《The Villainess Is Worshipped By The Mafia?》 Prologue Trigger warning: Self harm Every finger will hurt if you bite ten fingers. However, there are fingers that would hurt less if bitten. Blanche Marquette was like that. Not only at home, but also outside the house. Outside their home, Blanche was naturally ignored in the social circles of the Lupinus Kingdom. This is because, unlike her older brother who is the genius of the century, her beautiful twin sister, and her younger brother who is a full-fledged spirit warrior, she has no talent. To the point where someone could say that it was her talent to go unnoticed even if she had colorful red hair and green eyes like them. She had the same appearance as her beautiful twin sister, but how can she have no talent? It was simple. To everyone who knew Blanche, she was nothing more than an imitation of her beautiful older sister. Because she was sick. In the aristocratic society, a disabled person was like a curse to the family, so unlike her siblings, she could not make social connections. And then, one day. That winter, three months before the 17-year-old Blanche sisters became adults, a family meeting was held out of nowhere. *** Three o¡¯clock in the afternoon. The time when the precious winter sunlight warmed the drawing room. A shadow fell upon the faces of the Marquis, Mariette, Blanche, and the youngest Alphonse, who had gathered closely together. They all had red hair and green eyes, they were a family, as you can tell from their similar facial features. The portrait of the Marquis¡¯ wife, who died giving birth to Alphonse, looked down at the four people sitting on the sofa. The Marquis drooled as he stared at the marriage proposal in his hand. ¡°Of all things, it¡¯s the biggest creditor Count Juan.¡± The Marquis Marquette, who boasts a history of 152 years, has been in huge debt due to the recent recession and repeated business failures. Then last year, the biggest creditor of the Marquis became Don Juan. Don Juan, an old man with gray hair, was a man who had a bad reputation in many ways, even though he bought a title as a full-fledged Count three years ago. But an old man like that wants to marry Mariette, the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, in exchange for their debt!!! The Marquis wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and wondered how he could overcome this crisis. It was then. His daughter, Mariette, who never got hurt in front his eyes, cried. ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t let me marry such a trash! If I marry someone like that, I won¡¯t even last a day before being beaten to death!¡± ¡°Oh, my beloved daughter, Mariette. Don¡¯t I know that? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure I find a way. A way to protect you.¡± But Mariette¡¯s expression still wasn¡¯t convinced. What¡¯s more, the 10-year-old boy Alphonse who was sick and coughed a little, had a gloomy expression. ¡°But Dad. Well, you¡¯ve been warned by Count Juan. If you ignore the proposal again this time, we will be thrown to the streets right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we sold all the art in the house to pay off the principal!¡± It was then. A faint voice with an indistinct pronunciation carefully interrupted the conversation. ¡°So, how much interest is left?¡± It was Blanche, who had the same appearance as Mariette. Not only did she limp, but she was also speech-impaired. Blanche Marquette was a stain to the Marquis family. For a moment, Mariette wrinkled her forehead. She was furious at her brother who seemed so willing to sell her to Count Juan right away. ¡°Blanche! Do you really want to make me go through this d*mn marriage?¡± ¡°No, I, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± But for some reason Alphonse sided with Blanche, whose cheeks were red and spoke gibberish. ¡°Sister Mariette, calm down. Sister Blanche was just worried because Count Juan is a loan shark. Right?¡± Before Mariette could reply, the Marquis leaned back on the sofa, looking tired. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s still about half of the interest left.¡± With this, Mariette¡¯s face turned pale like a corpse. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, you have to pay the money back by the end of this month, if not¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It means I have to pay half the current interest. But don¡¯t worry, Mariette, it¡¯s not that there¡¯s no way. I¡¯ll sell the mansion as soon as possible and pay off the remaining debt. You can¡¯t marry that Count Juan, can you?¡± ¡°Dad. No! If we do that, we will look like fallen aristocrats! I¡¯ll never be a princess with a label like that!¡± After seeing Mariette¡¯s desperate look, he felt very sorry for her as her parent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mariette, but it seems like it will be difficult for you to become a princess in our situation.¡± But she was rather confident despite her father¡¯s apology. ¡°No. I¡¯m already a princess. Actually, the Third Prince and I. Last month, we had a secret wedding in the Great Hall.¡± The scandal between the Third Prince and Mariette was not just a day or two. However, the two could not be married until now. This is because the King of the Lupinus Kingdom was terrified of the dying Marquis. [T/N: He didn¡¯t like the Marquis household because they were in debt.] But even a king cannot break an oath that was made before God. The Marquis was able to shake off his sorrow at once. ¡°Oh, Mariette, you are great! But why have you kept this a secret until now?¡± ¡°Everything was the will of the prince. So you can¡¯t send me to the Count, Dad! The Prince did and I did it! If I have children, His Majesty will have no choice but to bless our marriage!¡± ¡°Sister, congratulations!¡± Even Alphonse congratulated her without hesitation, but Blanche could hardly shake her worries. ¡°But my sister. Th-the Third Prince¡­ He already has a fianc¨¦e¡­¡± As soon as the words were finished, Mariette raised her eyes fiercely. ¡°Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know? That engagement will surely be broken!¡± ¡°B-but the King, His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Stop it, Blanche. It¡¯s not as good as Mariette, but we¡¯ll try to find a good marriage for you. What a mean thing to say instead of celebrating such a happy occasion. That¡¯s not a good look.¡± Perhaps Alphonse had the same thoughts as the Marquis, and as if to appease a small child, he comforted his sister who was seven years older than him. ¡°Dad is right. Sister Blanche. So let¡¯s leave the debt to Dad and let¡¯s congratulate Mariette together.¡± Blanche¡¯s cheeks flared up at the absurd misunderstanding. ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that.¡± At that time, Mariette shone like a star, cutting off Blanche¡¯s words. ¡°I have a good idea! Dad, Alphonse! As always, Mariette began to speak with a bright face at the Marquis who listened to his eldest daughter¡¯s opinion. Her method was to marry Blanche as her to Count Juan, then poison the Count after their first night of marriage. The gist of the plan was that, with Don Juan¡¯s reputation, he would have many enemies, so Blanche would undoubtedly become a widow with enormous wealth. Mariette¡¯s opinion won a single vote. Blanche screamed, ¡°N-¡­..No!¡± The Marquis, Mariette, and Alphonse pressured her. ¡°Blanche. Don¡¯t do that, you must save your sister.¡± ¡°Oh, my dear sister Blanche!!! You should do this for me, for the sake of your future nephew. Besides, if you don¡¯t marry Count Juan, our whole family will be ruined!¡± ¡°Sister Blanche, please be brave.¡± Blanche shed silent tears. Something must be wrong with everyone¡¯s head. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you want me to poison Don Juan.¡¯ Moreover, if the deception is exposed, Count Juan will take his marriage to Blanche as an insult. And all that anger will be poured out on Blanche, such a slender girl. The Marquis ordered his second daughter again. ¡°Blanche. You¡¯re the only hope we have.¡± ¡°B-But if you¡¯re going to poison the Count, you can do it yourself, not me, sister Mariette¡­¡± Sparks flashed from Mariette¡¯s eyes. ¡°You selfish girl!¡± The Marquis did not stand still. Thinking that he could not convince Blanche like this, he got up from his seat and slapped his daughter on the cheek. Slap! ¡°Blanche! How could you say such a thing to Mariette? Mariette, unlike you, is meant to become a princess! But you tell your beautiful older sister to become a widow?! If there is such a flaw, the king will not recognize Mariette as a princess!¡± While Blanche couldn¡¯t even lift her head at the sharp pain in her cheeks, Mariette pretended to be a friendly older sister and exhorted her younger sister. ¡°Blanche. This is a great opportunity for you. Even if you can¡¯t poison Count Juan, do you think there¡¯s a better marriage for you who are sick? Think about it all! Blanche, if you had been born into another noble family, you would have been beaten to death early on! It was because of us that you were able to live up to this point!¡± As if waiting, Alphonse and the Marquis helped. ¡°Sister Mariette is right. Sister Blanche.¡± ¡°Blanche. Even if you are, I have loved you as a daughter until now. Right?¡± [T/N: Even if she was sick, she was still treated ¡®properly¡¯- so they say.] With tears streaming down his face, a resignation passed over Blanche¡¯s face. It was always like this. Even if they pretended not to, her family always pointed out Blanche¡¯s flaw. They acted as if it was in her best interests. Until now, Blanche had no choice but to be patient, even if it was too upsetting and difficult, she had to endure it. ¡®If I don¡¯t put up with it, I¡¯m not a good kid. I have to be a good kid. As a useless child, I have nothing but good things. Besides, if I say something bad, everyone will hate me.¡¯ Maybe that¡¯s how it was. At some point, Blanche was considered a child who was comfortable with the subject, and who of course did not need to be taken care of properly. Blanche was sick of the hypocrisy of her family. That¡¯s why. Today, what she always failed to achieve, she decided to do at this moment. With a twisted face in tears, Blanche nodded hard. ¡°A-Alright¡­ I¡¯ll get married¡­ I¡¯ll go.¡± It wasn¡¯t that they failed to notice the resentment and despair on her face, the three of them were just busy rejoicing. ¡°Good thinking, sweetheart!