TVIOWHFW 6

Somehow, it seemed like Betty’s care had become even more fervent. Even after finishing dinner, Betty immediately prepared my snack.

“Madam. Would you like me to bring you your favorite dessert?”

“I’ve already finished my dinner and dessert.”

“Then, would a simple cookie be good?”

“Yes. Please, I’d appreciate it.”

Thinking about it, Betty had always seemed to try to feed me something repeatedly. Could this also be John’s command?

‘Since it would be troublesome if my target starved to death too.’

Still, I enjoyed eating delicious things. When I was staying at the Libertan Duke’s residence, I thought I didn’t particularly like what I ate. I had no favorite foods and little appetite. But that was because I hadn’t properly tasted truly delicious food.

‘Food can be this tasty.’

The thought that I might not get to enjoy such a meal again made me eat every meal diligently.

‘Tonight’s dinner was especially delicious.’

Particularly, the scallop grill that the chef prepared with extra care melted in my mouth. Betty, perhaps having prepared in advance, quickly brought out some snacks. However, Betty’s bright, cheerful expression from just moments ago had darkened slightly.

“Betty. Is something wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Madam.”

Betty said that and then asked me.

“By the way, did you say you were going to the study before bed tonight?”

I nodded and asked back.

“Yes. I heard it’s a place I can go around freely in the mansion. Did the Duke dislike me entering the study?”

Unlike typical noblewomen, I wasn’t officially a wife, so I had no duties here. Everyone knew we weren’t truly married, so I had no authority either.

‘But if I’m going to run away, I have to do something.’

So, I decided to go to the annex’s study. The Duke of Blanchet, as a mastermind who had been meticulously rebuilt, even had a large study in the annex.

‘I don’t know if I’ll find the information I want, but…’

Still, it was better than doing nothing. I could use the excuse that I wanted to read books. But moving without the mastermind’s permission was reckless, so I had asked about it first.

“If it’s something like that, you can just tell me honestly.”

Thinking about it, perhaps the fake wife wandering around freely would be annoying.

“Oh. That’s not it. The master also permitted it.”

Betty hesitated for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

“…Just in case, I wanted to avoid her meeting anyone in the study and ignoring them.”

“Who is that person?”

“A person known for having a terrible personality and being strange even among the servants. So, no matter what strange things they say, just ignore them.”

“How strange do they have to be for you to say that, Betty?”

“They’d probably be the best at speaking rudely at the mansion.”

I nodded at Betty’s kind warning, though I didn’t know who it was.

‘Is this the person I saw in the original story?’

But even thinking about the original story, I don’t recall anyone appearing in the study.

~·~·* . *^.^* . *·~·~

However, contrary to Betty’s words, I didn’t feel a great sense of crisis. Honestly, my reason for going to the study was to gather information. Specifically, to find out about the black mage.

‘John is a black mage.’

The only way for a boy who lost everything to take revenge was to become a forbidden black mage in the empire. So John, with the help of his reclusive great-grandfather who was a black mage, sacrificed everything to become a mage. Then, disguised with dark magic, he slowly started destroying the Libertan Duke’s residence from below.

‘Or rather, it was magic that interfered with face recognition?’

If the Libertan duke recognized John from the moment he appeared, it could interfere with his revenge. It seemed like that magic was cast to prevent that.

‘He’s probably already lifted the magic now.’

Anyway, dark magic was a very important tool for John’s revenge. And I knew nothing about this dark magic that would appear later. In the original story, it wasn’t elaborated much, perhaps because it wasn’t related to me.

‘I need to learn about dark magic if I want to escape.’

If I could even find a weakness of the black mage, things would become easier.

‘If he’s not in the study, I have no choice.’

Still, if the arrogant mastermind I imagined had books about dark magic, I thought I could find them in the study I could access. John’s study was the largest room downstairs. It was so big that I found it easily. Just as I was about to open the door with a squeak—almost bumping into a man trying to leave outside.

“Sorry.”

He was tall, with navy blue hair tied in a ponytail and light blue eyes. A handsome man. He stepped back to apologize and then looked at my face, stiffening.

“Nice to meet you. Are you the mistress who just arrived this time?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

He calmly placed his right hand over his chest and bowed lightly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Baron Erich Bloné, the master’s aide.”

He was a generally sensitive-looking beauty. More fittingly called pretty rather than handsome. But perhaps because of his sharp eyes and expression, he looked cold.

