The Troublemaker Daughter of the Grand Duke Wants To Live Alone - Chapter 85

Chapter 4. The appearance of no. 01 lover candidate.

According to the maids, Lethenia’s body was actually in a dead state that day.

It was a short moment, but her heart stopped beating and her skin was as cold as ice.

In the original story, Lethenia suddenly collapsed and did not wake up for a while so she wasn’t able to hold her first birthday banquet.

So she was secretly looking forward to her second birthday banquet with her husband, but the heroine Rosetine appeared and took the spotlight away.

The reason why Lethenia collapsed was not elaborated. In any case, she has no chronic illness and no evidence of murder.

I also concluded that Lethenia had put herself in a coma to get Ian’s attention.

Because this is a world of mysterious magic, they can do whatever they want to disguise death.

‘She risked her life for a man. How pathetic.’

As for me, who suffered tremendously from men in the real world, I knew very well how useless it was.

I remembered my true self and smiled bitterly. My situation was the same as Lethenia’s. No, reality could be even worse.

Kim Sejin is already dead, and Lethenia here is still alive.

“Lemon tea made by melting the snow of the Cairo Mountains as you ordered, Your Majesty.”

I closed my eyes and smelled the fresh lemon. I felt better. They will do everything with a single word. It was nothing compared to the past when I had to suffer from hunger.

I eventually grew accustomed to this life. I now question whether I was ever truly an aristocrat.

It sometimes occurred to me that possessing a noble or an empress’ body was not necessarily a bad thing.

For the first time in my life, I enjoyed the luxury of being cared for by someone.

The serene existence of the Imperial Palace has lately started to provide a small measure of solace to my frustrated and unfair mind. This is how I wish I could live.

“The last designer seems to stick to a very conservative design, perhaps because she’s old. At this time, we should give new designers a chance. I’m thinking of holding a contest, and the prize money is about…… About twenty thousand knets.”

“Oh, my, 20,000 knets is enough to make me want to participate.”

Stella, the lady in waiting, couldn’t keep her mouth shut and made a fuss.

In this world, 20,000 knets is enough to buy three or four large farms.

Being an empress also allowed me to spend a considerable amount of money wherever I pleased. Despite the fact that it is not my money, what a rewarding experience it is to make such a significant investment in finding talent.

There was no chance of running into the emperor, who should have been the most concerned, since he did not even glance at the empress’ palace. I didn’t have to deal with the empress’s troublesome tasks because of the emperor’s decision to deny Lethenia any authority. These days, I consider this to be heaven on earth.

Looking into the mirror, I touched my face awkwardly.

‘I look like a pretty ghost.’

Stella recommended the world’s only “Angel’s Tears” jewelry set, saying it would look good with today’s dress code.

My eyes were dazzled by the brilliance of the finest diamonds.

These were also precious objects that could not be seen in modern life. But I thought about it for a while and turned it down as usual.

“I’ll just go with this necklace.”

In the original story, Lethenia always wore an ordinary-looking ruby necklace.

Fine pearls with a glossy finish were used to make the necklace chain, which blended in perfectly with Lethenia’s fair skin.

Her red lips appeared to be jeweled by the ruby in the center. It is a necklace that closely resembles its owner.

It was a bit bland and monotonous for the Empress to wear, but it was unpleasant to take it out and put something else on my neck.

I turned to the mirror again and fiddled with the ruby necklace.

This was a gift from Lethenia’s late mother. As someone who lost her mother at a young age, I also wanted to respect the longing of Lethenia.

Since I’m using another person’s body, I have to maintain this kind of conscience.

After enjoying a happy rest for a while, I had to prepare for the future in earnest. This life will not last. Lethenia is destined to die soon.

Here, I wanted to live without any worries and forget about my unhappy past. I’m going to heal my broken heart in this crazy fantasy.

I will live happily enough to forget my boring reality. Therefore, I should never die until then.

Suddenly, the scene of the execution of the Villainess, Lethenia in the original story, came to mind. From the perspective of modern people, such heinous executions are elusive.

“Barbaric punishment like burning deserves to disappear.”

“What?”

Stella, who doesn’t know what I’m thinking, opened her eyes wide as if asking what I was talking about.

“It’s not just the burning. There’s a lot of horrible torture in Asha.”