¡± ¡°Blanche, thank you. Thank you so much!¡± ¡°Sister, congratulations on your wedding¡­ Sister Blanche¡­?¡± Slowly, Blanche rose from her seat. She limped and opened the door to the drawing room balcony. In the midst of the cold winter breeze, Blanche looked back at her expectant family, leaning on the railing of the balcony. In her wet eyes, there was a poison that was not usually seen. ¡°T-The Count will marry a dead body as a bride¡­!¡± The first of the three to react was the Marquis. He took a stance to run to Blanche at once. ¡°Blanche!¡± Mariette grabbed the hem of his sleeve. She frowned as if it was something unseemly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. Blanche won¡¯t die this time either. You know. Just like a kid whining about losing weight.¡± ¡®This time either¡¯, she said. With that, Blanche¡¯s face hardened as if covered in lead. Even though she never did it to get her family¡¯s attention from the beginning. In fact, Blanche resolved her misery and depression with self-harm. Whether it was right or wrong, after self-injury, she seemed to have a floor to fall on, so she was able to withstand her terrible reality. Although the self-harm wounded Blanche¡¯s body as well as her heart. But until now, Blanche had faith. The belief that if her family knew her pain, things would get better. The hope that her family will truly love her after the long pain as much as the scars she has built up one after another. But it seems that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Uh, my sister, ah, no¡­ did everyone know that I was hurting myself?¡± Silence came. Drip. Tears streamed down her cheeks and fell down to her chin. Blanche shook her head and asked again with a twisted expression. ¡°B-But no one talked to me, no one stopped me?¡± There was no answer this time as well. That was enough. Her body leaned lightly behind her like a marionette whose strings were broken. Thud! The three of them stared blankly at the balcony in the middle of winter where the warmth had disappeared, as if they couldn¡¯t believe the scene just before. 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds. Mariette¡¯s scream tore the silence. ¡°Ahhhh! Blanche!¡± The family didn¡¯t realize that Blanche fell right in front of their eyes. Blanche became aware of her past life due to this incident. ********** CH 1 She had a dream. In the dream, Blanche was surrounded by people. But none of them were familiar to her. They were not Blanche¡¯s family, nor were servants of the mansion, and above all, they were not from Lupinus Kingdom. In fact, they were people she knew in her previous life. Those who loved and supported Blanche no matter what her personality or appearance was. First of all, her mother was very fond of her. ¡°You b*tch! How old are you and why does your room look like a pigsty again? Are you a human or an animal? Uggh, I really can¡¯t live!¡± Her mother, nagging her daughter as she slept in on a weekend, slapped her on the back. And her father, who pretended to act mean. ¡°Uh-huh. Honey. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re gonna have her for the rest of our lives.¡± Also, her boyfriend who was a good match for such a dad. ¡°Father, you¡¯re so mean in front of someone I¡¯ll take from you for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Mr Lee. In this house, we do not accept returns.¡± The former Blanche was awake, with half-closed eyes, and muttered while looking at her father and her boyfriend. She didn¡¯t even know when he got there. ¡°Oh, Dad, what is this with Mr. Lee¡­ I have no intention of marrying him yet!¡± Then Dad replied. To her boyfriend, not his daughter. ¡°What¡¯s good for lunch today, Mr. Lee?¡± ¡°How about Janchi-guksu, Father?¡± [T/N: Also known as banquet noodles, a Korean noodle dish consisting of wheat flour noodles in a light broth made from anchovy and sometimes also dasima.] ¡°Good. Watch me make something good!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, let me be your assistant, father!¡± Seeing the two men getting along so well, her mother smiled. At that warm atmosphere, Blanche from her previous life also laughed. Suddenly, the view changed. Friends. After a long time, she met her high school friends at a bar. The three friends talked. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have a mouth? Don¡¯t you have a cell phone? If you¡¯re having a hard time, you can call me and ask me to buy you a drink. Why are you struggling alone again?¡± ¡°Leave her be. When did you see her say she¡¯s having a hard time with her own mouth?¡± ¡°Every time I see her, I get frustrated! Hey! Why didn¡¯t you call me again on your birthday? Because of you, the birthday present I ordered from the online store a long time ago has been rotting in my studio for a month now!¡± ¡°Oh, right. Mine too.¡± Even when her friends glared at her, Blanche just laughed. As such, she had friends in her previous life who were usually grumpy, but if something happened, they would come rushing to her feet. She died two months after the release of a mobile game she had been developing for four years. Blanche was able to leave work only in the early morning, lest there was an emergency. ¡®But now overtime is over.¡¯ In fact, if it¡¯s this late, it¡¯s okay to sleep in the company¡¯s sleeping room. However, as her wedding was not far away, she wanted to spend as much time with her parents as possible. But she didn¡¯t expect this little reason could lead to a car accident. She had never felt pain as terrible as this in her life, but fortunately, the pain didn¡¯t last long. She died before the ambulance arrived. In a place where her beloved parents, boyfriend and friends cannot see. Sadly. * * * It was dusk outside the window, and it was cold by the unlit fireplace. At last, Blanche, who had been sleeping like a corpse on a bed, woke up. Confused by the overflowing memories of her previous life, she found a text in the upper right corner that read . In addition, the familiar HP bar, MP bar, experience bar, and inventory icon at the bottom. Blanche, who had struggled to wriggle her fingers, muttered with dry lips. Surprisingly, her pronunciation was no longer slurred. ¡°I died. This is a game world.¡± The title of the game is . It is a nurturing dating simulation game that she participated in as a developer for 4 years. [T/N: The game name is literally Dugeundugeun Anastage which is the sound of a heartbeat but we will just use Heartbeat instead.] Blanche was the younger sister of Pierre, one of the target male characters! In the first place, she was just an extra to create Pierre¡¯s story. ¡°I was reincarnated as an extra. No, wait. Wasn¡¯t the original Blanche¡¯s legs disabled?¡± Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind like a lightning bolt. Yes. I don¡¯t know about her speech impediment, but her legs were damaged due to acquired factors. Blanche remembered everything now. After gnashing her teeth, she coughed. ¡°Thirst-¡­¡± Besides, her whole body hurt everywhere, it also felt like her body hadn¡¯t been washed for quite some time. Blanche staggered and lifted her upper body. There was no one around her. ¡°No one is standing by the little girl who just tried to commit s*ic*de.¡± She clicked her tongue and reached for the bottle of water on the bedside table. She couldn¡¯t reach it so she moved her legs¡­ The legs did not budge. The surprised Blanche lifted the quilt. Her legs looked fine on the outside, but they didn¡¯t move at all. She squinted her eyes at the inside of her wrist, which had been tattered like a ragged mop from years of self-harm. They had been neatly healed. ¡°Seeing that all the traumatic scars have disappeared, it seems to have been treated with divine power, but the fact that only the legs were left like this was either deliberately not treated or they could not.¡± Is it because I am aware of my past life? She was no longer sad to think of her family. She no longer wanted to be loved by her family. Unlike before, she knew for sure what ¡®family love¡¯ was and what it was like to be loved. Would her parents in her previous life love her less if Blanche had limped and stuttered? The answer is no. She was sure she would have received more love than she had at the time she was raised as a non-disabled. Unlike the Marquette family who was afraid to show her to other people! Blanche finally accepted the truth that she was not loved by her family. Now, she knows better than anyone that there can be bullying even within her family. The only thing she can trust is herself. So she had to figure out what she had first. Blanche clicked on the inventory. There was one item in the inventory. 5.x5. It was a [Tutorial Box] that occupied one space in the basic inventory. ¡°I¡¯m not the main character, but there is a [Tutorial Box]?¡± The tutorial box is an item given to beginners who start the game. provides four items to help beginners adapt to the game. ¡°I don¡¯t care why this came into my hands. The important thing is that with this, I can run away from home.¡± Without hesitation, Blanche pulled out the box into reality. At that moment, the bedroom door swung open. It was the maid Fleur, Blanche¡¯s personal maid. She is two years older than Blanche, and although she pretended not to, she looked down on her lady. In this world, this is a natural behavior towards disabled people. The maid made fun of Blanche, who cowered at every word she said. She didn¡¯t even know that Blanche¡¯s actions were in consideration of her. Fleur came closer, her eyes opened wide. ¡°Oh, my lady! Are you awake?¡± Ring. The text came up from the bottom of the field of view along with the sound effect. [system/ Fleur regrets your recovery.] Unlike Fleur¡¯s expression, the text showed her true intentions. Only then could Blanche guess why she was left alone and in pain. Fleur smiled softly, showing interest in the box she was holding, as if she couldn¡¯t see the cold expression on the face of her lady. ¡°Oh my God, what gift box is this? Did the great Master just send you a present?¡± The only person in the family who cared about Blanche was her brother Pierre, so Fleur¡¯s guess was quite plausible. Blanche slapped the back of Fleur¡¯s hand that was sweeping the ribbon tying the tutorial box. Fleur rubbed the back of her hand, which was burning red. ¡°Ouch! Lady, it hurts!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say to me?