《I Became A Pretty Trash Villain》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1. Of All People, I Possessed Her


    I will give you freedom. Lets get a divorce.


    When I said this, I had no doubt that everything would work out.


    I shouldnt have forgotten that the world ismessed up[1].


    When I felt the end, what opened up was a new world.


    Your Highness, if, if you drink water


    .


    A completely different place from where I used to live. But with a strangely familiar setting and name.


    Attila Rojas.


    Yes?


    Why of all people Attila Rojas!


    The maid, who had been trembling with the glass of water by my side, fell flat on her stomach when my anger burst out.


    In her eyes, I would look like a madman who shouted her name and ripped her hair out as soon as she woke up.


    But I actually feel like Im going crazy.


    C, calm yourself, Your Highness.


    The water from the glass soaked the carpet. The poor maid whispered begging, not even thinking of collecting the glass and tray that were lying around.


    Youre still unwell.


    I want to be alone. Get out.


    I wasnt in the mood to care about others, so when I issued an order, the other person was very pleased. Without the slightest delay, she immediately got up and scurried out of the room.


    .


    I lowered my hand from my messy hair and looked around the unfamiliar room. Wooden furniture and antique accessories with fancy gilded edges.


    Attilas room, where I had to adapt from now on.


    If I knew this was going to happen, I shouldnt have opened my eyes.


    I couldnt help but laugh because it was ridiculous.


    Unfortunately, the family history of the supporting villain in the fiction happened to coincidentally resemble my reality so much that it was like a piece of work. So, I couldnt finish reading the novel and threw it away.


    I was the villain supporting character in that very novel. Damn it.


    To put Attila Rojas in a word, shes a pretty trash.


    She was so tyrannical that it overshadowed her beauty that could cause the downfall of a country, and she was a terrible villain who even achieved her marriage through threats.


    Not only was she the embodiment of jealousy, but even after marriage, she showeddelusion of infidelity[2].


    If she werent the Princess of the Tribon Empire, she would have already been divorced tens of thousands of times.


    Im already married.


    If it were before marriage, I would have looked for other ways, but it has been over three years since I was married. In addition, I had just woken up from committing suicide to get the male leads attention.


    Damn it, so typical.


    Id rather possess a passing extra.


    Of all people, why am I the female leads half-sister and the male leads ex-wife?


    The life of Han So-yi, a college student who had justpassed[3], felt dim. My past life was like a beggar, but how come my second life ison par with it[4]?


    Han So-yis memory and Attilas original memory were jumbled together, causing a severe headache. I pressed down on my throbbing temple and looked at the future that I would face.


    According to the original, this supporting character will die. And that, too, in a very ugly way.


    While planning revenge on the protagonist couple, she was consumed by her own dark magic.


    It was unfair to end my life like that even though I am not interested in the male lead. It was right to leave before the female lead appeared.


    You two can gofry and roast[5]. The uninvited guest will disappear.


    Ill have to think about the rest after I get a divorce.


    From possessing someone in a bizarre novel to a horrifying situation, it was unlikely that I would have the heart to maintain this marriage. All I wanted is to get away from all the characters in the novel as soon as possible.


    Is anyone there?


    When I shouted out at the door, the maid hurriedly answered.


    Did you call, Your Highness?


    Im going to the Marquis. Get ready.


    Ive just woken up, so Im dizzy, but its not to the point where I cant move.


    For now, getting out of this unsatisfactory development was the first thing.


    I moved with that thought, but unfortunately failed on the first day. It was because of my motivation.


    It was only a day after I woke up after committing suicide. Its possible to move around in the room, but Im crazy to think of going up and down the stairs.


    What a suicide show, really.


    Its not even a real clich complete set.


    In the meantime, my husband, who didnt even show his nose, let alone visit me, was a great gentleman. Attila, who endured this humiliation for three years, was admirable.


    What a waste of face, this woman.


    Looking at the reflection in the mirror, I clicked my tongue.


    Spread her name across the continent, and she would be a beauty that even atheists could find religion in.


    Perfectly symmetrical features that can only be explained as being created by God. Bright red eyes and lustrous chestnut hair comparable to jewels.


    Honestly, I think I can make up for my bad personality with my looks like this.


    At this point, I didnt know if the princess who was not loved by this kind of beauty was amazing, or the male lead who didnt fall for her even though he was loved and chased by such a beauty was amazing.


    Either way, it has nothing to do with me.


    Will I be able to go today?


    I had just eaten porridge and rested, and my physical condition improved considerably. In addition, the weather outside was worth seeing as the clouds cleared up.


    Its the perfect day for a divorce.


    Shall we go see my handsome husband?


    Thinking of the male lead, the corners of my mouth rose.


    The princesss husband, Evandel Listane.


    His father was originally the eldest son of a Marquis, but he was expelled from the family because he fell in love with a maid. Since he was born after that, he was no different from a commoner in terms of status.


    However, Evandel, the male lead, was undaunted by his status, and became an imperial knight and rose to the level of a Swordmaster, and he later won the title of Dragon Slayer.


    By now, he had even regained his Marquis title. The emperor, who did not want to let go of one of the two Slayers on the continent, took away the title from his uncle and handed it over to him.


    I will escort you.


    The maid who helped me get ready for going out escorted me to Evandel.


    Unlike yesterday, it felt very good to be able to climb the stairs alone without support.


    It would be a perfect day without a doubt if the divorce proceeded smoothly.


    But the feeling of soaring to the sky was immediately dampened when I reached his office. It was because I faced an attendant with a grumpy face.


    Are you here to see His Excellency?


    Is there a problem?


    Of course, I didnt expect a happy look, but the disapproving look was shocking.


    That impudent bastard?


    His Excellency is busy at the moment.


    .


    Hurry up and open it.


    When I glared at the slow-acting attendant, he hurriedly opened the door. With this attendants attitude alone, I could see how Attila was treated normally.


    Like a pathetic woman. So why do I have to act ashamed?


    When I entered the room, the first thing I saw was a large desk in the middle of the neatly arranged interior. In the middle of it sat a man who handled papers without even raising his head.


    The sunlight at the window met the cold silver hair and glowed white. I was worried that I wouldnt know who the male lead was, so I was stunned that there was even a halo ready for the first meeting.


    Anyway, shouldnt he at least look at me?


    He must have heard the door open, but his eyes did not move away from the papers.


    Shebrought it upon herself[6], but that should not be his attitude towards his wife who just survived death.


    Eventually, I ran out of patience and spoke first.


    People might think you went up to that position with a pen instead of a sword.


    .


    I know my face is dazzling, but why dont you look up? I have good news for you.


    Roll.


    The fountain pen Evandel had set down rolled over the edge of the document. And finally I was able to check the color of his eyes.


    Eyes like a lake


    The lake the princess spoke of must have been a winter lake. Otherwise, it would be impossible to stay frozen that way.


    What brings you here?


    A low voice rang out. The moment I heard his voice, I felt a slight pain in my chest.


    As if responding to a painful memory.


    Bad luck. I frowned and ignored the symptoms.


    Dont you know I almost died?


    Her Highness jumped into a shallow pond.


    Damn it.


    There are countless embarrassing acts committed by the princess so far, but the recent suicide show was almost a representative among them.


    If youre going to do a show, at least do a good job. What do you mean the best place to jump is in the front yard, a pond that doesnt even reach the chest?


    It was ridiculous to anyone. I was so ashamed, and I became irritated.


    Of course, looking at the result alone, the princess actually lost her life in that ridiculous show. Thats why I possessed her.


    But the catch is that its a fact that no one will know. I dont know if I should say I feel sorry for this.


    Right. Even so, youre too much. Weve been married for three years, and weve known each other for more than a decade.


    .


    Would you show more interest than this if it was a passing dog who fell into the pond?


    He swept his face down with his hand, as if he didnt want to hear sarcastic criticism. His eyes were closed and opened after a while, and there was no hint of guilt, just tiredness.


    So what do you want to say?


    I told you earlier, Im here with good news.


    I smiled and got down to business.


    I will give you freedom. Lets get a divorce.


    .


    Even if you dance out of joy, Ill pretend I didnt see it, so prepare the documents.


    However, the other partys reaction was lukewarm. Not only was there no sign of surprise, but even his eyes remained the same size as before.


    I said again, doubting my eyes at the unresponsiveness that was different from my expectations.


    Didnt you hear me? Lets get a divorce.


    If youre going to keep talking nonsense, get out.


    .


    What?


    TL Notes:


    [1] I couldve used kaleidoscope wherein the context of the sentence means the world is variegated and hectic and somewhat terrifyingly unstable. Or simply, messed up.


    [2] Delusion of infidelity is a morbid symptom that excessively doubts ones husbands conduct. It is also known as morbid jealousy, delusional jealousy, pathological jealousy, conjugal paranoia, or Othello syndrome.


    [3] Can also mean died.


    [4] can mean neck-and-neck, evenly matched, be on par with, or stand even, with the literal meaning being neither high nor low.


    [5] Fry and roast ( ) is a slang that means to annoy and irritate someone. Another way to put it is dont pester me by the side and go over there and do your job.


    [6] The word used here was which is an idiom. It means that she was asking for it, or brought it upon herself. It is the state of suffering the consequences of what one did.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep saying useless words, leave.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    What?


    This development is not included in my plan?


    Flustered, I strode over to his desk.


    ¡°What do you mean useless words! I¡¯m more serious than ever.¡±


    ¡°What kind of protest is it this time? If you want to buy something, just buy it.¡±


    ¡°What? Protest? Do I look like a spoiled brat right now?¡±


    If you want to buy something, buy it. Are you talking about fart?[1]


    My blood pressure was about to rise from the untimely handling of a child. I wonder if I have to grab his collar, so he can take me seriously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t provoke my temper, and listen carefully. I can¡¯t live with you anymore, so start preparing for divorce right away.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to joke around with Her Highness.¡±


    ¡°No way, is your earhole blocked? It¡¯s not a joke¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s out there! Come and take Her Highness.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t even before I finished speaking. In the blink of an eye, the servants who rushed over grabbed me by the arms and led me out the door.


