After receiving the sword and spending time alone with Celestia, Killian returned to the mansion and knew that Duke Marchen had returned just from the atmosphere. He had expected him to return today or tomorrow, but the return of his abusive stepfather was not a welcome event for a seven-year-old child.
Not only was it unwelcome, but the fear ingrained in every cell of his body seemed to overwhelm him. But…
“It’s okay.”
Didn’t he have a new light to illuminate his world? Killian hugged the sword Celestia gave him tightly, shook off his sinking mood, and got out of the carriage.
“Duke, welcome back.”
Killian was called by Duke Marchen as soon as he hid the sword, which had become his number one treasure—the bracelet, which was originally number one, was inevitably pushed back due to its size—deep inside his bedroom, as if he was afraid someone might take it.
There were a few servants and a butler in the Duke’s office.
“So, have you been well?”
“Yes, Duke.”
Oh my, the young lord is so mature. He could have thrown a tantrum saying he missed him. The maids who left the room muttered.
Duke Marchen did not open his mouth for a long time, even after everyone had left, until the sound of footsteps around them had completely disappeared.
“I heard you went to De-arc with the princess.”
“Yes. I got permission from Count Tolkie, but…”
“Who told you to get permission from the likes of Count Tolkie!”
He was startled for a moment by the sudden outburst. Killian subtly swallowed his breath. The butler was staring at Killian with snake-like eyes. Duke Marchen approached Killian and grabbed the back of his head in one swift motion.
“Ugh.”
“You even know how to make a sound without my permission! As expected, I shouldn’t have let you be the princess’s companion. What an arrogant and conceited brat! Get a hold of yourself right now. Remember that the lifesaver you have to hold on to is not the princess!”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t forget what I told you, that your usefulness is determined in front of the Whisper Wall. If you have received the name Marchen, you must prove its worth. That you exist to fulfill the duty of a guardian…”
You know that, don’t you?
Killian answered with a single nod to Duke Marchen’s question, which was more like a monologue. A black cloud that hid the light lingered over the Duke Marchen’s mansion.
On the way to see my dad.
My curly hair, which Liz had carefully combed all morning, started to bounce up like springs! I nervously pulled on my hair and said,
“Why is the weather so bad? Is it the rainy season?”
“Rainy… season? What’s that?”
Sigh. Does that term not exist here?
I shook my head and vaguely said,
“It looks like it’s going to rain.”
“It sure does. It’s humid and muggy. It’s always like this around this time of year, with the memorial service.”
“Memorial service? A memorial service for whom? Did someone die, Liz?”
“Ah! That… My great-aunt’s husband’s eighth cousin’s older sister.”
“Oh. Isn’t that a stranger?”
“Hahahahaha. My relatives are pretty close.”
“I see.”
It didn’t make much sense with my second-life knowledge, but there were all sorts of people in the world, so I just went with it.
On the way to my dad’s office with Liz. Suddenly, a fact I had forgotten came to mind. It was out of the blue and had no context, but it just came to me!
“Em… press?”
At my muttered word, Liz quickly asked,
“What? Your Highness, what did you just say?”
“Huh? Nothing! Just talking to myself!”
“Oh… you were talking to yourself?”
Phew. It’s a relief that Liz didn’t hear it.
My mind was working quickly. Moonflower definitely had an Empress. But I hadn’t seen the Empress even once since I possessed this body. Of course, I’d been very busy taking care of Killian and Adel, but could the Empress really be this out of sight? Still… even if it’s just in name… she’s family, right? Is there a hidden truth in the original story that I don’t know about?
“Hmm…”
It’s chilling. A dagger is flying and sticking into my heart. But don’t worry.
I have a terrible gut feeling.
That’s right. In my past life, I was known for having a terrible gut feeling. When I was in the national team dorm, there was a male senior and a female junior who fought every day. I thought they liked each other, so I called them out to buy them a meal to help them… I had no idea they were actual rivals.
After that incident, I was determined not to make the same mistake again!!! I tried to set up a friend who was secretly dating with another guy and got cursed at by the current boyfriend, the blind date guy, and the friend herself. I also unknowingly gave a gift to my coach’s wife, who was in the middle of a divorce settlement, and had to do an hour of extra kicking practice.
Those were the days. Hehe.
Anyway, I’m a woman with no intuition, so it might be better not to care about anything beyond the original story.
