Episode 8
I knew this place well, thanks to the descriptions in the original novel. Hidden beneath the Balkov Merchantry lay a secret door. It was a door that remained stubbornly shut to anyone without authorized access.
Perhaps that was why the elderly owner, who had greeted me just moments ago, no longer tried to stop me. He likely assumed I wouldn’t be able to get in anyway.
But, as I mentioned before, I possessed a peculiar constitution.
In this world I had transmigrated into, magic was practically extinct. However, on rare occasions, people were born with the strange ability to use it. And even setting aside the heirlooms of the Vilhellem imperial family, objects were sometimes imbued with magic for unknown reasons.
Much like the door standing before me now.
This door was secured with a magical locking mechanism; it would not budge for an uninvited guest. My constitution, however, had the power to neutralize all magic.
Click.
The moment I grasped the handle and pulled, it opened with ease.
The employee who had tried to hold me back stared at me, his eyes wide with shock. When I flashed him a smirk, his jaw dropped slightly.
“It seems your master wants to meet me after all. There shouldn’t be a problem now, right?”
As the employee gave a reluctant nod, I turned back toward the path ahead. Soon, I reached a staircase leading down to the basement. Lamps flickered along the walls, but the bottom was shrouded in a darkness so deep it confirmed what the original story had said: this was going to be a long descent.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the stairs.
If my memory served me right, today was the perfect day to win Killian’s favor. Right now, he was injured, and his guard would be at its lowest.
Tap, tap. The sound of my heels echoed off the stone walls and back to me. The rhythmic noise was strangely grounding, yet it kept my nerves on edge as I descended.
After what felt like an eternity, another door—identical to the first—blocked my path. Fortunately, this one also relied on magic rather than a physical lock.
Creeeeak.
I grabbed the handle and pulled without hesitation.
“Kyaaa!”
I had expected another staircase, just like the one at the jewelry shop, but as the door swung wide—
“Oh dear.”
Beyond the door lay a spacious room. My legs were starting to ache, so a room should have been a welcome sight. That is, if I hadn’t come face-to-face with a man whose shirt was hanging open, leaving him half-naked.
I quickly turned around, shielding my face with both hands. Even though I was practically an intruder, the man didn’t seem guarded. Instead, as if finding the situation amusing, he let out a low whistle and began to walk slowly toward me as I backed away.
“How did you manage to get down here?”
“Please… put some clothes on first!”
The image of his broad chest, which had just filled my vision, flashed through my mind again, and I shouted instinctively.
“I’m sorry for barging in like this! I thought it was just the way further down!”
I raised my voice, unable to bear the sound of his approaching footsteps. A moment later, a faint chuckle drifted over my head.
“Lady Elvine, please forgive my rudeness. I’m afraid putting on clothes is a bit… difficult at the moment.”
“What? What does that…?”
“To be precise, there are unavoidable circumstances preventing me from dressing.”
Baffled by his nonsense, I squinted and slowly turned back to face him. There stood Killian Delmas, shirtless, wearing nothing but his trousers.
I blinked to make sure I wasn’t seeing things, but it was definitely him. The striking combination of pitch-black hair and rare violet eyes was unmistakable. And his body—menacingly solid and well-built—commanded even more presence now that it wasn’t hidden by clothes.
“Oh my…”
A long, jagged gash ran across his shoulder and chest.
The original novel had explained the reason for his injury today: he had been ambushed while investigating his mother’s death. The suddenness of our encounter had made me forget, but seeing the wound brought it all back.
“I’ll take your silence as a ‘yes’ to keeping your eyes open. Now then, perhaps the future Crown Princess could tell me how she found her way down here?”
Killian pointed a thin, elegant sword at me, as if demanding an immediate answer. It was clear he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if he suspected foul play.
The original story hadn’t mentioned him being shirtless while treating his wounds. I stole a glance at the blade in his hand. He was a master swordsman; even if I tried to run, he could easily subdue me. Or worse, he could end me with a single, well-placed throw.
I forced myself to look composed. You must never show your back to a predator, lest they tear your throat out.
I tilted my chin up, straightened my back, and offered him a practiced, effortless smile.
“I came to see you, Lord Delmas.”
“And how did you know I was here?”
