°The first night, of course!¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, the embarrassment that had barely subsided rose again. ¡°Ashuna, what¡¯s wrong with you, too?¡± Ash and Ashuna were alternately putting me in trouble, as if they had planned it together. But the impact was greater on her side. Unlike Ash¡¯s comments in my mind, Lennox could hear as many of Ashuna¡¯s whispers as he wanted. ¡°I almost forgot the most important thing.¡± And he didn¡¯t mean to help me at all. Rather, he looked at me pleasantly and slowly bent down. I followed his movement with my eyes, frozen. With his lips close to my ear, he breathed out gently. ¡°¡­!¡± He smiled. ¡°You said you¡¯d do your duty as a wife.¡± His upturned eyes and ruby-like irises were so beautiful that it was eerie. ¡°Including those at nighttime.¡± My face flamed up. ¡°Are you going to keep doing this to embarrass me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Everyone else is listening,¡± I said furiously. ¡°You may be fine, but I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t hear us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the only ones in this conversation.¡± After he mentioned it, I noticed the whitish membrane surrounding both of us. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I do this the next time so that you don¡¯t feel anxious for nothing. I¡¯m willing to follow orders.¡± Lennox bent down, waving one hand in an exaggerated gesture. I sighed deeply, knowing he was being mischievous again. It was probably more prudent to give in now since I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him anyway. He stood upright again and grinned beautifully. ¡°And you can look forward to tonight,¡± he said, the words at odds with his gentlemanly appearance. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Lennox!¡± ¡°So that I can satisfy my wife.¡± At this point, I needed to turn and hide my face before getting on the carriage. I could hear a low laugh behind my back. ¡°I don¡¯t know how a person can insist on doing whatever they want until the very end.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bit stubborn yourself. Now, turn this way and lie down.¡± I followed Ashuna¡¯s orders obediently. The subtle scent of flowers filled the bathroom as she poured oil on my back. ¡°It¡¯s not just stubbornness¡ªah! Take it easy¡­¡± ¡°Your shoulder blades are as hard as rocks! How have you gone on for this long with these shoulders? Don¡¯t they hurt?¡± Ashuna pressed down and tried to get the muscles to relax. ¡°But¡­ compared to before, the master has changed a lot¡­ For the better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a very optimistic statement.¡± Wasn¡¯t he a hopeless case if what he was now was ¡°better¡±? ¡°No! This is all because he met you. In that short period of time, you¡¯ve been able to change him to the point where we can all feel it.¡± ¡°Did I do that?¡± ¡°It never would have happened without you. Even the changes in the household wouldn¡¯t have come to pass.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there was a shortage of people in the duchy since a lot of people left.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ sure?¡± Ashuna rubbed her temples. ¡°If it¡¯s just to fill the number of people, it¡¯s easy to just hire some random people, right?¡± She had a point. Only a small number of people who were essential to the duke were ordered to reside in the estate. Each person must have had an important position. ¡°In fact, the employees who left this time did not leave out of their own accord but were fired. They were spies.¡± ¡°What?¡± I flinched and sat up. Ashuna made me lie down again. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince planted them. They¡¯re usually from his personal security team.¡± ¡°He was the one who sent the spies?¡± Although the two were not close, they seemed to have a mutually beneficial relationship. ¡°Well, they were all here anyway, so the master had simply observed them until thus far. You don¡¯t catch and kill every fly just because they¡¯re annoying, don¡¯t you?¡± My jaw dropped at her comparison of the crown prince and his security as a swarm of flies. ¡°But now it¡¯s absolutely unacceptable.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because you married the master. You¡¯ll be staying in this mansion now!¡± Doubt filled me. I was the one who asked to marry him, so why would he go to those lengths? ¡°Isn¡¯t that conclusion too contrived?¡± Immediately recognizing my distrust, Ashuna reassured me, ¡°You know his personality. The ducal estate was full of spies but he didn¡¯t care about it. Even if he¡¯s the type to hate annoyances the most in the world!¡± She muttered to herself, ¡°You should have seen him when he finally decided that he would thin out their numbers,¡± and then raised her voice, ¡°In addition, he instructed everyone in the mansion to prioritize your safety.¡± That was because of the clause in our contract that she didn¡¯t know about. ¡°Just from what I can see, I know that you are important and precious to him.¡± Ashuna¡¯s hands were clasped together, her eyes glistening. There had been a big misunderstanding. ¡°It¡¯s true that the master is arrogant and dogmatic, but¡­¡± She held my hand in both of hers. ¡°Trust me. You are definitely special to him.¡± She would certainly be disappointed when she found out the truth later on, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to reveal that I was a temporary contractual duchess. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 In the meantime, after washing and taking care of my arms and legs, she raised me up and sat me down. ¡°Relax, madam. Try to enjoy it.¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be able to enjoy this if you were in my shoes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot to experience. First of all, starting tonight.¡± My face burned. When she saw that I couldn¡¯t even respond properly, Ashna nodded as if she understood. Thanks to this, I wanted to disappear into a hole. ¡°I¡¯ll go out and brush your hair. Do you want to lie down?¡± A thin silk gown was wrapped around my body. I didn¡¯t even feel like I wore anything because the fabric was so soft and lightweight. She tied the ribbons on the robe nicely and turned me around to face the mirror. I nearly cursed, ¡°Honestly, I¡­¡¯ My face was really quite flushed. ¡°This is the first time that I¡­¡± Ashuna paused at my confession and soon a smirk found its way onto her face. ¡°It¡¯s also Master¡¯s first time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was surprised to hear that someone who had never dated before suddenly decided to get married.¡± I opened my eyes wide. I didn¡¯t expect that. That was strange. Rather, I was told he had a splendid past and lived an unconventional life of freedom. However, it would not have been as surprising as what I was hearing now. He didn¡¯t have any dating experience? Lennox would have been a huge sensation from the moment he appeared in society. The status of a duke, the enormous wealth and honor in his hands, and the fact that he was a young and beautiful bachelor. No one would have left him alone. It was impossible for the nobles to do so without being blinded as a group. I asked a straightforward question, ¡°¡­I think he must have been popular.¡± ¡°I guess so. But you¡¯re assuming everyone has seen his face.¡± Ashuna lowered her voice like what she was saying was very important, ¡°He¡¯s never appeared in public before. Our Highness, that is.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve never seen him go to a banquet, a ball, or any other event in the capital.¡± Confidently affirming, she even added, ¡°I assure you, few of the living imperial nobles know his face.¡± The nobles didn¡¯t even know Lennox¡¯s face? ¡°The master says he will not attend the next emperor¡¯s coronation, so I¡¯ll bet all of my vacations for next year.¡± Dumbfounded, I scanned my memories. ¡°However, it seemed that the crown prince knows him.¡± ¡°Oh, that bum?¡± My head went blank. I didn¡¯t know there was anyone else besides Lennox who evaluated the crown prince so freely. ¡°Madam, think carefully. You saw how close they are. Is it a relationship of equals? No. The crown prince chases after Master like a puppy.¡± I thought it over. Their relationship was clearly closer to the latter. Lennox did not regard the crown prince as a lord or a close friend. He was consistently annoyed with Edwin. ¡°I don¡¯t think Lennox likes the crown prince¡­¡± Ashuna nodded vigorously. It was such a powerful movement that I thought that she might break her neck. ¡°The prince would go and escape to the estate to meet Master without fear when he was a child with a runny nose. It was a long time ago.¡± While I admired her outspoken remarks, I didn¡¯t neglect the important information she had revealed. ¡°Has the crown prince ever been caught sneaking into the Kravant estate?¡± ¡°Yes, that could have been ten years ago, or a little bit earlier. Anyway, he went into the office, and the master caught him.¡± It was really petty and pathetic for a person who would become the master of the empire to do so in the future. However, considering that Edwin was only a boy at the time, it was not something I could not understand. But wasn¡¯t that also when Lennox was a boy? He might be older than the crown prince, but was he the duke ten years ago? Come to think of it, I realized I didn¡¯t know Lennox¡¯s age. ¡¯Or maybe he just looks younger than I think.¡¯ I organized my thoughts. ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°What do you mean? The master immediately called for the shadow¡ª¡± She quickly added an explanation when I didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Ah. Shadow is a generic term for the master¡¯s subordinates. I am one of them, as well as Nasir.¡± The term was a little¡­ dark. I nodded, thinking it was all. ¡°Anyway, he ordered the shadows to chase him out of the estate.¡± ¡°He kicked him out? The crown prince?¡± ¡°Master was courteous enough to send a message to the emperor to take good care of his son.¡± I was stunned and touched my forehead. Ashuna sighed lightly as if she understood how I felt. ¡°I thought he went too far, but the crown prince did upset Master.¡± She spoke of the crown prince as if he was an immature younger brother. Her casual attitude was likely strongly influenced by Lennox. ¡°Anyway, Master is in the same situation as you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± She winked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a special sort of fun to do something for the first time together?¡± It was obvious that she was teasing me, but there was no offense, so I laughed helplessly. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing you can¡¯t say about him, it seems.¡± ¡°Oh, did I cross the line?¡± ¡°You stepped on it, but I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡± Ashuna and I burst out laughing at each other. [How long did you spend in the bathroom? I¡¯ve been here in the bedroom for ages,] Ash grumbled dissatisfiedly as if he had waited the whole time. [Why did it take so long?] ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll give you double the snacks tomorrow.¡¯ Ashuna led me to the sofa and entered the dressing room. Moments later, she pulled out a rack. My eyes almost popped out of my head. Ash¡¯s beak also opened. ¡°What is all this¡­¡± Ignoring my shock, she replied with a bright smile, ¡°Your nightclothes that I¡¯ve prepared with all my heart and soul!¡± White, black, red, purple¡­ There were various colors, but they were all designed in a way that minimized the fabric used for it. One of them was half mesh. Sensual in every sense of the word, both good and bad. ¡°How about this?¡± Ashuna held out one hanger. ¡°It¡¯s translucent and¡ª¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°You know, the pajamas I usually wear¡­ Just give those to me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring them with us!¡± I teared up. ¡°You brought everything else, so why not those?¡± ¡°Because you have new ones?¡± Flustered, I kicked them both out of the bedroom. [I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why?] ¡¯Just be quiet and get out!