Fluttering Heart

I had been spending most of my time in my room enjoying the lifestyle of a homebody. Still there, I eyed the clock.

I was bored. There were still two hours until dinner. As I thought about what I could do in the meantime, something caught my eye: the books Father gave me.

Should I… read them?

I didn’t know when he was going to give me another pop quiz, so I figured it was a good idea to start. I picked up the book on tactics first, and although I expected it to be boring, I was actually presently surprised. Like, wow. What was this? Anecdotes and clever war tactics were described vividly within the book’s pages, almost like I was reading a heroic fantasy novel.

In fact, the book was so entertaining and compelling that I soon forgot the uncomfortable position I had situated myself in.

Oh no. My arm was numb.

Fixing my posture, I felt something rustle in my pocket. Ah, Father’s pendant. I bookmarked the page I was on and took the pendant out of my pocket. The blue gemstone reminded me of the sea, and the light reflected upon its surface scattered silver shards in every direction.

Should I just keep this? It looked expensive. Although I was tempted, I was too afraid that Father would find out, and in the end, I decided it would be better to just give it back to him.

Since he spent most of his time in his office, I ought to go there.

I left my room and walked through a long corridor lined with all kinds of decorative paintings and statues. It was always so clean here. The white marble floor shone pristinely because the maids frequently cleaned it. They were probably swamped with work every day…

When I saw the gleaming armor sets lining the wall, I suddenly felt guilty about all the varnish I had bought. With such thoughts running through my mind, I passed the drawing room and continued to walk toward my destination. I was just about to turn the corner that led into his office when I heard a voice ring out from within it.

“Don’t think of trying to convince me anymore.”

I stopped in my tracks. There was someone else with Father. A guest. I had heard this voice somewhere before; was it one of his servants?

“It’s a warning, not a suggestion,” came the apathetic voice of Father.

Who would undergo such a lengthy discussion with him like this? Even Derrick would leave Father’s office in less than an hour, and that was already considered a pretty long time. However, this person had probably been here since I last saw Father back in the library, taking up five entire hours.

It was unusual for someone to be able to talk with him for this long.

At that moment, the door to the drawing room next to the office opened with a creak and I quickly hid behind the corner. Fortunately, there was a pillar in front of me that further obscured their view. They wouldn’t be able to see me from here, right?

I peeked at the corridor and saw Father with a young man in black cloak. Wow. He was really tall. He was even taller than Father, so I knew he definitely exceeded average height. Still, he didn’t look like a brute…

Hm… he looked familiar. Just as I was about to place where I might’ve last seen him, the man spoke and interrupted my train of thought.

“It’d be useless to tamper with it.”

I leaned a bit further out to get a better look at the man, and my breath caught in my throat. Again, wow. I had grown up accustomed to Father’s visage, so handsome men rarely impressed me, but even so, I couldn’t help but admire this guy. He had black hair and red eyes. As if he were a bit drowsy, his gaze bore a slightly aloof air. His masculine yet beautiful face looked simply ethereal. He wasn’t just good-looking; he was comparable to a craftsman’s magnum opus.

Never before had I seen anyone who didn’t look subpar standing next to Father. Both of them possessed cold demeanors, but there was still as subtle difference between them. While Father composed himself with sharp elegance and visible intellect, this man felt darker. More dangerous.

An overdue inquiry made its way through my head: who was he? It must’ve been my first time seeing him, but I felt like we had met before.

I slowly inspected the man once more. He wore a black hooded cloak and a claymore strapped onto his back…

I could tell he wasn’t a knight or a soldier due to the large size of his sword because using a sword like that near one’s allies could accidentally injure them. Still, it would’ve been unreasonable to label him a thief or an assassin. Those jobs required blending in, which would’ve been impossible to do with such a prominent weapon. With those options ruled out, I figured that he had to be a mercenary or a wandering swordsman who didn’t have to worry about equipment restrictions.

Father placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Max,” he said.

Was that the man’s name? My curiosity heightened even further because Father didn’t call many others by name. Who was this man and why was Father so friendly with him?

I was still trying to glean the nature of their relationship when Father suddenly glanced around. I quickly dove behind the pillar once more. Whew. I almost got caught.

After calming down some, I frowned. Wait. Why was I hiding?

“Swordsmanship exists to protect precious things, not to evoke a slaughter,” Father continued, his voice so sharp and stern that I flinched. “You seem to have forgotten this basic principle.”

The other man was adamant. “I didn’t forget. I simply didn’t want such a weakness.”

His words reminded me of myself. I smiled bitterly. I was a person with many faults… that was why nobody ever needed me. Father had kept a distance from me for as long as I could remember, and my ex-boyfriend, Mikhail, was no different. Although I wasn’t upset about this anymore, I pitied my past self. I sighed.

“Sometimes, people become stronger to protect their weaknesses,” Father said.

I wondered what he wanted to protect. His lofty status and sense of honor, perhaps? Or, more graciously, his precious subordinates? He always placed such great importance on his work, after all. I didn’t know what his weaknesses were, but he could defend himself no matter what happened. Unlike me…

The young man’s grim voice broke through my sorrowful thoughts. “Master,” he said, and my eyes widened.

Master? I didn’t think Father had taken any disciples… surprised, I peeked out to get another look at them.

“I don’t want to hear any more of your lectures. I’ll be going.” He spoke with such menace and dispassion that even Father’s tone seemed to pale in comparison.

There wasn’t any need to be better than him at things like that… I frowned, continuing to watch them.

“Someday, you will also have someone precious to you. Someone you will want to protect,” Father said. Although he spoke sternly, his voice was filled with affection the likes of which I had never witnessed from him before.

I bit my lip unconsciously before I could stop myself. There was nothing left to mull over, though. I had already decided to give up on vying for his love.

I still had a long, happy life ahead of me. I didn’t want to be dragged down by this anymore. Let’s not be shaken. Nothing he said could hurt me anymore. I promised to stay resilient.

Father’s disciple lowered his voice to a cold whisper. “Well, I haven’t found anything precious yet, but I did find a hidden rat.”

I came to my senses upon hearing the very thing that aroused my worst fears. What? A rat? I shuddered with disgust as goosebumps rose on my skin, frightening my melancholy thoughts away. Where? Where was it?

I couldn’t bolt from my spot without getting noticed, so I frantically scanned my surroundings. The thought that this creature could’ve been near me was terrifying.

“Shall I catch it?” The man’s question came to me like that of a savior’s.

I nodded violently even if he couldn’t see me. “Yes, please catch it!” I wanted to shout.

However, my desperate pleas were rejected by Father. “Don’t,” he said.

I was incredibly displeased. Why not, Father?

Father’s disciple began to speak perversely. “Why? Do you know who I’m talking about?”

“Yes.”

What? I didn’t expect Father to say that he was acquainted with a rat, but then it occurred to me that I was in a novel. I managed to calm myself. In fairy tales, animals and humans could communicate… Father was a transcendent being, so perhaps he could talk to them. If he saw the rat often, he might’ve developed some affection for it.

Even so, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. I really hated rats!