“I have my sources.”
“…Did Crown Prince Edwin tell you? Or perhaps the Empress?”
“Edwin did.”
It was a lie, but it was the most plausible cover I had. I couldn’t exactly tell him I read it in a book.
Killian let out a short, scoffing laugh. He didn’t believe a word of it. He likely knew I was lying immediately; there was no way he didn’t know how much Edwin despised me.
“A lie. Give me your hand.”
He smiled, extending his free hand toward me. It was a charming, magnetic smile that would have made anyone else lose their senses and reach out.
But Killian Delmas was a dangerous man. He had the ability to read the thoughts of anyone he touched.
However, Killian wouldn’t be able to read mine. His telepathy was, ultimately, a form of magic.
I placed my hand firmly in his palm. He frowned for a moment, his expression shifting into something unreadable as he looked at me.
“…Why are you here?”
“I came to make a proposal, Lord Delmas. But your shoulder… the bleeding won’t stop.”
“Don’t concern yourself with that. It’s not a problem. Now, what is this proposal?”
“First, let’s stop the bleeding. It would be quite inconvenient if you collapsed before we could properly talk.”
I turned my head away, covering my nose and mouth with my other hand. The metallic scent of blood was making me nauseous. I’ve never liked blood—likely a lingering trauma from dying after losing all of mine in my previous life.
“Did you drink Holy Water before coming here?”
Killian didn’t back down. He seemed genuinely unsettled by his inability to read my intentions. I widened my eyes at the unexpected suggestion. So, that was a way to block his power?
“Yes. I am aware of your… unique talent.”
“And who told the Lady of Elvine about that?”
“Her Majesty the Empress.”
Another lie. I doubted Edwin knew, but since Killian was publicly allied with the Empress, I gambled that she might be privy to his secret.
Killian let out another dry laugh, as if he found my persistent lying almost admirable in its audacity.
“The Empress does not know.”
“Oh, is that so? Then I wonder who told me?”
He glared at me, his eyes cold and sharp. The sheer, murderous pressure he exuded made a cold sweat break out on my skin. Ignoring the tension, I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket. With trembling hands, I began to wipe the blood trickling from his left shoulder.
“What do you think you’re doing? You haven’t answered my question…”
“It doesn’t matter how I know about your ability. I am here to make an offer you won’t be able to refuse. So, let’s clean this up so we can actually talk.”
Killian stared at me as if I were utterly insane. To him, I was likely a fragile girl he could snap like a twig. The fact that I was touching him so boldly while lying to his face must have been baffling.
My handkerchief was quickly soaked a dark crimson, but the blood showed no signs of stopping. Regardless of my proposal, he needed medical attention.
“My Lord, please sit over there.”
I pointed to a chair in the corner of the room. It looked like the spot where he had been trying to treat himself before I arrived.
“Are you intending to play doctor?”
“Yes. In your current state, I’m worried you’ll die before I can even finish my proposal.”
When I answered him with total sincerity, he gave a sharp, amused huff. But I wasn’t joking.
On the table next to the chair, the cotton swabs he had used were piled up, completely saturated with blood.
“You’ve lost too much blood.”
Killian didn’t let it show, but his face was deathly pale. Realizing he couldn’t ignore his condition any longer, he sat down without a word.
I sighed and walked over to a basin of water nearby. It was a short distance, but it gave me enough time to scan the basement. The room was immaculate, as if someone cleaned it regularly. On the table next to Killian, various surgical tools were laid out.
I had a basic grasp of first aid. It wasn’t exactly ‘required’ knowledge for a future Crown Princess, but I had been stubborn about learning it, wanting to be useful to Edwin in any situation.
I picked up some gauze to pack the wound. Killian watched me with an intrigued gaze, so I didn’t hold back as I pressed the gauze into the gash. I wasn’t a trained doctor, and I certainly couldn’t do stitches, so this was the best I could do. Besides, his intense, watchful eyes were starting to annoy me.
“Did that hurt? I’m afraid I’m a novice at medicine, so this is all I can manage. But you know better than anyone that these supplies are clean, so there shouldn’t be any issues.”
“Regrettably, it did hurt.”