¡¯ Peace finally came over me. Of course, the future became bleak when I saw the feast of colorful clothes in front of me. I picked up the one that looked the best between my thumb and index finger. ¡°How am I supposed to wear this¡­¡± I buried my face in my hands. Night soon fell. Dinner was excellent as usual, but I was worried. Ashuna couldn¡¯t even eat properly and was just nibbling on her food. Her tension worsened as time passed, and so did mine. I felt nauseous and my mouth was dry. ¡°Should I talk to master? I¡¯ll probably get scolded¡­¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± I¡¯m fine. Ashuna, you should go back and rest. You¡¯ve worked hard today.¡± She hesitated, but had no choice but to leave the room. Finally alone, I wandered nervously around the bedroom, feeling thirsty for a beer. However, there were only weak drinks on the table, which was surprising. I had been expecting some wine. In stories, there was usually alcohol involved during the first night. ¡¯Should I ask for some?¡¯ I rejected the idea immediately. It would be terrible on my part if I called for Ashuna after working hours. But still. ¡°Isn¡¯t there supposed to be a bottle of alcohol in the bedroom on the first night?¡± I murmured discontentedly. ¡°We¡¯re not doing this drunk.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 I jolted. ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± Lennox, who was standing by the door, strode in, his long legs narrowing the distance in an instant and bringing a familiar-yet-not scent with him like a wave. He bit his lip and drew closer. I backed up, our steps mimicking a dance until an unyielding surface hit the backs of my thighs. ¡¯Damn this sofa.¡¯ Right in front of my face was his chest, his loosely fastened shirt ties with muscles peeking through them. I couldn¡¯t breathe, but neither could I look away. His well-defined muscles were so perfectly sculpted that I wanted to touch them, even just once. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Surprised, I pulled back the hand that was slowly moving upwards. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± My face heated as I realized how much I had been staring. A strange sense of shame washed upon me, the warmth in my face spreading to my ears and the back of my neck. ¡°Olivia.¡± The unspoken question in his voice was unmistakable. ¡°¡­!¡± Cool fingertips touched my cheek and I grabbed onto the hem of his shirt instinctively, craning my neck to see his face. Lennox¡¯s red eyes were darker than I had ever seen them. I had the distinct feeling that my whole body would burn from his gaze. And that the gap between us was collapsing in on itself. ¡¯This is cheating, Lennox.¡¯ ¡°Your cheeks are red. Very red.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± A strangled, gasp-sigh sort of sound slipped from his lips. It was disconcerting to see the occasional emotion from a man who always seemed to be cool and above everything. He caressed my cheek, feather-light and overly slow, so much that I could feel it burn into my skin like a brand. It was too warm, I was too warm. ¡°Lennox.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He nibbled on his lower lip, another new expression on his face. Heavy and intense, but not unwelcome. There was no discomfort accompanying his persistent touch. My heart began to pound faster and faster. Meanwhile, his hand reached the shell of my ear. He tucked my hair behind it delicately. ¡°Here. It¡¯s done,¡± he said and pulled back. I sucked in a much-needed breath. ¡°Why are you suddenly doing something you haven¡¯t done before? I was surprised.¡± ¡°Your hair was messy, so I was just taking care of it,¡± he replied casually, poker face back in place although his eyes still looked like they were about to catch fire. ¡°Besides, you didn¡¯t hate it, did you?¡± ¡¯Oh, now I get it.¡¯ Lennox was seducing me, and I didn¡¯t know what to feel about it. Something had changed between us. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± His brows furrowed and he tilted his head, dark hair falling across his face. He smirked. ¡°There¡¯s something important we need to do.¡± He stepped closer even as I had no more room to retreat. I sat back down on the sofa, and he leaned in slowly like a prowling leopard. ¡°Olivia.¡± His burning eyes made me feel all sorts of things. Still, I couldn¡¯t push him away. There was no denying that we both wanted what was happening. His movements were slow enough that I could have avoided him if I wanted to. Lennox¡¯s arm slipped around my waist. The world went still. My composure was completely lost. Our eyes met and I couldn¡¯t resist the urge. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for this? What do you want?¡± ¡°You,¡± he answered instantly, eyes filled with something that could only be desire. ¡°Olivia, I want you.¡± ¡°This kind of thing doesn¡¯t fit us¡ªah!¡± His arm tightened around me, easily pulling me against him. He was firm and warm and exceptionally built. Lennox buried his face in my neck. His hot breath brushed my ear, startling against the cool evening air. This wasn¡¯t what I had been expecting. He and I were business partners. I shouldn¡¯t have been so easily swayed. As soon as one party in a transactional relationship caught feelings, they would become the weaker one. I closed my eyes tightly. ¡°¡­But we¡¯re not a normal couple.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why we can¡¯t be.¡± He pulled back enough for me to see his face. His lips were bent in a graceful arc. A fuzzy feeling filled me when I saw his beautiful smile. Overwhelming and intense, his newfound charm wasn¡¯t intimidating at all. ¡°Don¡¯t get careless.¡± He licked his lips. Instinctively, I closed my eyes in surrender. His breath caressed my cheeks and the tip of my nose, and then softness touched my lips. Unlike his slow hands, his lips were searing. I wrapped my arms around his neck as if I was drowning. Lennox was indeed an apt student. He deftly pushed me back into the sofa, deepening the kiss without hesitation. It felt like being devoured, but also like being the one doing the devouring. Breathing became difficult, my sobriety doing nothing to ward against the heat and languor. My legs trembled, and I was grateful that I had sat down earlier. The kiss continued until I had to pull away. He pursed his lips in disappointment. ¡°Ha¡­¡± ¡°I reminded you to breathe¡± ¡°Not everyone learns as quickly as you do,¡± I panted. He smiled again, the rare sight making my stomach churn. I turned my head to calm down, then shifted to try and put some distance between us. ¡°Oh!¡± Lennox lifted me from the sofa and into his arms and began to walk. In the quiet room, his footsteps were like thunderclaps. Immediately after he stopped, softness touched my back. As he laid me on the bed, his eyes shone strangely once more. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 In that instant, I inexplicably felt like giving in to my impulses. What was wrong with being with him? Lennox was my husband now, even if we would divorce someday. I was his legitimate wife. [The time you¡¯ve lost will never come back, so value your life and relationships now. Go ahead. Don¡¯t have regrets later on.] Ash¡¯s words flashed across my mind. My primary goal was survival, but I also wanted a happy life. I had chosen Lennox. No matter what anyone said, we were a couple now. And I currently just wanted to do what I felt like doing. Even if there would be an end one day. Even if it would be irresponsible. Something heavy and warm covered the back of my hand¡ªhis own, holding onto it tightly. ¡°I want to spend the night with you.¡± Lennox squeezed, his hand burning into my skin. ¡°But I won¡¯t force it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± His eyes seemed to beg me for permission. ¡°Well,¡± I slowly picked out my words. I hadn¡¯t expected that Lennox would voluntarily defer to my decision at this critical moment, even after stubbornly swinging things to his advantage. It reminded me of Ashuna¡¯s statement that I was special to her arrogant master. Suddenly, I felt that she might be right. I found that I felt powerful in this moment, decisive even. But I still felt foolish, dreaming of a future for a relationship that was set to end. I knew that expectations led to disappointment, and that I could do my best and bid farewell with a smile when it was all over. A neat ending. It was somewhat bitter, but it was probably the best we could do. The uncomfortable feeling quickly disappeared when I focused on the man in front of me. If I¡¯ve been given the initiative, wouldn¡¯t it be polite to take it boldly? I wanted to do a good job. Pretending to be relaxed, I smiled at him. ¡°I must have been tainted by you. I want to be mean.¡± His eyes widened slightly in surprise, a subtle change that I could pick up without difficulty thanks to all the time spent watching him. Lennox was likely embarrassed at the unexpected direction our conversation took. He quickly regained his composure. ¡°For example¡­?¡± ¡°You know the fortune game, right?¡± His eyebrows inched up his forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯ve been asked to choose between two options.¡± Lennox nodded. ¡°Then I write each answer separately.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask the other person to choose one of them without showing which one is which.¡± His eyes sparkled. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave it to chance?¡± ¡°Not quite. I¡¯ll know which answer has been chosen.¡± He laughed at my sly response. ¡°Do you have any intention of giving hints?¡± As expected, his quick wit picked up on my thoughts at once. ¡°I¡¯m still debating whether I¡¯ll tell you or not.¡± Lennox stared at me instead of replying. I felt hesitant, but I looked straight at him. He covered his face with a hand and burst out laughing. ¡°This is the most interesting thing I¡¯ve heard recently.¡± He wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. ¡°And it really hurts my pride.¡± Competitive man that he was, my provocation had triggered his desire to win, his obsession. He climbed on top of me, his voice gentle. ¡°Is it not good enough for you that I am your husband?¡± ¡°It¡¯s wonderful.¡± ¡°So why?¡± ¡°Do I have to tell you my reasons? You said you wouldn¡¯t force me if I didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°But you never said you hated it.¡± ¡°I also never said I¡¯d give you a hint.¡± Lennox frowned, reminiscent of a disgruntled child who didn¡¯t get their way. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I giggled. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°How can you laugh at a time like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just feeling what you always feel. You have fun teasing me, right? How does it feel to experience it in person?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°Are you getting back at me now? Are you going to tease me the same way I did to you?¡± ¡°Is there anything I can¡¯t do? I heard that the principle of your strategies is to use any means to get what you want.¡± I smiled, deliberately reminding him of what he¡¯d said in the past. Lennox groaned and ran a hand through his hair violently. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy¡ªTell me, how can I convince you? Do I have to get down on my knees and beg for you to heed my request?¡± In fairness to him, he actually hadn¡¯t yet done anything to me the entire time. ¡¯Should I stop here?¡¯ It was a virtue to be prudent. If I bit off more than I could chew, the situation would spiral out of control. I raised my hand. ¡°Lennox.¡± I touched his chest and he shuddered. ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡± His chest heaved sharply under my palm. ¡°So?¡± He seemed a little nervous, which was amusing. I slowly grabbed his chin. ¡°Come closer.¡± His body followed gently when I pulled him closer, close enough for my nose to brush the tip of his. Piercing red eyes waited expectantly for me to say something. ¡°Alright.¡± He paused, mouth tight and eyes shining dangerously. Hungry, but willing to take his time to savor the moment. I was the one who teased him first, but now I wasn¡¯t sure I could handle what would come next. ¡°Don¡¯t let me down,¡± I eked out. Lennox sighed. ¡°Of course.