In my previous life, I once saw a rat the size of the entire length of my arm. I had been looking around the warehouse of a convenience store that I was working part-time in. Although the rat scampered away after I made a great fuss, I was too scared to enter the warehouse after that and soon quit my job.

Now, I was faced with the same problem, but what was worse about it was that this rat had infiltrated my own home. I didn’t feel safe here anymore; it could’ve found its way around the corridors, rooms, and everywhere else. The rat could’ve nibbled at the food I ate, too…

How frightening! The more I thought about it, the more my courage grew to take action. If I ignored this problem, more rats could appear and overrun my home.

Because my mother was no longer here with us, I was still the only lady of this family, and therefore the highest ranking one. Although I didn’t have much authority, this position was a good enough reason for people to take me seriously if I asked them to catch the rat.

I was going to tell Father.

I was about to walk up to him, determined, but then I heard him say, “If you touch that child… I won’t let it slide, even if it’s you.”

I had never heard Father speak with such chilling vitriol before. It sounded like he was warning me. I immediately changed my mind. Maybe I should just go back to my room. I needed to live, after all.

I squeezed Father’s pendant and quietly left, thinking of the affection he held toward the rat.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

When the person listening in on their conversation left, the tense air relaxed slightly.

Those steps. How annoyingly grating. This mysterious cause had brought a frown upon the young man’s handsome face.

“Max,” his master called.

“Yes?”

“Did you call her a rat knowing who she was?” Although his master’s monotone voice wasn’t too different from usual, the look in his eyes was very fierce. It had been a long time since this man revealed what lay behind his mask of indifference.

“I didn’t know.”

There was only one person who could excite such a reaction from his master, however, and although Max knew who she was, he continued to meet his master’s stare with indifference.

Ten years had passed since he started learning swordsmanship from Duke Floyen at the age of twelve. He knew how strict and blunt the older man could be. Even so, there were moments when his master softened his usually stony demeanor, and those moments were reserved solely for…

“My daughter. She’s my daughter, Max.”

Max recalled her name. “Jubel.”

The duke smiled. “Yes.”

Max had only mentioned his daughter’s nickname, but his expression had already softened. The young man frowned. The duke was impossible to understand.

When Max's mother died at a very young age, his life was threatened by enemies within his own family. It was Duke Floyen who protected him from frightening situations and taught him how to defend himself.

“Since you consider me to be your master, I will secretly teach you swordsmanship to ensure your survival,” the duke had told him.

At one point, Max looked up to his master so much that he wanted to become just like him. He had no such aspirations now.

The duke had leashed himself for someone like her. At that thought, a chill seemed to cloud the young man’s red eyes. The corner of his tightly pursed lips raised crookedly.

I’ll never allow myself such a weakness, he thought to his master. Not like you.

Max knew very well how much difficulty his master’s precious daughter brought him. The tighter the leash, the weaker one becomes. Max laughed cynically before reverting back to his usual ironclad expression.

His master observed him silently for a moment before asking, “Do you happen to have someone who frequently comes to mind?”

At the unexpected question, Max shook his head, then scrunched his eyebrows upon recalling an unpleasant experience.

“Hey, what about your change?” a woman’s voice echoed in his mind.

He pulled an odd expression. The duke sighed at the sight of it. “Go back before it gets too late,” he ordered.

Max draped the hood of his cloak over his head and stared at him with sunken eyes. “You take care of yourself.”

After bidding a cold farewell, Max jumped out of the window. His master watched over him despite knowing that he was too skilled to get hurt.

“It’s gotten worse than I thought,” the duke thought to himself as he watched Max go. He had taught Max to cherish life, but his disciple was slowly growing more and more cold-blooded. He didn’t hesitate to kill off his enemies if he saw a need for it, regardless of means or method.

A dark shadow fell on the duke’s ethereal face. He used to be like that, too.

Duke Regis Floyen had realized long ago that in times of war, the weak died first. Rather than sympathizing with them, he hadn’t bothered to hide his disgust. He had changed since then, however, and all because of a girl so fragile that he took care even to touch her hand.

His little girl’s voice lingered in his memory. “Dad!” she called.

In the dark, a gentle smile lit his face.

Max didn’t know anything. For Regis, his lovely daughter was his dull life’s only salvation. He wanted to teach the importance of this to that foolish disciple of his.

Because of her, he could still call himself a human being. He wasn’t a monster.

She was why he still lived with his sanity yet intact.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

After returning to my room, I told the maids that I had seen a rat.

“A r-rat?”

“The butler recently hired a pest controller, so I thought he had hunted down every last one of them.

Merilyn shook her head. “There must have been some left because the mansion is so big. Rats breed quickly.”

Just thinking about it made my knees weak. This was terrible. Even seeing just one of them would be scary…

Merilyn noticed my concern. “Don’t worry," she assured me. "I will report it to Madam Perez so they will never appear again.”

I calmed down and smiled. Good thing I didn’t tell Father. If I had spoken to him at that time, he would’ve stopped me from asking the maids to hunt the rat, but since he didn’t know that I had eavesdropped on his conversation, he would probably assume that I had spotted a rat elsewhere in the mansion.

I could finally relax knowing that they would take care of it.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“For this reason, I have gathered the servants to catch rats.”

Regis sighed upon receiving this report from Madam Perez, the housekeeper. His daughter had misunderstood the conversation. He became worried as he tried to come up with a means of reassuring her.

“I instructed the servants to catch the rats, but none have been caught yet,” Madam Perez carefully reported again.

Regis closed his eyes and purposely enhanced his senses to detect every living being in the mansion. Even his daughter, who was now in her room, was accounted for. When he couldn’t detect any sign of the small beasts, he opened his eyes and sighed softly.

They couldn’t find the rats because there weren’t any.

The housekeeper grumbled, unaware of the situation at hand. “Not only are the girls afraid, but Lady Floyen is also anxious,” she said.

He flinched. She was anxious?

“Get Derrick,” the duke immediately commanded.

A moment later, the butler entered the room. “I heard you called, Master.”

The duke leveled his butler with a serious gaze. “Derrick.”

“Yes?”

“I need your guidance.”

Derrick widened his eyes upon hearing his request. His master… was asking him… for guidance? This was a first. It was customary for his master to handle most matters by himself. What on earth was going on?

He nervously waited for his master to speak.

“Where do rats usually hide?”

Derrick wasn't sure if he heard correctly. He looked at his master with trembling eyes and asked, “Rats?”

The duke sighed at Derrick’s nervousness. “Never mind. It was a slip of the tongue,” he dismissed. “How’s the progress on Jubelian’s list of prospective marriage partners?”

Derrick had grown concerned that his master had become ill due to the amount of work he had to do, so he was relieved by this question. “Ah, yes. I’m still searching and considering all necessary aspects, such as family background, appearance, wealth, and fame. The list will probably be completed by today.”

“Alright.”

Fortunately, the duke looked content. Derrick sighed in relief, then reported something that he had been hesitating to disclose for a while. “Also… Sir Mikhail sent another letter.”

The moment he mentioned that name, the duke’s expression changed. “What did he write?” he asked.