‘If he’s Erich Bloné…’

He was the shadow of John, the mastermind, and took on the dirty work. He was also someone who hated the Libertan residence, just like John. Because of that, along with the housekeeper Patricia, he was one of the most hated supporting characters for me.

“Nice to meet you, Baron Bloné.”

“I’m pleased to meet you as well.”

Evidence of the coldness in his light blue eyes subtly revealed his disdain.

“Madam, what brings you to the master’s study?”

“Oh. I came to find a book to spend a little time with.”

Fortunately, Erich was an important person who knew the past, so he was aware of the history.

‘He’s from the Libertan vassal family.’

Baron Bloné was a loyal vassal who had served the Libertan family for a long time. And he was a steadfast family who advised on the current actions of the Libertan duke. But the garbage Duke Libertan used and discarded loyal vassals like Bloné. Not only that, he even exterminated the Bloné family to cover up his treason.

‘It was probably because of the chess piece used when accusing the Bloné family of treason.’

Truly, the actions of the worthless Duke Libertan were despicable. I could understand that feeling well, but seeing the sharp hatred in his face was uncomfortable.

‘Betty’s description of someone with a bad personality was probably this person?’

“Madam, how are things at the Blanchet estate? Is there any inconvenience in your stay?”

“Yes. I haven’t been here long, but everyone has been very kind and nice.”

“Certainly, that seems to be the case.”

It seemed that Erich, unlike John, was not skilled at hiding his emotions.

“Seeing you wander into the master’s study without any purpose just because you’re bored.”

Even as I heard his mocking tone, I smiled nonchalantly.

“Was I not supposed to come here?”

“It’s not like that. This is a space accessible to the mansion’s important staff members as well.”

Erich sneered at me with eyes full of hostility.

“But I think you still don’t understand your position, Madam.”

“…”

“This is not Libertan. It’s not a place where you can wander around freely, smiling and acting carelessly. I hope you understand that.”

He was pointing out my situation. My marriage with John was not normal. I was a bride brought in to pay off the enormous debt of the Libertan family, after all. I hadn’t received a dowry like other brides. Even if I weren’t in this hated position, I wouldn’t have been treated normally.

“Who knows how and when the Libertan family you trust will fall?”

His voice carried a strange joy. Especially when he mentioned the Libertan family, his pleasure was even more evident.

‘Finally, the day the Libertan family collapses due to treason has come.’

There was no concrete evidence, but it was hard to be so confident over something that hadn’t yet happened.

‘And now, not only did I marry into a rival family, but they also fell due to treason.’

Even I thought this marriage was quite abnormal. But I also had quite a reason to be upset.

‘It’s because we didn’t actually marry. We just pretended to.’

To be recognized as a married couple in the empire, both parties had to submit a marriage registration signed by both. In this case, the consent of the guardian could substitute for that. But John only received the marriage registration and never submitted it. He was mocking me, who believed we were truly married.

“Do you understand what I mean?”

Erich arrogantly crossed his arms and looked down at me.

“I explained kindly because I didn’t know your level, Madam, but I didn’t consider the possibility that it might be even lower.”

“…I understand.”

I nodded, lowering my long eyelashes.

“I’m sorry for coming into the study without permission. Maybe I was too excited and forgot my position.”

Erich was still looking at me with a cold stare.

‘Even though I got permission, and I checked twice through John…’

But telling him wouldn’t change anything. The person who hated me wouldn’t understand.

“I’m really familiar with this kind of situation.”

In the Libertan family, things were even worse. As a lowly commoner who dared to covet her biological daughter’s place, I endured all sorts of things.

‘Compared to that…’

Insults spoken only in words didn’t hurt much. The real wounds were different. Seeing my obedient response, Erich furrowed his brows.

“So, you understand your situation now?”

“Maybe not to the extent Baron Bloné wishes, but…”

“Then, I suppose you’re a very easy person to talk to, Madam.”

I wondered why he kept picking a fight. Maybe he wanted to see me cry, to get some satisfaction. Or perhaps I should even force tears out of myself. But I couldn’t cry just because I wanted to. I was good at crying, after all.

“If you have any shame, madam, you probably wouldn’t even lift your head in this mansion.”

Erich bit his lips slightly, considering his reaction.

“…I’m sorry.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I suppose it’s because I am not a suitable wife for a baron. If that’s the case, then it’s my fault.”

A strange ripple crossed Erich’s light blue eyes.

“Are you apologizing?”