¡± Fleur blinked st*pidly. It was strange. She can¡¯t believe that the uncared for lady who would normally be embarrassed and apologize to her at this point is looking straight at her. Fleur, who had a bewildered expression, opened her mouth and noticed something. ¡°My lady. What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? No, what you just said, you said it properly!¡± Unlike the surprised Fleur, Blanche had an expressionless face. ¡°It seems that the priest who treated me is excellent. But why hasn¡¯t my leg been healed properly?¡± Suddenly, the blue eyes of the maid Fleur flashed a sharp malice. ¡°It¡¯s not that you haven¡¯t been treated, it¡¯s that she couldn¡¯t. The priest said, you will not be able to walk any more!¡± She looked excited as she looked forward to the look of despair on her maiden¡¯s face. But Blanche already knew that her own legs would get better. She thought, ¡®Using [Nightingale¡¯s Ointment] in the tutorial box I can heal my legs.¡¯ ¡°Really? Could you give me some water then?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yes, get me some water. I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­.I¡¯ll bring you water.¡± Looking strangely at the hostess, Fleur stood in front of the narrow table with a grumpy expression. She checked the empty water bottle and shrugged lightly. ¡°My lady, the water bottle is empty. Hold on a minute, please. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She turned her back and tried to leave the bedroom without the lady¡¯s permission. She was annoyed, and thought she¡¯ll spit in the water bottle once she brings it to her. Then, Blanche ordered. ¡°When you come back, bring the butler with you. I have something to say.¡± Fleur turned back a second later and shook her head. * * * After a while, Fleur returned with the butler. Also with two sturdy servants. Apparently, the butler was worried that Blanche would try to commit s*ic*de again. The white-haired old man in his seventies did not hide his joy. ¡°Lady Blanche! You are finally awake!¡± At the butler¡¯s greeting, Blanche calmly asked. ¡°Grandpa. Does my father still intend to wed me to Count Juan instead of my sister?¡± ********** CH 2 Perhaps he had already been told by Fleur that Blanche¡¯s speech impairment had improved, so he looked less surprised. The butler sneaked a look at Blanche. Of course, it¡¯s not a big deal if she just woke up and bit her tongue. ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, we have already received the Count¡¯s understanding.¡± ¡°Still pretending to be Mariette.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do that anymore. The Marquis and Master Pierre did their best. They said Lady Blanche is okay.¡± The original plot has changed. ¡®Originally, I was supposed to die and my sister will get married to Count Juan.¡¯ Blanche murmured, not even thinking about drinking the cold water Fleur had given her. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. If it was Count Juan, he would have considered marriage to the youngest Marquis¡¯ daughter an insult to him. Well. It¡¯s all good.¡± The butler seems to have taken Blanche¡¯s words, who had no intention of marrying the Count on behalf of her sister, with a different interpretation. ¡°Well done, miss!¡± ¡°Really? Do you really think so? Does grandfather think I should marry him instead of her?¡± The butler blinked at the servants behind his back in case of an emergency. In the blink of an eye, two men stood by Blanche¡¯s bed. So that they can subdue her at any time. After all the preparations were completed, the butler spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Miss. You don¡¯t seem to be feeling better yet, so let¡¯s get you some tea first. Fleur. Go and bring her favorite Rosemary tea.¡± ¡°Yes. Butler.¡± Blanche waved her hand. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. Fleur needs to pack up right now.¡± The butler replied. ¡°The wedding is two months away, so you don¡¯t have to rush. Miss.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to leave this house either. What I¡¯m talking about is Fleur¡¯s luggage.¡± Blanche stared at her only maid servant. ¡°Fleur. You are fired.¡± At the unexpected remark, that she couldn¡¯t imagine even in her dreams, Fleur looked stunned. It was as if she had been struck by a hammer on the back of her head out of the blue. ¡°My lady?¡± Blanche spoke to the butler, instead of Fleur. ¡°Grandpa. How long has it been since I lost consciousness?¡± ¡°A week has passed. But my lady. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but why don¡¯t you reconsider Fleur¡¯s dismissal?¡± ¡°Why? Are you afraid that my s*ic*de attempt will be known?¡± S*ic*de is a forbidden act against God. If there is a person in the family who has committed suicide or attempted s*ic*de, the family cannot confess before death, receive treatment from a priest, or be buried in a temple after death. Therefore, the fact that there was s*ic*de attempt in the family was one of the secrets that should never be revealed to the public. Therefore, they must have had the hidden story, which was why Blanche was able to receive treatment. Blanche said in a strong tone. ¡°Grandpa. Look at me now.¡± Now she¡¯s greasy from head to toe. Even so, if her body had been wiped with a wet towel at least once a day, she wouldn¡¯t have looked this bad. Blanche answered it herself. ¡°No matter where you look, it doesn¡¯t suit a new bride. Does it not?¡± Only then did the butler realize the seriousness of the situation, and cracks arose on the butler¡¯s face. ¡°But it is difficult to get Fleur out of the mansion.¡± ¡°The basement must be empty. Is it not?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ All right. I¡¯ll have it cleaned right away.¡± Fleur, similar to having been sentenced to death, was belatedly astonished. She rushed to Blanche¡¯s bed. Fleur argued with veins raised on her neck. It was as if she would swear at her former master. ¡°Lady, what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? At some point you said that I was your only friend!¡± Blanche gave her a firm slap on the cheek. Slap! As the silence fell, Blanche snapped. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever been friends. Even if I¡¯ve been a pushover to you. So Fleur. It¡¯s been a deceitful exchange within the past three years.¡± Water was poured over the confused face of Fleur. Blanche then sprayed the bottle [Fleur¡¯s saliva-mixed water] with a sharp hand gesture. ¡°It¡¯s punishment for not taking care of me properly in the last two weeks. It was good knowing you.¡± Fleur, whose cheeks were redder than wet, quickly became contemplative. ¡°She has changed! Blanche has changed! * * * Alphonse was the first in the family to know that Blanche had woken up. This is because the Marquis and Mariette did not return from the outside even though the sun had set. The Marquis was late due to his work, and Mariette was busy enjoying her date with the Third Prince. Four years ago, 20-year-old Gilbert, who was beaten as a child, entered the mansion and became Alphonse¡¯s full-fledged servant. Alphonse was half lying in bed as he arranged his coughing quilt. His young master was a noble spirit warrior, but his body was very weak. Alphonse asked with a parched face. ¡°What? Sister Blanche¡¯s speech impairment is better? Besides, she left her maid in the basement?¡± ¡°Yes. It is said that she didn¡¯t even blink an eye when she gave such an order.¡± A natural question ran across Alphonse¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s strange. My sister is not like that.¡± She really isn¡¯t someone who can do that. She was too timid and dull that it was even hard to accept the fact that she was a nobleman. The ten-year-old boy gave orders to the attendant, coughing as if he was going to run out of breath at any moment. ¡°Gil. I guess I should go see sister Blanche. Cough, Cough.¡± ¡°Young Master! Don¡¯t do that, get some more rest.¡± ¡°But, I haven¡¯t been to see my sick older sister yet¡­¡± Alphonse was able to get the words he wanted from Gilbert just by blurring his words. ¡°Even if you wanted to go, you couldn¡¯t. Seeing Lady Blanche will not help the Master¡¯s health. You must think of yourself more than others. You are sick.¡± ¡°Ugh. I still have to go. Although she¡¯s not good at anything, Blanche is my sister. Gil. Prepare to move.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, Master.¡± Gilbert pretended to be reluctant to the end, and nodded his head meekly. * * * On the other hand, Blanche had a large partition in front of the bed and had a new maid wipe herself on the bed. Perhaps the maid whose name she did not know had just heard the news of Fleur, and she served the young lady with sincerity. She asked the butler as she turned behind her partition. ¡°So, is the priest who treated me reliable?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think a reliable person would be able to cure an attempted s*ic*de in the first place. Thank you for treating me, but that person. They are breaking the temple law.¡± ¡°You can rest assured. It was solved through the connections of Master Pierre.¡± When Pierre¡¯s name was mentioned, Blanche could not hide her complicated feelings. With a sigh unheard by the butler, she checked her own status window. She knew it was a game, so she was able to use her inventory just by thinking about it, as well as check her status window. [BLANCHE MARQUETTE LV 01 Age 17 / Female Physical strength 15/50 Mana 5 Fame 10 Morality ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö Stress 220] Without realizing it, Blanche frowned. As far as she knows, all stats are numerical. Also, the highest number is 999. But instead of numbers, what were the five square black boxes about? Besides, the strange thing didn¡¯t end there. ¡®Where did the attack power, defense, agility, and luck stats go? Why is the information different from what I know? Is it because I¡¯m an extra?¡¯ Suddenly, the maid, who misunderstood her displeasure as her fault, noticed. ¡°Are there any inconveniences, miss?¡± ¡°Nothing. Rather, would you give me that box?¡± The maid handed Blanche the tutorial box that was on the side of the bed. She finally untied the ribbon from the box. Her forehead wrinkled as she checked the contents of the box. ¡®There is no [White Dragon Egg].