Although Derrick had nothing to do with this matter, his master’s tone frightened him. “He is still urging us for an answer. He dismissed Lady Floyen’s actions as a ploy to get his attention.”

“I see.” The duke was expressionless as usual, but his eyes turned icy and his aura hostile.

Derrick merely watched him. His master was really angry, but to be fair, he would’ve been angered by this, too. Mikhail had gone too far even in his eyes. Although Jubelian had treated him crassly before, there was no reason for him to insult her personality.

A moment later, the duke rose from his seat and approached Derrick, whose anxiety grew the closer the other man got. Did the duke want to read the letter himself? Derrick tried to guess his master’s intentions, extending the letter out for ease of taking, but the duke just ignored him.

Huh? What was he doing? Derrick was about to investigate when his master next spoke.

“Burn it,” the duke said softly.

By the time Derrick finally turned around, his master had already left.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

“I heard that a rat was caught, Lady Floyen.”

“Really?”

“Yes, only one was trapped! There weren’t any more, so I guess it must’ve entered the house by accident!” Sella explained excitedly.

It was a comfort. Good. Now the house was safe.

I was smiling with relief when Merilyn delivered a letter on a silver tray. “This is addressed to you, Lady Floyen,” she announced.

This was my first reply after that batch of letters I sent. Although it was probably a standard one, I needed to read it to determine the usual reaction I would receive when communicating with other people. Picking it up, I saw a rose on the seal.

This was sent by Count Arlo?

Count Arlo had a close relationship with Father, so I had a relatively good relationship with his daughter. Or, more accurately, I had a relatively good relationship with her at this point of the novel.

Was this a reply to the letter I sent them? I opened it, excited, and was surprised to see what was inside: an invitation!

There was a long message written in some cute, feminine script. The sender had been Rose, the youngest daughter of the family. She was known as a friendly and lively lady in the social scene. In the novel, she became close friends with the royal princess and contributed to my downfall.

Shall I see what she wrote? I began reading the letter, a bit concerned that she might have written me something sarcastic.

But—oh? Rose asked about how I was doing and talked a bit about herself. She also said it would be great if I could come to her upcoming birthday banquet. Nothing sarcastic had been said.

I got it. She wanted to know whether I had recovered and if I could attend the banquet she was planning in three weeks. This was good news since it meant I wouldn’t have to be a loner in the social world, so I had no reason to decline her invitation.

“Could you bring me some papers and a pen, Merilyn?” I asked.

Merilyn quickly brought me the requested materials, but I frowned slightly when I saw the yellowish paper and black ink in front of me. They looked very dull.

She had invited me to her birthday banquet, so I didn’t want to reply half-heartedly. It would be beneficial for me to develop a friendly connection with her since she was going to be acquainted with the royal princess in the future. I wanted to avoid my death at all costs.

I wondered what she liked. Then, suddenly, I recalled all the times I had seen her before. Although I had only noticed from a distance, I remembered that she enjoyed wearing pretty clothes. I could even tell from her beautiful handwriting that she cared a lot about appearances.

When I figured out what to do, I called the maids. “Sella, please bring some flowers from the garden. Julia, please bring some lace and ribbons.”

After a while, what I asked for had arrived. “Here are the things you requested, Lady Floyen,” my maids told me.

It was time to show off my pen pal skills.

“L-Lady Floyen!” the maids gasped, appalled by what I was doing, but I didn’t care.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Upon the news of Lady Floyen’s illness, the family had prepared a gift with a standard letter.

Rose squeezed her eyes shut at the thought. “We won't even receive a reply back,” she complained to herself silently. “Why should we bother sending a letter in the name of Count Arlo?”

The only daughter of the duke was as beautiful as a doll delicately sculpted by a craftsman. At one point, Rose had even admired her. When she encountered the lady in person, however, she found out that Jubelian was very rude, cold, and uncaring. Jubelian only had eyes for Mikhail and she never bothered to greet anyone else. Following this discovery, Rose figured it’d be a waste to personally send her gifts and letters.

Until she received a direct reply from her, that is.

Dear Count Arlo,

Thank you for your consideration. How have you been? I am recovering well, but it’s frustrating for me to have to stay inside even on sunny days.

I heard from Father about the roses owned by the House of Arlo. I suppose they will be in full bloom soon. I still remember how much Father admired their beauty, and it is regrettable that I cannot see them with my own eyes.

Speaking of roses, is your daughter Rose doing well? Although we have not conversed much, I feel close to her as we are of the same age.

Rose recalled that Lady Floyen hadn’t cared about anyone else except for Mikhail, but she had even mentioned Rose’s name in the letter. She knew her name! And she thought of her after thinking about roses? Rose was well connected with others, but she was otherwise an ordinary aristocratic girl. In the past, a few girls had even made fun of her name, which meant queen of flowers, and said that she wasn’t worthy of it.

Now that Lady Floyen, who was always at the center of attention, had mentioned her personally, Rose’s heart pounded with excitement.

One of the count’s vassals would’ve been responsible for writing a reply following Lady Floyen’s, but Rose insisted that she do it herself. Even so, she didn’t know what to write and ended up inviting Lady Floyen to her birthday banquet. She certainly didn’t expect her to accept her invitation, but Lady Floyen proved her wrong in her next reply.

“Father!” she called. “This letter is from Lady Floyen!”

She opened it with trembling hands.

Dearest Daughter of Count Arlo, how have you been?

I was surprised by your reply and thrilled by your unexpected invitation. This is my first time communicating with someone by letter, so please understand if my reply proves lacking. I tried decorating it with my limited skill since I heard that the esteemed daughter of Count Arlo likes flowers. What do you think? My letter is probably nothing compared to yours, but I hope you still like it.

It’s fun to communicate with someone who is both kind and beautiful, just like the roses that your respected family proudly owns. I look forward to meeting you and will spare my words until then.

— Jubelian Eloy Floyen.

Not only was her writing good, but Rose also liked the letter itself. There was a lace frame around the paper, and it was decorated with small ribbons and pressed flowers.

Rose giggled to herself. “She decorated this for me?” A strange sort of excitement overcame her as she looked at the lady’s letter. It was like she had become someone special to Lady Floyen. Rose lay on her bed and read it several more times before grabbing some papers from a drawer.

She had to reply quickly!

Right before she was about to dip her quill in some ink, however, she stopped. No, she couldn’t send her letter looking like this…

She called for her maids and made a great fuss. “Emily, pick some flowers for me! Laura, bring me some ribbons—the pretty and colorful ones!”

“You’re not going to use it to decorate the letter, right?” Laura asked. “If the madam finds out…”

Rose became sullen. “Can’t we do something about it?” she pouted.

“I can take some ribbons off of some torn clothes,” Laura replied with a sigh.

Rose’s face brightened and she nodded with excitement. “Okay!”

✤ ✤ ✤

 

I opened another letter from Rose and sighed. I didn’t know she would send me another one… In my previous letter, I had subtly implied that she shouldn’t reply since we could talk once we met at the banquet. It seemed like she didn’t understand.

Well, I this could be a good way to practice my writing skills, I suppose.