He was lying. He hadn’t even flinched when I jammed the gauze in; he had just kept that smile on his face.
Fortunately, the pressure worked, and the bleeding slowed. He leaned back into the chair, watching me with a languid expression.
“Now that the ‘treatment’ is finished, I’d like to hear the main point.”
“I’ll be direct. I intend to break my engagement with the Crown Prince.”
“…”
“And as the price for that annulment, I want to see him dethroned.”
The easy confidence vanished from Killian’s face. He stared at me in silence, stunned by my declaration. Then, as if deciding I must be mocking him, his expression turned icy.
“Do you truly expect me to believe that?”
I met his gaze steadily. Denying it would only breed more suspicion. I took a moment, letting the silence stretch as I looked at him closely.
In my initial shock, I hadn’t been able to take him in properly. His black hair was as beautiful as fine silk. His eyes, the same shade as mine but far deeper and more vibrant, sparkled like precious gems. He was strikingly handsome, even in his injured state.
And I knew exactly who he had inherited those looks from. I decided to strike where it would hurt most.
“The late Lady Delmas, your mother… she passed away due to the Empress’s schemes, didn’t she?”
“…”
“I know your ultimate goal is the downfall of the Imperial Family. My goal happens to align with yours.”
“Do you realize what you’re saying? If I were to report this to His Majesty the Emperor right now…”
“Then I would be executed. No one in the palace would believe me, and everyone would believe you.”
I replied calmly as I rinsed the blood from my hands in the basin. He seemed caught off guard by my bluntness, or perhaps he still couldn’t wrap his head around it. He rested his chin on his hand, sinking into deep thought.
“If you help me, I promise to give you a stake in Esess.”
Esess was my music box business. I had launched it a few years ago with a master craftsman I’d scouted. Killian had tried to replicate the technology, but I was still far ahead of him. I knew he was interested in my business; he had sent subordinates to try and buy it out several times.
He owned almost every other music box shop in the capital, but even combined, they couldn’t compete with Esess. While Killian focused on mass-producing a variety of boxes for both commoners and nobles, I dealt exclusively in high-end, limited-edition pieces for the highest tiers of the aristocracy.
One of my cheapest music boxes cost as much as 10,000 of his. No matter how much volume he moved, my business was far more lucrative.
“Regrettably, I have no interest in the music box business.”
“I’ll give you 1%.”
“…10%.”
“1%.”
“5%.”
“1%.”
“3%.”
Killian brushed his hair back and let out a dry laugh. He was clearly becoming frustrated that things weren’t going his way. Of course, I never intended to give him only one percent, so I spoke up again.
“Fine. 2%. I can’t go any higher than that.”
“…Very well. 2%.”
As I nudged the percentage up, he seemed to realize he’d been played, his brow furrowing slightly. I moved quickly to the next point before he could dwell on it.
“I know the Goddess’s Sigh is here. And I want to use it to make my wedding ring.”
The Goddess’s Sigh was the second most expensive gemstone in the entire continent. Its value was roughly equivalent to the annual budget of the Bestia Empire.
“Even a fool like Prince Edwin wouldn’t use the Goddess’s Sigh for a wedding ring.”
“Do you think I don’t know that? Would you lend me your ear for a moment?”
I smiled at his sarcasm and whispered my plan. As he listened, Killian’s lips curled into a smirk, as if he found the whole situation genuinely entertaining.
“You have a fascinating mind, Lady Elvine. You really do mean to dethrone him. This scheme would certainly be effective.”
Killian had nothing to lose. He might not fully trust me yet, but there was only profit in this for him.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was time to leave. Staying any longer would only invite unnecessary suspicion. I stepped away and headed for the door. Killian didn’t get up; he simply gave a sharp nod from his chair.
“Then, I’ll see you at the palace soon.”
“I shall look forward to our next meeting, Lady Elvine.”
I left Killian and headed back to the carriage where Emily was waiting.
Rumble!
As I stepped out of the shop, the sky had turned a dark, bruised gray, and thunder rolled in the distance. It looked like rain was coming. I gripped my yellow umbrella tight.
Josefina reached out and gently caught the hem of Edwin’s sleeve, as if seeking confirmation of his affection. Edwin took her hand softly, but only to move it away as he gave her a strained smile.