“The colonization of Xenos resulted in a number of harsh punishments, and they need an example to put the rebellion down.”

“That’s true. But who on earth came up with that outdated idea?”

“Well, I think it’s probably the Duke of Bledel.”

When Stella cautiously pointed out objective facts, I felt a little awkward.

The Duke of Bledel, the father of Lethenia and a leading figure in the Xenos Conquest War, aimed at a reign of terror to pressure the masses.

In addition, the Bledel family has been receiving a lot of complaints not only among Xenos refugees but also among Asha people because they imposed huge taxes for years in the name of doing postwar restoration projects.

Listening to Stella, it occurred to me that perhaps the emperor, who had to win the hearts of the people, deliberately executed Lethenia with such cruelty.

People hated the Bledel family and Empress Lethenia.

“Stella, don’t you think the Empire thinks the Bledel family is terrible?”

Stella’s pupils shook dangerously. I didn’t care about her bewildered expression, I went on with a sarcastic tone.

“I think they would want to kill an empress like me.”

“Y, Your Majesty, how can you say such a terrible thing…….”

Stella stammered over her words. I meant I wasn’t wrong.

Even if I survive somehow, the most important thing in settling in a far away place was money.

Since I possessed this body, I had secretly collected information about Asha’s royal family.

Among them, I have checked the Empress’s personal account and the financial status of the imperial family for the funds I needed to settle down.

Most of the money has flowed into the Bledel family, but since the game of power has changed, the emperor has been more thoroughly supervising the imperial treasury.

Precious jewels and valuables in the Imperial Palace were difficult to sell without a guarantee, and the guarantee was also under the control of the Treasury.

In other words, it was challenging to avoid the eyes of Ian, the male lead, when it came to money.

It is impossible to forcefully try to embezzle right now in a situation where everyone is watching the Empress make a mistake.

I’ll be imprisoned at the Empress Dowager’s palace for no reason. It was also impossible to ask for help from the father-in-law of the enemy, Duke Bledel.

In short, it means that I am only an empress, but I have no personal property that can be disposed of privately.

Without realizing it, I sighed when I remembered that fact.

If I die here, it’s really all over. I have nowhere to go back to.

My body may already be buried and rotting in the ground, or I may have been cremated and now I am just ashes.

Even if I was really lucky to survive, I would have lived paralyzed or vegetative state after being in such an accident. Just thinking about it was terrifying.

In order to survive, long-term planning was required.

This requires money, time and people.

“When did you say the young Marquis Claflin would be returning from his trip?”

“As soon as he arrives in the capital today, he will go to the Imperial Palace.”

He is the Marquis’s troublesome son, the Empire’s greatest ruffian, a man of devilish charm who makes any woman a prisoner of love. At the same time, he was the only friend who helped the wicked woman, Lethenia.

First, I plan to make him my perfect assistant.

In the afternoon, I spent time learning chess from Stella.

Among the many pieces, I liked the queen the most, which seemed to be the combination of rook and bishop.

The most powerful piece that can move vertically and horizontally on a chessboard without restrictions on direction and number of squares.

As for the King, he was responsible for determining the game’s victory or defeat, but he always had to live within a narrow range.

Just as Stella was trying to explain the conditions of the castling, which could move two pieces at once, the attendant of the Imperial Palace announced the visit of the young Marquis of Claflin.

I looked toward the entrance of the office with curiosity and excitement.

The real male lead in my heart that I’ve been paying attention to since I was a reader.

For me, who felt sorry for Lethenia, I had no choice but to go to Theo rather than Ian, her husband.

For Lethenia, Theo was like a precious family.

Lethenia, who remained vigilant towards everyone, was able to show a little bit of her true feelings in front of him.

Regardless of how much I thought about it, staying as a supporting character was a waste. Perhaps if I were the author, I would have made an ending that ties Lethenia to Theo.

“Long time no see. Her Majesty the Empress.”

I felt nervous for no reason when a sweet mid-to-low voice touched my ears.

As he was closest to Lethenia, he would notice her change better than anyone else. I had to look as natural as I could without being caught by him.

If he finds out that I’m not the real Lethenia, he won’t have any reason to help me both physically and mentally.

He straightened his back and raised his head a little, creating an arrogant gaze that seemed to look down at his opponent.