This time, her reply was tremendously long, which made my own task of reciprocating seem even more daunting. What should I say this time?

I smiled after looking at her letter again. The awkwardly decorated flowers and ribbons showed that she had tinkered with it as well. It didn’t look so bad. Was it because she was just a teen? It was really cute.

A condensed version of it was as follows:

Dear Lady Floyen,

I am writing to you on a sunny day, but you have brightened it even further by accepting my invitation and decorating your letters. I look forward to seeing your beauty and elegance at my birthday banquet!

If you don’t mind, I also hope that you will call me by my first name the next time we meet. If that makes you uncomfortable, please don’t feel too pressured and forgive me with an open heart.

I look forward to seeing you, Lady Floyen.

Sincerely,

Rose

In the elaborately designed letter, she had also written praises about me and details about how magnificent her banquet was going to be. As a result, the total messages amounted to filling three entire pages.

Seeing as to how she wrote back to me in such detail, it was clear that she was expecting me to bring her a nice gift. I sighed, folding the letter back up.

“Please make preparations to go downtown,” I told Marilyn.

“Do you have something that you need to get?" she asked, puzzled. “If so, I can just call the trader here.”

“No, I want to choose something myself.”

Merilyn continued to look at me with befuddlement, but I was full of determination. Rose would surely be disappointed if I gave her an insincere gift, so even if it proved to be a hassle, I had to pick something out for her personally.

I could tell that was why she had praised me so much in the letter despite the fact that we weren’t close. This wasn’t a surprise when one took my powerful status into account, but it was still a bit burdensome having to meet such expectations.

I began to ruminate on what would be a suitable gift and left the mansion.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

High society was once again thrilled to hear about what Lady Floyen had been up to.

“My goodness! It’s a surprise that the brazen princess didn’t ignore the invitation!”

“She used to ignore every invitation that wasn't sent by the imperial family… it’s truly amazing.”

“Count Arlo’s daughter is rather ordinary. What kind of charms must she possess to make Lady Floyen behave in such a way?”

“I heard that many women are decorating their letters with pressed flowers and ribbons these days!”

“Does Lady Floyen know that she’s started a trend?”

A young man who had been quietly listening to their conversation turned around and pursed his lips. “Count Arlo, huh,” he mused. After leaving the banquet hall, he went straight to his carriage. “Let’s head home,” he told a servant.

His carriage arrived at Marquess Hessen’s townhouse.

“Welcome back, young master.”

Instead of acknowledging the servant who had spoken, Mikhail took his coat off and handed it to him. The servant bowed his head and took his coat, then stilled upon hearing his master's cold voice

“Tell the butler…” He hesitated for a brief moment before continuing, his domineering presence towering over the other man's bowed head. “Tell the butler I will be attending Count Arlo’s banquet.”

“Yes, young master.”

The servant was about to leave the room when he spoke again, more urgently this time. “Oh, and… have any letters come for me?”

“No,” the servant replied with a shake of his head. “Are you waiting for something?”

“No. You may leave,” Mikhail said evasively, voice cold.

As soon as he was alone, he gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. “How can you do this?! Jubelian!” he seethed silently.

Although he believed that she had faked her illness, he sent her house a letter out of consideration, thinking back to the days when they were engaged. She still hadn’t answered him, but he couldn’t accept that fact. She was just someone who used to annoy him—a stupid dog—so how could she treat him like this?

Did she want even more attention from him?

He tried to come up with an explanation for her actions and understand her intentions, but doing so only led him to greater frustration. He ground his teeth and punched the wall, resentment roiling within him.

What in the world was Jubelian doing?

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Living quietly was a difficult thing to ask for, it seemed…

I counted how many people were following me. Geraldine, Owen, Castro, Todd… the top ten knights of my family had surrounded me like walls.

I was just going to go shopping… they really didn’t need to do this.

I had planned to go with just one or two escorts to avoid unnecessary attention, but there was nothing I could do about my current predicament since Father refused to let me go outside unless I was accompanied by all of them at once. There was good security near the capital, so I didn’t see why I needed this many guards…

Recently, I had been keeping quiet and staying out of trouble, so I thought I would be able to shop peacefully by myself. This clearly wasn’t the case. Well, there didn’t seem to be a lot of people out today. I was glad about that, at least.

Where was that workshop I needed, anyway?

I surveyed my surroundings. There were three workshops that produced handicrafts for women around here. Kerin Workshop, the largest and most famous one, was located at the center of the downtown area. However, I had another place in mind because if I gave Rose something from Kerin, she might end up disliking me.

Later in the novel, Kerin Workshop was exposed for using toxic materials. If I gave her something from there and she fell ill because of it, it would only be a matter of time before rumors spread and I became the Arlo family’s public enemy. There was still a chance for me to sour my potential relationship with Rose, so I definitely had to avoid buying from that place.

I continued walking until two other workshops came into sight. Then, a wide smile graced my lips. There! The signboards!

One told of the Fyodor Workshop, while the other presented the Grada Workshop. Although Fyodor boasted a long history, it was on the verge of bankruptcy. On the other hand, however, Grada was still afloat, and multiple craftsmen collaborated from within to systematically produce things.

I stepped toward my destination, but Geraldine, the leader of the escort knights, stopped me. “Are you sure you want to enter that place, Lady Floyen?” he asked.

I couldn’t blame him for doubting my decision. Although I had two other seemingly suitable choices, I was heading towards the shabby Fyodor Workshop instead, and it was located deep inside a dingy alleyway.

This was definitely the place, though. Anyone who listened to the rumors surrounding Fyodor would avoid it, wary of their burgeoning bankruptcy, but I knew things that others didn’t.

“Yes,” I answered Geraldine.

When I entered the store, I found a man sitting in a corner surrounded by shabby handicrafts. In addition to his untidy appearance, the man’s long, disheveled hair covered most of his face. Despite being young, he was devoid of vitality. A normal person would've backed away from the scene, perhaps even stumbled, but I approached him resolutely.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not in a state where I can make anything right now. I apologize if I have disrespected you or your family in any way, but please go somewhere else.”

I was the only customer to come, but he still refused me. I laughed, reassured. It was a good thing I decided to come here. Other people would have left, indignant, but I knew he was behaving like this because he had inherited his family business and struggled with the responsibility that came with it.

From the day of his birth, Ian Fyodor, the master of this eponymous workshop, had been under immense pressure to become a craftsman like his father, his grandfather, and all those before him. However, when the expectations became too much to handle, he lost the motivation to make anything, neglecting the business.

“I want to request something from you,” I said, heedless of his warning.

“Why?” he asked. I could hear the distrust in his voice.

Because you will soon become known as the greatest craftsman in the empire, I thought.

Six months later, the princess would wear a necklace with an unusual design on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony. It would become a hot topic amidst high society and propel Ian Fyodor into fame. His value was set to skyrocket in the future, so it wouldn’t hurt for me to buy some of his work in advance.

In other words, I wanted to invest in him for the sake of my prosperous future. I looked back at Ian, my new lottery ticket.

“You’re the only one who can make what I want,” I explained.