¡¯ According to the original, there should be four items in the box. The [White Dragon¡¯s Egg] is where NPCs who help with the tutorial were born from, [Administrator Nightingale¡¯s Ointment] which is good for health recovery, [World Map] where you can check the geography in the game, and a [Free Item Exchange Coupon] where you can get random items by turning the roulette. However, even after she searched all the way to the bottom of the square box, she couldn¡¯t find the [White Dragon¡¯s Egg]. ¡®Isn¡¯t it because I¡¯m not the main character? Or maybe they didn¡¯t give it to me because this is 7 years before the original started.¡¯ After a moment of disappointment, Blanche picked up a jar of ointment from the box. As she held a white jar the size of his fist, a square black spear with white writing appeared as if a curtain had been placed in front of her eyes. [Administrator Nightingale¡¯s Ointment +150 HP] [Ointment of Florence Nightingale, reformer of the medical system. Before becoming a nurse, she was a genius administrator. Any wounds are perfectly healed.] Blanche had the maid apply ointment to both of her legs. As she placed the jar of empty ointment on the floor, her legs were engulfed in white light. In the blink of an eye, her HP was restored from 15 to 50. As a test, Blanche put pressure on her toes, and her toes twitched as expected. Her maid¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the scene with her. ¡°Lady!¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Blanche raised her index finger to warn the maid. Not yet. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know that she was recovering. If anyone finds out about the miracle that happened, it¡¯ll be hard to run away. Beyond the partition, the butler asked about the disturbance. ********** CH 3 ¡°My lady. Did she cause any trouble?¡± Clutching her quilt, Blanche replied, warning the helpless maid again with her hand gestures. ¡°She just pressed my leg for a second. Do not worry. It¡¯s not serious.¡± ¡°No, my lady. I will change the maid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sure she knows she has to behave well if she doesn¡¯t want to be like Fleur.¡± At the clear threat, the maid became contemplative and nodded her head. ¡°Yes, my lady! Don¡¯t worry!¡± Blanche smiled satisfactorily. ¡°See, she knows it herself.¡± With a smile of compassion, she quietly accepted the maid¡¯s hand to change her new pajamas. Meanwhile, the butler checked the condition of the second daughter from time to time. After removing the partition covering the bed, the butler served Blanche a thin potage. Alphonse and Gilbert appeared when Blanche had just lifted a silver spoon from the bed table. She faced Alphonse, who looked as bad as she did. The 10-year-old boy had slender cheeks, probably because he had been sick enough to skip meals. ¡°Sister Blanche!¡± [system/ Alphonse greets you.] ¡®If I were the same as in the past, I would have been happy that my family was happy to see me.¡¯ For a moment she was surprised by her own calm state. She then asked indifferently. ¡°Alphonse. Have you been well?¡± As the boy stood near the bed and coughed in response to the ordinary greeting, Gilbert hurriedly brought a chair. Alphonse, who had the same red hair as Blanche, sat down and smiled brightly. ¡°Well, I was sick as usual. By the way, sister. Can you really talk normally now? That¡¯s a relief!¡± But she couldn¡¯t accept her brother¡¯s congratulations. She looked down as she knew what he was thinking with that little head. It was obvious. Unsurprisingly, Alphonse admonished his sister again. As was often the case even before Blanche attempted s*ic*de. ¡°But don¡¯t ever do anything dangerous again. What¡¯s the point of speaking properly? Now you¡¯re never gonna walk again. Don¡¯t you think? Besides, do you know how your rash choices have disrupted our plan?¡± ¡°A Plan?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Count Juan.¡± ¡°Ah. That.¡± ¡®The plan to poison Count Juan.¡¯ Alphonse chuckled as if he had saved Blanche. ¡°Sister, you should be grateful to brother Pierre. If it wasn¡¯t for him, this marriage wouldn¡¯t have been possible! Besides, the priest who healed sister was also brought using brother¡¯s connections!¡± The 10-year-old boy expected that his sister¡¯s habit to apologize and make excuses would continue. It¡¯s good to have someone worse than him at times like this. Her presence alone made him feel good. However, Blanche¡¯s apology did not come no matter how long he waited. ¡°Sister Blanche¡±? ¡°What?¡± At his calm sister¡¯s response, the boy changed his words in dismay. ¡°No, never mind.¡± Blanche pretended to ignore Alphonse until the end. There was no reason for her to apologize to this little devil. Instead, she checked Alphonse¡¯s status window. It was to compare how much difference her stats were with the sickly Alphonse. [Alphonse Marquette LV 32 Age 10 / Male Health 70/70 Mana 320 Fame 457 Morality 100 Stress 5] ¡®Why is your health so high?¡¯ Blanche blinked involuntarily, wondering if she had seen something wrong. However, Alphonse¡¯s health remained at 70. The boy was healthier than Blanche! Suddenly, memories passed through her mind when she had to yield and lose to Alphonse. The voice of her father, who came up with the memories, echoed in her ears. And her rebellion, which she always had to stop thinking about. [Blanche. Alphonse is still young. So you, the older sister, must be willing to give way. Besides, you have grown too old to play with teddy bears.] [But father. It¡¯s a doll that my deceased mother gave me as a Christmas present!] *** [Alphonse wants to go to the lakeside outside the capital for a family picnic, not the citizen park. Is the lake okay, Blanche? Let¡¯s take care of the sick Alphonse this time.] [I¡¯ve been telling you for two months that I wanted to go to the park, Dad! I also want to go to the place I want to go, even just once! But father doesn¡¯t allow me to go out except for times like this!] The memories of tears continued even after that. Like when Alphonse pretended it was her mistake and tore up her favorite book, or the moment he coughed when she finally got the attention of her family for the first time in a while. The end of the memory was always the reproaching voice of the Marquis. [Hey. Why are you so selfish? Why are you so immature! If you feel uncomfortable, you should at least be sensible!] Having finished reminiscing, she laughed bitterly. ¡°Alphonse, have you been faking it all this whole time?¡± Ring. Ring. Large texts appeared. [system/ Gilbert is perplexed.] [system/ Alphonse is worried that his lies will be revealed!] For a moment, Alphonse pretended to be sick and grunted back. ¡°Sister. What do you mean all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Literally. You are healthier than me!¡± Blanche grabbed her brother¡¯s elbow tightly. Alphonse screamed as if he were sick even though it wouldn¡¯t have hurt because there was a difference in basic physical strength. ¡°Oh, it hurts! Let go! Grandpa Butler, help me! My sister is crazy!¡± The butler rushed in and dissuaded Blanche. ¡°My lady, please let go of the Young Master!¡± Blanche gritted her teeth and let go of her brother¡¯s arm as she threw it away. Alphonse groaned as he wrapped his wrists even though his health was in the 70s. This incident was passed on to the Marquis. After returning from his outing, he couldn¡¯t contain his anger at his younger daughter. However, Blanche will not be the only one suffering from the wrath of the Marquis as before. * * * The night seemed to have been painted randomly with black crayons. Another family meeting was held without the eldest son, Pierre. Blanche had to bear the accusations of her father on her own. While dozens of candles burned quietly in the family drawing room on the third floor, the Marquis¡¯ accusations continued and, as usual, ended in disappointment for his youngest daughter. ¡°Blanche. I am really disappointed with you.¡± But, unlike before, Blanche didn¡¯t blink. Yes. Her pale green eyes no longer shed tears at the word ¡®disappointment¡¯. Even the look on Mariette¡¯s face, holding the young con artist Alphonse in her arms, was sharp. ¡°Dad is right. I¡¯m disappointed in you too, Blanche. Faking an illness! How could you say that to Alphonse? Unlike you, Alphonse can¡¯t be healed by a priest!¡± Divine power is used for surgery, but was invalid for internal medicine. Blanche snorted. ¡°That¡¯s great. Everyone will see a miracle today.¡± The Marquis¡¯ face turned red and blue at the harsh words. ¡°Blanche! Can¡¯t you apologize to Alphonse right now?¡± Maybe because he didn¡¯t know that his second daughter was conscious of her past life, the Marquis still acted like a man who had complete control over Blanche¡¯s behavior. Blanche looked at her father with an uninterested expression. ¡°Father, choose between the two. Show Alphonse to a priest now or send a dead body to marry Count Juan.¡± The Marquis¡¯ hand crossed the air without a chance to stop him. It¡¯s like this again. Slap! Blanche felt the fishy taste of blood on her tongue, but she never budged. Her green eyes glistened 40 degrees like the strong drink Absinthe. ¡°I understand father¡¯s meaning very well. In two months, Count Juan will be given a dead body as a bride.¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡± The Marquis¡¯ shoulders heaved in anger. However, he was unable to suppress his second daughter with violence again. He was afraid that Blanche would do something wrong again. Surprisingly, the Marquis thought he was a pretty good father to his young boy. It was always his daughter who was wrong. The Marquis, who had been walking around the sofa with his hands on his waist, soon glared at his second daughter as his lips twitched. ¡°You dare threaten me with your life?!¡± ¡°If you know now then would you like to speed up the conversation?¡± After a while, the Marquis, whose nose was breathing in anger, opened the drawing room door with rough footsteps. He ordered the butler who was waiting outside. ¡°Butler. Bring the priest right now.¡± Embarrassed, Alphonse coughed at the Marquis¡¯ back. ¡°Dad! Do you intend to listen to sister¡¯s coercion like this? Cough, Cough.¡± At the sound of his young son¡¯s weak voice, the Marquis turned back, erasing the sharpened anger on his face. ¡°Oh, Alphonse. Please do not doubt this father¡¯s love. Unlike your mean sister, I don¡¯t believe your disease is fake.