¡± He licked his lips. My breath hitched as I trembled and clung to his shirt. A large hand swept gently down my body, relieving my tension. Soon, however, his caresses turned reckless. His lips crashed down into mine, then traveled downwards to my neck. His scent enveloped me, augmenting the sounds of our heavy breathing. I felt hot enough to explode, more sensitive than I could bear. Someone¡ªI wasn¡¯t sure which one of us¡ªgroaned. Through blurry vision, I could see a man whose composure had been shot to pieces. And just like him, I found it difficult to come to my senses. I felt a dull pressure against my core and gasped. ¡°Damn it,¡± Lennox growled and kissed me again as he began to push inside me, not waiting for me to catch my breath. Moments passed and the discomfort eased and turned into pleasure. I closed my eyes tightly against the sensations, shuddering. ¡°Whoa, open your eyes, Olivia. It¡¯s our first night, so you have to remember everything,¡± he whispered sweetly against my neck. I couldn¡¯t answer with words, a cry escaping me. The heat moving up my spine was dizzying. Lennox¡¯s movements intensified. He pounded into me, hands firm on my waist until all I could do was accept him deeply despite the overwhelming pleasure. Perhaps I was melting. My consciousness shattered. The pleasure wracked my body and exploded. I felt like I was flying as I stared into Lennox¡¯s eyes blankly. Tears obscured my vision. ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing great.¡± He kissed my salty cheeks, then my forehead, down to my nose, back to my cheeks. The kisses were more like gentle pecks. Slowly, the sensations subsided. His face became clear as my ability to focus slowly returned. I could see that his eyes were the deepest red I had ever seen. ¡°Olivia.¡± A hand began to slide down my body again. ¡°The night is still young.¡± Fresh from its peak, my body easily responded. I held him tightly and gasped when he moved once more. It was the beginning of a long night. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 I woke up long after the sun had risen. Which was expected, because Lennox and I had been up until dawn. Speaking of¡­ had he left already? The bed was cold on his side, and the sunlight shone faintly through the thick curtains. I slowly raised my upper body. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± My whole body ached, inevitably reminding me of last night. He was so skillful that I couldn¡¯t believe it was his first time. And his stamina was¡­ It had been impossible to keep my composure when he touched me. I had only been able to grasp the sheets during the most intense moments. I placed the backs of my hands on my burning face. The door opened with a sharp sound. ¡°Are you up already?¡± Before I knew it, a neat-looking Lennox strode into our room and sat on the edge of the bed. Did he just finish taking a shower? His unique, refreshing scent and the subtle smell of soap mixed alluringly. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± He held my hand, his own pleasantly cool. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough sleep; you¡¯re the one who woke up early. Are you okay? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Lennox smirked. ¡°Why would I be?¡± I paused out of embarrassment. ¡°Yesterday, you¡­ You worked hard. I was wondering if you did too much.¡± He laughed, utterly charming, and the atmosphere grew thick with desire in an instant despite everything that had already happened. Realizing that I would get swept away by the moment again, I tried to change the atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s too dark here. Can you draw the curtains for me?¡± I hesitated for a moment in embarrassment and opened my mouth hesitantly. ¡°Yesterday, you were so¡­ You worked hard. I was wondering if it was too much.¡± Then he smirked and laughed. It was a horribly charming smile. As he smiled at me, the atmosphere grew thick with desire in an instant, despite everything that had gone on the night before. I felt like I was going to be swept away again and quickly tried to change the atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s too dark in the room. Can you open the curtains for me?¡± Lennox made a knowing expression at my interruption, but thankfully he stood up, playing along. ¡°Can I open your nightgown too, Duchess? I won¡¯t say no to that.¡± He walked to the window with a smirk, pushing aside the curtains to let the bright sunshine pour in. The room lit up, and¡­ A faint blue light shimmered in the air as well. It was the energy of the Epure. When I opened my palm, the light settled on it. ¡°¡­When did I release this energy?¡± ¡°Last night,¡± he replied, sounding a little surprised. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. It was flowing from you all night.¡± My eyes widened. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I had no idea.¡± I¡¯d been so distracted that I hadn¡¯t had the time to notice it. Lennox¡¯s words about how a deeper contact produced more purification energy came to mind. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t been thinking of that at all last night. It had¡­ not been possible. Mischief was audible in his voice when he spoke again, ¡°Was it that good?¡± ¡°What¡­¡± In a flash, he was on top of me, an arm snaking around my waist. Heat rushed to my face. ¡°Oh!¡± I slapped his wicked hand away. ¡°I anticipated that your body would be sore, so I wanted to give you a massage,¡± he said cheekily. ¡°It¡¯s a shame how easily that mouth of yours lies.¡± He licked his lower lip in response. ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough?¡± ¡°Not even close.¡± Lennox laughed at my incredulous expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I care about my wife¡¯s physical condition. I¡¯m not one of those bastards who care only about their own pleasure.¡± ¡°Should I thank you?¡± ¡°No need. It¡¯s how it should be.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so like you.¡± I laughed, diffusing the tension in the room gently. I took out my collection of travel brochures and my notebook from a bedside drawer. The notes were all about my plans for our honeymoon week. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things I want to do today.¡± Lennox quickly scanned the contents. ¡°You¡¯ve made very detailed plans.¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back here, so I have to squeeze in everything I can.¡± Visiting tourist attractions, eating the local food while following a budget! Weren¡¯t those the basics of traveling? I looked at my itinerary, tapping each entry. Lennox laughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to do too much?¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Most of them are shops and restaurants. I quickly flipped my notebook shut. ¡°That¡¯s mostly the purpose of visiting tourist spots.¡± ¡°So that was your purpose and not¡­ this?¡± ¡°Really! Will you not let me leave this bed?¡± Lennox grinned impishly and laughed again, making me fume at his unfairly good looks. ¡°In any case, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve already prepared.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± He tugged on the rope of the bedroom door instead of answering. A blushing Ashuna opened it quickly. ¡°Good morning, Madam!¡± She must have been waiting outside for quite some time. Ash sat on her shoulder, looking right at home. Lennox opened his palm, receiving a golden key from her. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a key to a magic safe.¡± ¡°A magic safe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a safe built in a subspace. Only the owner can open it, so nobody can open it by themself.¡± ¡°No one can go in without the owner¡¯s permission?¡± That was interesting. The key glinted in the sunlight. It seemed like something that would fetch a high price. ¡°But what if the key is lost? Can the safe be broken into?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lennox burst into laughter as if he¡¯d heard something ridiculous but fascinating. Rubbing my nose awkwardly, I waited for an answer. ¡°It cannot be broken or forced to open. Even if the key is lost, the owner can enter as often as they want. The key is just a device used to register the safe and its owner,¡± he said. ¡°This particular safe does not have a designated owner yet, so anyone with a key can enter.¡± He pressed down on the red jewel embedded in the key¡¯s bow. A small whirlwind appeared, in the middle of which was a hole. When the key was inserted and turned, there was a clicking sound, and the subspace opened from thin air. I gaped. Inside were solid-looking desks and chairs, low-height bookcases, and couches. The area was reminiscent of a small office. My heart was pounding as I entered the subspace. ¡°This is the safe.¡± Lennox pointed to an inconspicuous drawer next to the bookcase. I pulled on the handle, revealing its treasures. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I covered my mouth with both hands. Gold coins were piled up inside. Lennox had promised me my payment. The corners of my mouth twitched. Money couldn¡¯t buy happiness, but it ensured a comfortable life. I swept the surface of the gold coins with a trembling figure. The cool, smooth sensation was amazing. He handed me the key. ¡°Shall we register you as the owner first?¡± ¡°Okay, what should I do?¡± I nodded quickly. There was no reason to refuse a safe that would be registered in my name. ¡°A drop of blood is required to activate the spell. Ashuna held out a needle to me. When I pricked my finger and let it bleed onto the key, complicated patterns and letters floated on its surface. ¡°What should I say?¡± I wiped my finger with a clean handkerchief. Lennox smiled mischievously. ¡°¡®Open, sesame¡¯.¡± After looking around the subspace a bit more, I hurried to dress myself to go out with the help of Ashuna. ¡°Where are you going to go first?¡± ¡°Shopping. I need to buy some decent nightwear first.¡± ¡°What? But this is so pretty!¡± she hurriedly dissuaded. ¡°These days, this is the most popular design among young lovers. Didn¡¯t you like it, too?¡± I did, which was the problem. ¡±What were you thinking of while waiting for me in this dress?¡± I shook the memory away. ¡°The same goes for my indoor dresses. I¡¯m going to buy some again.¡± All of the dresses that Ashuna had packed for me were form-fitting and revealing. They either had no sleeves, no back, a low front, or no space for a petticoat. If I wore those, there would be nothing left to the imagination. ¡°These clothes make me seem too eager to seduce or be seduced. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? If you like each other, isn¡¯t that normal?¡± ¡°Ashuna, you don¡¯t know¡­¡± I probably would never forget what I had learned last night. ¡¯It was his first time too, so how was he so good at it?¡¯ Ashuna¡¯s face was serious. ¡°You need that ability to be a duke.¡± And Ash, who was listening silently, sent me a mental message. [I don¡¯t have an answer for that, Olivia.] His prejudices were definitely gone. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Ash flew and was about to land on my shoulder when I heard a short chirp. And there he was, struggling in Ashuna¡¯s hand. She lowered her head and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s not interrupt their date.¡± [¡­!] ¡°Just talk to me today.¡± [Hey!] Ash¡¯s eyes grew as big as saucers, and it was highly likely that mine were in the same state. [How did she know?!] ¡°What, that the bird and you are talking?¡± she replied nonchalantly. Ash was on the verge of passing out. Were there no secrets in this household? Lennox, fully dressed to go out, entered the room. I grabbed his arm. ¡°Did you tell her?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then how¡­¡± ¡°Ashuna has keen eyes,¡± he said simply, then turned to Ash. ¡°And he¡¯s still very sloppy, the foolish bird.¡± [Who¡¯s calling me foolish?] Lennox ignored him, though he could not hide his annoyance. ¡°Ashuna.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± She bowed. ¡°I hope you two have a good time. I¡¯ll be taking good care of him, so don¡¯t worry,¡± she said, then whisked Ash away before I could reply. Would things really be okay? ¡°I get along well with animals.¡± I nodded. Ash had asked me to keep his true nature a secret, so I didn¡¯t object. It was probably only a matter of time before Ashuna or Nishir realized it anyway. There was one thing Olivia had overlooked when she was planning their outing. She shouldn¡¯t have brought Lennox along for clothes shopping. ¡°Are you serious?