While I was thinking about this and that, I arrived at my dad’s office.
“Well, please go in, Your Highness. His Majesty will be so happy.”
What kind of good wishes are those?
“Okay, Liz. Thank you!”
“Yes.”
I waved my hands at Liz and, with the guidance of the chamberlain, entered my dad’s office.
“Dad!!!”
By now, he should be saying, Oh! My lovely daughter is here? This dad’s heart is about to burst with your visit… and so on.
Huh?
What’s wrong with him?
“Dad!!!”
My dad’s condition was not good.
“I’m sorry I made you worry, Tia.”
“No. I’m fine. You don’t have to be sorry. Are you really okay, Dad? Are you sure you’re not sick? Your forehead is still hot. You didn’t really faint, did you? You were just sleeping, right?”
“I think it would be better for our Tia to be examined by the imperial physician than me. What if you lose your voice from shouting?”
“Oh! What! I’m just worrying about you!”
“My daughter… when did you grow up so much? You’re worried about your dad now?”
There was an inexplicable sadness in my dad’s eyes as he spoke with a smile. Sigh. Even though I have a terrible gut feeling, I’m the type to be a busybody (actually, the combination of a terrible gut feeling and being a busybody is the worst), so I couldn’t just stand by and watch.
“Dad. Do you want to see something funny?”
“Huh? Something funny? Sure.”
“Watch closely.”
I pulled my hair, which I had been stretching with my hands, and let it go with a pop! The black hair, which had absorbed the moisture in the air, shrunk back, looking just like a squid.
“Look at this! Doesn’t my hair look like a spring? Boing boing, boing boing.”
“Heh. Yes. It does. It did.”
“If you’re ever curious about the weather, come to me. My hair, as it looks, can predict the weather.”
“Even your hair is smart. Our Tia is the best.”
“But the downside is that it can only predict rainy days. But it’s still quite useful, right?”
“Of course, Tia. In Dad’s opinion, it’s not just useful, it should be designated as a national treasure.”
“Oh my. There you go again! Again! Dad, you’re so over the top.”
“Isn’t the love for a dad’s daughter better when it’s more and more over the top?”
Now you sound like the dad I know.
I took the opportunity to get on my dad’s knee carriage. I was the one bouncing on his knees, but my dad looked happier.
Come to think of it, my dad has straight hair. And his hair isn’t black either. Whose daughter am I really…?
After coming back from seeing my dad, I flipped through the original story guide and muttered to myself.
“I just hope I’m not really the daughter of Duke Marchen or something. I refuse that kind of crazy Korean drama plot.”
There’s no way my writer would have hidden such a secret.
No, maybe… The two villains got along too well, didn’t they? The villain DNA showed an agreement rate of about 99.9%.
When my imagination went that far, I got goosebumps all over my body. I was already planning to disappear as soon as I turned seventeen, but if there was even a one-in-ten-million chance that I was really Duke Marchen’s daughter…!
“That’s the worst!”
I’ll really disappear then!
The contract was enclosed with Count Tolkie’s letter, which I hadn’t checked last time. The first step to sweeping up wealth and power, the essential elements of being a fan, was just beginning.
Thump-thump. Dopamine rush.
I carefully checked the contract. Whether it’s the Republic of Korea or Salient, you’ll be in trouble if you don’t read the contract properly.
Contract
1. For the next 10 years, Party B, Tolkie Merchant Guild, shall have the exclusive right to mine, distribute, and sell the De-arc rock salt owned by Party A, Celestia Mond. The contract period may be extended upon mutual agreement.
2. The profit shall be divided 7:3 between Party A and Party B. Profit refers to the net profit after deducting all necessary costs for mining, distribution, and sales from the total sales of the De-arc rock salt.
3. For the convenience of Party A, all clauses of this contract will proceed on the condition that the identity of Party A will not be revealed even after the contract ends, and that fact will only be shared by Party A, and Party B’s guild master, Count Tolkie.
Salient Imperial Year 798, July.
Party A: Celestia Mond
Party B: Tolkie Merchant Guild
“Oh. Good. Not a single thing to criticize?”
At the end of the contract, where it said “Party A: Celestia Mond,” I wrote my name again in my round handwriting.
Celestia Mond.
This is the beginning. Wait, Killian. Your sister is going to make some money.
