Translator: Nox

Chapter 19

“Poor, poor Danae.”

Juan approached with a fluid, slithering gait and plopped down beside her.

“Don’t be like that. Choose me instead. I’ll make you happy.”

“Please leave.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re being rude. How could you enter a lady’s bedroom without permission?”

“What does it matter? Once we’re married, we’ll be sharing a bed anyway.”

Juan scanned her body with his eyes and let out a lecherous grin.

“If you want, we can start sharing one right now.”

A sudden chill of revulsion ran down her spine.

‘Crazy bastard.’

What on earth was he babbling about? And that disgusting look in his eyes…

“Why don’t we try sharing a bed as a little test? I guarantee you’ll find yourself liking me a bit more.”

“Get lost.”

“…What?”

“I said, get lost. You smell like disgusting lard.”

Seeing Juan go blank with shock, Dana gave a crooked smile.

Then, she drove in one last barb to provoke him.

“Especially when you’re even more incompetent than Alice.”

She pushed it deep, right where his meager pride would shatter.

---

“Dammit!”

Inside a back-alley tavern.

Juan Rolland slammed his liquor bottle down.

“Dammit, dammit, dammit!”

Lately, his mood had been the absolute worst. And why wouldn’t it be?

‘Those bitches are all acting up at once!’

Danae Winzer. That damn girl.

He thought she was gentle and kind, but she was actually vicious beyond belief.

What? Get lost? Smell like disgusting lard?

‘How dare you talk to the man who’s going to be your husband!’

Just wait until they were married. He would beat her soundly and fix that attitude of hers!

But she wasn’t the only woman getting on his nerves.

‘Alice, that little brat, acting like she owns the place!’

Recently, his life had been miserable.

Because of Alice’s success, he had been made to look utterly pathetic!

“Great-Uncle, do you perhaps have less intuition than I thought?”

Even just a few days ago, Alice had said that to him. With her nose in the air, acting all high and mighty!

“It would have been a disaster if my idea for selling the bulbs had fallen through because of your opposition. Wouldn’t it?”

Then she had giggled, sticking her tongue out playfully.

She acted like she was being adorable, but Juan knew better.

It was mockery.

Alice—that niece he thought was nothing but sweet—was laughing at him!

“Where does a young girl get off acting so bold? She should be in her room playing the piano. How dare she butt into a man’s world…”

The inferiority complex felt like it was going to drive him mad.

Juan had always been the underachiever of the Rolland family.

His marksmanship was a mess, his swordsmanship was a mess, his physical combat was a mess, and even his academics were a mess. For a man of a naval family, he was a total failure.

His father, the Naval Commander, always looked at him as if he were a terrible mistake.

“Try to follow the example of your nephew, Lumie. You pathetic fool.”

The son of his sister, who had risen through the naval ranks at a young age to become the captain of the Empire’s finest battleship.

Lumie made him feel small too—but he could endure that.

Lumie was a man, after all.

A man who inherited the blood of the great naval house of Rolland and was educated by the military house of Winzer.

But Alice was just a girl!

To be pushed aside by a mere girl!

‘Working under others doesn’t suit my temperament after all.’

Just you wait. I’ll make Danae my wife one way or another.

I’ll use her fortune to start my own business. When that time comes, I’ll finally be able to show my true talent!

That was why he had come to this tavern.

“Sir. The item you ordered is here.”

To conduct this dirty transaction.

The merchant sitting across from him discreetly pushed forward a black envelope.

“It’s a love potion made by barbarian shamans.”

“The effects are guaranteed, I assume?”

“Of course. If you put a single strand of hair into this medicine, it will dissolve naturally. Put that into her food and have her consume it. She will fall in love with the owner of that hair.”

To possess Danae with just a single strand of hair—was there a better bargain in the world?

“However, there are some slight side effects.”

“Hmm? What are they?”

“The effect is so strong that she might become an imbecile.”