    ¡°Let me go! You won¡¯t let go? No, Marquis Listane! Hey!¡±


    The door slammed shut behind my huffing back.


    I couldn¡¯t believe what just happened even after going through it myself. It was so absurd that I burst out laughing without rest[2].


    After standing in a daze at the door for a long time, I came to my senses and glared at the servants.


    ¡°How presumptuous¡­¡­.¡±


    He withdrew his hand as soon as he achieved his purpose, but this is disrespectful and tantamount to blasphemy.


    I am still a member of the royal family and the hostess of this house, and you treat me like a criminal?


    ¡°How dare you put your hands on the body of a noble princess like this?¡±


    Slap.


    After slapping the cheeks of the two servants in turn, I took a small breath.


    ¡­¡­was it supposed to go this far?


    I was the one who hit them, but I was more surprised than those who were hit.


    I was stunned by the violence that came out strangely naturally, but I soon came to my senses. Now is the time to act strictly to set an example.


    I lowered my voice to hide my fluster.


    ¡°Do you know who it is that dragged you out like a vagrant[3]?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I am the one and only princess of the great empire. Know that it won¡¯t end with a slap next time.¡±


    The servants looked calm as if they had been subjected to this a lot.


    Indeed, the only way to get rid of the princess, who was not usually vicious, would have been by force. It was clear from the efficient movement that this was often the case, sadly.


    ¡°Anyway, why won¡¯t this jerk give me a divorce?¡±


    I felt terribly awful. First, I¡¯ll go back to my room and make a plete revision of my plan.


    Stomp. Stomp.


    Putting all the accumulated anger on my feet, I headed to the bedroom.


    Why?


    I thought about it for a long time, but I couldn¡¯t e up with an answer.


    If you¡¯re going to treat me like this anyway, why won¡¯t you give me a divorce?


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have any lingering feelings¡­¡­¡±


    Surprisingly, the princess did not have only unrequited love throughout her life. I can¡¯t even call it a relationship, but there was a time when the two felt the same.


    Of course, it was a very long time ago, and as the love of the princess turned into an obsession, it all went wrong.


    ¡°You, e here.¡±


    The woman who had initially looked around wondering if I had called her, noticed that my fingers were pointing at her, so she approached me with a frightened face.


    How badly did she treat her employees that they would react like that every time?


    I suppressed my frustration and showed as much patience as I could until she came close.


    ¡°W, w, what brings you¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°The Marquis won¡¯t divorce me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ yes?¡±


    Her originally pale face turned even paler.


    ¡°He won¡¯t divorce me. I thought he¡¯d like it.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why is that? Think carefully. If it¡¯s plausible, I¡¯ll give you a salary increase.¡±


    The maid¡¯s face suddenly changed when money was mentioned. Unlike earlier, when she trembled with fear, she began to think deeply.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit of a burden to cast away the imperial family?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    That alone doesn¡¯t explain it enough.


    Unless there was an objection from the princess? But, there was no reason to ignore the request of the princess.


    ¡°Or, he is unknowingly seeking the right of succession?¡±


    ¡°Right of succession?¡±


    The maid, who lowered her voice, afraid that someone might hear, came closer to me and whispered:


    ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince¡­¡­ has a lot of scandals.¡±


    Crown Prince Nikolai Rojas, the half-brother of the princess.


    Unlike the current emperor, who led the country to its peaceful era, he was a person who created scandals every day without distinguishing between public and private matters.


    No wonder he was the successor in the emperor¡¯s eyes.


    There were even rumors that the princess¡¯s husband might bee the next emperor.


    ¡°Did Van have that ambition?¡±


    I muttered subconsciously and was stunned.


    What did I just say? Van?


    His nickname, which flowed so naturally, almost made me vomit.


    When I saw the maid who looked like a discouraged puppy when she saw my twisted face, I immediately relaxed my expression. If I continued expressing my current awful feelings, this woman would begin to tremble with fear again.


    ¡°Yes, maybe. Then one more. Is there a way to get a divorce without an agreement?¡±


    The maid rolled her eyes and smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°That, the imperial law is a little bit¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°As expected, huh?¡±


    Imperial law would not change.


    The reason why the king¡¯s son-in-law is mentioned as the next emperor instead of the princess is not because of her temper or gender. It was because the princess gave up her right to succeed.


    Divorce was also originally prohibited. However, like the current emperor, the predecessors who wanted to change their wife pushed for it, and it was barely revised.


    However, a condition was attached that there must be an agreement between the two parties. In other words, it was a useless bill for those who really need a divorce.


    ¡°It means I have to get his agreement somehow¡­¡­¡±


    When I glanced at the maid, the intelligent woman¡¯s eyes immediately changed. As if plotting, her narrowed eyes turned in my direction, as if seeking confirmation.


    ¡°So¡­¡­ Does Her Excellency need someone to play as the Lord?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    When I put my head together with a maid who could endure a frightening master for the sake of money, various ideas poured out. So we continued our discussion until the sun went down.


    ¡°From here to there.¡±


    This is probably the most spoken line in this shopping trip.


    ¡°Give me both. No, all three.¡±


    There was no such thing as a choice disorder. If it slightly caught my eye, I bought all of it. After going around some of the dressing rooms like that, I didn¡¯t have enough space to put my luggage in.


    ¡°What else should I buy?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Do you still have something to buy?¡±


    The Marquis¡¯s aide, who had been dragged along for shopping, plained with an exhausted face.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already filled two carriages. If you buy more, Your Excellency will have to be a mercenary[4]!¡±


    ¡°You told me to buy it because you were confident.¡±


    Even when the aide cried, I didn¡¯t blink an eye.


    You shouldn¡¯t have thoughtlessly said it arrogantly.


    ¡®What kind of protest is it this time? If you want to buy something, just buy it.¡¯


    At first I thought he was crazy. There was no way Attila, a member of the royal family, was in need of money, so what kind of nonsense was that?


    But when I heard a shocking story from the maid with whom I had conspired with the plan the other day, everything soon made sense.


    ¡®His Majesty blocked you last year because¡­¡­ of your gambling debt. Don¡¯t you remember?¡¯


    Here¡¯s what she stammered out:


    Some of Attila¡¯s unanswered actions included gambling. Her all-in disease flared up, screaming without looking at the amount, and ended up with astronomical debts.


    The details were billed directly to the imperial family, and the emperor who discovered the enormous debt paid it back. Without a word of warning, he cut her source of money.


    In the end, she was in a position where she had no choice but to be financially dependent on her husband.


    ¡°Ugh! I¡¯m so angry!¡±


    I can¡¯t forget that arrogant voice! I can¡¯t even refute it!


    As I slammed my shoes down on the floor, the aide slipped away from me. There was another look on his face that seemed to be starting.


    What, what was the original Atilla¡¯s usual facial expression?


    It was unpleasant to think about. I¡¯ve entered the body of the princess, who has the dirtiest personality in the novel, so why doesn¡¯t anyone feel a sense of disharmony[5]?


    ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve changed a bit lately?¡±


    ¡°Yes? What are you talking about¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­forget it.¡±


    It¡¯s really annoying.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a mood, so lower your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Looking at the aide who obediently stared at the ground, I annoyedly swept my hair.


    Right, for now, let¡¯s focus on getting divorced.


    No matter how penniless I am, I am still a member of the imperial family, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯d starve to death.


    ¡°You filled four carriages with clothes and jewelry. In one day.¡±


    ¡°I have a rich husband, so I should take advantage of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The only time of the day the couple has a meal together is during dinner.


    Of course, even that was often skipped under the pretext of work, but pared to other times when he doesn¡¯t show his face once, they still tended to eat dinner together.


    Evandel, who looked at me for a moment at my brazen answer, sighed lightly.


    ¡°If Her Highness is satisfied, then it is enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like the feeling of a loving lover saying, ¡®As long as you¡¯re happy.¡¯ Rather, the feeling that ¡®I won¡¯t be involved in whatever mess you make,¡¯ was stronger.


    Indeed, he called me ¡®Your Highness¡¯ just like before marriage. But, I think I used a nickname at one point.


    ¡°Van.¡±


    At first, I thought it was disgusting, but it came out surprisingly easily, perhaps because it was a familiar nickname for the princess.


    I put the fork down and rested my chin on my interlocked fingers.


    ¡°Do you want to be emperor?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    He, who hadn¡¯t even made eye contact except for a brief moment before, suddenly raised his head. At least he looked more surprised than when he was told to divorce.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know. You won¡¯t love me and you won¡¯t divorce me. I have no choice but to think that you have another ulterior motive.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about that again?¡±


    It was noticeable that his interest faded immediately at the word divorce. I didn¡¯t understand how he couldn¡¯t listen to me like this.


    Did the princess ever ask for a divorce?


    I don¡¯t remember it, but seeing as there are some memories that I haven¡¯t recovered yet, it wasn¡¯t impossible. There are quite a few people who try to break up when things don¡¯t go their way.


    However, if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t it be a wele thing for this person? But what the hell is this reaction?


    ¡°If we don¡¯t get divorced, I¡¯ll live every day just like today. I¡¯m only buying a small amount of clothes now, but later I might buy a carriage or a house.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can handle it unless you empty off three or four more dragon lairs, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    He was silent. He kept moving his knife as if saying, ¡®You bark. I¡¯m going to eat.¡¯


    ¡°Or, do you have any lingering feelings for me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s funny that you¡¯re discussing that between us.¡±


    Look at how fast he¡¯s answering questions like this again.


    He was a truly filthy, unlucky human being.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you divorce me?¡±


    If the female lead appears, you¡¯ll treat me like a villain.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­we!¡± (Evandel)


    When the topic of divorce came up, I didn¡¯t want him to be silent again, so I pushed him, but then he suddenly shouted.