¡± She slapped his hand, making him drop the palm-sized slip of fabric. He smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯ll look good on you.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Olivia blushed and hit his chest lightly. Not even batting an eye, he whispered, ¡°It looks easy to take off.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± She glanced at the store clerk, sighing in relief when it seemed like no one else had heard, and clenched her teeth. ¡°Are you considering the feelings of the person who will be wearing it?¡± Lennox skillfully put on a blank, uncomprehending expression. Olivia¡¯s embarrassment spiked. She licked her lips and turned away, unable to say anything witty. ¡°If you don¡¯t like this, that black lace robe looks good too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll choose, so you go over there and stay still!¡± she ordered him out of the store. This time, Lennox obediently followed. It was a virtue to know when to push further or turn back. He grinned at the sight of his lovely wife, the scarlet spreading from her face to her nape and the tips of her pretty ears. ¡±Do you like it?¡± Lennox had stopped when he heard those words. He was used to being indifferent to others and having high expectations of them. Most humans were classified as either troublesome or troublesome but useful But Olivia Brienne, now Olivia Kravant, was a little bit¡ªno¡ªvery different. She never annoyed him, and instead became a necessary presence in his life. From the moment he decided to seduce her, he moved strategically. Every word, every look, every action was designed to shake her heart. He thought about her feelings, paid attention to what she needed, and treated them with the consideration and kindness that she had never received before. His plan was to be a perfect husband. And strangely enough, putting it into practice was not difficult or uncomfortable at all. Rather, he only felt happy and amused. Whenever he was able to do something for Olivia and saw how much she appreciated it, his day automatically improved. Along with the feeling of pride, the affection in his heart grew. It was like the emptiness in it was being filled up little by little, as if erasing the traces of misery that had been carved into it after being abandoned so long ago. Especially since he spent the night with her¡­ The one who started the seduction first was obviously him, but he ended up being enchanted even more. He¡¯d clearly experienced how quickly his patience crumbled before her. Flushed cheeks, green eyes like dewy leaves, skin against his¡­ Slender fingers, heated gaze, sweet scent and pleasure-drunk expression. All of it was so alluring that Lennox hadn¡¯t been able to keep his guard up. He¡¯d been breathlessly eaten up by the sensations in an instant. At some point, all of his plans and calculations had been blown away, leaving him like a galloping horse with no reins. It had been heaven and hell all at once, a feeling that he had hurtled towards despite the sinking feeling that he would end up in trouble after. It had been his first time, too, so it was unforgettably intense. Lennox flushed as he sifted through his memories. He rubbed his face. How would he keep himself in check? His inexperienced body was reacting in a way that was almost laughable. ¡¯We¡¯ve already gone as far as we can go.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe how lustful he felt in this public space just because he thought about what had happened last night. ¡°I¡¯d like this one.¡± Meanwhile, Olivia was already paying for her clothes. Lennox quickly approached her. ¡°Have you picked all of them out?¡± At his interest, Olivia showed a subtle sense of vigilance. She hugged the paper bag closer to her as if protecting it from an enemy. ¡°I¡¯ve bought everything I need. I can¡¯t help it even if you won¡¯t like what I picked. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to wear them, so I¡¯ll buy what I like,¡± she said determinedly. She looked adorable. ¡°There¡¯s no way I won¡¯t like them. They¡¯re your choice.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lennox slowly leaned closer, lowering his head so that his lips would brush against her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m confident that, whatever it may be, I can take it off well.¡± ¡°Lennox!¡± Olivia¡¯s face resembled a ripe apple. If he bit her cheek, wouldn¡¯t sweetness flow out? He licked his lower lip, feeling a sudden surge of thirst. She flushed, distracted, and it was enough for him to snatch the paper bag away from her. ¡°Give it back!¡± ¡°It¡¯s heavy. I¡¯m just trying to hold it for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not heavy, and we won¡¯t have to walk far.¡± Did she think he didn¡¯t know what was inside? Lennox went ahead and led the way. ¡°Can I take a look?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯ll see it every night anyway. Is there any reason why I shouldn¡¯t see it in advance?¡± Olivia paused. She had to say something, but it was not easy. Pursing her lips, she sighed, then said something completely unexpected. ¡°I want you to see it when I¡¯m wearing it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lennox briefly doubted his own ears at the bold statement. ¡°It¡¯s packaged, so you won¡¯t be able to see the design well now. If you want to see it properly¡­¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Did this woman even know what she was saying? He clenched his fist and looked at her in bewilderment. The innocent blush on her beautiful face was an assault on his senses. If he swallowed those sweet lips, wouldn¡¯t his thirst be relieved. His throat bobbed. Unbearable images rose up in his mind. ¡°Lennox, are you thirsty?¡± ¡°What?¡± Olivia tilted her head, green eyes looking straight at him, and swept a finger over his throat with a smile. ¡°This keeps moving.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Lennox had to admit that, at least when it came to seducing one¡¯s opponent, Olivia was one step ahead of him. Whether she intended for it to be that way or not, the outcome was the same. He always ended up being the one possessed. Touching his forehead, he let out a dejected laugh. ¡¯I wonder if I can achieve my goal like this.¡¯ For the first time in his long life, he doubted the effectiveness of his plan. ¡°There¡¯s a delicious lemon sorbet shop near here that I want to go to.¡± Olivia slipped her hand into his, driving all the thoughts from his head. ¡°Also, don¡¯t even think about looking inside that paper bag,¡± she added, glancing at his other hand. ¡°So, you¡¯re asking me to be your personal porter today, huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to help me out?¡± ¡°I need to know what kind of stuff I¡¯m carrying.¡± ¡°Then open it. I simply won¡¯t wear them in that case.¡± She was an indomitable opponent. Lennox readily admitted defeat this time, knowing that there were many days ahead. ¡°Alright, but you have to wear them for the rest of our honeymoon.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t break our agreement, will you? You said you¡¯d wear them for me, so you have to keep your word.¡± After several more teasing jabs, he managed to get an affirmative answer from her. They soon arrived at the store, which was so popular that the entrance was crowded with people. He didn¡¯t like having to stand in line amongst others, so Lennox gave her a look of disapproval. ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± ¡°Of course! Waiting in line is part of the experience.¡± ¡°This?¡± He frowned. Being the sort of person who preferred to use a large transportation portal alone, he was displeased, but he kept his silence. Olivia felt a strange sense of superiority and shrugged, pleased that he gave in so easily. Fortunately, the line moved quickly and they were led inside. They were shown to a small table next to a round window with translucent curtains. Through it, one could see the beautiful coast. The sea sparkled like a blue jewel. ¡°Here are the lemon sorbets that you ordered.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She lifted the glass lid and found a hollowed-out lemon filled with ivory sherbet. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Her mouth watered just from looking at it. When she put a spoonful into her mouth, the fresh, citrusy flavor burst from within. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± Lennox smiled. ¡°Is it that good?¡± ¡°Yes. The taste makes me appreciate being alive.¡± ¡°Where the hell do you learn such expressions?¡± he asked, evidently amused. ¡°I don¡¯t learn them, they just come out on their own.¡± After the sorbet came a small lemon tart. It wasn¡¯t until after she had cleaned the plate that she sat up, satisfied. ¡°So, what¡¯s next on the itinerary?¡± ¡°Walking around and looking at the small shops?¡± As it was a tourist destination, there were many places selling cute souvenirs. Unfortunately, they were just pretty things with no practicality or utility, the kind of things that were bought and then eventually forgotten. But despite knowing all that, Olivia had to battle with temptation. A guy waving a glowing stick and calling for customers caught her eye. ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t it cute?¡± ¡°If you like it, why don¡¯t you buy one?¡± ¡°Hey, when and where would I even use it?¡± Lennox looked on in mild confusion as she looked around and refused to buy anything, but once again kept his mouth shut. They moved farther away from the commercial district, the shops becoming smaller and more modest. Just as they were about to head back¡­ ¡°Lennox, see that sign over there?¡± His gaze moved in the direction of her finger. His eyebrows twitched. ¡°The store is called ¡®Lennox¡¯!¡± She unlinked their arms and walked briskly towards it like an explorer who was about to make a great discovery. The small letters on the signboard came into view. ¡°An antique store?¡± It seemed old and plain from the outside, but the polished door and window frame, the clean surroundings and the flower arrangements lined up along the wall, all had a charm that caught Olivia¡¯s eye. It felt like she could see into the owner¡¯s mind. She looked back at her husband. ¡°How do you like it, Lennox? Don¡¯t you want to enter ¡®Lennox¡¯?¡± ¡°What are you waiting for? You were thinking of going in regardless of my answer.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ was it that obvious?¡± She laughed awkwardly. A large hand lightly touched her cheek, soft and cool against her skin. She blinked rapidly. ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face,¡± he answered plainly before dropping his hand. In the end, it was only Olivia who got flustered. She cleared her throat and, with much effort, schooled her expression. At that moment, the door of the shop opened wide with the sound of a tinkling bell. A well-dressed middle-aged man came out and greeted them with a bright smile. Lennox reacted quickly, casually wrapping an arm around her shoulder and nodding at the shopkeeper. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± The atmosphere inside the store was unique, perfect for an antique store. There were brown display cases that looked decades old, but they were all well-maintained and clean, and the items were all in order. ¡°There are a lot of rings.¡± There were many types, but more than half of the jewelry on display were rings. The shopkeeper blushed at the comment. ¡°Ah, our shop has been passed down from generation to generation, but originally, it was a ring crafting shop even during my grandfather¡¯s time. Right now, I can¡¯t make a living from that alone, so I buy and sell a variety of items.¡± ¡°I understand. Then, by any chance, can I know what the store name means?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean ¡®Lennox¡¯?¡± Olivia glanced at her husband, who, sure enough, had a deep wrinkle on his forehead. The owner continued with a smile, ¡°Actually, my daughter is a scholar-in-training. She works in interpretation at the temple.¡± ¡°Of what?¡± Lennox explained, ¡°The New Language was used in Elysium until about a thousand years ago, before the imperial language we have today.