How To Get My Husband On My Side [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

Table of Contents Information Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42

Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86

Chapter 1 “I’ve finally found a worthy groom for you, darling,” announced Father, as he wiped off his lips with a napkin. Laying on the knees of my oldest brother Cesare, I felt the urge to run back to my bedroom and throw up all the food I’d just eaten. My second brother Enzo, who had been busily chowing down on an awfully smelly quenelle, slammed his fork down and cried out in protest. “Not again! Father, how many times has it been already?” “Enzo.” “It hasn’t even been three months since her last engagement was called off! Regardless of what our family would gain from this marriage, shouldn’t you at least try to consider her feelings?” “What a surprise to see you side with your little sister. Then would you rather battle the barbarians yourself instead of accepting Britannia’s support?” “What are you talking about? Those savage barbarians up north wouldn’t stand a chance against the likes of me, the greatest, most noble soldier to ha—” “Shut your trap, boy.” The great noble soldier took the rest of the quenelle on his plate and shoved it into his mouth, aggressively chewing in protest. The marriage proposal wasn’t any surprise to me though. I knew that it would come sooner or later. “Who is it, Father?”, I asked cheerfully. My father, who had been staring disapprovingly at Enzo, looked back my way and smiled. “He’s Britannia’s hero. The king’s beloved nephew and famous knight of the South. He’s very handsome, I’m sure you’ll like him.” “What! Father, do you know how bad his reputation is?!” “Boy, was I talking to you?” Enzo became quiet again.

None of them had any idea that this handsome knight would one day massacre their entire family. Oh poor, wretched creatures of this world… “Ruby?” As I pretended to hesitate for a moment, Cesare, who had been stroking my head, called for me again. This time his long fingers groped the back of my head. I shuddered in revulsion. It felt like a cold snake slithering up my neck. I slowly raised my head and locked eyes with Cesare. After glancing at his eerie azure eyes, I shifted my gaze to Enzo who was frowning discontentedly, and then to Lady Julia and my father beside her, both seated upright, poised and dignified as always. “Thank you, Father. I’m grateful that I can at least be of some service to you with this marriage.” Cesare curled his lips into a rare gentle smile and pressed them up against the top of my forehead. “Perfect as always, our sweet little angel,” he whispered. Now I really wanted to puke. But I had more pressing matters to attend to than throwing up. After all, the handsome knight of the South was out to kill me too. *** I thought with that untimely helicopter crash that my tiresome life had at last come to an end and I could finally rest. But if I’d known that I would be reincarnated as a lady in the Renaissance Era, and as a character in a novel that I’d read long ago, and, to make matters worse, forced to survive in an environment that was just as vile as my previous life, would I still have thought the same way? If I was going to be reincarnated as a character in this novel, couldn’t I have at least been born into a decent family? “Ugh!” I could feel my stomach tense up and my eyes begin to water. I’d gotten good enough at throwing up silently that I didn’t need to worry about being caught by the maids, but, nevertheless, it was still excruciating every time.

One thing in common between my old and new life was anorexia, or as people call it nowadays, an eating disorder. Before I became Rudbeckia de Borgia—I mean before I died—I was an adopted daughter of an upper-class family in Spain. I guess you could say I was a child of charity. Having been adopted at a very young age, I knew nothing about the so-called ‘Korean Peninsula’ where I was born. Like my adoptive siblings, I attended a prestigious private school in Madrid and lived a life full of ballet classes, tennis club, horseback riding, and charity events. I think the first time I felt different than the kids around me was sometime around 4th grade, when a boy in my class laughed at me while pulling back his eyes. At first I didn’t understand what it meant, so I just laughed along with the rest of the kids in my class. I thought that my eyes were round like everyone else’s, so I had no idea that he was mocking me. Over time I grew numb to the racism that I faced at school, but as for my life at home, despite the sophisticated, welcoming facade of my adoptive family, there was always an unspoken rule that I was to be treated differently, that I was an outsider. Each of my adoptive parents had a separate lover, and my second brother, who was a rising tennis star, was publicly exposed for his promiscuous private life and drug addiction. The only one in my adoptive family who would sometimes treat me nicely was my older sister, and she committed suicide at age twenty-one. As for my oldest brother, I quickly learned that he was a monster just like his father. So it became a habit for me to play the role of a smart, cheerful, and obedient daughter, since if I ever brought the smallest bit of shame to my family or offended them in the slightest, there was hell to pay. And when I woke up here, it was exactly the same. At first I thought I was just hallucinating before l passed away. But when I looked in the mirror, instead of seeing my face, there was a beautiful western girl staring back at me. It took me a few days to realize that I’d become Rudbeckia de Borgia, a character in the fantasy novel Sodom and the Holy Grail I used to read as a teenager. The novel was set in the Ressanaince Era and revolved around the tale of a vile, corrupt pope who abused his power to subjugate others. It was a story about the countries of the North and the clergy bravely rising up and banding together to overthrow the wicked pope, his family, and the entirety of the house of Borgia. The name ‘Sodom’ in the title referred to the people of the northern Romagna region of Italy, and ‘Holy Grail’ was a metaphor for the holy site of the Vatican City. And as for lucky me, I was reincarnated as Rudbeckia—the pope’s only daughter.

I, Rudbeckia, was destined to die, and to die no less than at the hands of my future husband. My father and oldest brother, in an attempt to gain even more political influence, were hellbent on marrying off Rudbeckia, and after three unsuccessful engagements and another last minute cancellation, she ended up being married off to Izek van Omerta of Britannia. As to why someone as noble and austere as Izek would lose his mind and decide to murder his wife’s entire family after only being married for six months, it was Rudbeckia who made him go crazy. It wasn’t love that made him lose his mind, it was hatred—hatred of Rudbeckia, who’d poisoned his little sister. Cesare had miscalculated the severity of Izek’s rage. When I think about it though, more than being mad about Rudbeckia killing his little sister, it seems like Izek just got fed up with his backstabbing b*tch of a wife and ended up killing her. Regardless, it’s clear that Rudbeckia was following Cesare’s orders, and, if my vague memories are correct, Rudbeckia didn’t exactly have the greatest of personalities either. As a matter of fact, I remember that after she moved to the North, she was known by those around her as the pope’s evil spy, and was notoriously disliked for disregarding basic etiquette and treating other women like maids. That included her husband’s precious little sister and even her childhood friends. But now that I’ve lived as Rudbeckia for three years, I’ve started to understand why she acted the way she did. “The Beloved Princess of Romagna”, “The Angel of Sistina”—it was all just an act, just like my old life in Spain. “Ruby?” Hearing his knock, I shoved my mint candy pouch into a drawer and stood up. He opened my door before I’d even answered like he always did. “Cesare.” Cesare, known formally as Cardinal Valentino, still had on the black robes he was wearing at dinner. He had his father’s jet-black hair and deep azure eyes, and although people described him as devilishly handsome, to me he seemed closer to the devil. It was a small comfort to me that the two of us didn’t look anything alike. “You looked upset earlier, so I got worried and came to check on you.” I played along like usual.

“Oh Cesare, you know me too well.” “Are you unhappy about the marriage proposal? You can be honest with me.” As Cesare approached me, he paused, turning his head towards the small turtle statue on my nightstand. He seemed to stare at it with a kind of deep affection. It was a closely guarded secret of mine that I absolutely despised turtles. “It’s not that… I don’t know, it’s just that the North is so far away. I won’t be able to see you much while I’m there, I’m worried I’ll be terribly lonely.” “Why would you be lonely? You’ll be with your husband.” “That doesn’t mean anything to me. If I could have my way, I would stay here and live with you forever, Cesare.” “I’m honored that the prettiest woman of Romagna cares for me so much.” Cesare came beside me and placed his hand against my head, his lips curled in a smile of satisfaction. I had given him the answer he wanted to hear. He brushed his hand against my cheek and I continued to play along, closing my eyes like a stray kitten being petted. There was no telling when the hand that stroked me so gently would turn violent. Although I had managed to keep him and the rest of my family on my side so far, I knew better than anyone that, if they saw it fit, the people around me would turn against me in an instant.

Chapter 2 Anyhow, he was undoubtedly a strange man. Despite the way Cesare obsessed over me and clung to me, he didn’t show the slightest hesitation using me as a pawn in his political schemes. For all I know, maybe he just thought of me as another one of his objects. Three years ago, when I’d just gotten accustomed to the fact that I’d become fifteen yearold Rudbeckia, I made the mistake of refusing my arranged marriage to the Duke of Rembrandt. With the foreknowledge that the duke would later become a key figure in the demise of my family, I invalidated our marriage right before the wedding was scheduled to happen using the humiliating pretense of ‘bodily incompatibility’. I wanted to do whatever I could to protect my new family that had treated me so well and stop whatever enemies would later plot against them. But as soon as I expressed my unwillingness to marry him, Father’s usual warm expression morphed into an ice-cold frown that made my body tremble with fear in a way I was all too familiar with. That night I was locked in my room and beaten by Cesare until I nearly passed out from pain. It was after those events repeated themselves a couple times that I realized there was no difference between my old and new life. Maybe, in part, that was also because I knew that Rudbeckia wasn’t actually the pope’s biological daughter. Rudbeckia’s biological mother—my mother—was killed as soon as she gave birth, before the pope met his second official lover, Carmen. Most people around me were already suspicious that I wasn’t the pope’s legitimate child, and, well, since I’d already read the story myself, I knew their suspicions were correct. Putting on a facade and pretending to be family with people that didn’t share a drop of blood with me, it was identical to my previous life. And after I became Rudbeckia, my anorexia manifested itself again as well. “It hurts me to see you go too. This’ll be the last time something like this happens, I promise,” said Cesare. “But I heard it’s dangerous there…” “Dangerous? You’ll be guarded around-the-clock by a legion of elite knights, you have nothing to worry about. I’ll try to come visit you as often as I can too. It won’t be that bad, every place has something to like about it. Just think of it as a six-month-long vacation.”

“Six months? It’s really going to be six months?” I already knew exactly how long it was going to be but I pretended to be surprised anyway. He chuckled and wrapped a lock of my hair around his finger, pulling it up to his nose. “Yeah, you just have to make it six months. He won’t do anything to you regardless, so you don’t need to worry.” That wasn’t what I was worried about. “You’ll really come visit me often?” “Yeah.” I prayed that he wouldn’t. Trying to convince the knight who’d become my husband to not kill me was going to be difficult enough as it was. Even if I refused to poison his little sister, someone else would be hired to do it and I would end up being blamed. If I was going to stop my husband’s little sister from being poisoned in six months, I had to start by convincing my husband and the other people around me, all of whom passionately hated me, that I was harmless—that I was their ally. At least it wasn’t any different than how I’d been forced to act with my previous families. *** Izek van Omerta. The successor of his father’s legendary martial arts technique, he was given the title of knight at fifteen years old and at age seventeen was crowned the kingdom’s youngest champion of the famed triannual dueling tournament. Through his heroic feats as a paladin, he became even more renown and celebrated amongst the people, but, because of his stubborn, headstrong personality, he refused every one of the marriage proposals he received, much to the displeasure of his father. The only females he was close with were his younger sister, Ellenia van Omerta, and his childhood friend, Flaya van Brianna. If I remember correctly, his standoffish personality was, in large part, due to his mother’s death.