    My eyes widened at his dramatic reaction I saw for the first time. I kept staring at him curiously, but he threw his knife down in anger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can eat any more. I¡¯ll get up first.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ What? Wait a minute.¡±


    Even when I grabbed him, he didn¡¯t stop. In the end, Evandel said nothing and disappeared like that.


    ¡°We¡­¡­.¡±


    When asked if he had any lingering feelings, why is that bastard mentioning about ¡®we¡¯ contradictorily again after talking about the relationship ¡®between us¡¯, which he doesn¡¯t even care about?


    ¡°This didn¡¯t e out in the novel.¡±


    Later on, even if I grabbed his trouser leg and begged, it seemed like he would still throw me out.


    I want to leave on my own before I get kicked out. Is it that hard for you to listen to that?


    If the threat to extort property doesn¡¯t work, it can¡¯t be done. It was time to push for something stronger.


    TL Notes:


    [1] ??? ??? = This means, ¡°Your words make no sense at all.¡±


    [2] To burst into laughter in spite of oneself because of some nonsense.


    [3] ???? = a group of people that idle around all day (often bullying others) and don¡¯t have a proper job. Mainly used to refer to gangsters.


    [4] She is being greedy, is what he means.


    [5] She acts differently but why doesn¡¯t anyone feel that something is out of place, is what she means.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°¡­¡­do you have to do this?¡±


    The butler asked in a small voice. He cowered as if he was a mouse in front of a cat.


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t take care of it as I said?¡±


    ¡°N, no, I did send them all out. However, His Excellency is sure¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    When I called him softly, he answered in a more timid voice, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I understand that Sir¡¯s wife is quite busy preparing for the ball. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡­. That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yourself that you were having a headache because there weren¡¯t enough guests, did you?¡±


    ¡°I, I did.¡±


    After waving the fan gently and enjoying the breeze for a while, I folded the fan with a snap and glared at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for that ball. If need be, I, a member of the imperial family, will show my face.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you make your daughter a successful debutante?¡±


    Then the father, who had a nubile daughter, immediately closed his mouth.


    Even though she didn¡¯t have many friends because of her broken personality, she had enough connections to mobilize as she was a member of the imperial family. And being responsible for the guest was a pretty big favor.


    But why was I making it sound so threatening? It was kind of nice to hear it straight away when I was saying it for the first time.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for him to come.¡±


    Like a child waiting for Santa Claus, I kept glancing at the entrance to the hall.


    It was time for Evandel to come down for dinner. Imagining that unfortunate face distorting made me excited.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about how our Excellency will come out? Huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The butler, who had stood there with a gloomy expression as if resigned, straightened his posture at the sound of footsteps just in time.


    Finally, Evandel entered.


    When he found the dining hall empty, he stopped as if he had reached an unfamiliar place. I couldn¡¯t hold back my laughter any longer, so I covered my face with a fan.


    Even though it was almost meal time, there was no food prepared.


    Not only the dining hall, but most of the entire mansion would be empty. Perhaps he felt strange on his way here.


    ¡°Is it Your Highness¡¯ doing?¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is disrespectful.¡±


    Evandel sighed and sat down across from me. The butler, who had been restless since he appeared, continued to stare at his master with an anxious face even after pulling out the chair.


    ¡°There is no one at home, what happened?¡±


    ¡°I sent them all out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°We have hands and feet, so why can¡¯t we take care of ourselves?¡±


    Of course, I didn¡¯t actually fire the employees.


    It was unreasonable to hire all that many people again, and it would take a lot of time to train them. I couldn¡¯t afford to go through such an inconvenient trouble.


    It was just a mercifully paid vacation. Although the Marquis in front of me should not know the truth.


    ¡°So, you will personally make the food?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m controlling my diet these days, so I don¡¯t need anything grandiose. Ah, I didn¡¯t think of you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I rolled the grapes into my mouth with a very unfortunate sarcasm.  And behind Evandel¡¯s back, I gave a warning look to the butler who seemed to be wondering if he should tell the truth now.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡­¡­what do you know? Is he raising the white flag?


    As I looked at him with small expectations, he rose from his seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m not controlling my diet, so I¡¯m going to have to stay somewhere else for the time being.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re going to move out of the house now?¡±


    ¡°I trust that Her Highness will take care of the household affairs while I am gone.¡±


    Then he said to the butler, who was watching the situation anxiously.


    ¡°Sir Azim, please pack your luggage.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The butler replied vigorously, bowed and waited for his master to exit the hall first. When Evandel disappeared from sight, he glanced sideways at me and followed his master.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    I let out a laugh and irritably tossed the grape.


    So this doesn¡¯t work either?


    Let¡¯s see how far you can go. I tried some special plan, but it didn¡¯t work, so I will try to find a more risky way to succeed.


    The plan to virtually fire the employees was withdrawn after he had not returned to the mansion for more than five days.


    It took a day or two to survive on bread and tea, and if I held on any longer, I would die.


    I wondered if it would be okay to continue the separation as it is, but I needed to find a place of my own before the female lead appeared.


    My existence as the nuisance of the Imperial Palace. Since I might lose my place to stay, it was safer to make a property in my name in advance.


    ¡°Are you really going to carry it out?¡±


    Mary, who had put together all the plans in depth, asked. There was a tension in her voice that couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    ¡°Will you be alright?¡±


    ¡°Even if there is one more scandal now, what will be different?¡±


    ¡°What difference would it make even if there is one more scandal now?¡±


    The special plan was to pretend to be in an affair.


    Many show window noble couples[1] were nothing special, but I had to be prepared to appear on the front page of the newspaper if things went wrong.


    However, even if it took such trouble, it would be enough if I could provoke Evandel and obtain a divorce.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, Your Highness¡­¡­ I really wonder if you¡¯ll be okay¡­¡­¡±


    I stared at Mary, who couldn¡¯t help but speak vaguely. It was a plan that the original Attila would never have done.


    In the past, she had done everything she could to get Evandel¡¯s attention. However, other than deliberately speaking kindly to other young masters, she did not cross the line beyond that.


    It may be because it was her last honor as a member of the imperial family or because she wanted to keep her loyalty with Evandel.


    What loyalty. Give that to a dog.


    ¡°Mary.¡±


    I warmly called out the maid¡¯s name. It was unusual for me, who doesn¡¯t usually take the trouble to memorize the names of the employees.


    ¡°When I jumped into the pond, Evandel Listane died inside me.¡±


    He might have been so precious to her that she would have given up on the plan, but not me.


    He meant nothing to me, and my purpose was far from crude, such as inducing jealousy.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t care in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Mary remained silent for a while, looking somewhat shocked. It would be hard to believe if a person who has always been desperate for the love of the Marquis said such a thing.


    After checking the watch, I looked for the lead role in this plan.


    ¡°Has the young master who would help me arrived?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. He is probably here by now.¡±


    She quickly came to her senses and moved quickly. I asked the parlor maid who was serving customers a few questions, and she immediately returned to me and gave me an answer.


    ¡°He is in the parlor.¡±


    I don¡¯t like her at all for measuring other people and being shrewd. Even if that was not the case, I should promote Mary, and I ordered her to guide him here.


    ¡°I, I, I greet Her Imperial H, Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The young man who would help me with my divorce was a likable man with reddish, curly hair and freckles. I liked his cute appearance, but one thing bothered me.


    ¡°Mary, does this young Sir always stutter?¡±


    ¡°N, no! I¡¯m just nervous¡­¡­.¡±


    The answer was given by himself. I squinted my eyes and examined him.


    Even if he was actually stuttering, it was not a big deal. However, I wanted someone who could seemingly match Evandel in appearance. Even if the imperial lady who has only looked at one male lord all her life has one eye, she will immediately understand such a man.


    The kind of man who would make everyone understand right away why the imperial princess, who had only been looking at the male lead all her life, looked away from him.


    I was afraid that Evandel wouldn¡¯t take the type that took some time looking for his charm, seriously.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be shaking when my husband comes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Go back if you¡¯re not confident.¡±


    ¡°No! I can do it well.¡±


    This was the second son of Baron Juan was in debt to the Listane family. Antonio Juan, who had the opportunity to pay off his debts at once, seemed full of enthusiasm.


    ¡°I, if only my life could be preserved from Lord Listane¡­¡­¡±


    The problem was that he didn¡¯t have the courage to back it up.


    I let out a small sigh and smiled.


    ¡°Sir Toni, you can put aside your useless worries. No matter how much I act rashly, my husband won¡¯t give me a look. I guess you didn¡¯t hear about us couple?¡±


    Antonio looked like he didn¡¯t know how to react to my self-deprecating joke. He was wriggling his fingers with an uncomfortable look, so I grabbed his hand to lighten the mood.


    ¡°Heok.¡±


    He looked at me in surprise. I stared into Antonio¡¯s widened eyes and slowly raised the corners of my mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. We¡¯re going to do more than this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee your life along with your family¡¯s debts. However, if you get scared and ruin things, I will personally take your life.¡±


    He shivered and nodded wildly. I was a bit dissatisfied, but time was running out and there was no guarantee that I would find a better candidate, so the plan went ahead.


    That night, I heard from a servant who had put in a word in advance that Evandel would be coming home soon.


    Having prepared Antonio Juan, I likewise put on my thin gown and headed to Evandel¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°I greet Her Imperial Highness¡­¡­.¡±


    Antonio, who greeted me in his sleepwear, was mesmerized. He hastily rammed his head on the floor while greeting me with a reddened face.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so why don¡¯t you relax?¡±


    ¡°That is because Her Highness is so beautiful¡­¡­.¡±


    TL Notes:


    [1] Pretend couples/showing from the outside that you are couples.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so can you relax?¡±


    ¡°That is because Her Highness is so beautiful¡­¡­.¡±


    Oh my. You¡¯re being honest again.


    I looked at the young man who was making all sorts of excuses and annoyedly ordered him to lie down on the bed. Tony, with a dejected look, slowly crawled under the covers.


