A dark shadow behind me blocked the book I was reading.
“You’re casting a shadow, Duke.”
“I’m aware.”
What a pain.
Jinjer’s playful whisper made my head spin.
As I tried to return the book and move away, he grabbed my hand.
Thanks to that, the book was left half-in, half-out of the shelf—neither fully returned nor held.
And to a stranger’s eyes, our posture probably looked like that of lovers.
Even though our feelings were far from that.
“Would you let go of me?”
“You’re quick with comebacks.”
“I’m also quick with curses.”
“How scary…”
Whatever. You’re not even scared.
Ignoring Jinjer’s snickering behind me, I turned away.
There was no way I was going to stay in this oddly intimate pose with him any longer.
I needed to find Lucy. Once I did, I could think about whether to find a staff member or not—
“…Duke.”
“What is it, Lady?”
This bastard, seriously.
Blocking someone’s path and then pretending not to know why? Honestly, I wanted to punch him square in the gut.
I turned away, knowing asking him to move would do nothing.
Fine. I’ll just walk around.
But Jinjer walked right beside me like nothing happened.
Because a threatening man was tailing me, people around us began to avoid me one by one.
It felt less like Moses parting the Red Sea and more like Odelia’s Miracle.
“My apologies, Duke Stawood.”
“There’s no need to apologize. Between you and me.”
What the hell? Between us?
Sure, we’d met a few times in social circles, but we weren’t anything to each other.
In the original novel, their real entanglement began after Ian kidnapped Odelia and brought her to the palace.
“Did I somehow offend you, Your Grace?”
“Did you perhaps do something to trouble me?”
“…If it’s the opposite, then it’s happening now.”
I shot back sarcastically, but Jinjer just smiled as if he didn’t get it.
I was genuinely curious what would happen if I kicked him in the gut with a hectopascal kick right now.
“If I didn’t offend you, then please stop following me.”
“You really are different from before.”
I stopped in my tracks at his words.
“Before.” The meaning was clear.
This meant Jinjer and Odelia had met outside of the original plot.
Damn it. What’s the point of reading the original story then?
Lately, I’d noticed slight divergences from the novel.
The characters and events were the same, but the relationships and circumstances were off—skewed.
Why?
If it was because I possessed her body…
“You’ve gone quiet.”
“…Pardon me, but I’m not sorry. You’re the one interrupting my time, Your Grace.”
Jinjer looked offended, as if he hated being ignored, and grabbed my chin.
Unfortunately for him, I felt zero remorse toward his obnoxious expression.
Also, why was he squishing my jaw like it was slime?
I slapped his hand away and took a step back.
“Let’s not push it.”
“What do you mean?”
Jinjer feigned innocence, shrugging his shoulders.
“If you keep bothering me, I won’t stay quiet.”
I clenched my teeth as a warning.
Finally, his smile faded.
I thought that might have worked—until he smiled again, now suspiciously.
“You’re definitely different.”
“…That has nothing to do with you.”
My voice trembled as his red eyes narrowed in on me like a predator.
He mustn’t find out.
That thought rang in my head louder than anything else.
As people’s attention turned to us, Jinjer closed his eyes.
“I was simply curious.”
“…”
Curious about what? I wanted to ask but didn’t open my mouth.
If the conversation dragged on, it would only disadvantage me.
Better to say nothing and escape when I could.
“Did you know the Crown Prince has been slacking on work and sneaking out every day?”
I flinched.
He was talking about Ian.
“Every day he goes out like he never gets tired of it. He’s completely neglecting his duties.”
He shrugged as if amused, but I found him annoying.
Ian, that bastard—of course he’s out and about again instead of working.
Next time he shirks his duties, I’ll really punch him like His Majesty said.
“I think you’re the reason, Lady.”
“What a ridiculous reason. As if His Highness the Crown Prince would—”
“Exactly. I thought so too.”
Jinjer’s tone suddenly dropped.
His calm, quiet words were clearly a threat.
“You’re just a marquis’ daughter, after all. Wouldn’t it be more efficient if we kept you in the palace like a decorative flower?”
It wasn’t a question.
It was a command.
Don’t interfere any further. Keep your mouth shut, go to the palace, and become the Crown Prince’s pet flower.
That’s what’s best for the Empire. A mere daughter of a marquis should just obey.
Why not say it outright?
Dancing around the issue was laughable.
If he had told me to shut up and stay put like in the novel, it would’ve at least been entertaining.
I scrunched my nose in irritation.
“That’s unfortunate, Your Grace.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you wanted something from me, you should’ve brought something to offer. Preferably the authority to beat up a royal.”