The corners of his mouth were slightly raised but his eyes were not smiling.

I consciously scanned him from top to bottom. It was an old habit of Lethenia, which originated from a defensive attitude not to appear weak to anyone.

I made eye contact with him nonchalantly, as he played the image I had imagined.

My first encounter with him was beyond my expectations.

Proving the original story, he was a handsome man, comparable to the emperor Ian. It was fatal enough for any woman to fall in love with him.

 

It was such a dreary and grotesque voice. I could sense his steadfast determination to take me with him. I put my hands over my ears because I could no longer bear to listen. But it was in vain. I heard his tenacity in my head, not in my ears.

“Let’s go, Mary. Please. Let’s go.”

This was undoubtedly the work of the devil.

“Come, come with me.”

A phrase heavy with love

“Let’s go, Mary. Let’s go.”

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I’m not sure why, but as I’m listening to the director, the poem and the lake come to mind. I started getting goosebumps all over. When the director looked at me and laughed, I felt as though a powerful wind was passing through my body, draining me of all of my strength. I flopped down. The director came to a halt as he approached me. The voice that kept saying, “Let’s go,” ceased.

“Do you really think they love you?”

I nodded as vigorously as I could. Yes, yes, my father loves me as well as Gilbert, Aiden, Theodore, Lucas and Hestia.

“You saw, Mary.”

“…….”

“You know that.”

“What do you…”

“The End of Mary.”

I raised my head. As opposed to earlier, when he made a big deal out of taking him, the director’s voice did not sound depressed. Instead, it was calming and pleasant. However, this side was more bizarre. How many personalities do you have?

While I was unconscious, the director appeared to be aware that I had a dream. What do you know so far? How do you know that, too? Mary’s downfall. Are you aware that I am not Mary at this point? I have to pull myself together. I firmly bit my lip.

“What do you know?”

“I saw it, I saw it.”

“Who are you?”

“If you do something wrong, they will abandon you.”

“Who are you?”

“Poor Mary. That family, too.”

I began scanning the ground for something I could use to strike him. I can’t stand it. I was itching to strike him at least once. It was better when he was like a parrot. I wanted to use force to shut his mouth. I was in such a desperate situation. The sensation of an intangible voice gripping my heart was both humiliating and repulsive. I’d rather be humiliated at Lausanne’s salon or bet a hundred times with Cameron. It’s better to roll in an orphanage.

“But do they really love you?”

“…….”

I gave up looking for a stone, stood still, and fixed my eyes on the director. I felt rather calm when I made eye contact with the director.

“Who are you?”

“It must have been hard.”

“You’re not the director, who are you?”

“How can you say it’s love?”

“Who are you?”

The person speaking in front of me right now is not the director. This person who is speaking out of the director’s mouth…… It’s that person. The person who left me to the director and set up this situation. He’s the one who really wants to take me somewhere.

The man continued to give me irrelevant answers regardless of how I posed my questions. What does this person want? Taking me along with him? Why is he fixated on me so much?

“They sacrificed your mother, too.”

“What do you mean….”

I unintentionally walked up to the man when he mentioned the word “mother.” Why do you say that?

“Wow!”

It was then. Something rushed up and stood between me and the man. I collapsed to the ground in surprise before I could approach the man. The figure standing in front of me was Arsene.

“Grrrrrrrrrrrr.”

Whenever I’m in trouble or going through a difficult time, Arsene appears. I’ve only had a few encounters with Arsene, but I’ve never seen him so hostile. The man’s face became annoyed when Arsene showed up. He appeared to be familiar with Arsene.

“Oh, you’re disturbing me again…….”

“Roar.”

“Why did you come?”

The man said dejectedly while scratching the back of his head. Arsene kept threatening the man by showing off his enormous fangs.

“See you again.”

“What about Leo?”

I approached the director, the man, and sincerely asked him. The director shook his head side to side as he laughed. It was obvious that he knew something about Leo. The director then collapsed to his knees.

“Arsene, what is this?”

Arsene approached me and licked the back of my hand with sad eyes as I murmured lowly. I had so many questions I wanted to ask, but since Arsene was a dog, he couldn’t respond.

“Arsene.”

Arsene leaned its head carefully against me. I felt a warm sensation. Arsene affectionately rubbed its head against me and began to turn around again.

“Where are you going?”