    Then, when I looked at Mary, who was standing next to me, she nodded and quickly left the room.


    As I looked around the silent room without saying anything, I found this whole situation so ridiculous.


    How did I get to this point?


    I was absent-minded for a moment, but I quickly brushed it off. I had no choice but to get away from the male lead who would make me endlessly miserable by flirting with the female lead.


    As I climbed onto the bed, a nervous Antonio stiffened. After taking one look at him, I forcibly pulled his right arm and used it as an arm pillow.


    ¡°That, y, you¡¯re too close¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? I¡¯m supposed to hold you, but then you want me to put a pillow between us to make space?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I managed to hold back hitting his mouth and found a position that was as comfortable as possible. I didn¡¯t forget to glare at Antonio as if to warn him every time he squirmed.


    ¡°Just pretend to be asleep for now. When Evandel comes in, don¡¯t talk to him and leave right away.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡±


    I could feel his heartbeat thumping in his arms. His face, ripe like a tomato, was unsightly.


    I hope Evandel returns in the dark of night, but if it had been daytime, I don¡¯t know if this play could have started.


    I tried to suppress my temper and closed my eyes. Now is the time to focus on the signals Mary will give.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    Mary¡¯s voice, louder than usual, crossed the threshold, as if Evandel had arrived just in time.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    His puzzled voice followed.


    It was understandable because a maid, whose rule was to serve a person like a ghost, was now standing in front of his bedroom.


    Antonio¡¯s snoring rose in the young man¡¯s voice. I whispered through my teeth hearing the sound of his breathing that anyone would mistake for a rhinoceros.


    ¡°Calm down and pretend to be asleep.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    As I closed my eyes again and quietly examined the situation, I heard Mary, who was also versatile, performing passionately.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult right now. Can you please come in a little later? I ask of you, Your Excellency.¡±


    ¡°This is my bedroom.¡±


    ¡°T, then I¡¯ll go in first¡­.¡±


    Feeling something unusual, Evandel stopped the altercation.


    Thud.


    There was a noise as strong force was applied to the handle. Soon the door swung open.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I had my eyes closed, but I noticed that Evandel had witnessed my affair. In the first place, when the door opened, the bed was immediately visible, so no matter how dark it was, one couldn¡¯t help but notice it.


    Clang.


    The sound of things he might have been carrying fell to the floor.


    Not waking up to such sounds would be too unnatural. I looked around and pretended to have just woken up.


    But before I could even raise my upper body up. Evandel strode over and strangled Antonio.


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    Startled, I jumped up and exclaimed.


    ¡°Toni!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Toni? Is that the name of this man?¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? Quickly let go of that hand.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t let go right away. It wasn¡¯t until the other party almost rolled his eyes that he let go of his hand.


    Cough. Cough.


    In the silent room, all I could hear was Toni¡¯s frantic coughing. Even in the awkward silence, Evandel didn¡¯t take his gaze away from me.


    ¡°Are you okay? Toni, look at me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­¡­ Cough, cough. I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Get out now.¡±


    ¡°B, but¡­¡­.¡±


    Upon discovering Evandel¡¯s murderous look, Toni shrank as much as he could.


    He looked at me with worried eyes. Should I say it¡¯s admirable that he cares about me even when he¡¯s trembling with fear?


    ¡°I¡¯ll get back to you later. First of all, get out¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no later. Princess, you need to talk to me now.¡±


    Evandel cut off my words and let out a low growl.


    Mary, who had come in to assess the situation, hurriedly assisted Toni and left. The door closed again and what filled the room was a cold silence.


    He closed his mouth shut and didn¡¯t talk, so I opened my mouth first because it was suffocating.


    ¡°You came earlier than I thought¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Did you send me out to do this?¡±


    As soon as I started talking, he questioned me with fierce momentum.


    ¡­¡­ why are you cutting me off annoyingly since earlier?


    ¡°Did I do something I couldn¡¯t do? We¡¯re just a married couple on paper1 anyway.¡±


    ¡°Letting an intruder in and you¡¯re still standing tall.¡±


    I laughed at the word intruder. Who calls a lover that way?


    ¡°At least you shouldn¡¯t have done that in this house. And in my bedroom, too.¡±


    Perhaps I was stupid for doing it. His reaction was so strong that I subtly foresaw the possibility of jealousy, but this man was just mad at me for doing this in his bed.


    But if it had been my bedroom, would you have known I had another man with me?


    The anticipation that had risen implicitly was extinguished in an instant. In addition, the sympathy I had for the Imperial Princess grew even more.


    Attila, I feel sorry for you. How can you love such a husband so much?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I didn¡¯t expect you to return earlier. It¡¯s more comfortable here than in my bed.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But what do you mean, don¡¯t do that in this house? So you¡¯re telling me to settle it outside? Like you?¡±


    There is no way I have my own house in Listane territory, far from the capital of the Empire. That¡¯s a pretty harsh thing to say knowing that. Can¡¯t a person who has nothing even have an affair?


    But he furrowed his eyebrows in displeasure.


    ¡°Please refrain from making offensive assumptions. I¡¯ve never committed infidelity.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    That¡¯s funny. Even if that¡¯s true, when the female lead comes, he will break that.


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. You¡¯re in the prime of your life.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Or does our great Lord Listane have a secret that he cannot tell?¡±


    I hung a long smile from the corner of my mouth and folded my eyes as if I were teasing him.


    ¡°Do you not have2¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Thinking I had teased him enough, I quickly withdrew my smile. It seemed like this was enough stimulation, so I thought it would be good to expect good news in a few days.


    But just as I was about to get off the bed. Suddenly, a strong force pressed down on me.


    ¡°What¡­¡­¡­¡±


    A large shadow covered me. Evandel was on top of me, looking down at me with eyes that I couldn¡¯t understand.


    Damn it, did I tease you too much?


    It¡¯s a big deal if his pride is hurt and he suddenly does something that isn¡¯t like him.


    It was time to think hard about how to deal with this situation. He looked down at me like he was looking at a mouse in a jar and then spoke.


    ¡°I wonder if you want something like this¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Looking at Your Highness¡¯s face, even a thousand years of lust will cool down.¡±


    ¡­¡­ what is this bastard?


    I know this is wrong but I want to insert a leg-screw stick3 in his mouth instead of his leg.


    I glared at him with a stunned face, but he slowly withdrew. My wrist, which had been held tightly, ached.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°I was going to go anyway.¡±


    After getting out of bed with a huff, I turned around instead of leaving.


    ¡°And don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t want to sleep with you either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who ruined my fun, Marquis Listane. If you threaten my lover one more time, I won¡¯t stand for it.¡±


    I warned the bastard and left the room. Fortunately, there was not much commotion, so there were no onlookers gathered.


    Mary, who was waiting outside, draped a shawl over my shoulder. As I started walking, she followed with a hurried stride.


    End of Chapter 1. Being Alone


    He was alone again.


    Evandel sighed and sat down on the bed. When he touched the place where the sheet was pressed, he could still feel the warmth.


    ¡®Are you okay? Toni, look at me.¡¯


    Was he anxious4?


    It has been a long time since that selfish woman who knows nothing but herself spoke in such a worried tone.


    ¡®Van, who made you like this?¡¯


    Maybe it was the same as back then.


    The hand that dug into the sheet clenched into a fist, and wrinkles bloomed on the pure white fabric.


    Lately, he has often seen her appearance for the first time in a long time.


    ¡®I will give you freedom. Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡¯


    It was the same when she said that.


    When he was thinking about how long it had been since he had seen her flawless smile, he threw such a joke at that time. As if it had been calculated.


    Come to think of it, the Imperial Princess seemed to have just returned to the way she was in the past. When he first met her, she was out of reach for him as he was shabby and unsightly.


    Since when?


    Ah, it must have been that night. The day she came to his room with all her malice gone which was different than usual.


    What did she ask?


    Was it his relationship with another woman that she had been asking about every day?


    No, it was not. That was not the case that day.


    ¡®You know, Van.¡¯


    It was the night when he thought that her calm and subdued voice was not like her.


    ¡®Was what we did love?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t give an answer. Because he didn¡¯t even have the right to enjoy that kind of devotion in the first place.


    However, if she showed that kind of personality at the beginning, would he be determined to end this tough ill-fated relationship?


    ¡®If you threaten my lover one more time, I won¡¯t stand for it.¡¯


    Are you really ready to leave me?


    ¡°Har.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man, who had been hiding like a shadow, emerged through the moonlight. The faithful aide patiently waited for him even if he did not say anything for a long time.


    ¡°Find out who Toni is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡®Or, do you have any lingering feelings for me?¡¯


    Her question echoed once again.


    Evandel smiled and slowly shook his head.


    ¡°I have to get ready.¡±


    It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not ready. I wanted to say that it could not be lingering feelings.


    A married couple but the actual relationship between her and him has less than a platonic friendship would.


    She¡¯s basically asking if he has no external genitalia i.e. a eunuch who has been castrated and cannot perform.


    ??? is a wooden stick used for leg-screw torture.


    Anxious + missing + love when you separate or break up with your lover/boyfriend.

 Chapter 5

    05


    2. Really Going To Get Divorced


    I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a long time, but I must have been a puppy slayer in the distant past.


    Not just one or two, but it seems well over a few hundred. Unless it¡¯s that much of a sin, there¡¯s no way the family I drew would be so bad until my second life.


    I¡¯ve always wondered.


    If you don¡¯t have money, you can earn it, and if you have a bad face, you can fix it,


    Then, what should a trash family do?


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°Mary, is this the face that makes a thousand years of lust cool down?¡±


    The maid who was helping me with my hair stopped and made eye contact with me in the mirror. To describe her expression in one word, it was as if she had heard nonsense.


    ¡°Even Princess Aestra wouldn¡¯t say such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Who is Aestra?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness tore the lady¡¯s dress during the banquet, don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    An onion still appears even when I peel it off1, huh?


    I clicked my tongue in admiration of Attila¡¯s onion-like heroic story.