“Are you trying to intimidate me now?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, just that…” Ian glanced at the knights standing behind me and trailed off.

I turned around, but it didn’t look like any of them were threatening him. After all, there was no way those good-for-nothing escorts would stand up for me.

I tilted my head. “Is there any reason why I can’t request something from you?”

He didn’t answer my question. “Why are you being so stubborn?” he asked instead.

“Because I believe you could make it better than anyone else can.”

At my earnest claim, Ian parted his lips, disbelieving. “Me… you believe in me?”

“Yes,” I said. Then, I smiled and imagined the prosperous future I was going to have after selling something that he made.

“Can you tell me what you want, then?” Ian asked with a low voice. He sounded unsure, but I had definitely won his approval.

Finally! I was going to get my hands on something from him after all. I happily recalled the item I had in mind.

It should be good enough, right?

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Derrick handed a document to Duke Floyen. “Here is the list for Lady Floyen’s prospective marriage partners, Master,” he said.

The duke furrowed his eyebrows after reading it. Why was his name here…?

He circled the name with gritted teeth and called for the butler. “Derrick, please remove this name—”

At that moment, the door to the office opened. Roy Hamilton, the duke’s lieutenant, strode in. He was a prudent person, so he only reported to the duke when there was a major issue.

“What is it?” Duke Floyen asked.

Roy swallowed nervously. “A messenger from the emperor is here to see you. It seems like he wants you to visit the imperial palace.”

✤ ✤ ✤

 

After I picked out Rose’s gift, I thought about what else I needed to buy. The escort knights continued to follow me, but I did my best to ignore them.

I needed cosmetics, colored ink, and paper... and oh! That, right before me—that looked nice as well!

I was glad I could shop comfortably now that Father wasn’t with me. I sighed when I thought about his pendant. It was still tucked away in my drawer. When should I return it to him, anyway? I hope I don’t get scolded for keeping it for so long without informing him.

As I mulled over my predicament, something caught my eye: a set of blue gemstone cufflinks with silver rims. I studied them. Wow, they looked so neat and pretty… they would be a suitable accessory for Father. Maybe he wouldn’t be as mad if I returned his pendant along with those cufflinks. If I used their beauty as a bribe, I might be able to keep him happy.

I pointed at them without hesitation. “I’ll be buying this.”

The clerk placed the cufflinks in a wooden box and handed it to me. This should be enough, right?

At that moment, someone called out to me, saying, “Oh, who is this? If it isn't Lady Floyen!”

When I saw the person who greeted me, my expression hardened. Radian. A man who possessed a viper’s tongue.

He usually led social gatherings. He was infamous for starting rumors, so I avoided him even before I had recalled my past life, which only emphasized just how notorious he was. And, to make matters even worse, he was also Mikhail’s cousin.

“This is the first time I've seen you since your aunt’s birthday banquet,” he said.

Wasn’t it common sense not to acknowledge your cousin’s ex-girlfriend? Although I was displeased, I smiled and greeted him anyway. “Yes, it has been a long time, Esteemed Son of Droil.”

“What do you mean by Esteemed Son of Droil? I’m disappointed that you’re referring to me so formally. It’s not the first time we’ve met, after all.” He kissed the back of my hand and laughed eerily. “Please call me Radian, my lady. You’re as beautiful as a daffodil.”

Asking someone to call another by their first name and kissing the back of a lady’s hand without permission was improper, even if the two involved had met in the past. I wanted to point this out but refrained from doing so because the last thing I needed was for him to start a bunch of rumors about me in retaliation.

It would also complicate things if he talked to Mikhail about me.

“I wish I could talk to you more, but there’s somewhere I need to be,” I said sternly, hurriedly removing my hand from his. “Please excuse me.”

Radian laughed. “Why are you in such a hurry, my lady? It’s as if you’re running away from something—”

“I have a strict schedule,” I said firmly.

Although my words probably made him bristle a bit, Radian laughed again. “Ah, I see,” he hummed lightheartedly. “Well, it was nice to meet you. I—”

“Yes, it was nice meeting you as well. Goodbye.”

I didn't want to waste any more time with him, so I cut him off before he could prolong the conversation again and turned around. The escort knights formed a barricade around me.

“This way, Lady Floyen,” Geraldine said politely. I guess my knights managed to do their job at times like this. That was good.

I feigned a smile.

In the end, it probably didn’t even matter if Radian started rumors about me because his reputation was just as bad as mine. Still, he had ruined my mood, so I decided to continue shopping some other time. It was fortunate that I was able to get away from him so quickly, otherwise he would’ve had too much to say to Mikhail about me.

I shuddered at the unpleasant sensation that lingered on the back of my hand, still fresh from his kiss, and rubbed it against the hem of my skirt. I hoped we would never meet again.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

An unexpected visitor arrived at Marquess Hessen’s townhouse before dinner: Radian Svel Droil.

“It’s been a while, Mikhail,” he drawled. Mikhail’s expression twisted when he saw his cousin. He didn’t get along with him, but that didn’t deter Radian. “My legs are sore. Can I sit down?”

“Get ou—”

“Oh, so you want me to sit down? Thanks,” Radian said. Mikhail had tried to order him to leave immediately, but he was one step ahead of him. Radian had cut him off before he could finish speaking, promptly sitting down on one of the chairs in the drawing room.

Mikhail frowned. “What do you want?” he asked wearily.

Radian laughed, looking by all means perfectly relaxed. “Now there, I came with good news. Shouldn’t you bring me some tea?”

“Spit it out and leave,” Mikhail said coldly.

Radian wasn’t intimidated by his cousin’s tone. He shrugged and said, “I guess this attitude of yours is why Lady Floyen left you for her new lover.”

When Radian mentioned the words ‘new lover,’ Mikhail’s face twisted. “Nonsense. What are you talking about?”

Without a hint of concern, Radian pulled a smoking pipe out from the inside pocket of his coat. “Nonsense? Aren’t you being too harsh to me? I haven’t even explained what I had seen today.” He grinned as he lit the pipe. “She was buying a set of cufflinks. I witnessed it with my own eyes.”

Cufflinks? Mikhail’s eyes widened. Cufflinks were usually given to family members or lovers. It was a way for women to demurely express their love and possessiveness.

No. It couldn’t be.

Mikhail narrowed his eyes.

“Isn’t this good news for you? You were worrying yourself sick wondering if she had faked that goodbye!” Radian smirked. Smoked puffed out of his mouth as he snickered.

Mikhail was extremely displeased by the unpleasant scent of tobacco and his cousin’s vulgar countenance. “Get out if you’re done talking,” he spat. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“I apologize if I’ve offended you in any way, but I wonder if my presence is truly the real cause of your displeasure,” Radian said, a knowing smile upon his lips. Then, he stood up and left the room.

Mikhail frowned and clenched his fists. This was ridiculous. He couldn’t help thinking about Jubelian and how she had obsessed over him these past few years. He had thought it strange of her to suddenly say goodbye without any regrets, but now it all made sense. Upon learning the truth, Mikhail felt justifiably angry.