¡± Mariette also tenderly wrapped her brother¡¯s shoulder and glared at her own twin sister. ¡°Right. We are different from Blanche.¡± However, despite these harsh gazes, Blanche was calm. She glanced at the butler. ¡°What are you doing, Grandpa? Go on, bring in the priest.¡± Even the owner of the house looked at Blanche with slanted eyes, but she gave more strength to her neck. While Alphonse couldn¡¯t hide his nervousness, the father and daughter continued to criticize Blanche. Then, the priest finally appeared in the family drawing room. She was a woman in her late twenties with dark auburn hair and brown eyes, and had a neutral appearance. ¡°Nice to see you. Lady Blanche. My name is Segolene, who worships the God of Healing.¡± Blanche, who was still sitting on the sofa, looked at Segolene who bowed her head in front of her. No matter what, she can¡¯t tell anyone that her legs are healed. ********** CH 4 ¡°Hello. Priest Segolene. Forgive me for not being able to greet you properly because my legs are uncomfortable. And thank you. The priest¡¯s skills were so good that my speech disorder was cured.¡± She showed her humility with a gentle expression. ¡°No. Everything is a miracle God has given us. Divine power cannot cure a disability.¡± The Marquis interrupted the friendly atmosphere. He still hasn¡¯t recovered his anger towards his second daughter. ¡°Segolene, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard from the butler, but I brought you here because of my youngest son¡¯s illness.¡± Segolene shook her head calmly. ¡°But, Marquis. Divine power cannot cure chronic diseases.¡± ¡°However, can you make a diagnosis to some extent?¡± ¡°No, using divine power doesn¡¯t mean we can find out the exact name of the disease. I¡¯d rather introduce a good doctor. It would be better for Alphonse and Blanche, of course.¡± The answer came from Alphonse, not Marquis. ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to introduce us to a doctor, Segolene. Our family doctor comes from a famous family of doctors in the neighboring kingdom.¡± ¡°But I heard that the doctor did not know the exact name of the disease.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I have an unknown and incurable disease.¡± ¡°Young Master, you can¡¯t give up your life already. In addition, the disease should be seen by as many doctors as possible.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­.¡± The Marquis cut Alphonse¡¯s words as he tried to make up excuses again. ¡°Alphonse, Segolene is right. While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s see another doctor.¡± ¡°But when I was first diagnosed with the disease, I met dozens of other doctors through the referral of my doctor!¡± ¡°Time has passed, and your illness may be in remission. It¡¯s okay, so just trust this father.¡± The boy¡¯s face turned white. He seemed to be belatedly finding a way out of the situation. Then, Alphonse coughed loudly. Thud. The boy fell to the floor. ¡°Cough, cough! Ugh!¡± ¡°Alphonse!¡± While the contemplating Marquis dropped his knees to the floor and looked at his son, Mariette shouted in a panicked voice. ¡°Quick, get the doctor! Hurry! Tell him Alphonse is having a seizure!¡± The Marquis¡¯ anger rose while holding down the seizing Alphonse with his pale hands. With red whose veins seemed to have burst, he blamed his second daughter. ¡°Are you satisfied now? You scared Alphonse into a seizure!¡± Blanche snorted. ¡°Should I really say it again? He¡¯s faking it. He¡¯s acting, dear father.¡± ¡°You!¡± Segolene stopped the Marquis who was about to stand up and likely hit Blanche. She thought Blanche¡¯s words were harsh, but unlike the Marquis, she knew what the priority is. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Marquis, hold the Master¡¯s body. Let me examine the body of Master Alphonse by divine power. I don¡¯t know the exact name of the disease, but I¡¯ll do as much as I can!¡± ¡°Segolene. Thank you for your kind heart.¡± The Marquis quelled his wrath, and knelt again next to his son. Alphonse let out a tearful scream. ¡°Aww! Dad, no! Wait for the doctor to come! The doctor always relieved my symptoms!¡± Unlike Blanchet, who still had a cold expression on her face, Mariette also sniffed and pleaded. ¡°Dad! Alphonse is right! Don¡¯t do this, wait for the Doctor!¡± However, he only bowed his head to Segolene with a dying face just as much as his youngest son. ¡°Please.¡± Segolene asked everyone for help. ¡°Please hold on to the Master¡¯s body so that I can use holy power.¡± Not only the Marquis, but also the butler and Mariette sat on the floor next to the seizing Alphonse. Suddenly the boy¡¯s groans began to subside. It was a change of plan. ¡°Ugh, no. Priest Segolene. I don¡¯t have much pain anymore. You don¡¯t even have to use your divine power.¡± ¡°No, Master. If I leave you like this, I will not be able to face Pierre.¡± Segolene moved her hand, surrounded by golden light, to Alphonse¡¯s forehead. At that moment, a miracle happened. Alphonse slapped Segolene¡¯s hand on his forehead and ran away. It was unbelievable that he was sick at all. ¡°No!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened, including the Marquis. Eventually, the Marquis brought out a question that represented everyone¡¯s feelings except for Blanche. ¡°No, why is a sick child so strong¡­?¡± Blanche smiled and gave the correct answer once more. ¡°What are you doing, Dad? Why don¡¯t you go and get that calf with horns in its a$$.¡± [T/N: No idea, maybe he was so fast that he looked like someone who had something up his bu++] ¡°No way¡­¡± Finally, it was the moment when Alphonse¡¯s three-year fake illness was revealed. Blanche sent a chilling ridicule to the Marquis, who opened his mouth as if he had been struck with a hammer at the back of his head. ¡°Now do you understand?¡± Frustrated, the Marquis squeezed out a belated excuse. ¡°Blanche. I, uh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Father. Don¡¯t try to apologize.¡± The Marquis¡¯ face lit up at the calm voice. ¡°Oh, my dear second daughter. You know how this father feels!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Father¡¯s voice. I don¡¯t want to hear it any more.¡± The Marquis, who had been made fun of, lost his words. * * * The mansion was turned upside down. Because Segolene healed Alphonse¡¯s incurable disease. However, this was only an external fact, and the truth was different. 3 years ago. The Marquis told Alphonse, who had just turned seven. ¡°Alphonse, I, as well as your grandfather and your great-grandfather, all attended the Imperial Academy. So of course, you should pass the Imperial Academy, as you were born into this family. With excellent grades like your brother Pierre.¡± After that, Alphonse had to sit at his desk for 13 hours a day. Then one day. When Alphonse fell ill with the flu, the Marquis brought a travelling doctor into the house. In fact, he was a swindler who did not know medicine. However, he knew better than anyone that the 7 year old Alphonse did not want to go to the academy. That¡¯s how the deal was made between the two. The Marquis was furious when his son¡¯s immature fraud was revealed, and immediately beat the doctor and kicked him out of the mansion. Alphonse, who had been scolded by the Marquis for a week, had to prepare for the Academy entrance exam, which was the initial cause of the fake illness. Even today, Alphonse, who was struggling with studying from early morning to late at night, came to see Mariette. The boy was so tired that he wanted to pass out right away, but he could not sleep without voicing out his frustration. Unlike the Marquis, who was angry, Mariette welcomed Alphonse. Her hair was being brushed by a maid in front of the dressing table, changing into her pajamas. ¡°Welcome, our youngest. Oh my God, your face has shrunk in half!¡± Whether there was a maid in the room or not, the boy came to Mariette¡¯s arms. ¡°Hngg. First sister! I¡¯m so tired! I¡¯m going to die studying like this! I am a precious spirit warrior, so why do I have to study well!¡± ¡°Yeah. Dad is very greedy too. The Academy¡¯s top entrants only need our older brother, Pierre, why bother you too?¡± ¡°As expected, older sister understands! Yes! It¡¯s all because of sister Blanche! She¡¯s a fool, but she¡¯s trying to show off!¡± ¡°Alphonse.¡± As if to warn him, Mariette firmly spoke her brother¡¯s name. Alphonse pouted his lips and glanced at the maid. After her handmaiden bowed her knee once to inform them she was leaving, she disappeared from Mariette¡¯s bedroom. It wasn¡¯t until they were left alone in the bedroom that she talked to her brother quietly. ¡°You can¡¯t say that about our sister. Besides, in two months, Blanche will be Countess.¡± ¡°But Count Juan is¡­¡­.¡± Before he could say the words ¡®human garbage¡¯, Mariette¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°He¡¯s extremely rich. Perhaps he is the second richest person in the kingdom?¡± If he¡¯s rich, does it not matter if the other person is an old man or a demon? As he was young Alphonse was confused, Mariette grinned, revealing her pink gums. ¡°Your second sister, she¡¯s going to be a rich lady now. Finally, our less-capable Blanche is helping our family.¡± Her voice was cold and brutal as if she was not the girl who cried pitifully because she didn¡¯t want to marry Don Juan. For a moment, Alphonse felt a chill. ¡°¡­ Sister?¡± ¡°I am so glad, Alphonse. Our older brother is the most talented person in the empire, and you are a precious spirit warrior. Moreover, Blanche, who was the only flaw in our family, will soon become rich, right? Now that I am officially a princess, I will not envy the Empress of the Empire either.¡± She gently stroked the terrified Alphonse¡¯s head, and spoke indifferently. ¡°But before that, I have to appease Blanche. At this rate, she will no longer listen to this sister.¡± ¡°Sister, look¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, my. Our youngest. Why do you look so upset? You look scared of something.¡± Mariette still soothed her brother with a picturesque smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Alphonse listens to me. Sister doesn¡¯t hate you. You know, right? ¡°Uh, sister Mariette.