Episode 5 – Simple English Translation
“…Your name?”
After a short silence, Lennox finally spoke.
“Estelle. Estelle Bellonsa.”
“Bellonsa?”
He frowned.
Was it because of the rumor that she was a “man-eating widow”?
Estelle quickly explained.
“If it’s the rumors making you uncomfortable, don’t worry. My ex-husbands already had serious illnesses.”
“…”
“Even if they’d married someone else, the same would have happened.”
“Ex-husbands? Ah.”
Lennox responded coldly.
‘Wait, is he not bothered by the rumors at all?’
Before she could think more, Lennox began asking questions.
“How did you find me?”
“I heard about you by chance.”
“Why do you want to marry me?”
“For money.”
“…”
“You offered a large sum for just one year of marriage. I need that money.”
(Of course, that was a lie.)
Lennox saw through her lie immediately and chuckled as if she’d told a joke.
She had already inherited a fortune from her ex-husbands — so claiming she needed money sounded ridiculous.
“Do you even know what kind of place Winterlen is? I don’t need someone who will run away or die quickly.”
“…”
“I’m looking for someone who’s truly desperate. But you don’t look desperate at all, Lady Bellonsa.”
Lennox clearly didn’t like her.
She sensed he would’ve said no no matter what answer she gave.
‘I thought he’d accept anyone for a one-year marriage…’
Lennox didn’t care who his wife was — but Estelle did care.
Only Lennox was wealthy and powerful enough not to be tempted or corrupted by her money or appearance.
“If I’m being honest, there are marriage talks between me and Count Blim right now.”
“Count Blim…”
“He’s similar to my ex-husbands — old and rich.”
The kind of man who could die even on the wedding night.
“So if I have to marry someone anyway, I’d rather marry someone close to death than someone old enough to be death itself.”
Lennox stepped closer when he heard that.
Gulp.
Estelle swallowed nervously.
“You little rat…”
He spoke through clenched teeth.
“You were listening?”
Lennox walked past Estelle.
She turned and saw a man lying on the ground — Daniel Nultia, the one who had picked up her veil earlier.
“Duke Winterlen…”
Daniel was pale, caught under Lennox’s murderous glare.
“I was just walking by! I didn’t mean to listen!”
“How much did you hear?”
Lennox cut him off.
“I swear on my life — I didn’t hear anything!”
“Your life must not be worth much.”
Daniel panicked and grabbed Lennox’s arm.
“I’m telling the truth! I didn’t—”
Smack!
In an instant, Daniel flew across the ground from Lennox’s strike.
Lennox looked down at him with pure disgust.
“Ow…”
Daniel hit his head hard and passed out.
Shing—
Lennox drew his sword. Under the moonlight, it gleamed ominously.
He looked ready to kill.
Estelle quickly stood in front of him.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to kill him.”
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
He spoke slowly, threateningly.
“If you’re worried he heard us, find another way to silence him.”
“Why should I listen to you?”
The tip of the sword pressed against Estelle’s neck.
“Because you want to buy land from the Nultia family.”
“You’re saying nonsense in front of a blade.”
“I just thought you’d be interested in Mandrake.”
Mandrake — a legendary herb said to cure any illness.
In the original story, Lennox spent a fortune trying to find it.
“Why would I want it?”
“Because I heard your sister is sick.”
Everyone knew his only sister never left her sickbed.
Estelle calmly spoke the truth.
“Baron Nultia would never sell to the man who killed his son.”
Estelle was the only one who knew that Mandrake grew in the poor, barren land of the Nultia estate.
“If you don’t need Mandrake, kill him now. He has nothing to do with me.”
How do you win over a man who already has money and power?
Simple: give him something he truly wants.
“If you do need Mandrake, then it’s better for both of us to stay alive.”
Lennox narrowed his eyes.
“Where did you hear that?”
“My ex-husband. Not even Baron Nultia knows yet.”
“If that’s true, it makes it even more suspicious. Why tell me instead of buying the land yourself?”
Selling Mandrake could make her rich.
But Estelle needed it more for herself — she had only one year left to live.
Still, she handed the information to Lennox.
“Because I want to be your wife. That’s more important to me.”
‘Mandrake is tricky. Taken wrong, it’s poison.’
That’s why she wanted Lennox’s help — without asking his permission.
‘If I’m his wife, it’ll be easier to get the Mandrake.’
Lennox stared at her strangely.
Then suddenly—
Rustle—
Estelle turned her head toward a sound.
A pale young woman stood nearby. Estelle realized it was the woman who would’ve married Lennox in the original story.
But after seeing Lennox aiming a sword at Estelle, the woman ran away — scared off.
In a way, it was lucky. Now she wouldn’t die from Lennox’s demonic aura.
Estelle said firmly:
“I won’t cause any trouble for you.”
“…”
“I won’t run away, no matter what.”
“…Fine.”
Lennox nodded.
“We’ll get married.”
He put away the sword.
Her neck stung a little from the cut, but Estelle was relieved.
“There won’t be a ceremony.”
“…”
“Just register the marriage tomorrow and prepare to leave for the estate. Pack lightly. Don’t plan on coming back to the capital for a year.”
“I’m fine with leaving now.”
She was happy to leave her cursed family behind — and finally stop killing her husbands.
Lennox, however, crushed her moment of relief.
“Don’t get the wrong idea.”
He looked cold.
“I don’t need a loving wife — I need someone who can survive.”
‘Does he think I’m in love with him?’
Because she asked to marry him?
Estelle tried not to look embarrassed.
“If you want a kind, loving husband, forget it. I won’t love you. And we will never have a child together.”
“…”
“Be my wife, and live quietly for a year like you don’t exist.”
His voice was full of hatred.
After Estelle Left…
Lennox cleaned the blood from his sword, thinking about her.
“Estelle. Estelle Bellonsa.”
What a strange woman.
If she had tried to stop him with moral arguments like “killing is wrong,” he would’ve killed her.
But she didn’t.
Even when he insulted her and threatened her, she remained calm.
[I will. But you haven’t forgotten to propose, right?]
[…I’ll visit tomorrow.]
He had been briefly caught off guard by her boldness.
But what puzzled him most was:
“How did she even find me?”
In her past life, that had never happened.
“Has the future changed?”