    ¡°Why did I tear off the dress that had no problem? Surely I didn¡¯t do that in front of people, did I?¡±


    ¡°Of course it was in front of people. Probably because¡­¡­ she asked why His Excellency didn¡¯t ask you for a dance?¡±


    At the moment, a sharp memory crept in, recalling the incident she had described.


    Ah, right.


    At the time, the banquet was hosted by Aestra¡¯s family, the Duke of Danjork. And as it was a banquet for a princess, it was customary for unmarried men to dance with her.


    However, if you are unmarried.


    ¡°It was worth tearing.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, yes. It was something that would make you angry even if you stayed still.¡±


    Whether or not Princess Aestra was actually interested in Evandel was unknown. But obviously, her main intention was to taunt Attila.


    Perhaps she was probably one of the antis created by the princess¡¯ temper.


    ¡°I hope I don¡¯t get those bugs around today.¡±


    But, as I spoke, I couldn¡¯t help but feel how contradictory it was.


    After all, the banquet I am attending today is the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday banquet. In other words, I have to see Attila¡¯s family, who belong to the Great King of Bugs, among the bugs.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even get a divorce and we end up going to such a place like that together.¡±


    The divorce papers never came in the end. He was truly like a Bodhisattva husband who overlooked even infidelity.


    I know you don¡¯t have any feelings, but shouldn¡¯t you at least pretend to listen when I protest like this?


    ¡°Make it look good. Just in case I meet a nobleman today who will help me get a divorce.¡±


    Of course, I¡¯m not serious. It was impossible unless I met someone who would take me to another country and run away.


    In the first place, no one would approach Attila, who is famous for her psychotic single-mindedness.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you had an official appearance. Which dress would you like to wear?¡±


    Mary showed me about five of the dresses she had selected. At first, I looked at it seriously, but that only lasted for a moment. I quickly got tired of it and replied insincerely.


    ¡°Give me anything. Preferably something that isn¡¯t pink. Why is it all pink?¡±


    Personally, I like achromatic colors rather than primary colors. I don¡¯t like bright and light colors, but four of the five were pink.


    ¡°You really have changed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At her words that I couldn¡¯t understand, I looked at Mary and she said with a faint smile.


    ¡°You were famous for sticking to pink¡­¡­..¡±


    Ah. That¡¯s right, I did.


    The reason why Attila became a pink fanatic is simple. Because Evandel liked pink.


    If I remember correctly, it was the color he praised as a suitable fit for Attila. This is why the princess, who wanted to win his favor, only wore pink day and night.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never wear pink from now on, so don¡¯t even take it out.¡±


    I prefer achromatic colors, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t like certain colors. But as of today, I¡¯ve decided to hate pink.


    I will not wear the color that bastard chose.


    ¡°How can you say that to this face, you jerk with eyes on the soles of your feet?¡±


    ¡°His Excellency must have said that because you look so holy.¡±


    Mary said something ridiculous to soothe me. When I realized that I was being overly angry, my anger gradually cooled down.


    It¡¯s funny. Why would I care about the words of such a guy in the first place?


    It was when I wrapped up my emotions and thought about this and that and wore the dress.


    ¡°The magic circle is ready.¡±


    Just at the right time, the butler announced. With one last spray of perfume, I went down to the first floor following his guidance.


    Since the Imperial Palace is far from the territory, a magic circle is needed. After teleporting to the Imperial capital, I was going to enter the palace in a carriage prepared in advance.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    But when I arrived, there was another face that I didn¡¯t want to see besides the magician of Listane.


    I rejected Evandel¡¯s outstretched hand, and said harshly.


    ¡°Never mind. There¡¯s no need to be polite.¡±


    Why would a man who normally didn¡¯t care if I went first or not suddenly want to escort me?


    But as soon as I reached the magic circle, he gave me an unpleasant answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable for both of us, but today is the Imperial Palace banquet, so we have to pretend to be a married couple.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now, but I hope you¡¯ll be mindful of it later for Your Highness¡¯s honor.¡±


    That sounds like a face-saving thing. When did you care about me?


    Isn¡¯t the story of a princess being mistreated by her husband already established as a snack2 on the continent?


    Of course, he didn¡¯t care about that either. I sneered and burst out laughing at his words.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t care about that, right? What¡¯s more, I¡¯m going to put more shame on myself at this banquet. There must be a lot of young masters waiting for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    But what he said was unexpected.


    ¡°¡­¡­ You must have broken up with Toni.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±


    Just as I was asking back at the unexpected words, the magic circle suddenly activated with a wooing sound.


    Startled by the unfamiliar phenomenon, I clung to the person next to me.


    ¡°Uwaa!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I was so shocked that I didn¡¯t have time to think about whose chest I was holding. I was just busy grabbing his shirt and burying my face in it.


    I felt dizzy and nauseous due to the influence of magic I had never experienced before. Even my field of vision was not in good condition and was shaking.


    After a long time, I could barely stand on my own, and was limp like a mollusk.


    ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t do it twice.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Anyone who sees you will think it¡¯s your first time teleporting with magic.¡±


    Instead of holding me, my jerk husband muttered something like that and started walking in the lead.


    I glared at the back of his white head and gritted my teeth.


    You rude bastard, just wait and see.


    I was worried about what would happen if I had no memory of the Imperial Palace, but fortunately, it was just an unfounded worry.


    When I first walked through the gate, it was a bit unfamiliar, but soon my memory began to clear like a fog.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡­.¡±


    And the baptism of gazes that began as soon as I stepped out of the carriage was unceasing.


    Attila, whose husband was at the top of the list, was often stuck in the territory even during the social season, and when she visited the imperial capital, it was at most on an imperial birthday.


    As a result, many people saw the real life princess who was full of rumors for the first time.


    Everyone, from servants to nobles, approached with curious eyes and then walked away with gaping mouths. Even if the imperial family is not a celebrity, it felt rude in a way.


    As the response continued, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like a monkey in a zoo. Only then did I realize that the Marquis¡¯ people had already adapted to Attila¡¯s appearance.


    ¡°You must be proud to have a pretty wife.¡±


    With a sorry heart, I cracked a joke at Evandel, who had been placed in the spotlight with me.


    But is there anything to be sorry about? Perhaps I was getting more attention because a handsome figure like the male lead was next to me.


    ¡°I have nothing to do with Your Highness¡¯s appearance, so why would I be proud?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡­.¡±


    As usual, his tone of speaking has nothing good in it, but if you look at the content, it was correct.


    Now that I hear it, that¡¯s true. If I have to find someone who could be proud of it, it¡¯s the empress who gave birth to this face. She was as indifferent to her daughter as the emperor is, so she couldn¡¯t have felt any pride.


    ¡°I like how certain you are with calculations. I hope you do the same when dividing the property later.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have an answer? Don¡¯t forget I brought a lot of dowry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­just pay your gambling debts.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Wasn¡¯t that already paid off?¡±


    I grabbed his arm, feeling like I had missed some very important information. Noticing us in front of the banquet hall, the servant loudly announced our appearance.


    ¡°Her Highness the Imperial Princess and Marquis Listane!¡±


    After calling our names, the eyes were on me again.


    Is this really the kind of attention I¡¯m going to get for the rest of my life? While I was bewildered by being able to unintentionally empathize with a celebrity¡¯s life, the sound of people humming reached my ears.


    ¡°That¡¯s Her Highness the Imperial Princess¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°She is undeserving of the rumors.¡±


    ¡°If the Marquis is not shaken by such beauty¡­¡­¡±


    Listening to their talk of admiration and dismay made me even more uncomfortable in a position that I wasn¡¯t originally happy about. In my mind, I just wanted to show my face to the Emperor and then go back.


    ¡°Captain, it¡¯s new to see you dressed like this instead of in a uniform!¡±


    Not long after entering, a young man came to Evandel. Judging from the fact that he was called Captain, it seemed that he was a subordinate who he shared with the joys and sorrows before he went down to the territory.


    The young man who was approaching him with a smile suddenly spotted me and opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Oh my God, this lady that I¡¯ve only heard of¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Roin, you should show courtesy to Her Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course.¡±


    The man, called Roin, hurriedly greeted me. I didn¡¯t know how to react, so I just gave a slight nod.


    He kept glancing at me and whispering to Evandel.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful woman like this before!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Sir Roin.¡±


    Are you really whispering that?


    I don¡¯t know if it was because he swallowed a train smokestack3, but it wasn¡¯t even funny because I heard it all.


    Evandel, who seemed uncomfortable throughout the conversation, eventually dragged him away and disappeared. At first, I was relieved to be without him, but I soon changed my mind.


    Being left alone was awkward enough to the point of death.


    ¡°I feel sorry for His Excellency.¡±


    ¡°She is so obsessed with her husband¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Before they got married, she personally punished her rivals in love.¡±


    And the whispers got worse. Due to her4 personality, she didn¡¯t have any friends with anyone, and I started to feel a little sore trying to stand still by myself.


    While fiddling with my hair, I repeatedly straightened the hem of the dress without wrinkles. I was worried about where to put my hands, where my eyes should look, and everything else.


    So I forgot. Who this banquet was for.


    ¡°Who is this, isn¡¯t your face so precious? How come you show up at the right time when people start to forget you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I wanted anyone to come and talk to me, but not this person.


    There is always a new suspicion about her popping up just like there is always a new layer inside an onion after its outer layer is peeled off.


    In this situation, it means it is a favorite topic to talk about while eating a snack with alcohol (????).


    ?? ??? ?? ?? meaning he talks loudly (even when he is whispering).


    She is talking about the original Atilla.

 Chapter 6

    Nikolai Rojas. In previous life, Han So-yi¡¯s relationship with her brother was hopeless.


    Commonly referred to as siblings in real life were heavenly by my standards. A close relationship that can only be seen in a harmonious family.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to come.¡±


    ¡°This girl still talks the same even after seeing her for the first time in a while.¡±


    Attila¡¯s mother, now the empress, was the handmaiden of the previous empress. To make a long story short, it is a case where a rolling stone takes out the embedded stone1.