¡± Mariette smiled brightly as the boy hesitated and nodded. Only then did Alphonse think, perhaps, she might have noticed his fake illness before Blanche, but remained silent. It would have been easier for her to get her way. * * * Early morning, two months before the wedding. Blanche was forced to open her eyes. It was because Mariette¡¯s five maids were impatient to wake her up. Unlike Blanche, who lived with only one maid for her whole life, her twin sister had a lot of people next to her, even after the family situation went bad. ¡°Lady Blanche! Come on, wake up! Lady Mariette is waiting for you!¡± ¡°There, you two! We¡¯re going to wake her up, so go get her wheelchair!¡± ********** CH 5 ¡°Young Lady. Come on, get up. Lady Mariette invited you to tea time in the greenhouse!¡± Mariette¡¯s greenhouse was a gift from the Marquis for her 12th birthday. It was filled with rare exotic flowers and fruits all year round which was why Mariette often held tea parties there. But during those countless tea times, Blanche was never invited by her sister. But all of sudden, she¡¯s now inviting Blanche? Blanche was immediately heartbroken. ¡°You seem to have forgotten that I am still a patient.¡± ¡°No way! Look at this, Lady Blanche. This food was also sent by Lady Mariette!¡± The maid opened the silver cover on top of the trolley to reveal the carefully crafted Flemish soup. The soup, made from white wine and yolk, was a well-known nutritious food for the sick. At first glance, it seemed that Blanche¡¯s eyes were twitching. She dug deep into the blanket and closed her eyes again. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say, so just leave.¡± ¡°Young Lady~ Don¡¯t be like that. Now, how about this? Lady Mariette also sent you a dress and jewelry to wear to tea time.¡± At that, Blanche was taken by surprise. This is because Mariette was usually very attached to her things, so if someone touched her possessions, she would slap the back of their hand violently. But this Mariette sent clothes to Blanche? ¡®Is that even possible?¡¯ She reluctantly got up and checked out those ¡®great things¡¯. Blanche murmured in a dry voice. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s the dress that sister fitted in Madame Ambrosia¡¯s dressing room last summer.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the system window popped up. [system/ Mariette¡¯s handmaidens are laughing at you.] Unsurprisingly, all of them had an expression that said. ¡®That¡¯s just how it is¡¯. This time a brown-haired maid came closer. ¡°You know? Here, Second Lady. Look at this pearl necklace!¡± The pearl necklace in the maid¡¯s hand was also something Blanche was familiar with. ¡°¡­ Is this Mother¡¯s?¡± After the death of the Marchioness, Blanche, unlike Mariette, did not inherit a single piece of her mother¡¯s jewels. ¡®Even if I wanted to take one, I didn¡¯t have anywhere to go.¡¯ Without realizing it, Blanche stared down at the old and dull necklace that glimmered a faint light. The brown-haired maid whispered. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°¡­ Well.¡± ¡°First of all, eat my lady. The necklace has no feet so it will not run away.¡± Was it her imagination? Somehow, it felt like there were thorns in those words. Blanche then gave her orders with an annoyed sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll eat later. I¡¯m uncomfortable so I¡¯ll have to wash first.¡± ¡°But, lady. This precious soup will grow cold.¡± ¡°You all. Do you act like this with sister Mariette?¡± Only then did the five maids set out to prepare for a bath. Blanche, like Mariette, had them bring a pure white porcelain bathtub to her room, They dissolved a flower-scented bath b*mb in her bath water, washed her from head to toe and even massaged her scalp. It was the first time she had bathed like this after her mother passed away. After finishing her bath, the maids brought her back to the bed and laid out their makeup tools. But Blanche hit the back of the maid¡¯s hand who was about to comb her hair. Just like Mariette. The maid asked her in an absurd tone wondering what she was doing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my lady?¡± ¡°Stop it. I¡¯m not going to my sister¡¯s greenhouse.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you all to disappear from my bedroom. Oh yes. Tell sister that I had a good bath thanks to her.¡± ¡°My lady, what do you mean¡­¡± She stared at the brown-haired maid who seemed to want to click her tongue. ¡°That pearl necklace. There are too many scratches even if I don¡¯t look closely.¡± That wasn¡¯t all she had to say. ¡°Also, the first day sister wore that dress, she found another young lady wearing a similar one and never wore it again. Did you think that I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Tell sister, I think I overestimated her eye for things.¡± The maids apologised. But it wasn¡¯t a sincere apology. They were just worried about going back and offending Mariette. The maids didn¡¯t stutter when they spoke their lies. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady! Actually, it was us, not Lady Mariette, who picked this dress and the pearl necklace. So please, don¡¯t hate Lady Mariette, your sister, too much!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It seems like my older sister doesn¡¯t have an eye for handmaidens too.¡± What a weird expression, she wanted to say this while looking at their faces. But Blanche looked the other way. Blanche lay on the bed with wet hair. Then she issued an ultimatum. ¡°If you don¡¯t get out in five seconds, I¡¯ll tell my father I¡¯m not getting married. And that it was because of you guys. Can you all handle that?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. My lady!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Apologies burst out from here and there like a spinning song. But Blanche saw it. They apologized, but their lips twitched with spite. Bang! The door slammed shut as the silhouettes retreated. Maybe they thought she wouldn¡¯t hear it, so someone she didn¡¯t know shouted in the hallway. ¡°It¡¯s funny. You can¡¯t even walk properly!¡± After Fleur was taken away, it seems that the maid who served her fortunately kept her secret. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t feel bad.¡¯ A few moments later, she stepped onto the plush rug on the floor beside her bed. Blanche opened all the windows in her bedroom then returned to bed. It was because based on Mariette¡¯s personality she would not give up on her easily. As expected, her prediction soon became a reality. Mariette strode into her sister¡¯s room, trembling due to the biting cold wind in the bedroom. Unable to stand it, she closed one of the windows herself and looked back at Blanche. ¡°Oh my God, Blanche! You are still sick. But this cold air!¡± ¡°Yes. No one remembered that they had to close my windows.¡± As she told her lies without a single pause, Mariette raised her eyebrows and looked at her own maids. ¡°You. What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing to my sister?!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry my lady!¡± The maids moved in unison and closed all the windows. But they did not give up and made their excuses. ¡°But it¡¯s weird. We never had the windows open.¡± Of course, Mariette did not believe this. ¡°Are you lying in front of me now? You guys dare?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s not it.¡­.¡± The maids were caught in the trap set by Blanche. Only after the servants were scolded to the point of tears did Blanche speak up. ¡°If you¡¯re going to argue, could you do it somewhere else other than my room?¡± ¡°Oh, Blanche. I¡¯ve acted horribly in front of a patient for a while. Please be kind and understand.¡± Mariette sat down at her bedside with a sad expression on her face. She also laid her own warm, soft hand over Blanche¡¯s cold hands. Clicking her tongue, Blanche slid her hand away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± A crack broke Mariette¡¯s fine face but the agitation soon disappeared. She gently soothed Blanche, her eyes softly curving. ¡°You must be very angry. But Blanche. I¡¯m your sister. Now, tell me. Why are you so unhappy? Let¡¯s talk about it.¡± ¡°No. I decided not to waste my time anymore.¡± Mariette had an eager look on her face as if she didn¡¯t want to listen to her sister¡¯s request. ¡°Waste of time! Don¡¯t say that, Blanche. I feel like my heart is going to break when I hear that!¡± ¡°I have nothing more to say, so just leave.¡± ¡°Blanche! I know! You must be confused and afraid whenever you think about your marriage! Besides, you would have such a fat old man as a partner for your first time! If I were you, I would hate the family too. But, Blanche. You. You can¡¯t do this to us.¡± Mariette threw a gaze that seemed to be scolding her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do this to our older brother who broke the rules just to bring Priest Segolene. Also, think of our father who stomped his feet until you woke up. And do you know how much Alphonse and I cared for you? Huh? Blanche. You shouldn¡¯t be like this. Do you understand?¡± Holding her sister¡¯s shoulder with both hands, Mariette whispered softly. ¡°So on the first night, lay still and think of us. Us, your family. Then it will be a little less painful¡­¡± If this was in the past, Blanche would have apologized by now, with tears in her eyes saying she had done something wrong. That is, if Blanche was still the same girl suffering from lack of affection. But now, Blanche didn¡¯t have the patience to listen to this b*llsh*t. She pushed Mariette away and snapped back. ¡°Let go of me.¡± ¡°Blanche?¡± After a moment of embarrassment, Mariette changed her strategy. If carrots didn¡¯t work, she had no choice but to bring out the whip. ¡°Are you really going to do this to me? I¡¯m your only sister! I mean, I¡¯ve been taking good care of you since Mother died!¡± ¡°And is that why you made me limp?¡± Blanche¡¯s speech impediment was congenital, but her leg was broken due to an accident. Mariette¡¯s face changed color. She hurriedly looked behind her and shouted at her five maids. ¡°Get out, all of you! Quickly!¡± Only after the two of them were left in the room did Mariette force herself to smile. ¡°Blanche. What do you mean? And how can you speak like that in front of others? I will be misunderstood.¡± ¡°Was it a misunderstanding? My accident. It happened because of you.¡± [system/ Mariette is agitated.] Blanche made eye contact with Mariette. ¡°Why am I talking like this after being quiet all this time? Well, because I don¡¯t love sister anymore.