She had a new man? He furrowed his brows and gritted his teeth. Prior to their separation, he had desperately wished for her to become interested in someone new so she would stop bothering him, but now that it had actually happened, he was filled with fury.

Why did a woman like her make him so upset? As confusion ravaged his thoughts, a memory of Jubelian’s beautiful face when she had first confessed to him came to mind.

“I like you, Mikhail.”

The recollection flooded him with so much anger he punched the wall.

“Young master! Are you okay?” his servants called, running to him in surprise.

He stilled, wholly unresponsive. Distracted.

“I’m sorry for everything that’s happened until now,” her memory said. “I wish you happiness.”

She had left him without a hint of regret, and the knowledge of that brought an unpleasant tinge to his chest. Mikhail ignored the pain and clenched his fists once more. She had acted as if he was the only person she’d ever love for the rest of her life, but now she was seeing someone else? Already?

His eyes gleamed.

“You will pay for deceiving me, Jubelian,” he hissed.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

I wanted to give the pendant and cufflinks to Father as soon as I came home, but he was absent. Would he be home late again, I wondered?

As if Merilyn had read my mind, she spoke up. “Master said he won’t be home for the next few days because of special training sessions.”

It wasn’t uncommon for Father to leave the mansion for multiple days at a time, so I calmly went up to my room and placed the pendant and cufflinks in my drawer. I would just give them to him upon his return.

Afterwards, I took a bath and changed into comfortable clothes. Then, I opened the military tactics book that Father had given me. It was so entertaining that I quickly immersed myself in its contents.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

The emperor’s secret mission for Duke Floyen was a simple but laborious task.

“I haven’t been able to sleep well after that rat snuck into the imperial family,” the emperor began ambiguously referring to the assassination attempt that had once been made against him. “I want you, the man I trust the most, to take care of them.”

The purpose of the mission was to eliminate the mastermind behind the work of the assassins. Since the only assassin that was captured committed suicide without leaving any evidence behind, they had no other option but to ambush another assassin for an interrogation.

Although it might’ve been appropriate for the emperor to give this order to a close and trusted friend, it wasn’t a suitable request to ask of a duke and the hero of this empire. Nevertheless, Duke Floyen accepted the mission.

As soon as he left the emperor’s office, the imperial guards erupted in resentment. “Are you really going to follow this command? If it’s an ambush, we—”

They rambled about wanting to ambush the assassin in the duke’s stead.

“You men have no need to become a chess piece like me,” the duke said sternly. Although he was being considerate of his subordinates, the knights groaned at their superior’s words.

Max, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, silently scoffed. The duke could get rid of that trash their nation called an emperor if he wanted to, but he was still following his orders. “I’m disappointed in you, Duke Floyen,” Max said to himself, frowning.

In Max's eyes, the current emperor, Carlos, was a greedy and pathetic man who was no match for his master. However, it was obvious why this outstanding man, who he had once aspired to be, continued to endure the emperor’s gall.

For his weakness. For his daughter.

As Max cynically contemplated this, a knight approached the duke. “I am here to report that I have successfully completed my escort mission,” he said.

Still bearing an expression of indifference, the duke asked, “What did Jubelian do today?”

“She went shopping. She looked very happy.”

“I see.” Duke Floyen smiled warmly at the news.

Max furrowed his brows. Why was his master like this? He used to think that his master was akin to him, but during times like these, he just couldn’t comprehend him at all. When Jubelian inevitably gets married, she wouldn’t be a part of the Floyen house anymore, so why did the duke devote so much to her? For the sake of the family name, it was a common practice to abandon useless children, but whenever the duke thought of his nuisance of a daughter, a soft spot would emerge in his otherwise impenetrable exterior.

When the emperor first noticed this weakness, he used it to exploit the duke.

“Sometimes, people become stronger to protect their weaknesses,” Duke Floyen had said. What a load of crap. Max scoffed.

Then, his eyes gleamed with a newfound determination. Maybe he should check her out himself? He decided to pay a visit to the person who dragged his master down so much.

He headed over to the Floyen family mansion. It was quiet. Max was close to achieving transcendence, so it wasn’t hard to break in, especially in the absence of the duke. No one noticed him climb over the wall, walk through the garden, and approach the main building.

Max surveyed the exterior and noticed a large window with a balcony. There it was.

He quietly climbed to the third floor using the building’s jagged exterior. Then, he tested if the balcony’s transparent glass door was locked, but it opened fairly easily once he pushed on it. The lace curtains fluttered behind it. Max smirked. The mansion was essentially defenseless. His master wouldn’t be able to make any excuses if she ended up murdered or robbed.

When he entered the dark room, he could make out a woman’s silhouette on the bed. Max approached her silently. She looked weak.

Max thought she would resemble his tall and strong master, but she looked slender and frail. It was as if she could break at any moment. She wouldn’t be able to learn swordsmanship with a body like that, and that implied his master had no plans of making her his successor. So… why on earth was the duke so obsessed with her?

Although Max couldn’t comprehend his master’s intentions, an idea suddenly occurred to him. The corner of his lips quirked up.

What would his master do if she disappeared, he wondered?

He silently observed Jubelian, his gaze rife with bloodthirst. Even in the dark, he could see the woman’s slender neck; it looked like it could easily snap beneath his grip.

At that moment, a voice broke the silence. “I don’t know who you are, but I think you’ve come to the wrong house.”

Max reeled back in surprise. Jubelian had spoken, and so casually, too! She was awake this whole time?

Usually, a person’s reaction in a circumstance like this would be to beg for mercy or scream in fear, but for some reason, she was behaving rather strangely. “This is Duke Floyen’s mansion,” she said lazily.

What was wrong with her? Max furrowed his brows, a foreign feeling he had never encountered before washing over him. Countless people venerated him and bowed to him in admiration. A few even dared to patronize him, but he never met anyone this laid-back and carefree.

Duke Floyen would certainly be helpful at a time like this, but he wasn’t in the mansion tonight. Max supposed she must’ve been bluffing to conceal her fear.

“I’ve come to the right house,” Max said bluntly. He smirked as he imagined her dropping to her knees and begging for her life, but her reaction continued to stupefy him instead.

“Really? How about changing your mind now?” She rose up into a sitting position. “I think you’ll regret coming here.”

The moonlight filtered through the window, outlining her ethereal face. Although she looked tired, her expression seemed to harmonize with her peculiar, languid aura. It was no wonder she was the subject of envy amongst the empire’s young women.

Even so, Max wasn’t amused. No matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing useful about her, except for her outstanding appearance. She was nothing special.

When the woman’s mouth widened with laughter, he found himself staring at her. Her red lips parted to say some more. “I still have a year left before I die,” she drawled, her tone impossibly dry. It didn’t match her humorous appearance.

It seemed like she was talking to herself, but Max could clearly hear the confidence in her voice. Did she simply fail to comprehend the situation? Her casual demeanor as she fearlessly stretched out before him annoyed him. He frowned at the unpleasantness of it all, then reminded himself once more that she had to be bluffing.