His mother, once a young princess, was passionately in love with the duke, but after she became the duchess of Omerta and gave birth, she ended up killing herself while her children were still young. It seems like her death had a profound impact on both Izek and Ellenia. People believed that a soul who committed suicide was destined for eternal damnation, so their mother’s death consequently became a taboo subject. To be honest, it was so long since I had read the novel that my memory of a lot of the story was vague at best. I wish I could’ve remembered more… The reason why Izek had obediently accepted his marriage with Rudbeckia wasn’t due to any sort of coercion from his father, it was because Ellenia had been arranged to marry the pope’s second son—Enzo. The Vatican was struggling to fight off barbarians on their northern border, and, with the added difficulty of internal conflict, they were severely in need of reinforcements. Receiving the aid of Britannia’s elite knights—that was the point of these political marriages. After his announcement of the marriage at dinner, Father worked at lightning speed to prepare the wedding. A huge dowry and an assortment of elaborate gifts were sent to Britannia, and after my marriage was made official with a representative from Britannia, Father began arrangements for me to leave for Britannia immediately. *** I thought that after three years I would eventually get used to it, but every time I looked in the mirror I was still startled by the unfamiliar woman I saw. Her hair was a cascade of spiraling gold threads. Her eyes were shining blue lakes. Her supple cheeks and tender lips didn’t resemble my original body in the slightest. The only thing even remotely similar between my two bodies was my long hair and small figure. When I was a child, I was always sensitive about how I looked different than the other kids around me, but, funnily enough, there are times now when I miss my old body. “My beautiful daughter,” said Father with a warm smile, pulling me towards him and hugging me. I was eighteen years old and, by the standards of this world, a fully-grown adult, but I was still considered and treated like a child in many ways. Like how Cesare would always sit me in his lap and pat my head like I was some kind of pet.

“You’re going to make a wonderful bride, my darling. The North will love you.” “Father…” “Aw, there’s no need to be upset. Don’t cry, my dear. We won’t be apart forever.” If anything, I wished that this would be the last time we ever saw each other. Of course I cried though, that was part of my job after all. My father chuckled seeing my delicate face covered in tears. “I’m going to miss you all.” “We’re going to miss you too, so much, my dear. I would send your brother to accompany you on the trip if I could, but it’s impossible right now, sadly.” How grateful I was that it was impossible. It was scary enough seeing the visitors from the North watch our family like vultures. Did Father really not care about the rumors they would spread about me and Cesare? “Wuaah! I can’t accept this bullsh*t! Am I the only one who’s upset by this? Waaah!” “Enzo.” “Wuaaah… Come here you idiot!” Enzo, who’d been kicking the dirt and sulking by himself, hugged me tightly. Despite Enzo’s fiery temper and all the mischief he caused, I never felt uncomfortable around him. In a way, he really was the only normal one in this family. “I’ll miss you.” “And I’ll miss you too, stupid.” Still grumbling, he hugged me so tight I could barely breathe. As he hugged me, Cesare, who’d been watching us, approached and wriggled his way between us. “That’s enough Enzo, we don’t want to suffocate her.” Six months. It was unclear what would happen after that, but the one thing I was certain about was that I wouldn’t shed any tears if Cesare were to end up dying.

Even if the entire Borgia family were massacred, I’m not sure how upset I’d be. “Ruby.” Stroking my tear-stained cheeks, the back of Cesare’s hand sent a cold shiver down my spine. I could feel his eyes staring inside me, like two vipers trying to strangle me. It was those vipers I feared. They were the ones that scared me into obeying Cesare. In a lot of ways, he reminded me of my oldest brother from my previous life. “Cesare, you have to come visit me, alright?” “Of course, of course. I promise. Make sure to behave yourself until then, okay?” How funny the human instinct for survival is sometimes… that’s what I thought about myself at that moment. Despite having been reincarnated into an even more miserable life than my previous one, I was still doing everything in my power to survive as best as I could. Funny, right? *** Although the people of the South believed otherwise, the North did in fact have weather besides constant rain and snow. During the summer, the sun shone brilliantly, and the weather wasn’t excessively hot or humid like the South was. The problem was that summer was the only season you could ever see the sun. Every three years, the country’s borders were opened and soldiers from neighboring lands were invited to participate in a grand dueling tournament. On a clear, sunny summer weekend, crowds of children gathered to watch the groaning, dust-covered men battle it out. Lord Ivan glared at his peers, both with pity and contempt, and then approached the man leading them. “Can I talk with you for a second?” The man dropped his sword on the ground and took off his helmet, lowering his head.

His sharp jawline and long eyelashes were delicate, almost angelic, a stark contrast from the hot-blooded stare of his scarlet red eyes. His gleaming, sweat-covered face. His jet-black, dust-covered armor. Standing at two meters tall, he looked like a demon that had just crawled out of the pits of hell.

Chapter 3 *** “No.” “Why not?” “Because Elly said so.” “Ugh, seriously, why do you try to get on my nerves every time we talk?” “It’s not my fault that you have a thing for my little sister, you weirdo.” Ivan knew that it was pointless to try and argue with him so he chose his next words carefully. “What I’m trying to say is that, while you’ve been screwing around over here, your wife arrived from the South. I’m not telling you to go run and greet her, but at least have dinner with her on her first night here…” “Judging by the looks of you, it seems like there are plenty of people willing to meet with her while I’m screwing around.” Ivan let out a long sigh of defeat. Izek smirked at him while untying his gauntlet straps. “Am I wrong?” “As a paladin of the North, I felt it was my duty to go and monitor Borgia’s spy—” “Enough of your bullsh*t.” “F*ck, fine, I admit it. I went and saw her because I was curious. Curious what the pope’s famous daughter looked like in person. Is that so wrong? If you’re so irritated by me going then why didn’t you go yourself, huh? Izek van Omerta you rude little sh*thead!” “……” “Sorry… I guess I got a little carried away.” “Yeah.” Despite his delicate appearance which earned him the nickname ‘The Flower Knight’, Ivan was, to put it bluntly, incredibly short-tempered.

“You’re not gonna ask?” “Ask what?” “You know, if she really looks like her portrait, how her personality is, that kind of stuff. You’re not curious at all?” “Not really.” “Whatever. Either way you should still meet her. After all, it’s your obligation as her husband. And I’m only telling you this because I can’t stand to see you turn out like that duke—Rembrandt whatever-his-name-is—and become an international mockery. Lord knows what would happen if you were to get on the pope’s bad side.” In reality, no one believed that this marriage was going to last. Izek’s obsession with his work and Rudbeckia’s stubborn personality were an obvious recipe for disaster. Some people were already betting on the number of weeks left before the marriage fell apart. Ivan restrained himself from suggesting that Izek just marry Flaya instead. He knew that it was next to impossible and Izek was too naive to understand anyway. But after seeing Rudbeckia, who had travelled all the way from the Port of Elmus to Omerta Castle, Ivan had mixed feelings. According to Lord Evanste, who had acted as a representative at the Vatican’s marriage ceremony, she suffered from seasickness the entire journey. Yet, in spite of that, all he could think about was her radiant smile as she stepped off the boat. She really was as beautiful as the rumors made her out to be. Her flowing, spiral golden hair and round, shimmering blue eyes—her face was as beautiful as a porcelain doll. She looked so fragile, so delicate. Like she would shatter from a single touch. For reasons even he could not comprehend, Ivan felt responsible for her. “She’s small.” “Huh?” “She’s small, really small.” “Are you saying she’s a dwarf?”

“I’m saying she looks so fragile that one dirty glare from you would be enough to kill her. It’s not like I don’t understand where you’re coming from, but try to think about it from her perspective too. She’s been forced to come all the way here basically as a hostage. It must be incredibly frightening and lonely for her.” Izek, who was about to pick up his sword, paused and stared at Ivan. “Seriously, who are you?” “I’m a knight of the North. A paladin too. And the pope’s daughter, the angel of Sistina, is now my comrade’s wife. So you better get your *ss over there and meet he—” “You know, there was once a time when you swore you would slay the pope.” “You know, my little sister cried when she heard the news that you were getting married. Evil b*stard.” Ivan’s little sister was six years old. “Tell her to forget about a bad guy like me.” “That’s what I told her but she won’t give up. And now I’m jealous that she cares more about you than me.” “I see she’s already capable of manipulating you, hahaha.” “Anyway, what I was trying to say is that your wi-” “I knew that the Borgias were famous for their shiny exterior, but did you seriously fall for her after looking at her once and now you’re planning on betraying me?!” Behind them, a shrill, high-pitched voice cried out. Short-tempered Ivan spun around and pulled out his sword, pointing it straight at the approaching boy. The blade’s sharp edge glimmered. “Aaaaah! S-Sorry, I’m really sorry, s-sir, aaaah!” “Maybe I should cut off this ear for yah, eh?” “Aaaaah! P-Please don’t, sir!” To those that didn’t know what was going on, it must have just looked like a knight harassing a pitiful boy.

Only after making him let out another scream did Ivan finally let go of the fifteen year-old rookie’s ear. “What is it? Why’re you bothering us again, Lorenzo?” Eyes teary, Lorenzo frantically checked to make sure both his ears were still attached. Izek, arms crossed, glanced at Lorenzo absentmindedly. To Lorenzo, he looked no different than a frost wolf that had just escaped the underworld. “M-My older sister…” “What?” “W-With my sister… after your current marriage ends, I think it’d be great if you married her, b-but for the time being, I beg you to pretend like you don’t know my sister at all!” Izek didn’t react at all. It seemed like he didn’t even understand what Lorenzo was talking about. So Ivan snapped at him instead. “What the hell are you rambling on about now?! Kids these days…” “S-Sorry, what I meant is that, until your current marriage is over, please stay away from my sister! If you don’t, t-that Borgia witch will kill her.” “You really have no shame, huh? You haven’t even met her once and your big, fat head is already full of prejudice.” “I-It’s not prejudice! If it was prejudice, then why did my sister lock herself in her room crying right after visiting Omerta Castle? She’s never done anything like that before…” “Where’d you say she went?” “Omerta Castle, sir. That witch… Lady Rudbeckia, it’s all because my sister visited her when she arrived.” Aha. Ivan knew that Flaya had plenty of reasons to be upset about this sudden marriage— reasons her airhead little brother would never understand. How Lorenzo even managed to come up with such an absurd conclusion was beyond Ivan’s grasp. Still not comprehending the slew of words coming out of Lorenzo’s busy mouth, Izek tilted his head in confusion and then proceeded to turn around and walk away.