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. A thousand years ago, the Vagan Empire was still in power.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°My daughter told me that ¡®Lennox¡¯ in that language means ¡®promise¡¯. A ring is an accessory that promises eternal love, so I thought it would go well with our store.¡± ¡°Promise¡­¡± She poked Lennox¡¯s elbow and held onto it. ¡°Does your name have that meaning as well?¡± ¡°No,¡± he flatly denied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± Olivia went on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear, ¡°Then, what does your name mean?¡± He stared at her for a moment. ¡°It means nothing.¡± ¡°Hm? But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a random name, without anything in particular behind it.¡± She¡¯d been about to ask how a person¡¯s name could have no meaning, but there was a melancholy in his voice that prevented her from pressing him. ¡°Then, shall we take a look at the wares now?¡± Hurriedly trying to disperse the sudden, subdued atmosphere, she turned in the opposite direction. Necklaces and scarves hung on hangers on the wall, and the earrings were on a revolving display mechanism, winking in the light. There were also trinkets and colorful bracelets, but the rings truly were the most intriguing things in the room. Perhaps because they were all the works of generations of master jewelers, there were many that had vintage and unique designs. Some had intricate craftsmanship, and others were so thick that they seemed unwearable. There was a large variety of settings and gems. It was a pleasure to see so many beautiful things. ¡°Oh?¡± A ring in the corner of the case caught her attention. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Can I take a closer look at that ring?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the owner answered happily, taking out the ring and wrapping it in a soft cloth before setting it down in front of her. It was thin and made of silver, unadorned by any large jewels or showy ornamentation¡ªrather plain at first glance. There was also a subtle discoloration on its inner surface. ¡°Did your ancestors also make this ring?¡± ¡°Probably not. Most customers do not like such simple designs. Unique and colorful designs are more popular, so¡­ This is probably a remnant of a batch that was purchased in bulk from someone.¡± Olivia stared down at the ring. It looked old; even if she was intending to be insincere, she wouldn¡¯t have called it pretty. But strangely, she was drawn to it. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°Yes? Are you talking about¡­ this ring?¡± It seemed that the owner couldn¡¯t believe that she¡¯d chosen that ring over all the other gorgeous pieces. Lennox, too, disagreed with her choice. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too shabby?¡± ¡°But I like it.¡± She was the one who would wear it anyway. No matter what other people saw, as long as she liked it, it was enough. By the time they paid for the ring and left the store, the sun was already setting, their shadows lengthening. ¡°You really like it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Olivia slipped it onto her left ring finger alongside her wedding ring. ¡°Look, Lennox, it fits me perfectly, almost like it was made for me.¡± The fact that she was able to find a ring that she liked in a small store, and that it fit her perfectly, was amazing. Lennox grumbled discontentedly, ¡°How can you put your wedding ring on the same level as an antique? Aren¡¯t you being too mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Doesn¡¯t it look pretty good on me?¡± She raised her hand and splayed its five fingers. The two rings twinkled in the soft afternoon sunlight. ¡°It¡¯s really pretty.¡± Olivia tilted her head towards her husband and smiled. ¡°But of course, not as much as the wedding ring you gave me.¡± His eyebrow¡¯s twitched. He kept silent for a bit, then sighed and rubbed his face. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not offended, are you?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m not so narrow-minded so as to feel offended because of a ring purchase,¡± he replied cheekily, wrapping an arm around her waist, a stabilizing presence. Olivia nudged him in the side. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the villa.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m about to go hungry as well. I can look forward to dinner tonight, right?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°Apple pudding is a must.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be piled up on a plate like a mountain,¡± he replied. The couple looked at each other, giggling as their third day in Elysium drew to a close. [Olivia! Why are you so late?] As soon as they returned to the villa, Olivia looked for Ash, and when he saw her, he flew over, whimpering like a pet waiting for its owner. ¡°Did you have fun with Ashuna?¡± [What do you mean, ¡®fun¡¯?] Ashuna stepped in and closed his beak with her thumb and index finger. ¡°As you can see, we had a very enjoyable and informative time,¡± she said with a smooth smile. [Ouch! Eugh!] The bird cursed out with his eyes, but all of his hostility was neatly ignored. ¡°Thanks to that, we now have a deep friendship.¡± ¡°Ashuna, you weren¡¯t the only one who had a good time, right¡­?¡± I sent her suspicious glances, to which she responded with a benevolent smile. ¡°Indeed. Although my room was destroyed to the point that there¡¯s nothing in it left untouched.¡± [¡­] Ash stopped struggling. ¡°Ah, I think there was probably a vase that I bought with a year¡¯s worth of my salary among the broken items¡­¡± He rolled his eyes. [Yes, I had an accident and broke some things.] Ashuna sighed. [And I pecked the back of her hand about a hundred times, but that¡¯s normal.] ¡°What? Let me see.¡± Olivia held up Ashuna¡¯s hand. The skin was peppered with tiny cuts. ¡°What, isn¡¯t all of this the price of having fun together?¡± She smiled broadly, but the spine-chilling element to it was unmistakable. Olivia quietly called for Ash. Although his beak was now left free, he closed it tightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, you will have to stay in a cage the whole time while we¡¯re here in Elysium.¡± [You can¡¯t do that!] he yelled urgently. [I only did it because I didn¡¯t know it would make her hand look like that!] ¡°Does it make sense that you didn¡¯t know that someone would get hurt after being pecked like that?¡± The bird¡¯s excuse was like one that a drunk driver would say after an accident. Tears welled up in his eyes. [I thought the wounds would disappear just like they did with the duke.] ¡°Ah, so he¡¯s done this before?¡± Ashuna narrowed her eyes and smirked. Ash completely lost his will to argue and mumbled an apology. ¡°You should apologize properly.¡± He meekly bowed his head. [Sorry, Ashuna.] Why had he done that when he was going to apologize so quickly? Olivia sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back for the items he damaged, so can you organize a list and let me know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Madame¡­¡± ¡°You said that one of your vases was worth a year of your salary, though.¡± ¡°¡­Well. My back will break if I want to buy all those items again, so¡­ As soon as the list is cleared, I¡¯ll bring it to you!¡± She bowed with a booming cry and ran out of the room. And Olivia, left alone with Ash, put the bird on her lap. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± [¡­] ¡°You were supposed to have a good time with her. Why did you suddenly do something so unlike you?¡± There was no way that he would¡¯ve done such things for no reason. ¡°You don¡¯t like Ashuna?¡± [That¡¯s not it.] ¡°Then what is it?¡± The bird hesitated for a long time before opening his beak. [She¡¯s okay, but there are times when being alone is better.] ¡°Why?¡± [She¡¯s too observant.] ¡°What does that mean?¡± [You know what it is. Ashuna noticed that I can communicate that morning.] ¡°That¡¯s because she pays attention.¡± [Is that all it takes to discover my secret? Neither you nor the duke told anyone about me, and I hadn¡¯t made a mistake either, but she found me out.] After listening to his explanation and thinking about it, Olivia was intrigued. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean Ashuna will harm you¡­¡± [That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about.] Ash rubbed his face with his wings, then met her gaze determinedly. [My secret is directly related to my survival.] To summarize his explanation, there were four important points. First, Ash had many secrets. Second, revealing all of them would lead to a loss of existence. Third, some secrets would lead to his death as soon as they were exposed. And last, his secrets¡¯ value was determined by the time, place, and the person who wanted to know. ¡°You¡¯re telling me all this because of the fourth rule?¡± [Yes.] ¡°Why, exactly?¡± [That¡¯s a secret.] Olivia pressed on her temples, feeling a headache coming on. ¡°At this point, I¡¯m not even sure who you are.¡± [I told you, I¡¯m just an ordinary bird.] ¡°What does that even mean? I¡¯ll believe you¡¯re truly ¡®ordinary¡¯ if an ordinary rat can tap dance,¡± she snorted. Ash suddenly widened his eyes. [By the way, what is that on your finger?] She set down her hands and looked at them, at the finger he was looking at. ¡°Oh, you mean the ring?¡± [Can I take a look?] Before she could answer, he flew and landed on the back of her hand. He then pushed his face close enough to the ring that he almost touched it. [Where did you buy it?] Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°At a store I coincidentally entered while sightseeing¡­?¡± [Coincidentally? I see.] Ash straightened. [You must have really liked it for you to wear it alongside your wedding ring.] ¡°Yes, I do love it.¡± I smiled, rubbing the bridge of my nose. ¡°There were a lot of other, fancier rings, but I was attracted to this one. It¡¯s weird, isn¡¯t it?¡± Having seen the reactions of Lennox and the shopkeeper, I was expecting the bird¡¯s reaction to be around the same. But he answered seriously, [No, it¡¯s not weird at all.] I blinked. ¡°You really think so? I thought I would hear scolding from you as well.¡± [Everyone has different tastes. This ring has found a good owner.] Ash nodded vigorously, even a bit happily. [Don¡¯t lose it.] He flew up after speaking. ¡°Are you going now?¡± [For the sake of the newlyweds, uninvited guests should leave quickly.] He winked. [Have a good night, Olivia!] Late that night, Ashuna stood in front of the duchess¡¯ bedroom. Their master had already gone into it. Because of the barriers he¡¯d set, not a single sound leaked out, but it was obvious what was going on beyond the doors. ¡¯Just do it in moderation.¡¯ Or else their lady wouldn¡¯t be able to get any sleep. Ashuna, grumbling to herself, felt a cool breeze from the end of the hallway. She raised her head and glimpsed the figure of a walking man. ¡°Do you want me to relieve your shift?¡± She snorted at Nishir¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Never mind. I just got here too.¡± Of course, for the ¡®shadows¡¯, standing guard in the middle of the night was easy. ¡°What really brings you here?¡± ¡°Let me talk to you for a moment.¡± Normally, she would have responded with ¡°Shoo, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± but he looked serious. Ashuna looked back at the tightly closed bedroom door, then at Nishir. ¡°Wait a second.¡± The two moved to the center of the corridor, a position where they could still see the door clearly. Ashuna spoke first, ¡°I suppose I really am busy these days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make that face,¡± Nishir said, rejecting her sympathy. She smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Everyone is betting on when I¡¯ll die of overwork.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known that.¡± ¡°I¡¯d have thought that you would put the most money on the line about what will happen to me in the near future,¡± she shot back. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Was it a hundred gold?¡± ¡°¡­Who said that?¡± Nishir shut his mouth. ¡°Someone must have been confident this time, considering that they bet five months¡¯ worth of salary at once. Did they want to get rid of me that much?