That’s what His Majesty gave me first.
“Anything less, and I won’t even consider it. Too bad I’m not a flower—I’m a person.”
I dressed up my “get lost” as prettily as I could.
Jinjer wasn’t stupid. He should’ve understood.
I turned to walk away.
But Jinjer grabbed my arm.
He was already a big man, and when he lifted my wrist, my shoulder cried out in pain.
Damn it. Why are strong men always so rough?
Like a puppet being dragged, I stood on tiptoes.
Even then, the pain from my twisted arm didn’t ease.
“…It was strange from the beginning.”
“Let—go—of me!”
I flailed my legs in protest, but I couldn’t reach him.
He wasn’t like Ian, who grabbed with brute strength, or Vaizen, who tried not to hurt me.
Jinjer didn’t see me as a person.
He was heartless and cruel—treating me like a literal decorative doll.
“I’ve seen you in social circles before, Lady. You were like a swan—elegant, quiet.”
“—Aagh!”
He pulled my arm higher and muttered.
“Like a doll. Even when pulled like this, you wouldn’t make a sound.”
“Shut up! You bastard!”
I pounded his chest with my free hand, trembling from the pain.
As expected, the impact was weak. I couldn’t get a good angle and probably just flailed.
I didn’t remember clearly—it hurt too much.
Just as I thought my arm might dislocate, Jinjer dropped me to the ground.
But he didn’t let go.
“Ugh, damn it—”
My shoulder throbbed.
I was sure my arm had swollen.
I struggled to get away.
Just being put down wasn’t enough.
I was furious from the pain—and even more from being treated like an object.
Fueled by rage, I slapped at Jinjer’s arm.
But his grip didn’t budge.
Eventually, the other customers in the bookstore started noticing us.
It was an obviously suspicious scene.
A beautiful woman screaming while her wrist was gripped by a dangerous-looking man.
Surely someone would call the guards, right?
Apparently not.
Whether Korea or the Empire, people were more interested in watching others suffer than helping.
“Stop staring and someone call the guards—”
“…Should I take you with me?”
“Take me where, you kidnapper bastard?!”
Take me where?! Do all male leads have a hobby of kidnapping?
You’re a noble—how can you act like an uneducated thug?
I cursed him and stomped on his foot.
I meant to hurt him, but instead, Jinjer smiled like he was savoring desire.
It reminded me of the look Vaizen gave me when he had twisted thoughts about me.
…This was dangerous.
Crunch.
Even a cornered mouse bites the cat.
Terrified, I bit Jinjer’s hand.
I didn’t mean to bite hard, but I was too shocked to control myself.
The taste of blood filled my mouth.
When I looked up, Jinjer’s eyes gleamed with malice.
…I’m screwed.
I shut my eyes tight, bracing myself for the blow.
But no matter how much time passed, his fist didn’t come.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar back.
“…Rudolph?”
That white hair I’d grown so used to fluttered in front of me.
“Why are you here…?”
He didn’t answer.
Rudolph looked at my reddened wrist, then bit his lip.
Then he glared at Jinjer like he wanted to kill him.
Jinjer, who had just been threatening me moments ago, stood clutching one arm.
It was the same arm he’d used to grab me.
Now, it was visibly broken—swollen dark red.
“Rudolph… did you…?”
Just as I was about to ask if he’d done that, Rudolph raised his hand—thumb and middle finger ready to snap.
This time, it wasn’t to protect me or to threaten.
It was with clear intent to kill. I could feel it.
“No!”
I quickly grabbed his hand.
His hand was hot—too hot—and it sent chills through me.
I gently cupped his hand and shook my head.
“Don’t. Please, Rudolph.”
“…Why?”
His normally smooth voice was hard with fury.
He bit his lip so hard that blood beaded on it.
To calm him, I squeezed his hand softly.
“You can’t kill him. Not even for me.”
“…I don’t want to.”
His voice trembled.
I tightened my grip.
“I don’t want to be here either. Let’s go home. Please take me home, okay?”
“…Who said you could?”
It wasn’t Rudolph who responded—it was Jinjer.
“You’re not thinking of running away after all this, are you, Lady?”
He waved his broken arm mockingly and smiled.
It looked painful, but his relaxed grin said otherwise.
Though I’d dropped the formality earlier, I decided to act like the old Odelia again.
“I apologize, but you threatened me first. That makes it mutual fault.”
“For the record, the old Odelia would’ve never said that.”
‘What do you know about me, jerk?!’ I screamed internally.
If I lost it now and yelled, Rudolph would snap his fingers for sure.
And after that, I might never return home in one piece.
So I kept my mouth shut.