Too busy squabbling with each other, it took the two a few moments before they realized that Izek had snuck away. “Lord Izek?” “Hey, Izek! Where the hell are you going? Hey!” “L-Lord Izek, I still haven’t finished my—aaaaah” “For God’s sake, it’s the Sabbath. Stop bothering me, you two.” Why someone who didn’t know a single line of the Lord’s Prayer was talking about the Sabbath perplexed both of them. Ivan glared at the knights sprawled out on the ground that had been secretly listening to their entire conversation. They looked back at him with devious grins. *** “I heard you suffered terrible seasickness on your way here, I hope you’re feeling alright.” At least one nice thing about the long journey was that my excuse of seasickness let me avoid meals and throw up whenever I needed to. Getting away from my family was nice too. After arriving at Britannia’s capital city of Elendale and partaking in the welcoming procession, I was escorted to Omerta Castle to meet with Ellenia van Omerta. “I think it was because it was my first time on a long trip like this. It’s a little embarrassing to say, but this is actually my first time leaving the South…” “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. As a matter of fact, I myself have never had the chance to leave Elendale,” replied Ellenia softly. Ellenia was, in all honesty, gorgeous beyond belief. I didn’t understand how someone could actually look like her. The beautiful people I was surrounded by in both my lifetimes were no match for her. She was like a marble statue. I gazed dumbfoundedly at her long, model-like physique, her cascading silver hair, and, most stunningly, her brilliant red eyes which glistened like gemstones.

Despite what I had assumed, her red eyes were, if anything, more fascinating than scary. I was captivated by her cold, controlled exterior. For someone to try and murder this creation was a crime against humanity. “Is the food not to your liking?” said Ellenia, turning her head towards me. She was the same age as me, Rudbeckia, but she seemed more mature in every way. I’d always been good at reading people’s emotions, but Ellenia’s poker face was impossible to read.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 — “I asked them to make it light so that you’d feel better.” “No, everything is so good. I guess I was just really nervous. Thank you for your concern.” What here doesn’t suit my taste? The scent of the cherry jam applied smoothly on the thin bread, hot onion soup, and fish meat covered with an unknown sauce was absolutely tempting. I was always madly hungry. It’s not that I never wanted to eat, but that I ate at a place where I had no choice but to throw up. In that sense, it was rather more comfortable to have a ball-like event. No one cared about who ate what in those events. The only person who could control me was myself. Ellenia, who stared at me for a while, smiled like a happy child, and soon told me to finish up. After a while, the empty plates were taken away. A fragrant tea and a simple dessert came out. “As you know, here in Elendale, it’s crowded every summer, so I ask for your understanding that my brother might be a little late. My father will not return to the capital until the end of the month due to political issues. I’m sorry for the lack of hospitality.” “Oh, no, I’m fine, I do not mind it.” “Since my mother’s death, I’ve been living in this mansion. I was in charge of the housekeeping, but I can change it to the Lady’s preference. If you don’t like it or if you’re uncomfortable with it, you can ask a maid to switch things.” Ah, ‘the Lady’. A strange and awkward title. I pretended to fiddle with the teacup, my eyes gazing downwards. “Thank you for your consideration, but I’d rather it stay the same for a while. I’m not used to the customs here yet and I’m afraid I’ll get in trouble if I go too far.”

With that impassive look on her face, Ellenia, who had put the teacup down, stared straight at me again. “There’s nothing to worry about. No one would dare think of you like that.” Formal words. Businesslike reactions. Nevertheless, there were signs of her being surprised and anxious. I smiled innocently as if I didn’t know anything and changed the subject. ” More importantly, I’d like to ask you something else.” “Feel free to ask me anything.” “Can you just call me Ruby for the time being?” Ellenia did not immediately reply. I looked carefully at her perfect poker face and pretended to swallow in nervousness. “As you know, I’m a stranger here, and even though I knew what was coming, I’m honestly clueless of how I’ll adjust. If I had someone like you as a friend, I’d have a lot of courage…” “All right.” “Really?” “Yes.” “Uwah, thank you!” As I leaned forward and held her hands with a wide smile, I felt her trembling. I quickly let go of her hands and moved away, stuttering embarrassedly, “I’m sorry, I’m being rude.” “It’s fine.” “T-then can I call you Ellen?” “It would be nice to be comfortable with each other.” I couldn’t imagine this cold beauty, being comfortable with someone. She calmly lowered her eyes. Then, she added, as if she was sighing, “It’s not good to act too kind. Too much humility can cause misunderstanding.”

She didn’t mean it out of concern for me. It was an implicit suggestion that if we both were hiding our true colors, we should get to know each other comfortably and quickly. I also didn’t expect her to let go of her guard against me already, but I think she succeeded in making an unexpected impression. I didn’t want people here to like me, including Ellenia. My purpose was to come off as harmless as possible. For a fool who is not like the others in the Borgia family. A mild-mannered fool, unlike rumors circulating around the world. “I’m used to being misunderstood. I’ll try hard so that I don’t become anyone.” Once again, Ellenia gazed at me silently. I suddenly remembered my sister. What she looked like at the end. Blood clots stuck to her frail wrist. “I’ll show you where you’re going to stay.” I could see the sea through the window with the curtains pulled back. The sunset, which painted the horizon all red, extended all the way here and warmed the white room. Ellenia approached me behind the line, looking at the window. “I tried my best to decorate the room, but I don’t know if you like it.” “I like it very much.” “I’ll show you around the mansion tomorrow. If you like any other room… “ “No, I really like it the way it is. I like the view. I’ve always wanted a room with a view of the sea.” Ellenia didn’t flinch when I held her hand this time. Instead, she lowered his eyes as if she was caught off-guard, and stared at the hand I was touching. She spoke in a slightly subdued tone,”You must be tired today, so it’s better to rest early. My brother might be late because of his schedule…”

“It’s fine, Ellen.” I just wanted to sleep. I knew it would be the same from the first day. There was nothing to be hurt about it. No, rather, I felt relieved. Either way, my goal was not to win his love. Maybe not even compassion. I could see a tall maid like a pole over Ellenia’s shoulder, looking silently at me. To describe her expression… It was a mixture of ridicule and contempt, but it didn’t matter. Being considered insignificant is familiar and acceptable. *** Cold. I woke up to notice my teeth chattering on its own. I heard it was a little cold at dawn even if it’s summer, but I didn’t think this counted as just a little cold. Holding onto the blanket tightly and trembling, I soon found out that the fire in the fireplace had died out. The green flames lit everywhere at night in aristocratic houses in the northern part of the country, where the monsters dwelled, were not just for warmth. It was a precious source that could be built from an official monk or someone higher in rank. When the sun sets, it permeates everywhere like a shadow and fights against the monsters, which seeked humans. I knew well that it couldn’t turn off on its own unless a person did it on purpose. Who did such a childish thing? The maid from before? “Achoo!” I tried to get back to sleep, but it was so cold that I couldn’t bear it. I shivered out of bed and crept up to the fireplace.

I was wondering if any embers were left. This kind of bullying was childish. Shuuuu- ShuuuuuuAt first I thought it was just the sound of the wind knocking on the window. But it wasn’t the wind that came into my sight. Half frozen in front of the fireplace, I slowly turned my head. In Romagna, there were few opportunities to encounter a demon. Not only me, but even a decent noble in the South would meet one. Except for the Screaming Forest and very few outer areas, the Papal States were as clean as ever, and I never got to see any demons. The first time I encountered the existence of a demon was one day in the late winter of the year of my first marriage annulment. Cesare took me to the basement of the museum, saying he would show me something. I didn’t really remember what got under his skin at the time. Anyway, in that basement, I was locked up all night with a gargoyle, who was about to break the chain and tear me apart. I was probably out of my mind with fear at that time. I thought that the gargoyle, who exuded a green glow and shrieked, looked less disgusting than a turtle. ‘Go away!’, ‘Don’t move!’, was all I said while uttering a futile scream. I, who was terrified, must have given off quite the impression, because the monster stopped moving at some point. It curled up and stared at me all night. Or it was just a coincidence. “Oh, don’t come…” The demon with black wings moved smoothly through the closed window, stared at me while floating. Assuming that the green jewels between the bat-like wings were its eyeballs. If I screamed or turned and started running away, it would catch me in an instant.

My mouth moved fluidly, even though my knees were shaking. “Don’t come near me.” The Northern demon seemed to admire my struggle. It is quite bizarre to see its wings drooping, even though it was hanging in the air, peering at me. Is that its attack position? It didn’t look confident. “Go away.” “Madam, you have to get up.” The maid, who was about to push through the door, yelled. It seemed like she had yelled her throat out. It had such a magnificent and long echo that I closed my ears with both hands. At that moment, the demon with its drooping black wings spread out, ran toward the screaming maid. “Ruby!” I heard Ellenia’s voice. Then, a rumble, similar to that of a thunderstorm, filled my ears and a flash covered my vision.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 It wasn’t long before the room became quiet. I lowered my arms that were wrapped over my head and my eyes grew wide. The intruder was slowly disintegrating, falling to the floor like a dead moth, black smoke rising from the remains. A man standing with a shining blue sword turned to me. My heart pounded. I didn’t know if it was because of what just happened or because of the unexpected first encounter. Or is it because of the overwhelming aura that flowed from him? His silvery blue hair, clear red eyes, sharp jawline, and defined facial features were quite similar to Ellenia’s. However, their personalities were quite different, and if Ellenia was like an ancient, coolheaded ice princess, this man felt much more barbaric and dangerous. The gaze directed at me was so overwhelming that it made me flinch. Why are you staring at me like that? “What’s the reason?” “What?” “Why did you turn that off?” Had I been the culprit who had turned off the torch, that tone of voice would have reduced me to a blubbering mess, who couldn’t even give a proper excuse. Do you think I made this fuss on purpose? “I don’t know why…” “You didn’t even have to do this. Don’t you have enough attention already? Or is this one of the excuses to use for later?” He seemed to think that I was already trying to figure out an excuse for breaking up. I knew he wouldn’t like me, but this is one of the worst first images I’d ever made, so there’s a long way to go. It was then that Ellenia came up. She said calmly, facing her brother, “Don’t rush her, brother. We don’t know who did it yet. Even if she did, she wouldn’t have expected this to happen. In Romagna, you wouldn’t have had torches like here.” I love you, Ellen. Even if I die, I will save you and die. (T/N: lmao i choked xDDDD) I reached out to Ellenia’s back and clasped her dress.