    This is why Nikolai, born from the former empress, cannot see Attila favorably. Of course, Attila also hated the existence of her half-brother.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see your gift on the list. You came empty-handed, so did you leave your courtesy behind at Listane?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I clearly brought it.¡±


    Looking straight at the doubtful Nikolai, I arrogantly pointed at my face.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°I personally attended.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a friend with your trashy personality? Why would they come to celebrate your birthday? You came here to see me.¡±


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡­.¡±


    Honestly, when I think about it, what I said was a bit of a curse. But it¡¯s not like I made up words that don¡¯t exist.


    His temper is also inherited.


    Nikolai, the emperor¡¯s son, also had a dog-like personality, and the only friends who stuck by his side were either people who were the same as the Crown Prince or who flocked to pick up the unexpected profits they could gain from him. Some of those jackals adored the Imperial Princess for her excellent looks. The fact that Attila was married didn¡¯t have much of an impact. After all, infidelity was never considered a sin in high society.


    ¡°It seems like your personality has become more vulgar since we haven¡¯t seen each other?¡±


    ¡°Your self-introduction skills have improved.¡±


    ¡°This is clearly a!¡±


    Unable to control his anger, Nikolai threateningly raised his right hand.


    I tried not to be scared. I was used to being hit, so I was confident enough to endure pain, and it was also my last pride.


    However, it couldn¡¯t stop my body from reflexively cowering after recalling the memory.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    But even after waiting for a long time, I didn¡¯t feel any pain. As I slowly lifted my eyelids, I noticed another arm blocking his arm.


    ¡°Big brother, a lot of people are watching. Be careful with how you act.¡±


    Hair that is much darker than Attila, closer to black. Dark blue eyes reminiscent of the deep sea.


    A vague fragment of memory stuck out, making me remember.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Who are you calling your big brother? You¡¯re making me feel dirty.¡±


    Nikolai glared alternately at him and me with a cold face and then turned his back. I was able to infer his identity from what he said.


    ¡°Dexter.¡±


    Dexter Crest. The Countess of Crest, who was the emperor¡¯s mistress, persistently insists that he is the blood of the emperor.


    However, the Emperor adamantly denied it. In the end, Dexter, who was never recognized by him, could not use the surname Rojas. However, his appearance, which resembled the emperor even more than Nikolai, convinced the majority that he was the Emperor¡¯s son.


    ¡°Why is big sister taking notice of me for some reason? You even called my name.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Nikolai would curse at him, and Attila would take things even further and treat him like a ghost.


    It¡¯s not something I did, but I said it as if to make an excuse out of embarrassment.


    ¡°My personality is not that bad enough to ignore the person who helped me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    At least he wasn¡¯t as hostile as Nikolai. He responded moderately with a smile on his face and was the first person here to ask how I was doing.


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    There is no way that the suicide disturbance Atilla committed could not have been rumored, regardless of how far the territory was from the imperial capital.


    I wondered if he was asking without really knowing or because he knew but didn¡¯t have anything to say.


    ¡°Me? What about you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to answer, so I skipped the question and he smiled.


    ¡°Are you asking me how I am doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it originally that if one side asked, the other side would also ask out of courtesy? Attila seemed to have lowered many expectations.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, then don¡¯t.¡±


    He burst into a small laugh when I replied coyly in embarrassment.


    ¡°I was in Qishan until recently.¡±


    ¡°Qishan?¡±


    It¡¯s a familiar place. Isn¡¯t the country famous for tourism? I think it would be okay to get divorced and find peace of mind there.


    ¡°His Majesty has entrusted me with a task. The royal family of Qishan is also in the palace for an agreement.¡±


    Come to think of it, I heard somewhere that Viscount Crest is a capable diplomat.


    He doesn¡¯t acknowledge him as a son even if he dies, but he makes him work very hard. A feeling of pity was born out of repulsion towards the Emperor.


    ¡°Still, you must have seen a lot of pretty scenery. I¡¯m thinking about going and living there.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    His eyes widened. He seemed surprised by my sudden remarks.


    That¡¯s probably sudden. Since it¡¯s a plan I just came up with.


    Whenever I was bored these days, I try to picture a life after a divorce. It would be nice to spend a quiet time enjoying the beauty of nature in Qishan.


    ¡°Did the King of Qishan recruit the Marquis of Listane? I didn¡¯t hear anything like that.¡±


    My impromptu nonsense made him look quite serious.


    If Evandel, who holds the title of Swordmaster and Slayer, goes to another country, it would be a huge loss of power, so it¡¯s understandable. In particular, as the person in charge of Qishan¡¯s diplomacy, he would have been concerned.


    I hurriedly waved my hands to alleviate his concerns.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I just said it because I wanted to go there after a divorce.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Divorce?¡±


    How did I end up talking all this way?


    With a frown on my nose, I spat out.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy, but I¡¯m trying.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re even planning to do that?¡±


    It seemed unbelievable that the great king of obsession was going to get a divorce first. I didn¡¯t want to explain in detail, so I replied roughly.


    ¡°Uh-huh, well. If it turns out well, give me a list of attractions in Qishan. Then I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I urged my feet in case he followed me and talked to me.


    I don¡¯t have any ill feelings toward him as Attila did, but I was nervous about talking about a divorce that hadn¡¯t happened yet.


    It¡¯s best to be quiet until it actually happens.


    ¡°Anyway, where should I go?¡±


    It was good to come out gallantly, but I had nowhere to go.


    I didn¡¯t want to go back to the banquet hall where young men and women eagerly weighed each other. That doesn¡¯t mean there are a lot of places to hang out, either.


    In the end, I chose to just walk around. Although I would lose face as a member of the imperial family, it was the inevitable end for me.


    It was when I went outside to the garden.


    ¡°Juliet, I think you¡¯re even more erotic today.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh.¡±


    What I witnessed was a secret meeting between the Crown Prince and a woman.


    I immediately turned my back, feeling like my eyes were going to rot. It felt like the champagne I drank earlier was rising up my throat.


    ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s because I¡¯m out of luck.¡±


    Where is that fianc¨¦e of his, who has been around since they were kids, and why is he doing that with a stranger? In any case, he was just like the Emperor and indulged in useless things.


    But it wasn¡¯t long after I went to the other side that I regretted even coming out into the garden.


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    It was at that moment that I thought I had heard something worse than before. In the corridor leading to the garden, I found a couple engaged in a deep act of affection that was incomparable to that of the Crown Prince.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Crazy.¡±


    I forced a smile as I recited the Crown Prince¡¯s lines from earlier. The person who was pushing the woman against the wall and kissing her intensely was none other than Dexter.


    That dignified image from earlier was nowhere to be found, and he was devouring the woman as if he was going to strip her naked.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ Carita, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Moreover, the face of the woman I saw at first glance was very familiar.


    Attila¡¯s memory was telling me. That woman¡¯s identity is Carita Opheliante.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e, whom I had wondered about her whereabouts earlier, was right here. She¡¯s doing that with someone who might be her fianc¨¦¡¯s brother. It was just a disaster.


    But Dexter, who was buried in the world of the two of them and couldn¡¯t see his surroundings, suddenly turned his head in my direction.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah.¡±


    Eventually, our eyes met.


    For a moment, it felt as if his blue eyes were turning black. But for some reason, he didn¡¯t stop teasing Carita.


    ¡­¡­ What the, why aren¡¯t you looking away?


    His behavior of not looking away or stopping touching her, even though it was clear that he had seen me, came across as strange.


    ¡°Ahh, Dexter!¡±


    There was a series of moans that were embarrassing to hear continuously.


    I had to turn my back first. As if I had forgotten my embarrassment, I had no intention of having a staring contest with him, and I didn¡¯t want to see my sister-in-law-to-be¡¯s deviation.


    It was wrong to set foot in the garden in the first place. I hurried to the banquet hall, paying close attention to the direction I had encountered the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Where did Evandel go?¡±


    After facing a series of exhausting situations, I became extremely tired. I wanted to go back quickly or get a room to rest.


    Then I noticed a balcony on one side of the hallway.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Shall I go over there?¡±


    It seemed better to spend time in a quiet place than to go back into the noisy banquet hall.


    With somewhat lighter steps, I reached the balcony.


    Leaning against the railing and facing the cool breeze, the discomfort accumulated by the shocking scenes from earlier seemed to be blown away.


    ¡°Ah, so good.¡±


    I should have come out here earlier. The next time I have to attend another banquet at the palace, I have to charter from here.


    But the peace I finally found did not last long.


    ¡°Whoa, what a killer beauty!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    A noble who was so drunk that he could not properly hold himself had invaded my resting place. He drank so much that even though he was a short distance away, the smell of alcohol wafted all the way here.


    ¡°Lady, have a drink with me!¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    My blood pressure shot up, and I spoke harshly, but the drunkard didn¡¯t seem to listen.


    As he smiled, he struggled to come before me with legs that weren¡¯t as good as his ability to judge.


    Seeing the man getting closer and closer, I was conflicted.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to fight back anyway, so should I hit him once?


    ¡°Uehehehe! Ladyyyy!¡±


    He even shamelessly grabbed the hem of my dress. The drunken man grabbed my dress and knelt down, causing some of the dress decorations to fall off.


    My hair stood on end at his excessive rudeness. Just as I was about to step on the shoes of this nobleman, a familiar silver hair was reflected in my peripheral vision.


    ¡°Van!¡±


    It was Evandel. When I spotted him presumably on his way back to the banquet hall, I was instantly relieved.


    Even if the drunkard was staggering on his feet, it was a little overwhelming to fight one-on-one. I was very glad to see him appear just in time.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Instead of helping, Evandel narrowed his brow and looked at me. I¡¯m sure our eyes met, but why isn¡¯t he coming this way?


    I was puzzled because I couldn¡¯t understand why, but the scene that took place immediately after was beyond my imagination.


