CHAPTER 07…………………………….
The nanny and a servant were plotting something together.
That was something that had never appeared in the original story.
Of course it hadn’t.
The novel had focused solely on the romance between the male lead, Crown Prince Alex, and the heroine, Bianca. There had been no mention of the dark machinations within the Duke’s household.
As I hurried down the corridor toward my bedroom, I suddenly ran into Shevert.
He smelled faintly of sweat and dirt — he must have just come back from training.
I quickly grabbed the hem of my dress and gave a polite curtsy.
Move, will you? I’m busy right now.
Running into my fiancé was the least of my concerns.
My head was spinning, and I desperately needed time to sort things out alone.
But Shevert didn’t move. He just stood there, blocking my way.
“…Do you have something to say to me?”
His red eyes glared at me in silence, filled with hostility.
Tch. What are you going to do if you don’t move?
I scoffed inwardly and brushed past him toward the stairs.
But then—
“I heard you extorted money from Father.”
I froze mid-step.
Turning slowly, I met his accusing gaze.
“You’re saying I… extorted money?”
“Yeah. Word is, you hit every boutique in town. Your room’s overflowing with dresses now.”
What—how did he even know that?
I flinched inside but quickly composed myself.
All I’d done was go to the city. The Duke himself had given me spending money. My only “crime” was using it.
So how had that somehow turned into a rumor about extortion?
Once people disliked you, every little thing became a scandal.
Sigh… my reputation’s really circling the drain.
Dark despair crept up my chest.
Still, there was no way I’d lose a verbal spat to a seventeen-year-old boy.
“What are you scheming?”
Shevert’s crimson eyes narrowed.
He looked like someone itching to crush an annoyance beneath his heel.
Ugh, how unfair! “Scheming”? Really?
Was that any way to talk to your fiancée?
I pouted, my lips sticking out in protest.
“Scheming? I’m not scheming anything. And I didn’t take money from the Duke—he offered it to me.”
“Lies.”
“It’s not! If you don’t believe me, why not ask the Duke yourself?”
“What?”
“Surely you’re not confronting me just because of gossip from the maids, are you, Shevert?”
Judging by his startled expression, he was still just a kid.
If he let his emotions show that easily, he was no match for me.
I smirked slightly, feeling victorious.
“She’s right. I was the one who gave her the money.”
“F–Father!”
I turned my head sharply.
The Duke was leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed.
When had he gotten there?
He pushed off the wall and approached, his expression cold and unreadable.
“I have something to discuss. Come to my study.”
“Me, Father?” Shevert asked.
“No. Marianne.”
The Duke’s icy red eyes flashed as they locked onto mine.
It was evening, and the sky outside was already dark.
Only the lamplight illuminated the Duke’s study.
He had called me in, yet said nothing for quite some time, sipping silently at his drink.
At last, he spoke.
“I intend to assign you a tutor.”
“A… tutor?”
The statement caught me off guard.
“As you know, since you’ve become a member of House Kerais, it is my duty to ensure your education. I will arrange a suitable instructor for you.”
I blinked my black eyes and tried to read his intent.
Then a line from the original novel came to mind—
‘Useless! Replace her tutor immediately!’
I remembered how furious he’d been, his anger practically leaping off the page.
The Duke had been eager to test Marianne’s magical potential.
But from age thirteen until adulthood, she never displayed a shred of magical power.
One by one, the mages who tried to teach her were dismissed—or worse.
And that’s when her life turned into a living hell.
Some teachers had beaten her out of frustration.
One had even tried to abandon her tied up in the woods.
Year after year, the cycle repeated until even the servants whispered about her.
I’m not going through that.
Sure, that pain had eventually shaped Marianne into the infamous “villainess,” but I wanted no part of that fate.
I’d rather skip the tragedy and just gain the magic.
Sensing the timing was right, I sipped my honey tea and said—
“Your Grace, have you already chosen my tutor?”
It was a bold question, but I didn’t waver.
“If you haven’t decided yet…”
“If I haven’t?”