She was dressed in casual clothes, not pajamas. She was probably drinking tea or something. “I was just so cold that I woke up…” “What? Speak up.” He was quite the character. I took a short breath. It was very natural for tears to form around my eyes. But it was not just acting that made my voice tremble. Holding the sword, with a heated gaze, was my husband. He looked like Satan incarnate who had just come out of the desert. Che, Cesare’s equivalent was right here. “I woke up for a second and saw the torch was blown out…” “Ah, so it was someone else. Who was it? My sister? Me?” “Brother.” “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I guess I turned it off because it was too hot. I’m sorry for the disturbance. I wasn’t thinking. I won’t let this happen again .” There was a moment of silence as I blurted this out with a whimper and a piteous expression. Izek looked at me, biting his bottom lip as if he was searching for something, while Ellenia gently stroked my shoulder. My face will start bleeding if he stared this much. “There’s something I want to ask you…” “Yes?” “…no, leave it,” He left the room, clicking his tongue with one last glance. What was he trying to ask? *** After our unexpected first meeting, my husband seemed to have disappeared again. I had breakfast alone with Ellenia. There was silence for a while.

Ellenia focused on her meal with an expressionless look, making it hard for me to know what she was thinking. I was conscious of what happened earlier and ate as timidly as possible. If I ate, I had a good excuse to throw up anyway… “It’s not going to happen again.” “What?” “Waking up from the cold.” I gently lowered my fork and raised my head. Ellenia was still stirring the mushroom soup with her eyes cast down. So, she noticed that someone was playing around. I never thought someone would do such a childish thing in the first place, but, I responded with, “Thank you.” “You’ll be at the court banquet in four days. Let me know if you need anything by then.” Right, there was a banquet. As the royal family had arranged this marriage, it was only obvious to go to greet the king. At the same time, it was a banquet to celebrate the wedding anniversary of the King and his wife. “Ellen, if you do not mind, could you introduce me to a seamstress?” “Seamstress?” “Yes. As you know, the only clothes I bought are Southern ones, so it would stand out too much. I also heard that the summers here are very short.” There was a moment of silence. Ellenia, looking back at me who was smiling carefully, turned her gaze back. Somehow, it felt embarrassing. “You’re right. I should have thought about it in advance and prepared for it. I’m ashamed of myself.” Of course she didn’t think about it. Goddamn, they’re all betting on when I’ll go back to Romagna.

Furthermore, as I recall, the original Rudbeckia didn’t care about the northern customs. “I’ll call my own seamstress. It will be difficult to make new clothes in four days.” “It can’t be helped this time. Thank you.” “I’d love to lend you my dress, but it’s too big for Ruby. To be honest, Ruby is too thin. You need to eat more to survive Elendale’s winter.” Indeed, our heights were quite apart too, and if I wore Ellenia’s clothes, I would probably look as awkward as an immature teenager who stole her sister’s clothes. That would just be sad. Anyway, it will be my first time here in a crowd, so I’ll have to be careful to make an impression. My husband, who is the most important person, seemed to have had the worst impression already. “Then that day, Lord Izek… I mean…” “I hope you don’t mind what happened today. He just overreacted because he is particularly sensitive to safety. Usually, the torch doesn’t extinguish easily. Therefore, it is very rare for a demon to break in, so we were also very surprised.” Ellenia seemed to have decided that I was terrified of Izek. Were his arms bent inside out? He must be really sensitive. Haa, what an ideal brother and sister. “I’m not going to take it badly. I’m just a little sad because I think he’s misunderstanding me. I’m sure he doesn’t like me, but…” “Brother doesn’t hate Ruby.” It was quite a serious tone for empty consolation. Ellenia gave me a dry look, as my eyes widened. “He’s an ordinary person who avoids people he really hates. You never know when he’ll lash out.” That was an extraordinary and unique personality. He turned out even more twisted than I thought.

“But…” “He just doesn’t like the current situation, so he’s looking at everything in a crooked way. I don’t know about you, but I could never imagine my Brother getting married.. even if it was to anyone other than Ruby. It must have been hard.” It didn’t really make sense. He was from an ordinary family, and not like me, Rudbeckia de Borgia. But if it were someone ordinary, he wouldn’t have misunderstood that I was already trying to break us up. He would have been nicer if I was his childhood friend. Nevertheless, if Ellenia’s testimony to Izek’s unusual behaviour was true, I felt a little bit settled. Even if there were endless reasons why he disapproved of our marriage, there was little hope unless his hostility was purely directed at me. How would I handle him from now on? First of all, I had to understand his tendencies. “Ellen, I have a favor to ask of you.” After all, you have to figure out the opponent first to play the game. My ultimate goal now was not to die at the hands of my husband. Trying to look as harmless as possible was a kind of insurance policy. I couldn’t continue to live here if I didn’t prevent my husband’s sister, Ellenia’s death.. The History of Borgia family assassins was already an open secret. For example, Cardinal Iliope, who came to know of my birth issue, it was officially declared that he was killed by a knife in a brothel, but rumors said that it was actually done by my brother and sister. Besides, the reason Ellenia was poisoned was that she had become engaged to the prince Dorias by that time. It was only right to doubt us because it is unclear what would happen if the Prince of Dorias, who did not get along well with the Pope, and a woman from one of Britannia’s noble families got married. I also felt that it was quite absurd for Rudbeckia to just poison Ellenia for such a situation. Even if it’s the epitome of a crazy family, Cesare was a pretty particular man. The Holy Grail was stolen at the last minute, and the failure just seemed so… Anyway, I couldn’t tell anyone about this story in advance, and who would even believe the beloved princess of the Pope’s family? Even if someone believed me, Father’s spies were planted throughout Elendale. I couldn’t say anything because of that. I didn’t want to be dragged home when that rumor started circulating. So I had to seem good to Izek, the person who was going to kill me. I didn’t care about anyone else.

It would be very difficult if he didn’t believe me, or took it in the wrong way. A little bit of favor and compassion, maybe a little mercy… maybe that would make him believe my warning.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 What kind of facade would work the best for someone with the personality of a scumbag? That was the problem. He was still a man, so if I approached him with a cute and pitiful face, he wouldn’t hit me, would he? The marble stairs under the summer sun glistened white. When it came to the northern temple, I had imagined a gloomy and dull labyrinth in a fantasy game, but the uniquely styled building showed off its magnificent and linear beauty. Of course, my goal was not to explore the temple. Now I was hiding behind a marble pillar, peeping into the noisy hall. I didn’t mean to hide and snoop, but somehow this happened. I did not like the scene in front of him. Like medieval fantasies, tall paladins in black armour gathered in twos and threes to wield swords glowing a brilliant blue. This was a region plagued by demons all the time, so they felt much rougher and more aggressive than the Knights of Romagna. Their armour and equipment all looked heavy and massive. How could they move so lightly with that on? “Who are you looking for?” The politely resounding voice brought me to my senses rather than just looking around. Without a sound, a Paladin had appeared behind me and was looking down at me. A sweet face like a girl. A soft and elegant smile. The curly hair around his temple was a pretty shade; pale yellow. The man blinked slowly as I pretended to hesitate. Once, twice. Light green eyes glistened with unknown light. “Aren’t you Lady Rudbeckia?” “Oh.” “Don’t get me wrong. When you arrived at the port of Elmos, I was also part of the convoy.” “I see. I’m sorry, I didn’t… “ “No wonder you didn’t recognize me. But what brings you here? Did you stop by to see the temple?”

“No. Well, I heard my husband’s here.” I smiled shyly and answered, and the man was silent for a while. He seemed surprised and embarrassed by the way he was blinking his eyes. Soon, my gaze turned to the basket in my hands, not knowing what he was so surprised by. “……..Wait a minute,” he smiled nicely again and walked past the pillar. I was about to peek my head out again. “Izek! Your wife is here! Izek! Hey! You damn b*stard! Are you ignoring me?! Your wife’s here! Ah, f*ck, this guy isn’t listening!” I couldn’t believe those words came out of that fine mouth. What the hell was wrong with the people in this world? I hid behind the pillar and stared intently at the statue on the opposite wall. St. Agnes, holding the lamb, suddenly made me feel like throwing up again. That was weird. I already threw up today. “What are you doing?” The low-pitched voice along with the cold tone penetrated my ears. I lifted my head up and my eyes widened. Izek stood with one arm leaning on a post and looked down at me with that fierce look. Sweat dripped down his tangled silver hair to his forehead. It would be worth a watch if he had a staring contest with Cesare. “I, uh, this morning–“ “What?” “I thought you were offended by me. So I’m worried…” I pursed the corners of his mouth as I pretended to look around, mumbling the last of my words. As if I didn’t know what to say. Then my shoulder drooped, powerlessly. “That’s enough, I’m fine.” “Wa-wait a minute!” He immediately shook off my frail hand. I staggered back and dropped the picnic basket on the floor. The basket fell down with a thud.

Oh, this… “Ah…” Ellenia had said that it was a precious fruit in this area. I squatted on the floor and began to pick up precious fruits that had fallen out. I expected him to leave, but Izek stopped and stared at what I was doing. His red jewel-like eyes flashed with bewilderment. “What are you doing?” What, I’m picking up precious fruits. You’re such a cranky person. “I-I’m sorry. I brought it for you…” “Who asked you to do that? Why are you picking up something that fell on the floor?” “…I’m sorry.” Open up, dam. Flow, river of tears. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I pulled myself up, shaking helplessly. Sniff, sniff. I was doing this for survival, but I think I could get the Best Leading Actress Award at this point. It was more of a learning instinct from my past life. Once I started crying, the situation would calm down a bit. Of course, there were people like my big brother, on whom it didn’t work throughout my past life. What kind of a man would he be? “I’m sorry to offend you. I just, I think you’re mistaken about me, so I’m trying to explain…” The best knight of the North was still standing there staring at me. What a consistent fellow. Your eyeballs are going to pop out at this rate. “What misunderstanding?”