¡± In fact, while becoming conscious of her previous life, memories that Blanche had forgotten after the accident came to mind. It was the truth. Mariette had hurt her! ¡°Mariette. No one takes the trash they¡¯ve brought outside just to bring it back into the house. Since I woke up because I couldn¡¯t die, I¡¯m just putting out the trash in front of me. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± Blanche no longer called her sister. And it seems that Mariette understood exactly what she meant. Otherwise, the text that appeared at the bottom of her field of view would not have materialized. [system/ Mariette is hostile against you!] Blanche laughed. ¡°You know what? If I disappear from this house right now, aren¡¯t you gonna have to be Count Juan¡¯s wife instead of me?¡± Mariette countered with her eyes lit. ¡°Wake up! Even without you, Dad wouldn¡¯t let me marry the count. Didn¡¯t you already hear that?¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Mariette was speechless at the sound of her voice filled with a prophet-like conviction. CH 6 Blanche asked in a whisper. ¡°I have a question. If the Third Prince and you really are that close, then why doesn¡¯t the Prince ever come to our house? Even if the relationship between the two of you is a secret, shouldn¡¯t the Prince visit Father and say hello to him at least once after your wedding?¡± ¡°What do you know?! The prince is busy!¡± ¡°Why? Because he¡¯s seeing another girl? I can¡¯t believe you chose the playboy Third Prince as your partner. Mariette, you should have at least waited for the Fourth Prince who¡¯s the same age as Alphonse to grow up.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Who are you to tell me what to do?¡± Blanche smiled obliquely at the sister who was staring at her with teeth bared. ¡°Get out of here. I mean it, before I really run away from home.¡± Mariette left the room with an angry and embarrassed expression. That day, Mariette vented the stress of losing the argument on her maids. Just as Blanche planned . After that, Blanche made a promise. ¡°Wait and see. I¡¯ll disappear the day before the wedding. You can just let your guard down and get stabbed in the back.¡± The Marquis¡¯ head is about to explode these days. His youngest son whom he cherished, faked his illness, and Blanche, whose life he saved, is not treating him like before. What¡¯s more, the tears of his eldest daughter, Mariette, who never got hurt in his eyes. ¡°Hic. Dad, I really don¡¯t understand Blanche. I just wanted to share my feelings as her sister, now that she got better and no longer had a speech impediment, but Blanche called me trash!¡± ¡°Mariette. This time, you must understand. Blanche is sensitive these days.¡± ¡°Why do I have to understand her? It¡¯s Blanche, not me, who should seek understanding! I¡¯m patient because she¡¯s my little sister, but if my friend were to be the wife of a man like Count Juan, I¡¯d cut the relationship right away! How does it make sense for a princess to hang out with such people?¡± The Marquis appeased Mariette and finally got the words she wanted out of his mouth this whole time. ¡°I understand Mariette. Sooner or later, I¡¯ll tell Blanche to apologize to you.¡± With these satisfying words, she stopped crying at once and hugged her father. ¡°Dad! As expected, I can trust my dad!¡± ¡°Yes. Just trust me.¡± Then, with a small hesitation, he hugged his daughter. Then Mariette said. ¡°For the family, you have to scold Blanche harshly, Dad. Only then will our family be able to recover! Think of the financial power of Count Juan.¡± She smiled compassionately in the arms of the Marquis. ¡®I don¡¯t care if Blanche hates me or not. After all, she won¡¯t be able to hate brother Pierre anyway.¡¯ Considering the sacrifices made by Pierre for this marriage, Blanche would have no choice but to financially support the family. She can then spend Blanche¡¯s money with their family name on her back. However, Mariette was unaware that the future she was dreaming of will soon fall to the ground. The office and library, which was surrounded by red wallpaper, glistened with golden decorations. It looked like a frivolous exhibition hall instead of an office. However, the owner of the room, Count Juan, who had a huge stomach, was proud of all of it, instead finding it troublesome. Count Juan who was sitting at his desk while examining the smuggling ledger, was asked by his chubby minion. ¡°Poison? Did you just say poison right now?¡± Count Juan chuckled and replied. ¡°Yes. Now that I am an aristocrat, I wanted to try an aristocratic method.¡± The subordinate unknowingly swallowed his saliva. ¡°Boss. Now you want me to poison the second daughter of the Marquis Marquette¡¯s family?¡± [T/N: He calls him Hyung-nim here. (Older brother, mob boss or a fellow male who has a higher position)] ¡°You can do it right?¡± ¡°I can, but why?¡± The Count bared his yellow teeth and growled. ¡°This child. So you¡¯re asking me to marry a girl with such flaws? What¡¯s the point of getting to this position? I¡¯m not going to marry that id*ot, I¡¯m going to marry a beautiful woman who is known all over the continent!¡± ¡°But in exchange for marrying the second daughter of the house, a famous genius decided to serve as Boss¡¯ subordinate for three years, right? What are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°Do you think that Master can hold out under me? Do you think that soft noble master can help my business properly?¡± Then the Count¡¯s right arm nodded his head. ¡°I see. We can buy someone and settle it within this week.¡± ¡°Great, you can go.¡± Giacomo, who nodded lightly and turned his back halfway, stopped. ¡°Ohh.¡± ¡°Why?¡± At the Count¡¯s question, he scratched the back of his head and smiled mischievously. ¡°I forgot to ask what to do with the kid in the basement.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead is he? That Ricardo or something.¡± ¡°Yes, Illia is not the first son. So are you really not going to pay him back?¡± At Giacomo¡¯s reluctant expression, the Count roared loudly. ¡°Are you crazy, you b*st*rd? If I pay it back, half of my fortune will be reduced!¡± ¡°But if you don¡¯t pay Illia back, there¡¯s no way that pretty child will stand still like this.¡± ¡°Huh. So what if he doesn¡¯t stand still? As long as I have the first son in my hands, that bastard can¡¯t harm me! Illia, how did he take over the family? It¡¯s because he got the boss¡¯ famous daughter pregnant! As long as all the immediate family members of the former boss are gone, the legitimacy rests with the two sons, not Illia!¡± Count Juan was so confident that he snorted with excitement. ¡°Just you wait. With the most beautiful woman on the continent by my side, I will wipe out all the money in this country!¡± The Marquis suddenly came to Blanche¡¯s room. ¡°If you had just called me, I would have visited you separately after eating.¡± After hearing Blanche¡¯s harsh words, the Marquis glanced at the maid cleaning the room. ¡°You can go now. And tell all the servants to go down and leave the second floor.¡± ¡°Yes, Marquis.¡± After the maid completely disappeared, the Marquis sat on the chair next to Blanche¡¯s bed. Meanwhile, he seemed embarrassed, probably because of his daughter who hasn¡¯t spoken to him. ¡°I heard from your sister. You were arrogant not only to me but to everyone these days. Blanche. Do you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°None. Father. Rather, I have something I need to hear from Father.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Blanche raised her chin somewhat sharply. ¡°I have changed my mind. I also want to hear my father¡¯s apology. Please apologize to me. Father.¡± His daughter¡¯s green eyes didn¡¯t show the slightest bit of affection, leaving his throat a little dry. But he still couldn¡¯t let go of his pride. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Why should I apologize to you? When did I tell you to die? It was you who jumped off the balcony on your own and became a crippled as*h*le!¡± Blanche, who laughed as if she understood, replied. ¡°I was referring to Alphonse.¡± ¡°¡­ Huk!¡± ¡°But thanks to that, now I know that my father still thinks of me as an id*ot who can¡¯t be helped.¡± The lips of the Marquis, that were tightly shut, twitched. ¡°Why are you so bad at listening?¡± ¡°I know right, how can one ignore their own blood.¡± In fact, even when the Marquis saw Blanche¡¯s suicide attempt right in front of his eyes, he thought it was the result of his second daughter¡¯s arrogance. So, his daughter¡¯s rebellion was simply regarded as ¡®sulking¡¯. ¡°Blanche! Are you going to keep being like this?¡± ¡°Father. Aren¡¯t you mistaking something?¡± ¡°What?¡± She put on a sullen look. ¡°It is me, not father, who holds the weight now. Even if I begged again in front of father, it¡¯s not like you will allow me to not marry him right? Or would you sell the mansion for me right now? Would you risk the future of being called a Fallen Aristocrat for me and not for Mariette?¡± The Marquis could not refute. ¡­¡­ He couldn¡¯t sell the mansion for Blanche, just as his second daughter said. Blanche is a finger that hurts less to bite. A calm anger passed through Blanche¡¯s face as she understood the Marquis¡¯ silence. The next moment, Blanche warned. ¡°Don¡¯t yell at me again. If you yell at me one more time, I¡¯ll bite my tongue and die. Of course, after telling the Count that my Father made me do it. And-¡° While continuing to speak, Blanche suddenly felt dizzy. The text came up from the bottom of her line of sight with a sound effect. [system/ Warning, Status Abnormal. HP is down.] ¡°What is it?¡± The Marquis, who had no idea what had happened to his daughter, sighed deeply and decided to take a step back. ¡°Blanche, I know you¡¯re upset. But with the wedding just around the corner, do you really have to do this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m holding back wanting to bite my tongue in front of father, so if you want to scold me, just stop!¡± Blanche reluctantly responded, while her field of vision darkened. She was soaked with cold sweat all over her body. A warning window popped up with a sound effect. [system/ Warning! You have been poisoned!] Poison? Before she could understand what was happening, Blanche coughed heavily and vomited blood. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°Blanche?