The Duke’s chiseled features tightened slightly, as though carved from stone.
For a moment I nearly forgot what I was saying—he was absurdly handsome, even when frowning.
But I refocused. What I said next could shape Marianne’s entire future.
“Would it be alright if I chose the tutor myself?”
His dark brows twitched ever so slightly.
He must have been caught off guard.
A thirteen-year-old daring to make a proposal to Duke Kerais—it was unthinkable.
He looked momentarily stunned, like someone hit by a pebble, but quickly regained composure.
“You already have someone in mind?”
“Yes. I think Your Grace will be pleased when you meet them. They’re the most talented magician in the Empire.”
“……!”
The Duke’s scarlet eyes widened.
Outwardly, it might have seemed like a request for a home tutor—
but the girl before him had read his hidden intentions with uncanny precision.
And she claimed to know the most capable magician in the Empire.
He unconsciously exhaled, gaze drifting away from me.
Marianne might’ve looked innocent, but clearly there was more to her than met the eye.
“A magician? I was talking about a tutor, not a court sorcerer.”
“When I was little, my parents told me that I needed not an ordinary teacher, but a truly gifted mage.”
“Then you mean… you already knew you had magical potential?”
“Yes.”
For a brief second, shock flickered across his face, before he masked it with calm.
“In that case, I’ll be frank. While you remain here, you must develop your magical ability.”
I kept a serious expression, but inwardly, I was impressed.
Wow. He switched gears so fast. No wonder he’s the story’s hidden villain—his adaptability is scary.
“But how would a child like you know of such a powerful magician?”
“My late mother mentioned him once. She said meeting him would help me grow.”
Of course, that was a complete lie.
When I woke up in Marianne’s body, her parents were already long dead.
But it wasn’t as though anyone could fact-check the story, so I told it smoothly.
The Duke listened, silent for a long moment, then finally said—
“Very well. I’ll consider several options regarding this matter.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
He lifted his glass again, and I hid a small, triumphant smile.
There was no way he’d refuse the idea of finding the Empire’s greatest magician.
He wanted power — and control — more than anything.
And I wanted to gain magic quickly and leave this place behind.
A perfect win–win.
I left the Duke’s study and walked down the long corridor, my mind filled with thoughts of magic.
So much so that I didn’t realize I’d wandered into a large unfamiliar room.
“Huh? Where am I?”
I looked around, tilting my head, and realized it was a reception room.
So there was a place like this.
The Duke’s mansion was so vast that getting lost often led to new discoveries.
A neat set of sofas lined the space, and through an open door, I could see what looked like the rear garden.
Then something caught my eye—
A huge framed painting.
It showed four young men who resembled each other, with an elderly man seated at the center.
The artist’s hand had been masterful; the details were exquisite.
“That must be the Duke.”
A stern, expressionless man stood tall in the middle.
He looked younger than the current Duke — the painting must have been done years ago.
I stared at it for a long while, entranced.
“Wow… they’re all handsome! That one, and that one, and the guy in the back—every single one!”
I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.
“But… this is supposed to be a family portrait, right?”
Then why did everyone look so miserable?
Even through the paint, their cold, tense expressions seeped out.
As I studied each face, I started to lose interest and was about to turn away—
“What are you staring at so intently?”
The unpleasant voice made me frown.
It was Shevert, the eldest son of House Kerais.
I whipped my head around and glared at him.
Then, curtly gripping my skirt, I offered a reluctant curtsy — without bothering to hide my scowl.
“You’re here?”
“What’s with that expression?”
I forced a stiff smile.
“Are you following me?”
“What?”
“Otherwise, how come you keep appearing wherever I go? Don’t you think that’s odd?”
“……!”
His face turned bright red.
I’d only said it as a jab, but judging by his reaction—
Oh wow. He really has been following me.
I smirked and added slyly—
“People might start talking, you know. Saying Lord Shevert of House Kerais is chasing after me.”
“W–what?! You—watch your mouth!”
Shevert stormed toward me in a few long strides, stopping just inches away.
“You little brat!”
