Chapter 4
The body I had inhabited was remarkably sensitive to scents. It was clear that it had some sort of allergy to fragrances, akin to a pollen allergy. However, the book’s narrative never described it as being this extreme. It merely mentioned something like, “Every time Arahan approached, the strong citrus scent he carried would make Elizabeth, sensitive to smells, wrinkle her nose.”
I didn’t expect this kind of extreme reaction. It wasn’t that the author was lacking in descriptive skill—far from it. The author’s vague portrayal likely suggested that Elizabeth and Arahan had so few encounters, or perhaps they disliked each other enough to avoid one another entirely. Otherwise, how could you explain such a brief mention?
“Ah… um, I…”
But before I could even get a word out, another sneeze was on its way, causing Arahan to quickly step back. Was this the famous three strikes and you’re out? Beside him, Osborne hastily pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to him. Arahan accepted it with a brief nod, wiping his face, though his expression was far from pleased.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be. But what was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to know this body was so sensitive to scents? Wondering if I should try to explain myself, I sniffled and parted my lips to speak.
“I, uh, was going to mention that I’m sensitive to scents…”
I swallowed the urge to say, “You’re the one who came close without warning,” and instead focused on Arahan’s expression. My nose still itched, but thankfully, thanks to his retreat, I didn’t have to sneeze directly into his face again.
This body is surprisingly delicate…
For someone so sensitive to scents, Elizabeth had shown no reaction to the perfumes worn by the nobles at the ball. At this point, I was beginning to suspect that Elizabeth’s apparent dislike of Arahan in the original story wasn’t rooted in personal animosity but was instead due to his overpowering citrus cologne.
“…I see.”
Arahan, likely aware that he had approached too suddenly, refrained from saying anything sharp. Instead, he adjusted his attire and, after a brief pause, spoke in a slightly heavier tone, directing his words at me.
“It seems, Lady, that now it’s my turn to claim damages from you.”
“…”
How petty.
But it was true—I had spit in his face and dirtied his clothes. Not to mention, I had embarrassed a duke in front of a crowd of nobles. How would Elizabeth handle this? I thought carefully, recalling her speech patterns and behavior, then cleared my throat before responding.
“…Ahem. You’re right.”
It was an accident, though. You’re rich, so you’ll be fine, won’t you?
This wasn’t my life, after all. And if dying as a villainess was the way to return to my original world, I didn’t mind. I had no attachment to this body, so I decided to respond as coldly as I could manage.
“How much do you want?”
“…”
The nobles around us immediately began whispering once more. Their murmurs, loud enough to be considered gossip right in front of me, were aggravating. I sniffled and glanced around. The young ladies were busy hiding their faces behind their fans, gossiping eagerly, while the young lords, likely their partners, clicked their tongues and turned away.
Arahan, too, seemed displeased by my words, his expression souring noticeably. But why was he reacting like that? He was the one who brought up compensation—I was just asking how much he wanted!
“If discussing this here is uncomfortable, perhaps we could… move to a quieter place?”
I suggested this in an attempt to preserve the duke’s dignity and also because I was eager to escape the constant prying eyes of the crowd.
Of course, I wasn’t well-versed in the etiquette of this world. I only knew bits and pieces from Elizabeth’s fragmented memories, which weren’t entirely reliable. Elizabeth hadn’t been very attentive to manners herself, so my knowledge was limited.
Still, despite everything, the instincts and habits embedded in this body occasionally surfaced. While they didn’t provide detailed memories of her past, I wasn’t too concerned—I remembered enough from the original story to manage.
Without waiting for Arahan’s response, I subtly gestured toward the terrace and headed there first. Knowing Arahan’s personality, I doubted he would ignore my suggestion, especially with so many nobles watching. He would have to follow me, if only to finish discussing the compensation.
As I stepped onto the terrace, the sound of the nobles’ gossip faded away, which was a relief. More importantly, I was free from their prying eyes.
…Ugh, I already feel guilty.