¡¯ ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been listening in the wrong places.¡± ¡°I have to know who¡¯s praying for my eternal rest. Still, I¡¯m going to wake up anyway, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Nishir changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, did you change your hairstyle?¡± ¡°¡­Did you eat something bad today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m genuinely curious!¡± ¡°Two can play at that game. Your hair seems longer now, huh?¡± Ashuna replied testily. ¡°And the wounds on your hand haven¡¯t healed yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s been rough these days¡­ wait, what?¡± She frowned, hurriedly grabbing a handful of Nishir¡¯s hair to measure the length. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this? Why is it getting longer? I¡­¡± She realized something soon after. ¡°Could it be that¡­ magic is coming back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Because of the lady¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ashuna¡¯s face hardened. It was not for a long silence that her mouth opened. ¡°So¡­ again¡­¡± she trailed off, biting her lower lip in an attempt to keep her emotions at bay. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Finally, we¡­¡± She buried her hands in her face. Nishir waited for her to compose herself in silence, a small consideration for a colleague. In the end, he didn¡¯t have to wait very long, but she was not known to be flustered by most things. Considering her usual temperament, this much was natural, and her overwhelmed appearance was more of the exception. ¡°I apologize. I must have looked ugly.¡± ¡°Not at all. I had the privilege to witness a rare sight.¡± Ashuna glared. ¡°You know you¡¯re becoming more and more like your master, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Even with her cold answer, Nishir only shrugged off her rebuke and brought up the real reason he came to her. ¡°But there are some problems.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± His eyes scanned the empty hallway, their battlefield at the moment. There was no sign of life in the vicinity. Having confirmed that no one could eavesdrop, he opened his mouth, ¡°His Highness is going to break his promise.¡± ¡°What promise?¡± ¡°The one he made with his wife.¡± Ashuna¡¯s face distorted when she understood what he meant. ¡°What about the contract?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll destroy it no matter what it takes. He¡¯s that type of man.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°We have to go back to where we came from someday.¡± ¡°True,¡± Nishir answered calmly. Her eyes widened. ¡°Is he going to take the lady with us?¡± He kept silent, which was an answer in itself. ¡°He can¡¯t. Does he think humans can live there forever?¡± How long would that last? Months? Years? Nishir gulped. ¡°You know, Madam is not an ordinary human being either.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say that it¡¯ll be fine with her powers, get lost,¡± Ashuna growled. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to stand it. That place isn¡¯t like here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nishir didn¡¯t expect that his colleague cared that much for Her Highness. ¡°You could have stopped him!¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t! His Highness¡­¡± He ended up confessing the truth, ¡°He wants to have her entirely.¡± Ashuna¡¯s eyes filled with anger. ¡°Did you hear what you just said? How could he think that? Has he gone mad? How dare he treat his wife like that?¡¯ ¡°Lower your voice, Ashuna.¡± But Nishir never could placate her when he went into such moods. She never gave up on her dedication, and it seemed that she¡¯d given it to their lady. She wouldn¡¯t be able to accept the will of their master. ¡°People aren¡¯t things to be had!¡± Of course, she¡¯d felt the signs of it before, especially when Lennox asserted monopoly over Olivia. But she didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad¡ªno, she had only fooled herself. She saw their master¡¯s eyes filled with more than just desire. ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe it.¡± There was only one conclusion to reach. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± Ashuna smirked. ¡°And what is it? Is it Madam?¡± Well, that was what they wanted to believe. She snorted to herself. She had no intention of stopping Nishir from currying favor with their master, but that arrogant man needed to be seriously hurt at least once. ¡°This will be interesting.¡± Ashuna laughed darkly. Nishir asked anxiously, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Look forward to it.¡± She was one of Lennox¡¯s best shadows, but her strongest trait was one that made her a ticking bomb. ¡°We will see a rare sight that will never again happen in the future.¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Meanwhile, in the dark, something was observing the scene¡­ silently and out of sight. Under the moonlight, a bird with silvery feathers looked on, eyes twinkling like diamonds. [Phew, that was a close call.] Ash flew away from his hiding place. Nishir and Ashuna frequently checked to see if anyone was eavesdropping, flinching whenever they heard a sound. Unfortunately for them, their observer was determined to remain hidden. [But they¡¯re still nervous¡­] Meanwhile, in the dark, something was observing the scene¡­ silently and out of sight. He couldn¡¯t just relax, watching those troublemakers. Whenever they were disciplined and sent to reflect, a new incident occurred not long after. But the reason Ash was looking at them, who used to be the scoundrels of heaven¡ªno, elite paladins¡ªwas to see how Olivia¡¯s ability was affecting them too. What he had done to Ashuna that morning was a calculated move to check the extent of the power of Epure¡¯s restoration. In addition, how quickly were the spinning cogwheels aligning? There were forces setting things into motion behind the scenes. Ash gazed at the sky, at the large, luminous moon. [Time is already¡­] It started the day Olivia escaped from the viscount¡¯s mansion and arrived at the Kravant estate, and now the moon was growing rounder by the night. [It¡¯s going to start soon.] The break Ash promised Olivia was about to come to an end. The fourth day of our honeymoon dawned. The sky was a clear blue and the sun bright, sea waves sparkling from outside the carriage window. And across me was a man who popped out of a painting, looking unrealistically beautiful in the excellent lighting. I glanced at Lennox and he met my eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Why do you look so surprised?¡± ¡°M-me?¡± I stumbled through my answer. His jewel-toned eyes warmed gently. ¡°Is it because I caught you trying to peek?¡± ¡°No¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like that!¡± Lennox, clearly unconvinced, smiled a little wider. ¡°You can stare at me as much as you want. I¡¯m your husband, after all.¡± The slightest flash of teeth appeared from between his lips. I looked away, feeling my cheeks and earlobes burn. At that moment, Ash flew onto my lap. [Olivia, don¡¯t be so easily reeled in. You have to play hard to get.] Again, it¡¯s not like that. [What do you mean, it¡¯s not? Lennox has you wrapped around his finger.] Just because you¡¯re little doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t defend myself. I flicked his forehead lightly. [I¡¯m being serious! You have to start now so you don¡¯t have an even harder time later.] I have it all under control. I shook my head in disbelief that I was being coached by a bird. Fortunately, the conversation ended there thanks to our arrival at the crowded main street. It was hectic and noisy, but that energy and the uniquely cheerful atmosphere were exciting. We were dressed in casual clothes to hide our identities and wander the streets. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m at a festival.¡± ¡°Especially at this time of the year, this tourist attraction becomes busiest.¡± Just walking down the street felt refreshing, made even better by the warmth of spring. I skipped lightly, caught up in the bustling crowd. At the center of the square, a fountain danced. The stream of water was not as large as the one at the palace, but it was pleasant and beautiful. ¡°Shall we take a break?¡± He sat on a bench with a good view of the rest of the surroundings. Thanks to the beautiful trees around us, the area had sufficient natural shade. I went to a nearby cart and bought two glasses of apple juice from a boy selling snacks. I held one out to Lennox. ¡°Here you go. The highlight of traveling is always street food.¡± He accepted it with a small frown, asking very seriously, ¡°Can I drink this?¡± ¡°Are you worried you might get poisoned?¡± ¡°Poison is fine, but¡­ how sanitary is this?¡± ¡¯Hey, normally poison is the bigger problem.¡¯ Lennox put the cup to his mouth wordlessly as I stared at him in amusement. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. His eyebrows shot up slightly. ¡°See? It¡¯s nice when you drink it, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± That was a pretty generous assessment for one such as him. I watched him sipping apple juice with delight. [That was a good call. Do stuff like that from now on,] Ash¡¯s voice crept into my head. [Men have to be tamed right from the beginning.] You¡¯re talking about that again? [Remember what I¡¯m saying. You always have to be the boss in a relationship.] Oh, so you don¡¯t want to drink juice, do you? Ash¡¯s beak closed with a hum, his head moving from one side to another. Finally, there was peace. ¡¯This is happiness.¡¯ Sitting side by side, the three of us drinking apple juice, I savored the relaxing moment. When the cup was nearly finished, Ash spoke again, [What are they doing over there?] I turned my head to look, seeing a moving throng. They must be performing something. Upon a closer look, there was a tent and a table, and then a large box wrapped in cloth. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a puppet show!¡± The children were the first to recognize what it was when the cloth was pulled off. Parents who failed to distract their children settled down near the tent one after another. ¡°Lennox, let¡¯s go look!¡± I grabbed him by the hand. As if his fingers had been waiting for it, his hand interlocked with mine easily. We went and stood right behind the people sitting on the ground for a good view. [It would have been hard to watch if we were a little farther,] Ash chirped from my shoulder. The area was packed with people, but there was a pocket of space right where we were, seemingly because Lennox was exuding aloof hostility. As the crowd had gathered quickly, the host appeared shortly. ¡°Thank you for your patience. Our show starts now!¡± He took off his hat, bowed, and disappeared, after which the narration immediately followed. ¡°Once upon a time, there lived a lovely little rabbit in a peaceful village.¡± Everyone was enthralled immediately. ¡°She was called Snowflake, for her pure white fur.¡± A rabbit puppet popped up cutely, much to the delight of the children. ¡°So cute!¡± ¡°One day, a group of gray wolves appeared in the village.¡± This time, the wolf puppet had a muscular body and sharp eyes. ¡°The village herbivores were terrified and they tried to run away. The leader of the pack, however, said this.¡± A curious child raised his hand to ask what it was. The wolf¡¯s mouth moved and a low voice came out, ¡°We will stay on the outskirts and then leave. We will not destroy your territory, as we come in peace.¡± ¡°The villagers were still incredulous, but they soon found out that they kept their word, even at their own expense.¡± ¡°But they¡¯ll get hungry eventually,¡± said the snowy rabbit puppet to herself. ¡°I should put some vegetables and grain in a basket and sneak it into their camp.¡± ¡°But within a short period of time, she was caught by the wolf.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± It was the first meeting between the two main characters. After that, there were more scenes of the gray wolf and the rabbit spending time together. When she foraged for herbs, the wolf followed along and helped her carry them back. ¡°The wolf fell in love without even realizing it, and he didn¡¯t even want to admit the truth. They were so different. He was large while she was tiny, strong while she didn¡¯t even have fangs¡­ Such a fragile, innocent creature did not suit someone like him, and yet, incomprehensibly, he couldn¡¯t stop his eyes from following the rabbit. Her innocent eyes and moonlit fur were all so very pretty. His lips moved on their own to smile, and his heart thumped quickly.