When he remembered the faces of others who had dared to act as arrogantly toward him, his handsome face contorted with bloodlust. This act of hers was destined to collapse the moment her life was truly threatened. Max made his mind up to frighten this foolish woman, but she just reached over and lit a candlestick that had been sitting upon the bedside table.

How dare she? He tried to extinguish the candle and knock the woman down, but he paused at the sight of her face, now brightly illuminated by the candle’s glow. She possessed the delicate figure of a doll, but it was her terribly unconventional gaze that captured the full extent of his attention.

“You are…” Max almost said, unconsciously stepping forward. He recognized her.

At that same moment, her face came to life, lighting up with equal recognition. “Oh, you are Father’s disciple,” she said with a smile.

Although Max had made up his mind to scare her, all thoughts of doing so fled as soon as her smiling face came into view.

“Oh, um… I was looking for the thing you’re buying right now,” he remembered her saying.

She was the woman who had managed to annoy him during back at that armor shop.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

I woke up feeling very thirsty. Judging by my sore throat, I probably had a cold. I figured I’d take some medicine in the morning, but as I opened my eyes to consider grabbing a drink of water, I saw something nearby.

What was that? A black shadow loomed over me. Was I having a nightmare?

A gust of chilly air came through the open window of the balcony, proving my supposition otherwise. There were only two explanations for a situation like this: this man was either a thief or… an assassin.

With this in mind, I pondered over who might’ve sent him here, but there were too many people I could’ve chosen from. After all, I was a villainess.

“Why did you behave like that, past me?” I asked myself, reproachful. Then, I realized something. In novels, there existed an unspoken rule that made it impossible for the protagonists, supporting characters, and villains to die at the beginning of the story. In other words, my life as the main villainess wasn't in danger until the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.

I appeared in many chapters of the novel… maybe this was something that was supposed to happen to me. I shouldn’t be scared. Calming away my anxious thoughts, I stared at the suspicious shadow looming over me.

I felt like I had seen him somewhere before. Who was this guy? Since he broke in and entered my house at night, he probably wasn’t anyone reputable. Although I was still largely uncertain about everything, I knew for sure that he couldn’t be sane, at least. If he was a normal person, he wouldn’t have aimed for Duke Floyen’s mansion given that the duke was the best swordsman in the empire.

“I don’t know who you are, but I think you’ve come to the wrong house,” I eventually said. “This is Duke Floyen’s house.”

“I’ve come to the right place,” the man replied. He was either insane or really bold.

“Really? How about changing your mind now? I think you’ll regret coming here.” I tried to persuade him to leave out of pity, but the man stayed silent.

“I still have a year left before I die,” I mumbled to myself. Of course, I had no intention of dying that soon because I still had the time to improve my reputation, and I didn’t plan on missing a single opportunity to do so.

I decided to light the candle on my bedside table to inform the knights standing guard at my door that someone had broken into my room. I kept my eye on the man while picking up a match and wondered what he was thinking. When the candle caught on fire, my surroundings lit up as well, revealing the man’s black hair, pale skin, and inordinately elegant appearance. His was a face that was impossible to forget.

“Oh, you are Father’s disciple,” I said. Maybe he did come to the right place, after all. Thank God. The fact that the intruder was neither a thief or an assassin relieved me greatly.

Although I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t going to die at this point in the novel, I had actually been very scared. I was just putting up a front to reassure myself of my safety. Additionally, this encounter had taught me a very important lesson: I needed to make sure to lock the windows and doors from now on.

I sat down on my bed as the adrenaline left my system and left my legs weak. Father’s disciple, who had been staring at me blankly for a while, suddenly looked at the candle fiercely.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Wow. I was the daughter of Duke Floyen. How dare he treat me like this? If I were any other noble, he would’ve been sentenced to death by now. Although I was letting him treat me this way for now, I figured it would be better to teach him a lesson moving forward.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Why are you talking to me like that?”

He looked at me coldly. “Because it makes sense to.”

In addition to being extremely arrogant, his manner of speech resembled Father. The difference, however, was that Father never took it that far. It had been said that the pupil is meant to surpass their master, but this wasn’t what that proverb meant.

Out of equal parts relief and fatigue, I found myself unable to stop smiling regardless. “So, what’s your name again?” I asked.

Instead of answering my question, he glared at me. Somewhat embarrassed, I tried to explain why I was asking. “Oh, it’s not that I forgot your name on purpose—”

Suddenly, there came a knock on the door. “Is something the matter, Lady Floyen?” a knight asked.

Although I was reassured by the knight’s presence, that reassurance fled as soon as the tip of a sword flew to hover over my neck.

I stared at the culprit, Father’s disciple. Was he frightened? No, he looked to merciless for that… no sign of surprise lingered in his scarlet eyes, only fierceness. I watched him, trying to reason as to why he started threatening me.

Oh. He wanted me to act. Well, I was already living the life of a villainess, so this felt like a rather simple request.

“Ah, I just had a nightmare, so I decided to light my candle for a bit,” I explained. It seemed like a good enough excuse, but Geraldine questioned me once more, sincere in tone.

“Really? Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I’m reading a book.” I felt as though I was going to pass out again, but I was afraid that Father’s disciple was going to act rashly if I told the truth.

“Sleeping late is bad for your health. Go back to bed as soon as you can,” Geraldine said.

It was fitting that he gave me advice like that at a time like this. “Yes, thank you for your concern.

I couldn’t hear anything by the door after that. The knights had gone back to their posts, it seemed, but did they really leave? Although I wasn’t sure, that didn’t change the pressing problem I was yet undergoing. Father’s disciple was still watching me with his sword pressed against my neck.

“I did what you wanted, so could you move your sword now?” I asked quietly.

His expression twisted. “What did you just say?” he asked sternly.

When he leveled me with anger, I frowned. “I don’t know why you're upset when you’re the one in the wrong.”

“Speak to me politely,” he said icily.

I didn’t understand why he wanted me to do that. It didn’t help that I was getting more and more sleepy, but I managed to keep my eyes open. “If you want me to talk to you politely, you should have—” I tried to snap back at him but I just ended up yawning before I could finish my sentence. My embarrassment roused my senses, making me forget my fatigue for a moment.

Oh, I just made an unseemly display.

He suddenly removed his sword from my neck, but he didn’t stop staring at me. “What are you doing?” he asked.

I probably looked ugly when I yawned, but he was looking at me as if he had seen something truly strange. In order to avoid upsetting him again, I decided to speak very politely, as if I were a preschool teacher soothing a whining child.

“I haven’t been able to sleep because of you, so I’m tired,” I explained carefully. “Don’t you have to go back home as well?”

The man continued to silently stare, so I wondered if he was going to ignore my question again. Then he said, “I don’t have a home.”

I looked at him with surprise. His physical appearance was so refined that he could’ve passed off as a prince. Well, okay, maybe that was a bit of a stretch.

Due to the appearance-based nature of aristocratic society, it was unheard of to go outside without wearing luxurious clothes. The man in front of me, however, only wore a simple white shirt and black pants. Although he carried a long sword instead of a claymore today, it was unpolished. He seemed more like a wandering swordsman or mercenary than a knight or prince.