Was this the right move? Was I handling this well? Lost in thought, I stared blankly at the ballroom through the terrace window. It was quite the sight. As soon as I vanished from their view, the nobles flocked around Osborne and Arahan, checking on their well-being and fussing over them.
Meanwhile, the court musicians resumed playing, and the ballroom quickly regained its lively atmosphere. Seeing it all made me feel strangely out of place in this world.
I raised my head to look at the night sky. The deep navy expanse was dotted with faintly glittering stars.
Back in the real world, I had been far too busy to even glance at the sky. But here, I had the luxury of stargazing.
As I mused, I lowered my head to glance back at the terrace door. The man I had momentarily forgotten about was now making his way toward me, weaving through the crowd of nobles enjoying the ball.
Through the clear terrace door, I could see that his expression was far from pleasant—understandable, given that I had sneezed on his face.
With a heavy sound, the terrace door swung open and shut with a loud bang. Arahan, brushing off a bit of dust from his sleeve, looked at me and spoke.
“Well then, Lady, shall we continue our earlier conversation?”
“Fine. So what would you have me do? Surely the empire’s only duke isn’t lacking in clothes, and with all your wealth, I assume financial compensation isn’t necessary.”
“That’s right. After all, I am the empire’s only duke.”
There was no need to emphasize “the empire’s only duke” like that. Okay, I get it—you’re upset. No need to rub it in; it’s obvious. Though his words left an odd feeling, I looked back at Arahan and spoke again.
“…You were just joking earlier, right? About what you said before?”
Arahan and Elizabeth didn’t have a good relationship. Knowing that, I could tell his earlier comment was just a passing remark. Besides, he was the type to avoid scandal at all costs. His closeness to the emperor played a role, but his position as the chancellor of the empire was likely just as important.
So when he brought up compensation earlier, it probably wasn’t due to my sneeze incident, but just something he said without much thought.
“What if I wasn’t joking?”
“…Well, if you weren’t… then I suppose I’d have to do something for you, wouldn’t I?”
I deliberately avoided saying “maybe.” The way he said, “What if I wasn’t?” with such a calm expression made it feel like I actually would have to do something for him. I watched his face and glanced up at the sky for a moment, trying to gauge his mood.
Even though I was in Elizabeth’s body, my timid personality as Isehwa hadn’t disappeared. After all, it had only been a day since I ended up in her body.
If I were the cool, confident type like Elizabeth, I might have simply declared, “Fine, I’ll compensate you,” and walked away with my head held high. Or maybe I’d have nonchalantly asked what kind of deal he wanted.
But expecting such boldness from my timid self was absurd. It had taken all my effort just to act like Elizabeth back in the ballroom earlier.
Though… I have to admit, it was oddly satisfying.
“Well, let’s discuss this later,” Arahan said, turning away abruptly.
I tilted my head, confused by his attitude, which seemed to imply that he wanted something, but also that he didn’t. Through the now-closed terrace door, I saw him acting as he always did—neither rejecting nor encouraging the noblewomen flocking to him. He maintained an impeccable balance of politeness and courtesy, even flashing a smile that I had never seen him direct at Elizabeth.
Of course, he’s popular with women.
The Arahan family was known for raising strong-willed women, likely due to the author’s deliberate setting. Growing up in such an environment, Rath Arahan clearly knew how to handle women.
I used to think someone like him wouldn’t care much about romance, but given how he fell for the angelic Osborne, he must have some romantic notions after all. Or maybe the women in his family were all just overly domineering.
Anyway, I spent the rest of the ball idly, occasionally teasing Osborne while preparing to head home.
Then, just as I was about to leave, the sound of trumpets filled the air. This fanfare was louder and grander than the one that announced the duke’s arrival. It was clear that someone of higher status than the duke had arrived.
And in this hall, there was only one person who outranked a duke.
“His Imperial Majesty, Karlcia Senil Morc, the Radiant Light and Eternal Sovereign of the Morc Empire, has arrived!”
Finally, the emperor I had to win over had made his entrance