“What? An imbecile?”

“Yes. She might become a simpleton who can think of nothing but love.”

“Hmm, I see. The more of the potion she takes, the higher the chance of side effects.”

“That is correct. So you must only use a very tiny amount.”

I’m going to dump the whole thing in.

Juan cheered inwardly.

‘Good. That girl was way too arrogant anyway.’

A haughty bitch who looked down on men just because she had money.

That’s why the Crown Prince had a change of heart.

‘She becomes an imbecile? Even better.’

Women were better the stupider they were, and better the less they spoke.

‘That’s the only way to have peace in a household.’

Danae becoming an imbecile.

The mere thought was thrilling. A twenty-three-year-old, young, stupid, wealthy beauty. She was his perfect ideal!

‘We’ll be a happy couple, Danae. You just provide the money and pop out lots of children.’

“Wahahaha!”

Juan burst into a loud, boisterous laugh.

---

A bouquet of Moonlight Flowers arrived.

It was sent by Alice.

[To my dear sister Dana,

You hurt me deeply with your harsh words, leaving a wound that may never heal, but I have decided to forgive you anyway.

So, if I have any faults as well, I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me with the same broad mind.

Let’s not fight anymore.

Let’s live while forgiving and loving one another.

The world is far too beautiful to waste time on hatred.

Since you have decided to live in this world, I hope you live a life full of love.

—From Alice, who loves you.]

Dana tossed Alice’s letter straight into the fireplace. The paper was consumed by the flames.

It was fine. There was no need to get worked up.

‘It’s almost time, anyway.’

The time had come.

The moment to finally crush the Moonlight Flower business had arrived.

“Rete. How many Moonlight Flowers have you bought up?”

“Here, please check for yourself.”

After reviewing the documents, Dana smirked.

In all the Empire, no one would possess as many Moonlight Flowers as she did.

‘I should start first thing tomorrow.’

The time to keep her promise to the Emperor had come.

And she would threaten the position of Karl Winzer—her uncle—and take one step closer to obtaining the Sacred Artifact.

“My Lady, also this. Lord Juan has sent a letter as well.”

“…”

It was filled with the most garbage content of any love letter she had ever received.

“What should I do? Shall I burn this as well?”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“Leave that one. It has its uses.”

“What could you possibly use that disgusting thing for?”

Dana placed Juan’s letter in her drawer as usual, wearing a cold smile.

“I’m going to use it as bait to catch a big fish later.”

---

After sending her secretary away, Dana still couldn’t let go of the documents even as she prepared for bed.

She walked out onto the terrace and sat on a bench in her private garden. Then, she called for her maid.

“Emily, bring me a cup of chamomile tea.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

Just then, a gust of wind blew, and her papers fell. Dana absentmindedly picked up the documents that had scattered onto the grass.

A moment later.

“My Lady, I’ve brought your chamomile tea.”

“Thanks.”

“The night air is quite chilly. Shall I bring you a shawl?”

“I’m fine, thank you. You may go.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

After the maid left, Dana lifted the teacup. The calm, soothing scent of chamomile felt wonderful.

In that moment.

“Dana, you really love chamomile tea, don’t you? You always drink only that.”

An old memory surfaced.

“Yes, Uncle. I like the fragrance.”

“Hahaha. Is that why? Whenever I smell chamomile, I find myself thinking of you, Dana.”

A common conversation she had shared with her uncle, Karl Winzer.

And then.

“I’ll have to make sure her life is short.”

That disgusting voice whispering that he would kill her.

‘Wicked man.’

She barely managed to keep her lips from curling in distaste before taking a sip of the tea.

‘Just you wait, Karl Winzer.’

You’ll pay the price for using me.

I’ll strip that ring from you soon and return to my own world…

‘…Wait, what is this feeling?’

Suddenly, a wave of heat spread through her chest like water soaking into fabric.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

Her heart began to race.