“Well, the misunderstanding, that I’ve been trying to figure out a reason to break up the marriage…” “………” “I-I know it’s natural for you to take it that way, and I know it’s okay for you to hate me. I’m sure anyone would. But I don’t… “ “Who said that I hated you?” I sighed and opened my mouth. With his head tilted, a smile made his lips arch as he approached me. I got goosebumps at that moment. Far from feeling pity for crying people, he must hate it a lot. “I don’t remember telling anyone that I hate you.” “You mean, you don’t hate me?” “No, I don’t hate you.” Look at him. You’re lying, right? “A-Are you serious?” “It’s true.” “Really, really?” I held his hand tightly and smiled excitedly with anticipation. There was a moment of silence. The smile of the man looking down at me slowly faded away. Izek stared at my face for a long time, very silent. For a second I thought he was going to hit me. But that did not happen. As soon as he blinked, the blazing look in his eyes suddenly faded and the cold look returned. “… damn it, what the hell am I doing?” His voice was filled with absurdity. Or should I call it a sense of shame?

The way he turned his body and swept his hair in an annoyed manner, felt like he was frustrated. Ah, ah. This was it. I had done this with a risk, but I was lucky to get a reaction. “Are you alright?” The next thing he did was pick up the fruit that fell at his feet. Izek glanced at me after I questioned him. He threw the fruit into the basket and shoved it towards me. Oh my, he’s so aggressive. “I don’t need this, so don’t do anything useless.” “But…” “I’m telling you in advance because I don’t want to be mistaken, but I don’t care if this clown game ends right now. It’s just that I can’t wait to see who’s messing around with me. So why don’t you just write a letter and go home right away, Little Southern Princess?” I hadn’t seen this side of him before. I felt more convinced. I knew I was not the naive innocent type, but for a man like him, pretending to be different and smart was rather dangerous. That doesn’t necessarily mean he was the type to prefer the crying or pitiful ones, so the gap I saw a while ago was a precious clue. Maybe it was because he thought I wasn’t worth getting angry at. He would feel like he was being childish even if he argued or engaged in a psychological fight. It was obvious what I was doing was not worth the vigilance or doubt. Wait, did this guy who’s only four years older than me, call me ‘little’? What? Just because he grew up a bit fast? “But I don’t want to.” “Why? Do you feel that this gutter is your home already?”

Did you think I’d even consider this a gutter? Thank you for letting me know. “I’m– I’m falling for you.” For a moment, I could only hear the sound of the wind passing by. I dropped my head to hide my red face. I praise my acting skills. “What?” “I know you hear that a lot. There’s no way you’d like me. But you were the first one to save me like that. I’ll try to fix my shortcomings as much as I can, so I don’t want anything. Could you please let me be of any help? You said you didn’t hate me.” Aha, I’m the fangirl type. Most obvious and insignificant type for guys like him. That was the way he would treat me from now on. There was hope for me too. I thought I heard a booing sound somewhere. It seemed that someone was watching us in this very exciting situation. Using this sound like background music, I raised my face and smiled. Be as bright as you were before, no countermeasures. Apparently, Izek decided to pretend that he didn’t hear the lines I had just poured out. Or did he think that he would feel more shame if he faced more people? It was just heartless to turn around without a word. I slammed another wedge into his unmoving back. “I’ll never be a nuisance. I swear.” Of course, there was no reply back. Silence.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 After visiting the temple, I met the duke’s exclusive tailor, who Ellenia had called, and spent four days fitting new clothes, writing letters to the Romagna family, and preparing for the banquet. In the meantime, even Izek’s nose could not be found, and according to Ellenia, the summer season was surprisingly the busiest with various preparations. Anyway, that was how my first Elendaleian social event arrived. The jade silk dress I wore during the Eucharist was the plainest dress I had ever brought. Cream-coloured leather shoes studded with pearls and summer gloves. Other accessories were only aquamarine earrings. My hair was also long braided downward without any accessories attached. My modest attire was quite unexpected, and the blunt-faced maids looked a little suspicious, but they asked no questions. “Ruby.” I’m grateful for having an ice sculpture-like face call me by my nickname. Standing under the hall stairs in a red dress with long sleeves, Ellenia was like a mythical goddess herself. Phew, I can’t believe she almost married Enzo. But, the person next to her… “Ruby, say hello. This is an old friend of mine, Freya Van Furiana.” (T/N: I believe the previous translator had called her Flaya(mentioned once in chapter 3) but to me, Freya sounded more natural, so I’ll be using that ^^) “Good morning, Lady Rudbeckia. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” A cool smile that revealed her white teeth. A sparkling smile unique to a person who had lived surrounded by love made the viewer feel cheerful. She was a beauty with a style that naturally attracted people’s hearts regardless of gender and age. Her crescent-like eyes were violet-colored. The dress she donned, wrapped around her long, slender body like a glove, and her blond hair hanging around her face, seemed lustrous. It wasn’t dark blonde, flax coloured, like mine, but paler; a cold platinum. She was that childhood friend. Why are you all so pretty?

My whole life was filled with beautiful people, but I feel like I’m still normal compared to some of the people from this world. And of course, a childhood friend would be treated differently from a humble bride from a foreign country. I could tell by looking at the maid’s eyes full of kindness. Tch. “Nice to meet you, too, Lady Furiana.” I said shyly, and Freya’s eyes turned wide for a moment before she turned back with a cheerful smile. “Ellen, you didn’t tell me she was such a lovely person.” (T/N: The word used to refer Ruby here was 부인 = wife, the missus of a household, but that would sound awkward so I just went for she.) “You might have thought of me as a hawk-nosed witch.” Ellenia still had a perfect poker face on. The way she looked at me while tapping her fan was a bit strange. Was something wrong with my clothes? “I ask for your understanding in advance that my brother’s arrival might be delayed a little. It happens often, but…” Aha, so that was what you’ve been waiting for. I wasn’t expecting him to come anyway. But I hoped he would show up later today. I had to keep a close watch to create an image. That was my fate. *** A wagon with a colorful insignia ran through the city surrounded by walls. It was no different from taxis of my previous life; a luxury vehicle that took you to parties on a well-maintained road. Even if the times were different and the world was different, the way people lived was similar. Or so I thought. I wished it was more different. “Your Highness will be furious if you don’t make it today.”

“It’s not a day or two. What can I do? I’m sure they’ll figure it out.” As far as I remember, Freya and the Omerta siblings’ mothers were close, even before they were born, so they grew up naturally close. That explained their connection and deep understanding of each other. I could sense their bond. Something that only people who had known each other for a very long time could share. “I’m a little worried that the banquet here will look too tacky to your eyes. As you know, compared to Romagna, it’s an easygoing town.” “I don’t think that will happen. I think Elendale is more interesting.” With her outstanding sociability, Freya talked to me about things, and I responded as humbly as I could, so it was a very formal conversation. Although she was treating me as a friend, with her kindness and curiosity, she was also exploring me alongside. Freya was an old friend of Izek and Ellenia, so it was natural to worry because a woman with a notorious reputation like mine, became her friend’s wife. She had been taking care of me, but that didn’t mean she liked me. So I would just have to show her the same side of me. Especially since those two were the most important people after my husband. Haa, my husband is the final boss. Arriving at the Angvan Palace, Britannia’s pride soared high toward the sky. The scenery of the moon tower and the crowd of nobles who arrived earlier greeted us. Women were dressed in thin dresses with long sleeves and men in dark tailcoats. The few knights dressed in armour stood out. Most of them were paladins, but as they were the important members along with priests in the neighborhood where monsters were prevalent, they did not seem to be caught off guard because of their misconduct. Ellenia, who had the best knight as her brother, was by far the best flower in society.

In addition, the combination of the power of the Omerta family, the advantage of being the queen of the king, her own great beauty, and impeccable character made it clear that everyone was longing and careful. And so, the Omerta siblings’ best friend Freya was definitely a target of envy. It was different from what I thought, but somehow it reminded me of my family and social circle in Romagna. People who did all sorts of favors to me, or to my father’s mistress, Lady Julia, for making connections with my father and older brothers. No matter what the rumors or public criticism were, Cesare had a huge fandom following, regardless of gender, and Enzo wasn’t any different. Whatever my situation was from the inside, I was the object of envy and admiration. At least, in my previous life. What would everyone think of me if my miserable innermost thoughts were revealed? How would it all tumble down? Funnily enough, there were times when I was afraid of it. I had to say, I felt like a little girl between two models. Damn it, being short was the same downside as in my last life. “Oh my…” “That’s…” “Hello.” As I approached to greet Ellenia and Freya, I replied with a smile to those who cast curious eyes on me. I was suffocated by all the curiosity, contempt, hostility, envy, and other vibes flowing from this large crowd, but it was okay because I was used to it. Ah, my facial muscles are tense. The priests, wearing brown robes, whom I encountered occasionally, came up and greeted me to ask about my father and older brother. Whether His Holiness was healthy these days, or Cardinal Valentino planned to visit Elendale, and so on. That was how we got to the fancy dome banquet hall surrounded by people. “That man is really…” I opened my eyes wide and looked back at the place where her eyes were directed at, as Ellenia muttered quietly. I had never imagined such a sentence would come out of her mouth. And there, I saw…

“Izek?” Freya’s surprised voice rang out faintly. Near that small stage, among the paladins loitering in black metal armour, was my husband, whose presence had been a mystery, let alone the excuse that he might be late. What was he doing over there? If he was trying to humiliate me so earnestly, I’d say it was a very admirable try. Was this worth the effort? “Izek!” At the sound of Freya’s welcoming cry, Izek glanced over this side instead of talking to his colleague. He hesitated on seeing me squeezed between his sister and childhood friend, and looked away again. Haa, same as ever. Well, that sure didn’t hurt me at all. “My Lady, do you want us to go and nag him?” “Why do you think he’ll listen?” Ellenia threw a lamentable comment at Freya’s suggestion. Nevertheless, I bravely began to move towards my husband. “Ruby?” The interesting expressions of people divided like the Red Sea were impressive. It was obvious what they were expecting, but they wouldn’t get to see what they wanted. The fact that I was a nuisance from the first night and that Izek was turning a blind eye to me was already a known fact. Everyone took it for granted, so no matter what I did here, there was no chance that his reputation would be damaged. It was rather my side that would suffer. As I approached the paladins, who exuded a daunting and solemn atmosphere, eyes naturally turned towards us. Eyes full of curiosity. Why? Do they think I’m going to slap my husband in here? I don’t think I could even reach his face. “Oh, Lady Rudbeckia?” Ah, wasn’t he the pretty, foul-mouthed knight who pretended to know me?