“The lake is easier to see from over there.”
“Oh, right.”
Despite her cheerful reply, Josefina found it difficult to keep up with Edwin’s brisk pace. She had managed to get Rayna out of the way so they could be alone, but Edwin felt more distant than before.
Just as she was about to reflexively reach for her necklace, he turned around.
“You’re tired, aren’t you? It’s just a little further. I wanted to take the carriage, but the path is too narrow… next time, we’ll come on horseback.”
“No, I’m not tired at all! I’m with you, Ed!”
She forced a smile and shook her head. She desperately wanted to use the necklace’s power to make him carry her, but the opportunity never presented itself. She had no choice but to keep up with his long strides.
When they finally reached the lake, Edwin turned to the surrounding servants and knights.
“All of you, fall back. I want to be alone with Fifi.”
“We cannot do that, Your Highness.”
“Oh, please… I just want to be alone with Ed,” Josefina pleaded.
The servants and knights exchanged uneasy glances. Josefina was merely the daughter of a Marquis. Even if she was the Prince’s favorite, it wasn’t right to follow her demands so easily.
Edwin’s voice turned sharp with irritation.
“I said fall back! Listen while I’m being nice. Surely you aren’t planning to disobey my orders?”
“…As you wish, Your Highness.”
With the staff gone, the two were alone by the lake. Once they were out of sight, Edwin turned to Josefina with a serious expression.
“Do you really want to go out on the water? The boat might be rocky, you could get seasick.”
“It’s fine! I still want to go.”
“Alright then. Let’s go.”
Edwin helped her into a small rowboat he had prepared beforehand. As soon as she was settled, he let go of her hand. Something felt wrong. He supposedly loved her, yet physical contact felt… stifling. Every time they touched lately, his head felt foggy.
Now, as the suspicion grew into a certainty, he found himself wanting to avoid her touch altogether.
“Ed? What is it? Is there something on my hand?”
“No. It must have been static. It gave me a bit of a shock, that’s all. I’m sorry if I seemed rude, Fifi.”
“Rude? Not at all! It’s the static’s fault, not yours.”
She laughed adorably and shook her head. Edwin felt a sense of relief, but when he caught the eye of the boatman behind the canopy, his expression hardened. He gave a sharp shake of his head and pressed a finger to his lips. The boatman quickly looked away.
“Ed, who is that boatman…?”
“He’s someone I trust. Don’t worry about it. Nothing will happen to upset you.”
“Oh, okay.”
No matter how much he loved Josefina, Rayna was still his official fiancée. He answered quickly, worried that their closeness might damage Josefina’s reputation.
“I wish Rayna could have come with us,” Josefina said suddenly, staring out at the lake.
Edwin didn’t respond. He noticed her fingers drifting to the ring-pendant on her necklace—a habit she had whenever she was anxious. She was likely worried that Rayna had taken her place and that he might abandon her.
He looked at his first love—her innocent face, her desperate need for his affection—and found her endearing. But now, it felt like an impossible love.
“When I eventually marry Rayna…”
“…”
“How do you think you’ll feel?”
Josefina didn’t answer. Edwin felt a suffocating sense of frustration. The Elvine family was essential for his ascension to the throne; that was why he had gotten engaged to Rayna. If he had known Josefina was coming back, he would have waited.
His heart wanted to break it off with Rayna and marry Josefina immediately. But he couldn’t be sure the Marquis and his wife—who had raised Rayna as their own for fifteen years—would still support him if he cast her aside. In the worst-case scenario, they might see it as him toyed with both their daughters and turn against him.
“I don’t know.”
“Really? Are you saying it’s okay if I marry Rayna?”
The more out of reach she felt, the more he craved her. He couldn’t let her go.
“But my father said… no one is as suited to be Empress as Rayna.”
“…”
“He said she has a great head for business, performs her duties perfectly, and is excellent at managing people.”
It was true. Even Edwin knew that for a future Emperor, there was no better partner than Rayna.
“So you’re saying you want me to marry her?”
“…I don’t know.”
As tears welled up in Josefina’s eyes, Edwin spoke, his voice tinged with a desperate edge.
“Then Josefina… how would you feel about becoming my concubine?”
