134. When You Become Famous
Even Distant Relatives Pretend to Know You
It was a peaceful morning, no different from any other.
At dawn, I invited Seraphine to the duke’s estate.
Because of what happened at the Hunting Festival, I worried that things might grow awkward between us for a while. But, surprisingly, she accepted the invitation without hesitation.
We spoke at length.
I apologized for the terrible behavior I’d shown during the festival.
After all, I’d worked hard to befriend the original heroine. I couldn’t let the system’s meddling ruin our relationship.
There’s no excuse for slapping and shoving her out of the blue.
When I begged forgiveness, saying I had temporarily lost my senses, she accepted my apology without much resistance.
[It’s fine. I know you didn’t do it because you truly hated me.]
An ordinary person would have flown into a rage.
Her easy forgiveness left me both relieved and strangely unsettled.
After that, we exchanged casual updates about our lives.
Seraphine’s eyes widened in surprise as she asked,
“You’re really going to sell the necklace you gifted me?”
“Yes. Originally, I planned to prepare more slowly, but the duke’s estate has been flooded with letters of inquiry. I realized I couldn’t delay any longer.”
The Hunting Festival must have been more impactful than I thought.
These days, the newspapers were filled from front to back with stories about it.
[The Birth of a Hidden Hero!]
[Who Was the Noble Soul Who Hunted Monsters Alone Amidst Chaos?]
[The True Protagonist of the Festival—The Only Daughter of Baron Blaine?]
From the official winners of the competition, to the exploits of the Imperial Guards, to promising newcomers and the monster incident among the audience—every event was meticulously reported.
But above all, the headline stories were about a young girl who appeared like a comet, defeating a monster by herself and saving countless spectators.
It’s practically a heroic legend at this point.
What began as a short news brief was being embellished with more detail day after day.
“These days, everyone seems to be talking about it. Some say you’re the hidden daughter of a powerful family, others that you’re secretly preparing for the Imperial Knight entrance exam. Most of it is baseless nonsense.”
Seraphine scanned the articles with a pained expression.
“How am I supposed to explain all this?”
“Don’t bother. Rumors will die down eventually. There’s no need to respond to every single one.”
“But…”
“Fame is a kind of measure of influence. Just enjoy it.”
“It’s not enjoyable at all,” she muttered with a sulky tone.
Speculation about who Seraphine truly was—her family, her origins, and how she managed to slay a monster—grew more exaggerated by the day. Eyewitness accounts from nobles who were present only added fuel to the fire.
She pointed out one particular article.
“Ah, here it is—the necklace. ‘The ultimate protective charm, capable of blocking even deadly venom—the hidden savior in the monster’s defeat’…?”
Interest in Seraphine soon extended to the jewelry she wore.
Well, her fight with the monster had been quite the spectacle.
While everyone else believed she was doomed, Seraphine walked out from the monster’s maw alive.
The truth was, the necklace’s special power had protected her from its venom.
It was the perfect publicity boost.
All I’d done was quietly tip off the newspapers about the necklace’s origin.
Before long, the duke’s estate was overwhelmed with nobles clamoring to buy one.
I timed the launch perfectly, and the results were nothing short of explosive.
Orders flooded in—people wanted the necklace as protection, as self-defense, or even as a luxurious gift.
They sold out as fast as we could make them, and keeping up with demand became the hardest part.
My days began and ended with counting money.
Seraphine asked carefully,
“By any chance—really, just by chance—did you give me the necklace from the start because you knew something like this would happen?”
“!”
Her sharp question left me momentarily speechless.
“Now that I think about it, you were the one who pushed me toward the monster that day. And the argument we had in the first place was because of the necklace…”
She listed the suspicious circumstances one by one.
Of course, it was true I had planned to use the Hunting Festival as a stage to promote the new product.
But I said, “Not exactly. I simply wanted to prepare for the possibility of danger.”
My first priority had always been Seraphine’s safety and her ability to survive on her own.
While I played the role of the villainess, she needed to overcome crises without relying on the male lead.
“…I see.”
Still, she didn’t look entirely convinced.
Rather than make more excuses, I redirected the conversation.
“Anyway, since things turned out so well thanks to you, I’d like to share part of the profits with you. What do you think?”
“Wh-what? No, absolutely not.”
She waved her hands frantically, but I didn’t back down.
“Consider it a reward for promoting the necklace in my place. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask for your help again in the future.”
“I… I really helped you?”
“Of course. It was all thanks to you.”
Thanks to her, I’d practically received a free pass to success.
“Well then… I’ll do my best,” she said hesitantly after much thought.
Neither of us knew then what her newfound fame would bring.
From that day on, Seraphine endured the ordeal of celebrity.
The attention, which we thought would fade quickly, refused to die down. Reporters even camped outside her home, waiting day and night for a scoop.
She could hardly go out anymore. Her only option was to use a side entrance with the guards I assigned to her.
One day, as she was slipping in through the side door to avoid the swarm of journalists, she noticed a man.
He couldn’t get close because of the crowd, but stood at a distance, staring intently at her house.
A shabby middle-aged man, lingering near her estate. He looked suspicious to anyone who saw him.
Seraphine stared back, their eyes met, and she froze.
“Um—”
Just as she spoke without thinking, the reporters pounced.
“There she is!”
“Lady Blaine, can you say a few words for us?”
“Is it true you’re the hidden daughter of a powerful family?”
“What is your relationship with the Duke of Serteia?”
“U-uh—”
“Everyone, step aside!”
Startled, her guards surrounded her.
“We’ll hold off the reporters. Please hurry inside, my lady.”
“Y-yes!”
Even as she retreated indoors, her thoughts kept returning to that man.
She found herself glancing back again and again.
The next day, Seraphine barely slept, tossing and turning with unease.
As dawn broke, she heard a commotion outside.
“How dare you! Who do you think you are, barging in here?”
A man’s angry shout drifted in through the window.
She hurriedly dressed and went outside, finding the guards fuming at the estate’s front gate.
“Um…”
Startled, they turned to her.
“Ah, Lady Seraphine. You’re awake.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nothing serious. Just a beggar who came asking for alms. We drove him off.”
“A beggar?”
She didn’t even know who he was, yet an inexplicable sense of unease welled up inside her.
“Yes. He must have been waiting since last night. He arrived earlier than the reporters.”
“Was it the same man who showed up yesterday?”
“Hard to say. So many people come and go—we can’t be sure.”
“I see…”
“If it bothers you, shall we track him down and bring him here for you to identify?”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary.”
She quickly shook her head, startled.
But in truth, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.
Maybe she should just forget it.
Maybe I was mistaken.
And yet… she couldn’t let go of the lingering thought.
What if… just what if…
After a moment of hesitation, she said softly,
“If that man comes again, could you let me know?”
It feels empty without Seraphine around.
I thought her fame would die down quickly, but since she remained so calm and indifferent, people’s curiosity only burned hotter.
Sales were soaring, but her daily life had become difficult.
And in truth, her unwanted celebrity was partly my fault.
Out of guilt, I suggested she stay here at the estate for a while.
[I can’t bring trouble to you as well, my lady.]
She refused flatly.
She can be surprisingly stubborn at times.
With her visits becoming rare, I threw myself into designing and selling new products.
Then one day, someone unexpected came to see me in her place.
“The marquis himself, here at the duke’s estate? To what do I owe the honor?”
The guest was none other than Marquis Balton.