I smiled at him and then greeted my husband, who stood across from him. “I’m so happy to see you again. You look great today, too.” Soon the surrounding area became quiet. Looking up at his tall figure staring down at me with an expressionless face, I forced on an ecstatic look, gulping saliva down my sore throat. He was an unnecessarily tall man. After a while, he turned away from me and spat out. “You seem to have no sense and no face. As you can see, I’m a little busy right now.” “I’m sorry to interrupt. But, if I don’t do this…” “I’m sure I heard you say that you wouldn’t bother me.” “Y-you remember. So, you were listening to me?” “…what?” “Thank you, and I’m sorry. I won’t ever bother you next time. I’ll just hide and watch.” I was about to take my leave. At that moment, the man who was staring at me with an absurd expression grabbed my shoulder.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 — This was unexpected, so even I was a little surprised. There was a commotion. Whether others were seeing or not, Izek grabbed me and turned me around to see for himself. Caught in his giant grasp, I felt like a chick trapped inside an eagle’s claw. Was he going to hit me? I didn’t care as long as I didn’t die. “Say it again. Hiding…What are you going to do while hiding?” “I-I’ll just hide and watch. Even if I follow you, you won’t know…” “Do you want to die?” His tone sounded pretty odd for a threat. Of course, I was doing this so I wouldn’t die, so I shook my head. “Then, why would you do that?” “I, I…would like to see you, but I don’t want to be a nuisance…” Like a cute fan. Surely, he wouldn’t think his weak wife would try to assassinate him. There’s a saying that the only person brave enough to assassinate a paladin is a suicide lovers. As I tried to make the eyes as teary as possible, my husband, who was staring at me with an unknown look, suddenly let out a sound similar to a sigh and touched his temple. At the same time, Sir Ivan, who was watching us with a somewhat absent-minded look, coughed, “Lady Rudbeckia, that’s a very dangerous act.” “What?” “I don’t mean that he’ll mistake his wife for an assassin. As you know, the North is a dangerous place, so we’re a little different from the knights who grew up in the South. It’s not as safe as the last time, but if you’re near us when we’re tracking down the monsters, we may kill you without knowing what’s going on. I see. Who knows what they would do if they were at their peak? Maybe they’ll be as hyperactive as humans would be on drugs. Naturally, I didn’t want to pretend to chase except where safety was guaranteed. But, I guess, I do look like a fangirl from their reactions. Thank you for misunderstanding, you delusional patients.

(T/N: 도끼병 is the term used here, apparently it’s a disease where the patient believes everybody has a crush on him/her xDDD) “Oh, I’m in such trouble. I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m from the South…” “Don’t say that. No wonder you don’t know. It’s fine, right? Hey, say something.” Izek, who didn’t budge, was silent. He just stared at me with a strange look, chewing on his bottom lip. He seemed to be thinking about how he’d get annoyed to death. I stuttered with a glum expression, as much as possible. “D-Don’t worry. I’ll never get you in trouble…” “If the schedule had changed, you should have told me in advance.” The chilling voice belonged to Ellenia. Ellenia came close to us and looked at her brother with that impassive look on her face. “Ellen’s right. You could have stopped by. You don’t even know how to be grateful for the beauty at home.” Freya changed the atmosphere by hitting Izek’s arm, who was still busy staring at me, with a slightly playful blow using the tip of her fan. It seemed to be a very natural move. An atmosphere where you would usually hear a reply like ‘Where is the beauty?’ was made, but by maintaining an unmoving figure, Izek was making this barely cheerful atmosphere awkward again. By the way, his tight grip still had my poor shoulder trapped. Such a narrow-minded b*stard. This response was interesting, though. I thought he’d just walk away like last time. “You…” “Your Majesty The King has arrived!” Just when he had finally opened his mouth, a magnificent horn sounded. It was indeed the most appropriate time. King Feanol spoke.

The King of the North, with a gentle and gracious impression, said in a moderate yet business-like tone, “You must have taken trouble coming a long way, but I’m happy to have your presence, Lady Rudbeckia.” “I also appreciate your hospitality, Your Majesty.” “It’s rare for my nephew to appear on time for a banquet, but it seems like after getting married, little boys really do grow up. Isn’t that right, Lord Izek?” Apparently, King Feanol had a considerable amount of money made by his nephew. Likewise, Izek, who would have gotten enough money due to his marriage with me, responded with a polite attitude to the jab, “The son will only follow his father’s steps, after all.” The king’s expression became distorted. It was not an angry look, but one of strange bitterness. “Is this why you never listen to me, even after I kept requesting for so long?” “What can I even say, and whom can I even blame? Since I was the one who brought this on myself.” His cynical tone was so cold that everyone who listened to it felt chills run down their spine. Izek glanced at me, looking at me carefully once, before leaving like a storm, clicking his tongue in displeasure. His child-like behaviour overlapped with Cesare’s. Laughter rang out from all over the place. Yes, yes, laugh as much as you can. I will be the fool smiling even when my husband throws me away. “If only he hadn’t been Isis’ child…” “Calm down, Your Majesty. The new bride will be surprised.” The queen gently calmed down the king, who was about to burst into a fit. She smiled kindly toward me. Rich reddish-brown hair. Lemon-colored eyes with a mole underneath her eye. Light coffee-colored skin, which was rare for royalty. She stood out. I remember someone said that she was a slave from the East, and my memory seemed to be correct. “Now, princess, it’s daring of you to look at me like that. Let’s say hello with an example.” She looked six or seven years old. With brilliant turquoise eyes, the princess, who was staring at me, looked up at the queen, who slightly pushed her back. Her long braided reddish-brown hair swayed as she moved.

“…welcome to Angvan Palace, Lady Rudbeckia.” “Thank you. Princess Ari.” As I greeted her with a big smile, the princess, who hid herself behind the queen’s skirt, quickly averted her eyes. It was like a kitten hiding. Now, it was clear why the existence of the princess was so insignificant in the original work. King Feanol was a good enough lover to give the crown to a former Pagan slave, that too, a dancer. But he could not give his daughter, who resembled her mother and had those familiar pagan characteristics, the same position as any other princess. It was inevitable no matter how hard the king tried. Furthermore, with cousins like Izek and Ellenia, Ari would be an eternal stranger in Brittania’s aristocratic society. I was never in a position to sympathise with anyone, but I held a bit of pity for her. Damn it, this world and that world are not much different after all. Anyway, after the greeting, the banquet was carried forward in earnest. The music the bands played, the sound of people talking, the laughter and the glasses clinking was all that could be heard. It filled the huge banquet hall. “These sleeves are unique. Is it a Southern fad?” “Ahaha, I’m still waiting for a new dress.” “Did you get your new clothes tailored?” “Do you like the food here? I visited Romagna before, but I had a hard time because the southern food didn’t fit my palate.” Sitting at the dinner table with Ellenia, many questions poured in. It was expected that they would glance at me with a mixed look of compassion and ridicule. Yeah, look at me more like that! I’m a fool who can’t even think about hurting anyone. “Ah, Ellen.” “Frey? Where have you been?” Freya, whose whereabouts had been unknown, finally reappeared and joined our table. It was refreshing to see her flushed complexion, it seemed as if she had been riding a horse in that short time.

Freya sat on the right side of Ellenia and immediately said to me, “I’m sorry, my Lady. I was going to bring him back in, but now he’s ignoring my words. Just where did his chivalry go?..” “You’ve done something useless. Did he ever even pretend to listen to us?” “I know…Haaa. My Lady, do you like horseback riding? Ellen and I host horseback riding meetings every summer.” “I don’t ride very well, but I like it.” “Don’t worry, all you have to do is like it.” As a matter of fact, it was the other way around. In my previous life I was pretty good at it, but I didn’t like horseback riding itself. Now that I think about it, I just didn’t like horseback riding clubs. That was the only way to get around there, so I couldn’t help it. “Horseback riding skills are hard to keep up with. Lord Izek helped you, of course. How about asking your husband for help, my Lady?” One of the women sitting across from me smiled widely. Her round gray eyes sparkled provocatively. Before I could open my mouth, Freya cut in quickly, “That was when I was a kid. Besides, I wasn’t that good at it.” “Of course. Don’t get me wrong, Lady Furiana.” Lady Conolace apologized coolly and exchanged glances with people around her. She looked like she was dying of joy. Why was there always one such person like that everywhere? “Thank you for your concern. But I can’t take his time for such a trivial matter.” There was a moment of silence when I spoke with a smile. She gaped at my smiling face as if it were absurd, and soon cleared her throat and responded with an awkward smile, as if she lost all her excitement, “By the way, summer is coming to an end. This year’s sword fight will be held earlier than last time, right?” “Will Sir Izek attend this year’s game?” “Well, I’m looking forward to it, but if Lord Izek is present, the winner will be too obvious.” “I don’t know what’s going to happen this year. I wonder who the flower of glory will be.” The conversation quickly shifted, and I felt sick when this topic came up. This was because Cesare would visit this season.

The sword match, held every three years in Elendale, was the largest event with the longest history on the continent, attracting participants and visitors from all over the world.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 — It was not a fight between people, but against monsters who had been tamed with ferocity. Although the match itself was a terrifying contest, only the nobles were allowed to attend, and a committee was formed to identify foul acts and prevent accidents, by all priests. Yes, Cesare was coming to see me using that as an excuse. Ah, damn it. “Do you not have an appetite?” Ellenia suddenly asked me, sitting down and listening to the conversation with her cold and indifferent face as always. Did she notice that I was only sipping from my glass? “I just love the taste of alcohol.” “It’s not good to just drink on an empty stomach.” So, I put down my half-drinking glass and pretended to eat the lemon pie in front of me. Then, when everyone left to join the dance, I made an excuse to use the washroom and slipped away. I didn’t mean to vomit the pie crumbs. There was a serious problem that a rumour would spread if anyone saw me vomiting in a place like this. Obviously, I was a little dizzy because I drank on an empty stomach. “Ah…!” “Oh, excuse me.” I left the banquet hall and tried to enter the balcony, which I was closest to, but I bumped my shoulder hard with someone who came out from the opposite side. My shoulders were quite unfortunate today. The other person held my hand and helped me hastily, just as I was about to stumble. “Are you all right?”

He sounded quite young. When I raised my head, slightly frowning to endure the pain in my shoulder, I faced somewhat mesmerising purple eyes. He was tall, but he seemed young. I felt that he was about 15 years old. His pale blonde hair covering the back of his neck and pretty face type, looked a lot like someone. “I’m fine, but…” “Ah, I’m Lorenzo van Furiana. You were with my sister a little while ago, weren’t you?” As expected, Freya’s brother. He really resembled her. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want me to help you to the banquet hall?” “I’m okay. I was just coming out to get some fresh air. Are you a paladin?” “Sir Izek would laugh if he heard this. I’m still too young. But, are you bored with the banquet?” Banquets were always boring. Though, why did he hate me? The boy smiling in front of my eyes was acting quite friendly and cheerful, but the hostility that he emitted with his whole body was so vivid that it was suffocating. I was always sensitive to this, but the disgust in his eyes was too obvious. Maybe it was because he was still young. Look at him. When did he ever see me to get such a bad impression? My husband didn’t have this bad of an impression either. As for Ellenia, she had a god-given poker face, it was difficult to catch sight of emotions. Freya was a little vague as I had just met her, but it was hard to call her hostile. But why was Freya’s brother making such a fuss? I smiled silently and looked at him, and he stared at me for a moment, too. Then, he scratched his head as if he was embarrassed. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just can’t believe I’m seeing you in person… “ “It sounds like I’m famous here.”