He had also been wearing a hooded cloak before. Considering his current and previous attire, he had to be…

“Are you a wanderer?”

He nodded, his expression unpleasant.

I was right. He must’ve been a wandering swordsman or mercenary who usually frequented inns. Judging by his simple clothes and lack of belongings… he was probably kicked out because he couldn’t pay. I guess he came here because he had nowhere else to go. Why today of all days, though?

Now that I thought about it, he didn’t receive an official welcome when he visited Father a few days ago. The servants didn’t attend to him either, so he probably wasn’t an official guest. That was probably why he didn’t come through the front door, but through my window instead.

I sighed, displeased by Father’s absence at a time like this. I guess it couldn’t be helped, though. I wasn’t a nice person by nature, but I wasn’t so coldhearted as to ignore someone who didn’t have a home to go back to. After renting so many one-bedroom apartments in my past life, I knew how sad it was not to have a permanent place to rest. I regarded him with pity.

“If you don’t have a place to go tonight, you can stay in my room for a while,” I offered.

His eyes widened. “What?”

For some reason, his shock made me feel a little proud. “You don’t have to thank me. Just pay me back when you become successful in the future.”

He looked incredibly confused. I didn’t blame him for it. Not many people would display such kindness.

“I’m going to go back to sleep,” I said, content that the situation had sorted itself out. “You should go to sleep, too. Okay?” I laid back down, but suddenly felt a gust of cold air ghosted through the open window. “Hey, could you close the window?” I asked him.

“Why should I?” he responded arrogantly. He folded his arms and looked down at me haughtily.

What did Father even teach this guy? Obviously not some manners.

I begrudgingly sat back up again, then noticed his thin clothes. He was troublesome indeed, but it couldn’t be helped, so I closed the window myself. Then, I grabbed a blanket. The entire time, he hadn’t budged, standing there with an arrogant arch in his back.

“It gets cold at night because we’re in-between seasons,” I reminded him, handing him the blanket I acquired.

He just scrutinized me without accepting my offer. Seriously? He couldn’t even do something like this on his own? I felt like I was caring for a pet. Although I wanted to say something, I didn’t even have the energy to argue with him anymore. I stood on my tiptoes and placed the blanket over his shoulders myself. The look in his red eyes seemed to inquire as to what I was doing, but I didn’t have it in me to explain myself.

“Goodnight,” I said, going back to bed. Then, I immediately fell back asleep.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

She really fell asleep. Max furrowed his brows and gazed at the woman lying in repose before him.

What kind of person was she?

He had met many people in his life, but no one had treated him like this. They either trembled in fear or tried to hide their fear behind flattery. Their fear was the only thing they shared in common. However, his master’s daughter wasn’t like either of those things. He recalled the first time they met.

“Hey, can you hear me?” she had asked.

This time, she had been relaxed the entirety of their discussion and had even fallen asleep in front of him. Not even the duke, as strong as he was, had shown such a defenseless state toward his disciple. Max had no choice but to marvel at her.

This was annoying. Her cavalier attitude and impolite speech bothered him. Upon remembering his top priority, which was to deal with the source of his annoyance, Max reached toward her neck with narrowed eyes. Without realizing it, however, his hand froze in place, his fingertips hovering over her lips. Gently, he brushed against them, but she didn’t stir, sleeping soundly.

She was so dull. Max frowned and combed a few strands of her hair away so they wouldn’t obscure her face. She was so troublesome that he was actually starting to get tired, too…

When he became aware of this, his expression hardened. He was getting tired? After witnessing numerous deaths out on the battlefield, he had become cautious, weary. He never let himself relax, but now he was actually growing drowsy. His eyelids were feeling heavier and heavier. He blinked, trying to stay alert, but exhaustion was soon swallowing him whole.

“I can’t fall asleep here,” he tried to tell himself, but his determination to observe the woman before him was beginning to dwindle in its strength. Eventually, he had to admit defeat. “I’ll just… rest for a little bit…”

Max blew out the candle and curled up at the foot of Jubelian’s bed. The warm blanket covered him completely, cradling him into further drowsiness. When he closed his eyes, he felt comforted.

It was a sensation that he hadn’t felt since his mother had passed away.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

A vicious dragon was ravaging the empire. It was like a natural disaster had swallowed the empire in its entirety, inflicting harm even when barriers had been set up and people were being evacuated.

I quietly hid at home when the dragon began attacking our mansion. It spotted me, then began to approach with its nostrils flared. Before it was too late, Father appeared to fight it.

“How dare you aim for my daughter,” he said. “I won’t let you go!”

Although it was clearly a dream, I felt happy when I woke up. Dragons, huh? It seemed like a lucky dream. For some reason, I felt like today would be a good day.

Until I saw the man sleeping near the foot of my bed, that is.

Why did he have to fall asleep here out of all the places? Did he just like my bed or something? I sighed, observing his face. Now that his warlike eyes were closed, he looked docile. Despite his bad manners, he was a handsome guy.

Suddenly, I became concerned about the fact that someone might see him in my room. Perhaps they would assume that the vicious Lady Floyen had kidnapped and imprisoned a handsome man for her wicked schemes. While it was true he was much more attractive than Mikhail, I wasn’t very fond of the situation at hand. He needed to leave before someone misunderstood.

The maids wouldn’t come into my room without my permission, but I still didn’t want to risk it. I locked the latch on my door and shook his shoulder, trying to wake him up.

“Hey—huh?” The man pushed me so hard I ended up flopping onto the floor. I was lucky it was carpeted, otherwise, I could’ve hurt my back.

A moment later, he loomed over me. His eyes shone brightly. “What are you doing?” he asked, stealing the words right out of my mouth.

✤ ✤ ✤

 

Max hadn’t felt such warmth and comfort in a long time. He wanted to sleep like this forever, but when he realized that someone was approaching him, goosebumps prickled his skin. After surviving many battles, his body had become extremely sensitive to changes in his environment.

Even before he had fully awakened, Max pushed the person who had briefly touched him away. He climbed over their body, hands flying instinctively to wrap around their neck. That’s when he saw a pair of blue eyes staring back at him. They were akin to periwinkles floating atop a serene lake, and there could only be one woman with eyes like that.

Oh. He remembered now.

When his senses gradually began to calm, so did his sense of reason. Then, he realized what he had done. “I’ve become insane,” he silently berated himself.

He had originally planned to leave after resting for a while, but somehow, he had lost control of himself, falling into a deep slumber. He couldn’t find any trace of the drowsiness that had dominated his body, but the aftermath impacted him greatly.

He couldn’t believe he let his guard down in front of her. He reprimanded himself, then noticed that Jubelian was watching him.

She wasn’t even agitated… his actions could’ve been fatal, but she didn’t look the slightest bit frightened.

“What are you doing?” he spat out, attempting to scare her, but things didn’t go as planned.

Against all reason, she broke out into a smile. The corners of her eyes creased and her pink lips parted to reveal pearly teeth. Her cheeks brightened to complement her beautiful complexion, reminding him of a flower in full bloom.

He tried to look away, but some irrefusable force kept him from doing so. For a moment, he forgot how to think. All he could do was stare.

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