I didn’t want to be alone with the director, so as soon as Arsene attempted to leave, a black light simultaneously appeared in front of me. What is it? I felt a little bit of relief as I stared at this tiny light.

“Mary!”

I looked up to see Grand Duke Estin and Aiden coming toward me.

“Dad…”

I wanted to run right away, but my legs weren’t cooperating. The tension appeared to have subsided. Grand Duke Estin came rushing over and gave me a bear hug before I fell. There was a sweet smell.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes…”

“I was afraid it’ll happen again.…. dad is….”

It was the first time I saw Grand Duke Estin tremble like this. I hugged Grand Duke Estin even tighter to reassure him. He set me back down and went to the director, who was lying on the ground unconscious.

“What is that?”

I hesitated for a moment to say.

“When I was at the orphanage……. He is the director.”

Hearing the words, Aiden reached out to the director, but was stopped by Grand Duke Estin. He drew me toward Aiden and went over to the director. He stood there for a while, searching, and then he shoved the director’s stomach with the toe of his shoes.

“Good to see you.”

“Keugh…”

“If you were in the same situation as them earlier, you wouldn’t die easily.”

“…….”

“Then I’ll hit you a little before you die.”

The voice of Grand Duke Estin sounded so cold. My eyes were partially obscured by Aiden. Why are you covering it? I’d like to see him get struck. I was listening to the director’s moan, which was accompanied by a bursting sound, when I smelled something burning. No, now is not the time to make jokes. However, what is burning?

I sneezed and whispered to Aiden, who was obstructing my vision.

“I think I smell something burning…….”

“Father!”

Aiden released his grip over my eyes and called Grand Duke Estin. I could see the director burning as I adjusted to the brighter view. Grand Duke Estin also began to run to me as if bewildered.

“He did a trick.”

“What?”

“He cast a terrible spell. Just in case we catch him alive.”

The director started the fire, which slowly started to engulf the forest. And then it started to rain like a lie. The Grand Duke Estin stopped. Next to me, Aiden removed his jacket and put it on me.

The dense forest turned somber. It was the same for me. I asked Grand Duke Estin.

“By the way…… where is this place?”

“The Conler’s Forest.”

“It’s a relief. Because it’s in Conler’s territory.”

I fell to the ground as soon as I realized I was in Conler’s forest.

Why does this keep happening? There’s nothing I can say even if they called me a nuisance. My throat started to sob. I fought the urge to cry. I resisted wanting to cry. I refused to start crying.

“Heuk, it’s because…….”

“Mary.”

“It’s all because of me. If I hadn’t come back, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I should have just been stuck in an orphanage…….”

“What do you mean?”

I remembered the words I heard at my maternal grandmother’s funeral when I was Ha Sohee.

‘Look at him raising his eyes like that! As expected, the unlucky one is different.’

‘She must have been cursed.’

‘You look like an ugly duckling.’

Am I really driving this bad luck because I’m unlucky and cursed? Isn’t it better to live alone if that’s the case? Aiden was restless as he watched me cry. He seemed to be saying that it wasn’t my fault, but I couldn’t relate to it. Why is it not my fault? The Conler forest has been burned this much because someone is after me.

“Yes, it’s because of you.”

“Father!”

Grand Duke Estin placed his hand on my head while I was sobbing and said, Aiden looked at Grand Duke Estin in shock. I blinked my weeping eyes open and turned to face Grand Duke Estin. He bent down and wiped my tears away.

The eyes of Grand Duke Estin looking at me were more affectionate than I thought. Why are you looking at me, the one who ruined everything, with such a friendly gaze?

“No, should I say it’s all thanks to you?”

“Yes?”

“We now have a place where we can move the villagers.”

“Due to the imperial order, many people will be relocating to our territory, but I was unsure of what to do since the reclamation of Padula’s coast was not yet complete.”

“Ah!”

“They finally have a place to stay for a while.”

“That’s right.”

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Aiden smiled at me. Then he bit his lip tightly for a moment. Then he pulled me in his arms.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

While hugging me, I carefully raised my hand and tapped Aiden on the back.

This is how much my family loves me. I closed my eyes. I was perplexed because I remembered my dream from earlier. Family. Is this what you would call a family? Will everything be the same as the original story? As the man said, everything will end even if I do nothing.