“Where in the world would there be a man who doesn’t know My Lady’s name? You’re the Pope’s daughter.” “Really? I’m not as famous as my brothers, so I’m a little surprised.” A short silence passed by. Lorenzo, who pretended to think about something while scratching his temples, smiled and confessed,”Actually, there’s a famous song that was not too popular until a while ago.” “Oh really?” “Seems like you’ve never heard of it before. Would you like to listen to it?” “I’m curious, please go ahead.” “This is what it’s all about,” he hummed, exaggeratedly clearing his throat. “Sistina’s larks said she couldn’t find a man to suit her taste, but her half-brothers would be fine…” Whatever reaction Lorenzo had expected from me, it remained an eternal unknown because of the sudden sound. Wham! “Argh!” “Didn’t I tell you not to f*ck around alone, huh?” “Ah, wait a minute, ahhh!!” My eyes widened. It was Sir Ivan who jumped out of the hallway like a basilisk, cuffed Lorenzo’s head mercilessly, and then pulled his ear mercilessly. The pretty, foul-mouthed paladin. “Apologize immediately before I rip your mouth!” “Ha, but…” “To think you admire Izek. Do you want me to bring you to him? If it’s that a**hole, he would tear your bloody mouth up, when he hears the sh*t you just talked about. Then, you’ll apologize to Lady Omerta with that sh*tty snout of your’s.” I didn’t think Izek would rip Freya’s brother’s mouth just because I listened to that song. Lorenzo murmured something like an apology, with his head down in Ivan’s grasp, perhaps because Isuke was scared or because he gave in to pain. “Don’t you mumble! Should I make you bark louder?”

“Well, I’m fine, just let him go.” I didn’t really want to hear an apology since I wasn’t angry in the first place. Sir Ivan, who looked at me, soon smiled and let go of him. Lorenzo immediately ran away. Tsk tsk. Sir Ivan now shook his hands and murmured a last low-pitched curse, smiling beautifully at the same time. He looked back at me. “I’m sorry for the mess you had to see.” “It’s okay.” “Don’t get me wrong. He’s… he’s just lost his mind in a weird delusion. Such an absurd song is known to none of our Knights….” “Sir Ivan, it’s really alright. It’s not my first time hearing that rumor.” There was a moment of silence. I was opening the dam again while Lord Ivan looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. Sniffle. “M-My Lady?” “I’m sorry, I’m just… I just suddenly thought about it. I wonder if my husband believed in such rumors, so…” “That’s ridiculous. He’s not interested in the din other people make up in the first place. Even if it needed some attention.” “Huu. Really?” “Of course, and it’s not his way to stay with people who bother him. To be honest, he was a bit surprised earlier, he probably didn’t mean that you were a bother… “ Should I say it’s an honor? “H-He doesn’t hate me, right?” “Not at all! How dare a man hate his wife? It’s just that he’s been living my own way, and this is the first time he’s experiencing something not going his way. He’s just embarrassed and acting up.” “So, he doesn’t hate me even if I liked him to my heart’s content, right?” “Of course. No, it would be a great honor for him.”

Sir Ivan, who had been shaking his head and cheering for me instead of insulting, began to cough awkwardly in vain with a sullen look on his face. It’s okay, I understand. “I’ll take you to the banquet hall first.” “It’s okay. I came out because I wanted to get some fresh air anyway.” “But if you’re alone… alright. But if that kid shows up again, you must tell me.” Was he worried that the kid might come after me again and make me cry? His mouth was dirty, but his chivalry was certainly alive. Coming out on the balcony alone, at evening time, my eyes fell on the night scenario, which looked as bright as day. A beautifully decorated courtyard with winding steps outside the balcony. There was a pond surrounded by artistic sculptures. I went down the stairs because I thought I could take a look. Next to a pair of swan statues with their heads in the shape of hearts, a reddish-brown bob stood out, moving swiftly. “Princess Ari…” Ari, who was hiding behind the swan’s tail, leaned out. A bunch of yellow summer flowers were held in her hands, gathered in front of her. Maybe she was playing here alone? Where did her nanny go? “Un, don’t tell Mama.” Ah. So, she sneaked out. Surprisingly, she was a tomboy. I nodded my head and smiled coolly. “I won’t tell her. What are you making?” Instead of answering, the little princess looked at me with her hesitant eyes. What I said seemed unreliable. I turned my head and approached the pond, meaning I wouldn’t disturb. A bridge stood out gracefully in the middle of a fairly large pond. “…you can’t be there alone.” “What?” “A couple has to be together to make their love come true.” She came out from behind the statue.

[Love will come true.] I couldn’t believe there’s a pond like this in the palace. Such romantic people. Well, the king, at least, was one. “Does love come true?” “I don’t know…… this is what the nanny said. The fairy of love lives in the pond.” I bent over and made eye contact with Ari, grinning. Now, the little princess was staring at my hair, nothing else. Was it because my hair looked similar to hers? “Is that a bouquet of flowers?” “…is it pretty?” “Yes, it’s really pretty. Who did you make it for?” The princess, who was blinking her big eyes as if hesitating for a moment, nodded and whispered in a tone that was hard to understand, “I’ll give it to you.” “What?” “If you let me touch your hair, I’ll give it to My Lady.” Huh? I pulled my hair to one side and smiled again. “Now?” “Not now, but later.” So, she wanted to play with my hair like a doll’s. Even though I’m this old, to the little girl I probably looked more like a giant doll from the South.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 — Well, if it’s a doll, then a doll it is. Phew, a child’s eyes are surprisingly sharp. “Princess.” Oh my god, you scared me. Why is everyone coming out from all directions today? Ari, who was handing out a bouquet of flowers, froze on the spot, biting her lip. I also froze for a moment while accepting the bouquet. I didn’t expect to see him again today. Silver-gray hair glittered under the sunlight. As he strode through the small path between the elegant statues, Izek looked even more sensational with the peaceful scenery around him. I could feel Ari’s body shaking as she held onto my skirt. I get why I’m like this, but why are you so scared? Her cousin brother, Izek, somehow stopped about two meters away from us, and spat it out in a blunt tone without a hint of courtesy, “Your Highness is looking for you. I told you last time that you shouldn’t walk around alone.” Huh? The next moment, the little princess threw the bouquet into my hand and quickly ran past him, toward the palace like a scared kitten. I felt like this happened a lot, and Izek didn’t really try to hold on to her either. My husband stood upright without looking back. There was an absurd look in his eyes. “You were playing with each other…” Ah, is that what he wanted to talk about? I gently straightened myself with the bouquet in my hand. I felt bad about being treated like a six-year-old kid, but I smiled shyly on the outside. “Were you looking for the princess?” “No. I was looking for you. I’m not a guard.” What? Looking for me? You were the one who left me behind. Are you trying to kick me out of here too, now?

I was a little scared, but I didn’t show it, and made my eyes widen. “Me? Really?” “……Yes, really.” Just like before, the one who threw me away strode forward. God, is he really going to hit me? Well, fine, as long as he’ll let me live later… “What are you doing?” “What?” “Open your eyes.” I slowly opened my eyes, which had been instinctively closed. I could see his huge chest right in front of me. When I raised my head up, I saw the face of the man looking down at me with a blank look. “Did the princess of Romagna grow up accustomed to being beaten up?” How did you know that? Hey, it’s natural to be scared when a big man like you darts forward. How tall are you? I think, probably over 2 meters. “I thought you were going to hide and watch me.” “I-I’m good with just watching.” “Really? Then why close your eyes? Did you expect a kiss or something like that?” The way he tilted his head and muttered was very unfamiliar. If he just stared at me as he always did, I could get used to it, but the way he looked at me with his red eyes open was even more dangerous. If I said that I was expecting a real kiss, he’d notice it was a lie. Do you think I’ve lived like this for a day or two? “That’s because, earlier, you seemed upset because of me…” “So, you thought I’d hit you or something?” “Not necessarily, but if you did…” “So… you like me even when you know I’m going to hit you?”

“No? You’re the only one to protect me. I’ll try my best to correct the mistakes, so please don’t hate me.” There was a short silence. While I clasped a bouquet of flowers with both hands and stared down mournfully, he gazed at me with an indescribable look. Why was he staring at me again? Rough footsteps sounded. It was clear that it was coming this way, but neither of us looked away. “…Sir Izek!” My husband, who had been staring at me, turned his head. The boy, who gasped and approached us, paused with a slightly puzzled look, and then spoke carefully. “I think you should come for a while.” Hmm, was something happening with the Paladins in the palace? “Wait here for a second.” These words were spat out by my husband, who turned away. Ho-oh, did he still have work for me? What now? Should I put the flowers in my hair and wait for him? I glanced briefly at the giant back of the distant man and sat on a flat rock nearby. A fresh wind blew. I was shaken, by the way. I wondered what kind of delusion Freya’s little brother was having. He showed such hostility simply because of rumors about me. It was hard to say what triggered him. That was all too much to say just because a senior he admired had a wife like me…maybe it was something to do with Freya? While I was organizing my thoughts, I suddenly looked down at a bouquet of flowers in my hand. Now that I see it, they were Rudbeckias. The same flower as my name. Eternal happiness in the flower language, but it’s ironic. Cold water splashed on me from behind. Just as I tried to get up reflexively, something wet and slippery wrapped around my torso and literally pulled me into the water in an instant.

There was not even enough time to scream or struggle. Splash! The water was cold to the bone. My heart seemed to stop for a moment. It was worth thinking about whether I was going to die like this and what kind of empty ending it was, but strangely, I didn’t feel any fear. I was caught up by some crazy pond monster. I felt empty, but the thing that was holding me tight right now, didn’t have the purpose of killing me, it was just… When I struggled a little, the monster’s arm relaxed a little. It felt ridiculous, as if it would just let go of it if I just swam up like this. What was this, kid? Did it just want to play with me… or was I just so terrified that I became delusional? Or was I being attacked by some kind of psychological attack? As the oxygen in my lungs decreased, I instinctively tried to shake off the pond monster and climb up. I was about to move my hands in the water and grab the arms that twisted around my waist. As if a torpedo had exploded, a blindingly intense light flashed, sending a tingling feeling everywhere. The arms holding my body completely disappeared, but this time, something held me from the top and pulled me up with strong force. Poa-ha, my blocked breath burst out at once. My head was all dizzy and my surroundings were noisy. “How the hell did this happen here…” What were they talking about? When I managed to wake up, my husband was in front of me, looking down at me. But, why did he suddenly get shorter? Oh, he was holding me up. His eyes, which were indescribably complex, stared at me. I didn’t know what’s going on, but the pond monster was just a monster, and I didn’t call it out on purpose. Like the last time the torch went out… “…..Waah!”