    ¡°What in the¡­¡­.¡±


    Why is that crazy bastard walking back the way he came!


    ?? ? ?? ?? ? ??? means a person takes out/replaces another person or new blood replaces the old one. An English equivalent of this is ¡°One nail drives out another.¡±

 Chapter 7

    No, what did I just see?


    I was so flustered that I just stared at the back of his head as he walked away.


    The drunk man grabbed my dress again and shook it.


    ¡°Ladyyyyy!¡±


    ¡°This bastard is really.¡±


    Bam!


    Eventually, I couldn¡¯t stand it and kicked him roughly. But because he weighed quite a bit, he didn¡¯t fall off with a single kick.


    ¡°¡­¡­ This?¡±


    That was the problem. The man who was hit was outraged, not even thinking about the rudeness he had committed.


    As the kneeling man stood up, his eyes suddenly went up. I didn¡¯t know because he was staggering earlier, but looking at him up close, he was quite tall.


    ¡°You dare kick me?¡±


    As he was not in his right mind, he pointed and rushed at me. Startled, I stiffened, but fortunately there was a hand to stop his tyranny.


    ¡°Van?¡±


    Turning my head, wondering if Evandel had returned, I caught sight of a young man with curly hair I had never seen before.


    ¡°Pretty drunk1! Okay?¡±


    Smiling, he grabbed the drunkard¡¯s arms and pushed him hard against the wall. The man made a sound, ¡®Ugh¡¯ and squirmed like a bug that is trapped.


    The man¡¯s drunken state made it difficult to deal with an adult man, and so the only counterattack he showed was waving his arms. Eventually, he was pushed back in a contest of strength and lost consciousness after hitting his head hard against a stone wall.


    It was only then that I was relieved when the person who threatened me became quiet.


    Having some time to breathe, I looked again at the young man¡¯s face, which I had not seen before.


    ¡°Lady! Are you okay?¡±


    He looked at me with a worried face. His orange-blond hair and light brown eyes made him stand out in a number of ways.


    ¡°A relief, um, you didn¡¯t suffer.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    It was evident from the beginning that he was a foreigner due to his strangely slurred speech and strong accent. For now, I thank him for saving me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    There was nothing more to say after that. I was in a foul mood, so I was about to leave, but the man suddenly grabbed me.


    ¡°Wait! Lady. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    His sparkling eyes exuded a fondness for the opposite sex.


    Ah, it really is not good to be pretty.


    For a foreigner who had never heard of Attila¡¯s rumors, it seemed that he was very attracted to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of knowing my name?¡±


    I left arrogantly since after all, I¡¯m still a member of the imperial family. However, the man did not back down despite my extremely arrogant attitude.


    ¡°Friend, be my friend please!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The young man looked somewhat shocked as if he did not expect to be flatly rejected.


    However, after a moment, he also introduced himself with a puppy-like face.


    ¡°I came here to Qishan. I am Pao.¡±


    He seemed to be roughly saying that he was from Qishan. It was a country that came out of my conversation with Dexter earlier, so I was as interested as shit, but that was it.


    I didn¡¯t want to waste time on a foreigner who couldn¡¯t communicate well.


    ¡°Yes, okay, have fun.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡­.¡±


    As I was about to pass by, I caught sight of him being very depressed. It reminds me of my retriever that I raised in the past.


    Still, he¡¯s the one who helped. Did I go too far?


    At the very least, I added words to dash his painful belief in hope2.


    ¡°I¡¯m a married woman.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ married?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m married.¡±


    ¡°Marriage!¡±


    Only then did he open his eyes wide as if he understood, and his face became serious.


    I was about to move again because I thought he would have given up now. But, for some reason, his expression brightened and he exclaimed with a smile.


    ¡°Please let Pao be your second husband!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I thought he was a grateful guy for saving me from a crazy gut, but was he also a crazy guy?


    Turning my back on him without answering, I thought it was wise to avoid him. When I turned around, there was a guy standing behind me who could possibly be worse.


    ¡°Has the number of people increased in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°I had not been aware that Her Highness¡¯ astounding comprehension had no bounds.¡±


    What are you talking about, you bastard?


    I don¡¯t know when he came, but I didn¡¯t really like the way he talked nonsense with a cold face.


    Most of all, I couldn¡¯t forgive him for leaving me alone when I had been assaulted by a drunkard a moment ago.


    ¡°Stop the useless chatter and get the divorce papers ready tomorrow. Just looking at your face makes me want to hit you.¡±


    With that, I left him without hesitation. The fact that I did not grab him by the collar as soon as I saw him was enough patience for me.


    It was impossible to go home with that Evandel bastard with my mood today. I was going to spend the night in the Imperial Palace.


    The next morning, as soon as daylight came, I headed to the audience room.


    ***


    ¡°I was disappointed that you didn¡¯t even show your face yesterday, Tilla3. What brings you here?¡±


    I looked at the Emperor expressionlessly, who was lying without remorse.


    What a shame. I suppose besides Dexter, no one would ask me how I feel even as a perfunctory greeting.


    Just seeing that hypocritical face was infuriating, but unfortunately today I was in a position to request something. I tried to calm my disgust and smiled.


    ¡°I have come to visit you to ask you to give me an Imperial Order, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Imperial Order?¡±


    I was a little nervous because I didn¡¯t know how he would react. Hiding my trembling hands under the hem of my dress, I calmly got down to business.


    ¡°I want to get a divorce.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I ask you to put pressure on the Marquis.¡±


    If a consensual divorce is out of the question, then only coercion remains. The only person I could rely on at the moment was the damnable Emperor.


    ¡°Haha, my dear Tilla.¡±


    After a brief silence, he looked at me with a slight smile.


    ¡°Do you know what I4 have been working on lately?¡±


    I frowned at the irrelevant answer he gave me. He smiled and replied with a benevolent expression when I didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°We want to expand trade with Qishan. But the evil dragon that inhabits Mount Mirka is a problem.¡±


    If it¡¯s a dragon that lives on Mount Mirka, it¡¯s Medilox.


    The conditions for becoming an evil dragon are simple. If it gets in the way of the goal of humans, it is unconditionally an evil dragon. From what I heard, Medilox seemed to dislike the merchants coming and going to its abode.


    ¡°How many troops do you think are needed if we replace the Swordmaster¡¯s abilities with them?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s at least one battalion. Those who have a lot of combat experience can be seen as comparable to a regiment.¡±


    I vaguely understood what he was trying to say. As I became convinced that it wasn¡¯t turning in the direction I wanted, it became increasingly difficult to keep my composure.


    ¡°Slayers, after all. In a sense, they can be regarded as a division5. In the first place, the number of official Slayers across the continent can be counted on one hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Now that Medilox is causing trouble, are you telling me to throw out Marquis Listane, who is equivalent to a division?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect him to be willing to listen, but to think that he would reveal his calculated intentions to this extent.


    I felt nauseous, but I was so desperate that I even acted and gathered my tears to plead.


    ¡°Your Majesty, my married life is very unhappy. You must have known that the world has turned its back on me recently?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the marriage you wanted so much. Even the Marquis is not asking for it, so why are you doing this now?¡±


    ¡°The Listane family have been loyal to the Imperial family for generations. He wouldn¡¯t turn his back on Tribon even if he divorced me.¡±


    Even with my desperate plea, he did not blink an eye.


    ¡°Connections must be kept just in case. You never know. If a child is born between the two of you, I will pass on the throne to him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    No way, was it because of this?


    Was the reason for his reluctance to divorce because he had already discussed succession with the Emperor?


    But he was not very enthusiastic about sleeping together. Didn¡¯t he even insult me by saying that even a thousand years of lust will cool down?


    ¡°Tilla, you are the only princess of the Great Empire. You are fortunate enough to get the marriage you wanted despite your inevitable political marriage, but isn¡¯t it time to dedicate yourself to the Empire?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Relationships between couples can sometimes be good and bad. It¡¯s going to be different for you and Lord Listane.¡±


    I even forced myself into tears, but nothing changed. The light slowly faded from my eyes as I looked at the determined attitude of the Emperor.


    ¡®Your Majesty, please keep Nikolai away from me!¡¯


    ¡®Your brother can play some jokes, why are you exaggerating so much?¡¯


    It was the same then. Coincidentally, one of the fragments in Attila¡¯s pile of long memories overlaps with Han So-yi¡¯s childhood.


    Terrible human. Not once do you help.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Now that I know His Majesty¡¯s will, I will step aside. I wish you good health.¡±


    Hurry up and kick the bucket6, old man. In the most painful way that exists.


    I smiled on the outside, holding a dark curse7 in my heart.


    I was not okay, but I pretended to be okay, bowed, and left the audience room. The corners of my mouth, which had been curved upward, fell immediately as soon as I turned my back on the Emperor.


    Ah, I shouldn¡¯t have at least shown my tears. I knew he wasn¡¯t human when my plea didn¡¯t work. How embarrassing.


    I certainly didn¡¯t have any expectations, but why do I feel like a beggar? My chest continued to tingle, fueling my anger.


    ¡°Did you cry, sister?¡±


    Then a familiar voice rang out. A large hand covered my cheek, wiping away the tears I hadn¡¯t been able to wipe away.


    ¡°Because His Majesty did not accede to your request?¡±


    Will be explained later on but I think he means the drunkard should not hurt the pretty woman.


    Dashing someone¡¯s hope means ¡°destroying someone¡¯s hopes¡±.


    Atilla¡¯s pet name.


    He used ¡°?¡± which is a first-person singular pronoun for an Emperor. It is how an Emperor refers to himself.


    Army division


    Die


    The act of wanting and wishing that a misfortune will happen to someone.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°Did you cry, sister?¡±


    Then a familiar voice rang out. A large hand covered my cheek, wiping away the tears I hadn¡¯t been able to wipe away.


    ¡°Because His Majesty did not accede to your request?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Was he eavesdropping outside? Sly bastard.


    The sight of Dexter¡¯s face suddenly reminded me of last night¡¯s shameful scene.