¡± ¡°Wolves and rabbits cannot be together. That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°That was how the wolf deceived himself. But every time he saw Snowflake, his chest hurt very, very much. In the end, he made up his mind to leave the village forever.¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 The scene changed again. The pack of gray wolves left the village, and the snow rabbit stoically saw them off, hiding her sadness. She watched the procession all the way, only covering her face and sobbing when they were out of sight. Among the audience, the children were screaming. ¡°Wolf dummy!¡± ¡°I feel so bad for the rabbit!¡± Their parents hurriedly silenced them, but some adults too had tears in their eyes, myself included. ¡¯They¡¯re both stupid.¡¯ The wolf was foolish to conclude that the rabbit would not understand him, and the rabbit was also a fool for not stopping his departure. When the puppet moved away, the background changed rapidly. New shoots sprouted, leaves grew thick, then fell¡ª And when the cold winter came, snow piling upon the ground, the peace in the quiet village was broken. A pack of hyenas arrived. The situation quickly turned bloody. ¡°Hyenas started brutally killing the rabbits. While the snow rabbit had the ability to heal, she couldn¡¯t beat out the hyenas,¡± the narrator said, so steadily that the story seemed more tragic, ¡°who figured out that they needed to get rid of her first. The moment a hyena found the snow rabbit, it moved to bite her neck.¡± Sighs broke out among the people, and some children burst out sobbing. ¡°Her fur became stained with scarlet. After the raiding hyenas left, what remained was a ruined village. When the gray wolf belatedly heard the news and returned hurriedly, the snow rabbit was already dying.¡± *** The wolf stretched out his paws and hugged her close, uncaring of the blood and dirt. His face, which had been expressionless even when he left the village, was now awash with indescribable horror. ¡°Haaah.¡± He quickly bent down and placed his ear to the rabbit¡¯s lips, which parted slightly into a whisper. His face contorted in pain. The last wishes of a doomed life were indeed powerful. Snowflake raised a shaking hand and touched the wolf¡¯s cheek in a final farewell. Her eyes closed as her body became limp. His eyes widened in disbelief. He touched her face frantically. She didn¡¯t even move. He hugged the rabbit¡¯s small and slender body tight, rubbing his cheek against hers. By that point, I could no longer keep watching. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have come to watch this.¡¯ It was a puppet show with cute animal characters, so I hadn¡¯t thought it would have a sad ending. As the host walked out to the front of the simple stage, complaints were thrown at him. ¡°This is too much!¡± ¡°Please bring the snow rabbit back to life!¡± He tilted his head, as if in confusion. ¡°As you know, there is no way to bring the dead back to life.¡± ¡°No!¡± He smiled. ¡°But nevertheless, it is we humans who continue to wish for miracles. As long as you stay with me, hope is not lost. The story is not over yet.¡± He disappeared backstage. The puppet show began again. The gray wolf found all the hyenas that attacked the village and exacted revenge. It was then that a blue bird appeared in front of the agonized animal. It sang, [The rabbit will come back someday.] As unlikely as it was, it was his only hope. He began to wait. On sunny days, even on rainy days, and even on cold and windy days. One snowy day, he went deep into the forest and sobbed. He came upon an enchanted pool and a bitter groan escaped his mouth. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even grant her last wish.¡± In the audience, one of the children raised her hand. ¡°What was her wish?¡± The area around the tent instantly fell silent. ¡°¡­Forget me.¡± I groaned inwardly. The rabbit must have known the wolf¡¯s heart. I felt sorry for him, who must have been wishing for her return with all his heart. My heart ached as well as I thought about what the rabbit wanted. One day, after a time that seemed like an eternity to the wolf, the blue bird came to visit him once more. It put him to sleep with magic. [The day the rabbit returns, you will wake up too.] A faint smile appeared on the wolf¡¯s face. The lid of the puppet box slowly closed. The host reappeared. ¡°Will the wolf ever wake up?¡± he asked the audience casually. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°They will definitely meet again!¡± The children responded vigorously, and he smiled and nodded. ¡°If you really want it, a miracle will happen. So, don¡¯t give up on your dreams, listen to your parents, and become great people.¡± He waved his arm enthusiastically for the last time. There was thunderous applause. ¡®Thank god.¡¯ It would have been bad if the puppet show had ended midway with the tragic ending. Personally, I would have felt deeply uncomfortable. A life in which one died too early and the other could not die at all was too harsh. At least, this way, there was hope that the two would meet again in the distant future. ¡°Olivia, do you believe in miracles?¡± It was an absurd question, but maybe because of the host¡¯s words earlier, I felt like thinking carefully about the question instead of scolding him for talking nonsense. If I had been asked that in my previous life, I would have answered in the negative without hesitation, believing that miracles were only foolish ideas. Because if there were a god, I wouldn¡¯t have been abandoned. ¡°Hm, I think I do believe in them,¡± I answered with a grin, more confidently than I had expected of myself. Lennox, though, stood motionless. At first, I thought he was watching the people take down the tent, but that was not the case. His unblinking eyes were on the puppet box, where the rabbit and wolf doll were left. ¡°Lennox?¡± I carefully grabbed his arm. He jolted, as if waking up from a dream, and turned to me with his usual calm and serenity. Somehow, it felt like a mask. Before I could catch up with my thoughts, he had already started speaking. ¡°Olivia.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± I blurted out. He looked at me with one eyebrow raised, then smiled. ¡°You¡¯re okay, then.¡± His simultaneously kind and indifferent gaze was familiar. ¡°Your eyes are red, though. Like a red-eyed rabbit,¡± he joked leisurely. Still, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was desperately trying to hide his weakness, as impossible as it was for him to have any. ¡¯I must have seen it wrong.¡¯ After coming to a rational conclusion, I felt more at ease. ¡°But I have green eyes. Who¡¯s the real red-eyed person here, huh?¡± I responded playfully. ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong.¡± ¡°Have I?¡± ¡°My eyes are amber.¡± ¡¯Wow, how can he say such nonsense so seriously? It¡¯s so difficult to argue with him when he teases me like this.¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t red and amber too different?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 His casual response was absurd, the tone making it evident that he was teasing. I burst out laughing. Lennox¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°And why are you laughing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you look so serious while talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Nonsense?¡± ¡°People don¡¯t usually have two eye colors.¡± The more I thought about his solemn face when he said his eyes were amber, the more amusing it became to me. ¡°Ask any of the kids over there. Ten out of ten would answer that your irises are red.¡± A giggle escaped me. ¡°Maybe they¡¯d even say that you¡¯re just like the red-eyed rabbit.¡± What would he look like as a rabbit? Eyes that sparkled like rubies set within glossy black fur naturally came to mind. A slender body and sleek hind legs, too. Still, as a rabbit, his ears would still be perky, right? They¡¯d flap in the wind when he hopped and¡­ I squealed, covering my cheeks with my hands. ¡°It¡¯s so cute!¡± ¡°What the hell are you imagining?¡± Lennox asked, seemingly alarmed. ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Seeing my meaningful smile, he glared. ¡°Stop that.¡± Indeed, the adorable rabbit, Lennox, was angry, and I did not think it was scary at all. ¡°What do you think I was imagining?¡± ¡°Something disturbing and dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit it was a bit unsettling, but nothing dangerous.¡± I added cheekily, ¡°It was just a funny little secret.¡± ¡°You really¡­¡± He rubbed his forehead in defeat, once again making me laugh. *** It was such a nice day. The sky was clear and bright, and accompanying the warmth of the sun was a cool breeze. ¡°Should we walk to the north of the square this time?¡± Lennox asked. I grabbed his hand and pulled, thinking that he hadn¡¯t needed to ask in the first place. ¡°What¡¯s in that direction?¡± ¡°An outdoor garden.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He smiled at my disbelief, then led me forward. ¡°Elysium is especially popular with tourists in spring, when the weather is mild and the various flowers bloom.¡± Apparently, while it was probably not yet time to see the flowers in full bloom, he reassured me that we could at least still see the pretty buds. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Lennox needn¡¯t have worried. The wide garden was filled with colorful flowers. The vivid, brilliant colors were like fireworks spread across the land. Everywhere around us were people admiring the view like us, their smiles blooming as well as they walked with their loved ones. ¡°We sell flowers! Take a look at these fresh, pretty flowers!¡± The flower shops were in top form. The storefronts were crowded with men buying bouquets for their lovers and wives. ¡°What a beautiful spring day this is¡­¡± My husband glanced at me. ¡°Shall I buy you flowers as well?¡± I paused. I¡¯d never received flowers from anyone before. In fact, I could probably count on my hands the number of times I was given a gift. I shook my head, feeling a little down after recalling my lonely past. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Flowers were something that people in real relationships gave and accepted. Such a gift wasn¡¯t appropriate for those who were bound by survival and material greed. ¡°I don¡¯t even like flowers that much,¡± I blurted out, as if my mouth had a mind of its own. ¡°It¡¯s not even a special day¡­¡± Ash cut in, [Didn¡¯t you say you would buy big, colorful flowers to make this a special day, Your Grace?] ¡°Hey, when did he¡ª¡± [You said you would give Olivia only the rarest and most valuable things in the world.] I hurriedly tried to shush the bird¡¯s frequent demands. ¡°Lennox never promised anything like that!¡± [He did.] ¡°He really didn¡¯t, so why are you being so insistent?¡± ¡°I did.¡± My mouth dropped open. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s a special day. Did you forget that we are on our honeymoon? I¡¯ll get upset if you keep acting like this, Olivia,¡± Lennox said with a pout. Even though I knew he was acting, I felt strangely guilty I nodded in acquiescence. ¡°Then, buy it for me over there.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not going with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift. What fun would it be if I chose it?¡± [That¡¯s right. Untying the ribbon for the first time gives you more excitement and sentiment,] Ash interjected. I gently pushed his back in the direction of a florist. ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting a bouquet that I¡¯ll like.¡± Deciding to wait for him on a nearby bench, I relished in the soft wind swishing through my sleeves, bringing with it the fragrance of flowers. ¡¯This place is amazing¡­ To whoever chose this place, I applaud you.¡¯ Ash, who had flitted away a little earlier, returned with stems in his beak. ¡°Ash! You can¡¯t pick the flowers.