I screamed loudly as I clung to Izek’s neck, bursting into tears, thinking that I would be hit. Regardless, I choked him to death and burst into tears. “Oh, I was scared! You’ve protected me again, you’re the only one!” As it became silent everywhere, only the sound of Izek’s sigh rang loudly. A sigh that sounded very tired. *** The appearance of a monster in a pond containing the romantic legend of Angvan Palace seemed to have spread to quite a serious disturbance. Inside the palace, where absolute safety is essential, it was also a case of a sudden attack, a pond that had been free of problems for decades, so everyone was shocked. Besides, no matter how bad my reputation was as the Pope’s favorite daughter here, it would have been quite embarrassing for Brittany if it had gone wrong. Looking back on my vague memories, I didn’t think there were any of these things that came out in the original The heart of Elendale, where the nobles’ sagas, temples, and palaces were close, belonged to a fairly safe clean zone. What happened on the first night of arriving here was strange in many ways. Of course, Rudbeckia in the original, did not experience the first night of the torch being extinguished or leave the palace banquet and go near the pond, but if this continued to be the case, they’ll misunderstand that I was a witch who attracted the creatures. “Whoo…” The annual event had come. I didn’t feel anything until the night I fell into the pond, but I felt a little strange from the next day. I thought it was just a cold at first, but it wasn’t. My body was burning hot, as if someone was poking my whole body with a needle. It was a symptom that came twice a year after I possessed this body. I thought it would come back at the end of the year, but it came early at a time like this, damn it. At first, my family called the physician because I had said I was sick, but he just tilted his head and repeated that he had never seen such symptoms before. The same was true of others.

The next time something similar happened again, everyone started to think I was faking it because I didn’t want to get engaged. So I decided to put up with it. I was used to holding back my pain anyway. It was a symptom that would disappear in just a few days. It would be the same to call a physician here, but it would be tough to be branded as a “foolish faker”. Especially my dirty husband, who might think I’m up to something else, haa. What was he trying to tell me at the pond, though? The conversation wasn’t completed because the monster appeared… Whatever the reason he told me to wait, it was unexpected coming from a man who didn’t bother with annoying people. So, I had to know what he wanted from me.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 — Ellenia had been out since early in the morning, so there were only cold-faced household servants in the house. I told the maid who came to wake me up that I didn’t need my breakfast. I went out with a good expression on my face, and no one came to look for me all morning. Tch, heartless people. Still, I felt a little better lying in bed all morning. But it was a waste of time, so I finally got up and headed to the bathroom. I was so glad I knew how to wash myself. The overnight sweat was simply washed with lukewarm water and I headed to the dressing room. The robes here were never easy to wear alone, but some of the simple casual clothes could be worn without borrowing other people’s hands. After tightening the corset by myself and putting on tunics, I got into a simple green dress with white puffed sleeves. I should practice wearing it alone. I didn’t know what was going to happen later. I put on a little makeup to cover my pale complexion, combed my long hair until it glowed, and gently left the room. As I walked down the stairs through the white marble corridor covered with rugs, I saw escorts standing like statues at the entrance, the line pointing toward the hall. “What do you need, madam?” One of the knights, who stood there holding on to his spear and staring hard at me, finally spoke aloud, thinking that he couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Do you know where my husband is now?” “I’m sorry, we don’t know where the Duke is.” Another knight tapped the one who answered on the shoulder. Did the two exchange glances for a moment? “I’m not sure, but Miss Ellenia said she’d stop by Elmos port with Lady Furiana around lunchtime today.” “Ah-“ “…..”

“……as you know, the Duke is in a very bad mood right now, and only the two of them can soothe him.” I see. Those two girls are the only ones who can soothe that personality wrecker. That’s too much information for something I didn’t even ask. I’m sure it was my fault that he was not feeling well. Yeah, I know my place. Everyone seemed eager to see me jealous of Freya. They seemed to think that Freya deserved to be in my place right now, but were they expecting me to make an ugly scene out of jealousy? I could see why Rudbeckia in the original book was particularly hard on Freya. It was natural that she’d be encouraged by all sides to do that when she already has a bad reputation. Anyway, Izek must be at Elmos Harbor now. “I see. Thank you.” There was a moment of silence. I was still staring at them with a grin on my face while the guards went back to being statues. It was not long before a dismal voice rang out,”I’ll arrange a carriage if you need it.” “Thank you, sir. You are very kind.” “……” Elmos Port, where I first stepped on the land, was a peaceful and exotic place with the fresh sea breeze, open dock scenery, lighthouses, nearby inns and bars. But now, city guards and armour-clad Paladins were mixed all over the place, making the beautiful harbor landscape somehow grim and eerie. What were they doing? The atmosphere was quite serious, were they going to have a meeting? Or was someone important arriving? I didn’t remember a foreign VIP visiting at this point of the story. As I stopped the carriage a little away before and walked along, I saw a group of guards and paladins sitting on the stairs around a bar just across the low stone wall, drinking beer cool under the broad daylight. No, these people… Were they really paladins? I hid behind a stone wall, leaned out, and looked at the busy harbor view.

Ha, this makes me feel like a real stalker. It’s hard to survive. Indeed, Izek was there. My husband was with a ruddy-looking guard with a red beard. They were talking in a very serious way. It was a relief that I found him easier than I thought. Now, how should I approach him? “That man…” “Who are you talking about?” Oh, no, please. I thought my heart was about to pop. I turned my head gently, suppressing a scream that almost burst out at the moment. Someone had approached me without a mouse or a bird knowing, crouching in the same position as me. I saw a boy next to me. Wait, I had seen him somewhere… Oh, yes. Wasn’t he that trainee that came to find Isuke by the pond? As I stared for a moment, the trainee blinked slowly. They were clear amber eyes. The black hair covering his straight forehead suddenly reminded him of Cesare, but Cesare’s hair was not this black. “Oh, I’m sorry if you’re surprised. I don’t know why, but you seem to be hiding.” So, he copied me without even realizing it? He was a bit of a weirdo. Still, it’s a good thing he didn’t exude weird hostility like that Lorenzo kid. “It’s okay.” “Are you doing well? At the palace…” “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.” When I answered with a smile, the trainee stared at my face for a moment, and soon spoke in a low tone, scratching his head awkwardly, “I’m actually Lord Izek’s trainee.” Oh, that’s a surprising fact. “I thought so. How long have you been here?”

“It hasn’t been long, actually. I was lucky enough, because the trainee before me got in trouble.” “Trouble?” “Yes. Was it that he sang an obscene song in someone’s presence?” Hmm… Why did I feel like that was the song I heard? Lorenzo… this kid was not asking me to see if I’m curious, was he? “But why is my lady hiding like this? Aren’t you here to see Lord Izek? Do you want me to go get him?” “No, it’s… I’m not here to meet him, I’m just stopping by to see him.” “Oh, I understand. He’s the best person to watch from afar. But isn’t he pretty sweet to my lady? He’ll be sad to know that you just left like that.” I was very, very curious to know what ‘sweet’ meant in his dictionary. Nevertheless, I threw my eyes down shyly. “Do you see it that way?” “Yes, he’s not the one who would beg a woman to wait for him.” “…… ” “Oh, please don’t tell anyone I said this. I might be beaten to death.” At this point, I wonder if some screws are missing because he was beaten so much by Izek. I decided to move on to another topic. “But what’s going on here?” “It’s just the palace pond incident that happened all of a sudden…” “Why don’t you lie flat next time?” The frightening growl overhead made both of us gasp and shriek. Oh, my heart. “Your words of adoration are on point.” “That’s right. You’re perfect as always.”

Izek didn’t say anything for a moment. His veins popped out at his temple, when he looked down at us, smiling brightly and chatting. Ah, so scary. “Oh, it’s definitely my lady. We wondered who Andymion was hiding with and swearing at us.” You must have committed a lot of crimes, to worry about that. So, this kid’s name was Andymion. I got up from my squatted position. I felt a little dizzy, but it was fine. “Hello, Sir Ivan.” “Are you feeling well? I was worried that you might have been very surprised yesterday… Hey, Andy, get out of here. Can’t you take a clue, son of a b*tch?” He smiled so beautifully that I could see the illusion of fluttering rose petals, and while saying those words, he seemed more humane. “Thank you for your concern.” “Don’t mention it, of course. By the way, are you here to meet this ferocious b*stard?” The said ferocious b*stard was staring at his trainee, who crept away. Then, he glared at me again. How could he remain so stoic? “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. But I wanted to thank you for what happened yesterday…” “That’s something this b*stard should be grateful for, my lady. He had the honor of saving his wife. Don’t you think so, son of a b*tch? Why don’t you answer if you have a conscience?” Of course, Izek couldn’t have a conscience. Izek ignored his friend’s taunts and said what he had to say, “It was only natural.” “No, of course it is. If I die, everyone gets in trouble.” “What?” “Now, my lady, why don’t you come and have lunch with us? He’ll love it, too.” Elegantly intervening, Sir Ivan grabbed Izek’s magnificent shoulders tightly. Oh, he’s got big guts. “Can I really join you? I’m afraid it’ll distract you from talking to your close friends.”

“What? I think you’re misunderstanding, but we’re not that close. I don’t want to be friends in the first place.” “But I think Ellen and L-Lady Furiana would be uncomfortable…… I’d rather just go home and rest.” I tried to appeal to the fullest that I was a pure fan who has no connection with jealousy, but the responses of the two paladins were a bit strange. “Huh? …Is that… my lady?” Eh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden? I tilted my head innocently. But the looks on their faces were getting weird. Besides Sir Ivan, why was Izek staring at me with his eyes so wide open? I couldn’t get used to it. It was then that I felt something running down my nose. — T/N: Casual note; I noticed a lot of reviews in kakaopage, complaining about how childish the mc’s monologue was, but imo, it just makes her seem more humane. I’m actually loving her sarcastic comments xDDD she’s a lil dense at times but…i dunno, I really like her character. Let me know what y’all think :3 And thank you, once again, for the comments ///