    This bastard, isn¡¯t he a pervert who has that kind of taste?


    Come to think of it, he was also a sub-supporting character who was originally obsessed with the female lead. I had forgotten that although he pretended to be friendly, he had the worst personality as the Emperor¡¯s son.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Honestly, it was a proposal that was difficult to ignore. But the judgement that followed was absurd.


    ¡°How can someone like you help?¡±


    Perhaps because I wasn¡¯t in a good mood, I spoke just like how the old Atilla spoke. He passed it off with a smile, as if he was used to it.


    ¡°Please stop by Crest when you have time. I will do my best to help you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    It would be a lie if I said no. However, I didn¡¯t want to involve myself with a sinister person more than was necessary.


    Isn¡¯t he someone who has been ignored by the Imperial Princess all his life? If such a person dared to take the lead in helping, there must have been a certain ulterior motive.


    He may be the last bastion. But not now.


    I passed him without answering.


    Dexter did not stop me. But somehow, I had a hunch that I would see him again in the near future.


    I walked out of the castle, praying in my heart that, hopefully, at that time, my affairs would be settled.


    Evandel was standing in front of the main palace entrance, as if someone had told him that I had visited the Emperor.


    I ignored him and was about to walk away, but he gripped my wrist.


    ¡°Why are you ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ It is what you do whenever we meet, but you can do it and I can¡¯t?¡±


    This jerk has no conscience.


    ¡°And which country has the etiquette to forcibly stop another person?¡±


    As if he had been stung by my words, he loosened his grip on my arm. But he didn¡¯t completely let go, so I had to keep dealing with him in this state.


    ¡°Why did you meet His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Is it so strange for a child to see his father?¡±


    ¡°I know very well that you don¡¯t talk without any business.¡±


    ¡°The capricious fairy must have visited.¡±


    When he didn¡¯t get a proper answer, he sighed. Then, as if he had noticed something, he suddenly reached out to touch my face.


    But that hand did not touch me.


    Evandel, who stopped moving in the middle, lowered his arm back to its original position and asked softly.


    ¡°Your eyes are red. Did you cry?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Do I have to explain to the Lord that I sneeze?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    He stared at my face for a long time, as if he did not trust me, and then held out his hand. Maybe because I scolded him earlier, he was very cautious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I know you don¡¯t want to stay any longer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. Did you eat something wrong? Why are you acting creepy all of a sudden?¡±


    Like someone who cares.


    Despite my sharp tone, he stood firm with his hand outstretched. His motionless arms displayed strong stubbornness.


    Glaring at him, I accepted his escort pretending that he had won.


    I don¡¯t want to keep standing here, so I¡¯ll have to get his guidance to get back to the march1 anyway. The act of yielding at the right time was more of a way to protect one¡¯s pride.


    I was worried that he might start prying again, but fortunately he remained silent all the way back. The fact that he came to the main palace in search of me seemed to be the least he could do as someone who knew the circumstances of the Imperial Princess.


    After all, he was Attila¡¯s only friend. Even if not now.


    It might have been a concern if the Imperial Princess, who morbidly hates being entangled with the Imperial family, asked for an audience herself.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean our relationship can be restored.


    ¡°Why did you just leave yesterday?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, I was being harassed by a drunkard, but you didn¡¯t help me and just left.¡±


    I was still angry, but I wondered why just as much. He is loyal enough to meet the Emperor, but why did he leave me yesterday?


    ¡°¡­¡­was he a drunkard?¡±


    ¡°So you mean he looked normal?¡±


    Did he really think I was playing with a man outside? He should have known it from the time he started talking nonsense.


    ¡°Even if I play around, I do it with the right kids. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll play with him!¡±


    ¡°Then, what about that second husband¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He paused. When I asked him back annoyedly because I couldn¡¯t hear him properly, he looked away and glossed it over.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    No matter how bad the relationship is, don¡¯t ignore someone when they need help. You¡¯re a knight. It goes against chivalry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ I apologize.¡±


    He unexpectedly offered a clean apology without giving an excuse. Thinking about what happened yesterday, I still wanted to chew him alive, but my anger melted away when he apologized.


    Knock. Knock.


    There was a knock on the carriage door, and the aide I had seen before appeared.


    ¡°We have arrived.¡±


    Although the misunderstanding had been cleared up, I was glad that we arrived in time, since I did not want to share a friendly conversation with Evandel.


    Taking a refreshing breath, I grabbed the aide¡¯s hand and got off.


    It had been ten days since I returned from the Imperial Palace.


    As I stared out the window in boredom while sipping on refreshments, Mary approached me with a fuss.


    ¡°Your Highness, do you know what news I heard?¡±


    Her flushed face and uplifting voice made her feel like a kid in a toy shop. I liked that she didn¡¯t tremble like she used to, probably because we¡¯d gotten quite close.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    What¡¯s so fun when I¡¯m dying of boredom?


    ¡°The First Prince of Qishan said that he would take the place of the Second Prince who originally came as a hostage!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±


    I heard from Dexter the other day that Qishan¡¯s royals were in the palace for a full-scale trade agreement. The reason for keeping a hostage is probably an insurance that the cunning Emperor had in place just in case.


    However, it was too strange for the first prince, who is the Crown Prince, to take the place of a hostage. Is it to spy on something?


    ¡°But do you know why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He found his bride in the Empire! So he said he would stay to win her heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Is he crazy?¡±


    Volunteering to be a hostage for such a ridiculous reason? There must be a political reason, but even so, that is a very absurd justification.


    I clicked my tongue, realizing that there really were so many different types of people in the world.


    ¡°But who did you hear that from?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my cousin is one of Her Majesty the Empress¡¯s ladies-in-waiting.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Empress¡¯s lady-in-waiting cannot be just anyone. For a commoner, that was unreasonable unless she obtained conspicuous favor and laundered her identity under the leadership of the Imperial family.


    Mary explained shyly.


    ¡°My cousin is a noble. She had a good marriage. I¡¯m from the indirect line of the family and my house is in need of money¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    That¡¯s good news. Even if it wasn¡¯t so, if I returned to the Imperial Palace after the divorce, I would take Mary with me.


    It¡¯s good that she didn¡¯t have a lot of connections and I liked her so much that I was contemplating whether to arrange a marriage for her or even give her a title. I was annoyed that the divorce wasn¡¯t proceeding well, but at least this should be easy.


    ¡°By the way, I need another option.¡±


    The operation to get a divorce was put into a forced lull because the last failed attempt was a wrong move for fake infidelity.


    ¡°I can¡¯t spend money like water. It doesn¡¯t work even if I kick out all the employees and make a mess of the house, and even if I cheat, he¡¯s cool with it, and besides, I failed to get the Imperial order from the Emperor. Is there another way?¡±


    At my grumbling, Mary smoothed her chin and pondered. I really didn¡¯t expect Evandel to be so stubborn.


    After holding on to me like this, when the female lead appears, he will immediately let go of me. His personality is an amazing sight to behold.


    ¡°In times like these, it will be helpful if an attractive woman appears. But His Excellency will not be interested at all¡­¡­¡±


    What do you mean by he would not be interested?


    Sooner or later, that attractive woman will appear.


    In the original work, I cursed sarcastically inwardly at Evandel who changed like a high-speed train2.


    I¡¯d just have to wait for the female lead to show up, but I didn¡¯t know how long it would take. Moreover, I wanted to do things in my own way rather than rely on others, and if possible, I didn¡¯t want to see the female lead¡¯s face at all.


    I don¡¯t want to be the third wheel while watching them flatter and exalt each other.


    ¡°Or why don¡¯t you do it the way you normally do?¡±


    ¡°Normally?¡±


    ¡°As you always do, so¡­¡­¡±


    Mary, who brought up an unexpected proposal, hesitated and couldn¡¯t continue. By deducing what she was trying to express from her attitude, I said what she had in mind instead.


    ¡°You want me to stalk morbidly like I used to, right?¡±


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to take things to the extreme, but looking at the result¡­¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that I hadn¡¯t thought about it. If I surpass the existing Atilla in harassing, he would surrender.


    However.


    ¡°Until yesterday, I ignored him and fussed about getting a divorce, but if I suddenly say I love him again and become obsessed¡­¡­ wouldn¡¯t I look like a crazy person?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but wouldn¡¯t it be more effective?¡±


    That makes sense. But it feels terrifying when looking at it differently.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Trying wouldn¡¯t hurt, so should I give it a try?


    So what started the very next day was to stick with Evandel and stay in his office.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. Our sublime Marquis tried to throw me out as soon as he knew I had no business.


    ¡°Why are you interrupting me when you have nothing to say?¡±


    ¡°When did I interrupt? And I have nothing to say. I¡¯m thinking, so just wait.¡±


    How to be obsessed?


    I practiced a few lines, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak them. How could I spit those words out when I¡¯m sober?


    First of all, I sat diagonally on the long sofa to buy time.


    ¡°Do your work. I¡¯ll tell you when I remember.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Like last time, I sat close to the backrest in case he called the servants like last time.


    They won¡¯t be able to drag me like they did before unless they lift me up completely.


    Fortunately, Evandel chose to back down. Whether it was a lie that he was busy or not, he focused on his work without paying attention to me as soon as I sat down.


    As a Lord who manages the border, he must have a lot of work, but just looking at the papers, I don¡¯t know when he will be available. Wouldn¡¯t his skills die at this rate?


    I opened the book that Mary prepared for me because I was bored and I was not sure when he would talk to me.


    That was the problem.


    ¡°Your Highness, how did it go?¡±


    Back in my room, Mary asked me cautiously. I trudged in weakly, closed the door, and leaned against her blankly, which can be a cause for concern.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Mary.¡±


    I smiled, suppressing my anger.


    ¡°How can you give me such an interesting book, huh?¡±


    March is the land of a Marquis similar to that of the County which is the land of a Count.


    His decisions/emotions change so quickly like how fast a high-speed train is.