¡± [I didn¡¯t pick them! I picked them up from the ground,] he protested. [The flowers must have been bent by the wind.] I looked closely, noting the soil on the petals. ¡°What a waste¡­¡± My eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s not an improved variety!¡± The flowers I was familiar with were enhanced by magic, made durable and weather-resistant. This made them a huge hit with the aristocracy. But these¡­ Upon careful inspection, they all looked like ordinary flowers. ¡°Would you happen to know why these ones haven¡¯t been infused with magic?¡± [If you don¡¯t know, just ask.] Ash dipped his head towards a nearby man who appeared to be a janitor. ¡°May I ask you something?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but¡­ I¡¯m curious as to why I don¡¯t see any of the popular magical improvements in the flowers.¡± ¡°Oh, are you not from here?¡± When I nodded, he explained with a smile, ¡°In fact, we did try to make those improvements, but were met with failure.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Strangely, the improved flowers didn¡¯t grow well here in Elysium, no matter how fresh they were. After seven days, they all withered.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I¡¯d heard that such plants were meant to grow well even if you simply watered them. Did that mean that they were amazing or strange? The man muttered, ¡°We used to say among ourselves that Elysium is a sacred land, and that nothing touched by magic would grow well here.¡± He added, ¡°We call it magic, but in the end, it is simply the mimicry of God¡¯s ability to create.¡± Having answered my question, he wished us well and left to do his job. I exchanged a glance with Ash. ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd?¡± [It is¡­] ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anything up with the magically improved flowers they were planting in the Imperial Palace?¡± [Huh, I didn¡¯t feel anything strange at all then¡­ What could it be?] ¡°I¡¯ll have to look into it as soon as we return.¡± I wanted to consult with Ash about how to investigate the matter, but a loud voice interrupted my thoughts. ¡°The flower sale is over today!¡± The florist happily flipped the sign on his door to show that his shop was closed. At the same time, there was a big wagon in front of him. I looked at Ash again. ¡°What could it be?¡± [Well¡­] ¡°Isn¡¯t that where Lennox went?¡± [That¡¯s right.] ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he left the place yet?¡± [Uh¡­] The florist gestured busily. His employers were loading the flowers onto the large cart with much care. ¡°No way¡­ It can¡¯t be.¡± The entire thing was ridiculous, but it seemed like just the thing that Lennox would do with a straight face. [That¡¯s him, right?] Ash whispered, cawing at the approaching wagon. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± It stopped right in front of me. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s a gift from your husband!¡± The employee who brought it bowed. ¡°So¡­ All these flowers are¡­¡± Likely mistaking my speechlessness to be a result of being impressed, he nodded furiously. ¡°Yes! And this is not all of it!¡± He stretched out his arms and pointed to the flower shop. I turned my head to follow his hand. There was another cart. And another. And another. I gasped. Determined to stop this madness, I ran to the shop. If I hurried, I might be able to get a refund, or at least I might be able to negotiate only buying one cart, as the rest had not been loaded with flowers yet. ¡°¡­!¡± My body jerked violently and my vision spun. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 As if the world turned upside-down, my vision flashed black before returning. [Olivia!] I managed to keep my balance, feeling drained. ¡°What was that?¡± [Olivia, are you okay?] ¡°Hng, I might be sick¡­¡± I mumbled, a little dizzy¡ªthough fortunately I didn¡¯t feel like blacking out anymore. Inhale. Exhale. I straightened as I saw Lennox walk out of the store. He slowly scanned the garden until he found me, smiling softly when he did and striding rapidly with long legs. ¡°Do you like the bouquet?¡± Right, I had to stop him. ¡°Why did you buy the entire flower shop?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to receive the largest, most colorful, and most expensive bouquet in the world.¡± ¡°When did I say that?¡± In the midst of my frustration, Ash encouraged Lennox rather than dissuade him, [Not bad. Good job.] ¡°Ash!¡± He pretended not to listen and looked at me nonchalantly. How reckless of him. I gave up on him and decided to try and convince my husband. ¡°This is too much. There won¡¯t be any space to put all of those flowers. It¡¯s not too late, so please¡­¡± Lennox replied glibly, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me to make the flowers disappear, are you? Or pretend that they don¡¯t exist?¡± I was at a loss for words. ¡°If you do that, I¡¯ll be really upset, Olivia.¡± [He¡¯s being sincere, so just accept them, Olivia.] I couldn¡¯t respond when both of them were being like that. I approached the cart slowly and looked down at the flowers. White, yellow, pink, purple¡­ A quiet sweep of dewy petals. A whiff of the fragrant scent made me smile. It was the first time I¡¯d received flowers, and warmth spread from deep in my chest, slowly replacing my mortification. ¡°Thank you.¡± The corners of Lennox¡¯s mouth quirked up in a gentle smile. ¡°Thank you so much¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve received all the flowers I¡¯ll ever receive in my lifetime.¡± ¡°No need to overstate it. You¡¯ll receive countless bouquets like this in the future.¡± ¡°Thank you for giving these to me.¡± ¡°You also might end up telling me to stop giving you this much because it¡¯ll get annoying.¡± I burst into giggles at the affectionate joke. I felt like the pain of my dark past was being washed away. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± A voice broke through my thoughts, from a passing man, ¡°Can¡¯t you sell me some flowers?¡± Although his clothes were a little out of fashion, he was very neatly dressed. ¡°I want to give my wife some flowers as a gift because today is our anniversary, but I was told that all the flowers were sold out¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I turned around to see people leaving the square empty-handed, throwing me envious glances. ¡°Lennox,¡± I then looked at my husband. The quick-witted man already knew what I was going to say. ¡°Do as you please,¡± he replied. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I¡¯d thought that it might be rude to give away the flowers that were given to me, but Lennox was surprisingly amenable to the idea. ¡°Since you accepted them graciously, they have fulfilled their role as my gift to you.¡± I nodded with a smile. Just in time, the employees of the flower shop arrived with more cartfuls of flowers. ¡°Would you please give away some of these flowers to those who need them? I¡¯ll compensate you fairly.¡± I held out some silver. Their eyes widened. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± But their luck didn¡¯t end there. ¡°I hope that my wife¡¯s generosity will be known far and wide.¡± Their already-wide eyes nearly popped out of their heads at the flash of gold from Lennox¡¯s breast pocket. ¡°Leave it to us!¡± ¡°In a few days, the whole of Elysium will be praising her kindness!¡± I blinked. ¡°Lennox, this isn¡¯t necessary¡­¡± The employees called out to me urgently, hands clasped and eyes shining earnestly. It was an appearance that I couldn¡¯t say no to. ¡°Good deeds are supposed to be talked about.¡± [It¡¯s the right thing to do,] Ash said with conviction. Once again helpless against the two, I ended up nodding. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± The employees began to prepare for distribution. ¡°Oh, wait!¡± I picked flowers from the cart according to type and color. ¡°I can help too.¡± ¡°So can I.¡± Lennox bent down and helped me. Even though there were so many, the one in my hand seemed exceptionally beautiful. I looked up at my husband, who asked me a familiar question. ¡°Do you like them?¡± This time, I answered joyfully and without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s the prettiest, most sincere bouquet I¡¯ve ever received.¡± Lennox stared at me, reaching for my face to tuck loose strands of hair behind my ear. His large hand brushed my earlobe, seemingly coincidentally. The friendly smile on his face made my heart stutter. ¡°The gifts you will receive in the future will be as numerous as the stars.¡± I looked into his eyes. ¡°Use me to enjoy all that Kravant has to offer. You will not lack for anything,¡± he whispered, sweetly, terribly. Lennox didn¡¯t know about my past, when I was poor and lonely and someone else, but it felt like he did and was comforting me. My heart ached. I had thought he was a cold, indifferent man when I met him for the first time, but now that I had come to know him, I knew that that wasn¡¯t true at all. He was always alert to my feelings, my needs and wants¡ªit was almost uncanny. Maybe it was because I was shaken, but I blurted my thoughts out, ¡°I think the person who will marry you later will be really happy.¡± Lennox paused. ¡°I mean, the real duchess, the one you¡¯ll marry because you really love her.¡± His eyebrows twitched. He seemed a little uncomfortable. I sighed. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. His life after our divorce was none of my business. I was not in a position to talk about whom he would meet and marry. It might be an unpleasant subject for him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just thinking out loud. Don¡¯t think too much of it.¡± I averted my eyes, shuffling my feet in the dirt. ¡°¡­¡± One day, our contract would be terminated. I used to be confident that we could wrap our business up neatly and say our farewells with a smile. But now¡­ Would I really be okay with breaking up with Lennox? I could no longer imagine a future without him. I was no longer content with being alone. How had it gotten this far? ¡°Olivia.¡± His hands cupped my cheeks, lifting my gaze. ¡°You are my wife.¡± His red eyes were warm, like the sun delivering heat and light to the world. ¡°You are the one I¡¯m married to.¡± He was being so sweet that it was breaking my heart. I knew that he was doing his best, just as he¡¯d promised me before our wedding. As my contractual husband, he did not lose any of the affection and respect we agreed upon. He accepted my ridiculous whining, making even me feel self-conscious. I actually wanted to ask him every time why he was being so nice to me, but I couldn¡¯t bear to ask because I was afraid of the answer. Rendered silent, I resorted to hugging the flowers closer to my chest. Lennox pulled me into his arms, a hand patting my back so gently that it made me cry. *** ¡°They¡¯re so pretty.¡± The flowers in the vase were blooming more radiantly than yesterday. I drank in their scent, my lungs expanding to their fullest. I looked at my husband. ¡°Do you want to smell them?¡± ¡°If you wish.¡± He approached and put his face close to the flowers. His beautiful face and the beautiful bouquet made a beautiful scene, one that took my breath away. ¡°It smells good.¡± Lennox looked up at me, smiling. I smiled back. Perfect. It was a perfect view. Then I remembered the contract again and felt as if cold water was poured water on me. [By the way, Your Grace, is there anything other than flowers?] I was so intoxicated by the warm atmosphere that I forgot that the world was not just for us two. I turned to Ash, who seemed to have entered through an open window. [Won¡¯t you buy her something else? Dresses, jewelry, shoes, things like that?] What in the world was he talking about? His demands continued, [You didn¡¯t think it would end with just a bouquet, did you?] My jaw dropped. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Lennox. He had a slight frown, but I couldn¡¯t read his thoughts. It was then that a direct provocation came, [If you¡¯re a duke, it¡¯s only natural that you give gifts on your honeymoon¡ªKhhk!] I hurriedly closed his beak, pretending not to notice his sounds of protest. ¡°You really do just say the obvious, you foolish bird,¡± Lennox said blandly. ¡°Today¡¯s itinerary was supposed to be going to the boutique.¡± Wait, what? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.