Thinking it was a positive sign, I met his gaze and clasped my hands tightly.

“I probably won’t become a wife who pleases the baron enough in the future, but I will try my best not to cause any trouble.”

The wave of emotion that had flickered in his light blue eyes started to swell even more. Erich clenched and then relaxed his fist, biting his teeth.

‘Did I answer badly?’

Apparently, as the daughter of Libertan, my obedient apology only made him angrier. Perhaps he wanted me to cry and scream even more.

“…What the…?”

He asked in a strained voice.

“What do you know to apologize like that?”

Finally, unable to contain himself, Erich grimaced, his face twisted in pain.

“But there’s nothing I can do except apologize.”

My calm reply caused Erich to ultimately leave me.

“You, who don’t know anything.”

He left with a biting remark, as if chewing on the words.

~·~·* . *^.^* . *·~·~

Although the troublemaker disappeared, hearing that the Libertan family had fallen made me not want to stay in the study for no reason.

‘Let’s not give any excuse.’

Following Betty’s advice, I immediately returned to my room and tried to sleep. Except for John, who knocked on my door late at night.

“Madam, are you asleep?”

Even late at night, John looked impeccably dressed. He was holding a splendid bouquet of red roses. I stared at the bouquet in surprise. Then he leisurely waved the bouquet and gave a relaxed smile.

“The plan I’ve been working on for a long time is finally over. So I wanted to give you this bouquet as a celebration.”

As I had guessed, it seemed that the Libertan family had indeed fallen today.

‘Good.’

Those wicked people deserved to fall properly. Even if my life became a little more complicated, I truly enjoyed the Libertan family’s downfall.

“I don’t know if my flowers will please you.”

John approached and handed me the bouquet of roses.

‘No scent at all.’

Looking closely, I saw this was not real flowers but artificial. The roses shone particularly beautifully, and the petals were made of gemstones.

“They’re very pretty.”

Not real flowers but jewelry. The mastermind has a different level of spending. I wondered if even the petals were made of gemstones, so I reached out to touch them, but unfortunately, they weren’t.

‘Maybe artificial flowers are better as gifts than real ones.’

Suddenly, I remembered the flowers I received as a birthday gift from Libertan. I was so shocked to find bugs inside the flowers. For a moment, I was tense, checking to see if bugs might also come out of this bouquet.

‘Luckily, no bugs.’

John asked with a strangely reddish gaze.

“Looks like my flowers pleased you.”

“Yes. It’s the first gift the duke gave me.”

It was the first time I received a proper present, and my heart thumped unintentionally.

‘Is this also to tempt me?’

Perhaps, knowing I dislike bugs, he deliberately gifted artificial flowers with that in mind.

“I’ll cherish it.”

John plucked a flower from the bouquet in my arms, smiled sweetly, and tucked it behind my ear.

“Your flowers suit you very well. I’m glad I gave you this.”

“That’s a compliment, right?”

“Of course, it is. It’s what I want most from you.”

“Then I’m happy too.”

I smiled at John’s face.

“Any way I could, I’ve tried to fulfill what you want.”

Strangely, I felt his mouth stiffen slightly. Especially, it seemed like his fingertips tensed a bit.

‘Is he hungry?’

If he had accused me of treason in Libertan, it must have been hard for him to have eaten during that time. Thinking about it, given his dark personality, he might have even starved on such an important day.

‘Food is so important.’

At this moment, I was grateful for the cookies Betty had brought. I probably wouldn’t get food, but it was better than nothing. I set the bouquet aside and took out Betty’s cookies, offering them to John.

“Not much, but would you like some cookies?”

“Gummy bear-shaped cookies?”

“Actually, it’s not just bears—there are rabbits and chicks too.”

John’s expression shifted even more subtly. It seemed strange that cookies would come straight out of my room. Well, noble ladies don’t usually keep such things nearby.

“You said you finished a long-planned task?”

“So, you’re giving it to me?”

“Yes. This is all I have to offer the duke right now.”

Even these cookies came from the duke’s kitchen, so I felt a little embarrassed. But I decided to be bold and just go out.

“Congratulations. I pray everything the duke does from now on goes well.”

John’s eyes darkened. He looked at the cookies for a moment without speaking. An uncomfortable silence followed.

‘Of course. On the day of revenge, I should be eating something more splendid than cookies.’

Receiving just cookies seemed so ridiculous.

~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~

Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉

Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~~~Next Chapter~~~

Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.

See you then!!