¡± It was unbelievable, like a lightning bolt from a dry blue sky, the Marquis blankly called out his daughter¡¯s name. In the meantime, Blanche, who had her hand on her neck, continued to vomit blood. Seeing his daughter struggling to breathe as if she had swallowed burning iron, the Marquis desperately pulled on the rope. ¡°Is there anyone there? Who¡¯s there! I¡¯m calling you! Blanche, oh Blanche! Blood, blood!¡± With the Marquis stomping his feet beside her, Blanche turned on the status window. Her HP was already down by 30, and the remaining 20 were also rapidly decreasing. The [Lesser Witch¡¯s Healing Potion] flashed through her mind. ¡®I can¡¯t expect much, but I think I can make this situation better. It¡¯s minor, but [Lesser Witch¡¯s Healing Potion] was said to have a detoxifying effect¡­¡¯ However, in order to use the [Lesser Witch¡¯s Healing Potion], the Marquis must leave the room right now. The Marquis should never know of the existence of the inventory. She desperately grabbed the hem of the Marquis¡¯ robe. ¡°Father. I-It hurts so much. Call the doctor, please¡­¡± Even if a doctor with the best skills arrived, they would not be able to save Blanche. You would usually die from poison first before it can be detoxified. The Marquis knew this too. Although he could not see the system window, he was also a nobleman who was well aware of the dangers of poisoning. The Marquis, who had been using silverware all his life, quickly noticed Blanche¡¯s condition. ¡°Hold on a second, Blanche! Don¡¯t die! You can¡¯t die! Yes, I¡¯ll call Segolene! Segolene who cured your disability!¡± The Marquis was not ignorant of the fact that no matter how great the priest was, she would not be able to heal internal wounds. Still, he hurriedly ran out of the room in search of Segolene. CH 7 After the Marquis left, Blanche took out [Lesser Witch¡¯s Healing Potion] from her inventory. Even at this moment, her HP was rapidly depleting. 5, 4, 3, 2¡­ Blanche was only able to empty the healing potion the size of her palm at the moment when her Health reached 1. ¡®No. I can¡¯t die like this! How have I lived for the last seventeen years!¡¯ Was it because of her wish? A status window popped up before her eyes. [System/ The poison is beginning to dissipate.] While her mind wandered around, she put the empty bottle into her inventory. In one day, this trash will vanish. Just like the empty jar of [Administrator Nightingale¡¯s Ointment]. As she relaxed, Blanche fainted. * * * How much time had passed? In the darkness, where she could not even see an inch ahead, Blanche heard several familiar voices. ¡°How the hell did this happen? How!¡± At the Marquis¡¯ lament, the butler responded with an annoyed tone. ¡°We thoroughly searched Miss Blanchet¡¯s bedroom, there was no trace of any poison bottle. Instead, one of the kitchen servants has disappeared. It seems like they resigned.¡± The Marquis was furious and even swore loudly. ¡°Who, who dares do this to my daughter!¡± She could hear Alphonse whimpering. Perhaps they were in the same room together. ¡°Sister Mariette. I¡¯m scared. What if sister Blanche dies like this?¡± Mariette answered him as if she was reassuring herself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alphonse. Blanche is a tough girl. And she can¡¯t die now! If Blanche dies like this, who will pay off our family¡¯s debt?¡± At that moment, the Marquis roared. The Marquis himself had the same thoughts as Mariette but he did not show it. ¡°Mariette! That isn¡¯t the problem right now! Your sister is dying!¡± Mariette¡¯s voice trembled in response. It was as if she was shocked that her father had scolded her. ¡°Dad¡­? Are you yelling at me now?¡± Instead of answering to the quivering voice, the Marquis grabbed the unconscious Blanche¡¯s hand. The Marquis begged in an earnest voice. ¡°Blanche. You have to endure this time too. Please, don¡¯t die like this.¡± However, despite the warmth of his hands, the cold hate within Blanche¡¯s heart did not decrease. That is why, within the darkness, she simply waited for her body to recover. ¡®When will I get better? Can I check the status window even when I am unconscious?¡¯ She was about to give up halfway when the status window appeared. Blanche was shocked when she checked her status window. [Blanche Marquette LV 01 Age ¨C 17 / Female Health ¨C 8/50 (Lesser Witch¡¯s Healing Potion in use) Mana ¨C 5 Fame ¨C 10 Morality ¨C Error Stress ¨C 320] The morality stat that was previously covered in black has changed. It was in words, not numbers. Morality ¨C Error. Blanche didn¡¯t know what it meant. * * * Did he just turn 20? He had short curly red hair and his face looked like it had not yet bloomed into that of a young man but neither was it child-like. Even in the swaying carriage, the man, with a slender physique and broad shoulders, emanated dignity. He was truly a man as beautiful as a rose grown with care in a luxurious greenhouse. Moreover, even if his green eyes were distorted with worry, it only made him look like a pitiful beauty. Nothing on him could ever look like a flaw. It was within reason why the rumors of the Imperial Princess and the general fighting over possessing him had been running rampant. His name was Pierre Marquette. The older brother of Mariette, who was rumored to be the most beautiful woman on the continent, the heir to the Marquis Marquette family, and the genius of the century. At last, Pierre¡¯s carriage passed through the front door of his beloved home. At the same time, Alphonse, who was squatting in the front yard and pulling out innocent grass, was the first in the family to know of Pierre¡¯s return. The boy ran towards the carriage at the front door of the mansion. ¡°Brother Pierre!¡± Alphonse ran to Pierre, who just got off the carriage, and hugged him. Pierre erased the sad expression on his face and held his youngest brother in both hands. Alphonse hung from his neck with all his might. He gave his little brother a strong hug. ¡°Our youngest! You¡¯ve grown up a lot since I last saw you. I heard the news. They said you¡¯ve recovered from your illness?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Alphonse mumbled in embarrassment, Pierre whispered to his brother. ¡°The letter from grandfather said that you were pretending to be sick.¡± ¡°Ugh! That¡¯s¡­! Brother Pierre. Are you disappointed in me too?¡± At his question mixed with worry and anxiety, Pierre smiled with caring eyes. ¡°No way. Actually, this is a secret from Father but I think Alphonse is very smart. How in the world did you come up with such a clever idea?¡± ¡°Heh heh. I knew it, you¡¯re truly the best in the world.¡± When Alphonse, who smiled brightly, rubbed his head in his arms once more, Pierre carefully scolded his younger brother. ¡°Thanks. But next time, Alphonse, don¡¯t lie to your family like that. During that time, I thought you were really sick and I was very worried.¡± With that, Pierre¡¯s footsteps moved forward. He greeted all the maids and servants who came and greeted him. Alphonse, still in his arms, asked. ¡°Brother. Where are you going?¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m home, I have to say hello to Father.¡± ¡°But Dad must be in a bad mood right now because of Sister Blanche¡¯s actions.¡± How did you know that? Pierre stopped and stood still. ¡°No way. Is dad still unhappy with Blanche?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But that¡¯s not the only reason Dad feels bad. You know, brother. Sister Blanche got poisoned.¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about? Tell me in detail, Alphonse!¡± At Pierre¡¯s urging voice, Alphonse was about to tell him everything he knew, but tears began to flow. ¡°Brother. What if Blanche dies at this rate?¡± Pierre put his brother down in the hallway and carefully wiped Alphonse¡¯s wet eyes. ¡°Shh. It¡¯s okay, Alphonse. Blanche will be fine. So don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Pierre gently stroked his brother¡¯s head, who nodded his head vigorously. At the same time, the butler, who heard the news of Pierre¡¯s return home, quickly approached the eldest son. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Long time no see. Grandpa.¡± Pierre happily reached out his hand to the butler. The butler, who looked thrilled, wrapped his hands around them and shook them enthusiastically. ¡°You¡¯re still in the middle of the academy semester. What brings you here?¡±¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it because my mind was filled with Blanche. Grandfather, will you tell Father that I have returned home?¡± ¡°Yes. I will do that. Please wait for a moment in the drawing room on the first floor, Master.¡± By the time the butler returned, Pierre had told Alphonse that Blanche had been crippled. He also found out that it had been ten days since Blanche was poisoned and lost consciousness. * * * Pierre could not hide his astonishment at the appearance of the Marquis. It was very far from the image of his father in his memory. How could his father, who was always so organized, be this messy? Pierre barely opened his mouth as he stared at him, puzzled at the fact that the red hair, same as his own, was tangled with grease. ¡°Father¡­?¡± Just then, the Marquis, who had been drinking strong alcohol from a bottle in front of the fireplace in the study, looked back. ¡°Pierre. My son!¡± After being emaciated due to lack of sleep, he hugged his eldest son as hard as he could. Pierre had no time to hide his sadness at his father¡¯s attire, which seemed to have been at least three days old. In an instant, the Marquis released him and grabbed Pierre¡¯s arms. He was hoping that his own desperation would be conveyed to his son. Pierre asked with concern at his father¡¯s earnest eyes. ¡°Father. Are you okay? You don¡¯t look too good.¡± ¡°I am fine. I should be fine¡­ I almost lost my daughter twice¡­ If I have any sense of shame I should be okay¡­ Even if that kid tried to commit suicide because she didn¡¯t have enough, my daughter was poisoned and almost died in my own house. I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± The Marquis¡¯ regret was reflected in his eyes which were bloodshot. It had been ten days since Blanche lay ill due to the poison. During that time, he struggled with regret and lamentation in every moment. ¡°Pierre. I thought I was a strong person. But I am not. I have never been so disappointed in myself in my life.¡± Seeing the tears welling up in the Marquis¡¯ eyes, Pierre could not offer any words of consolation. So the Marquis repeated the belated regrets. However, the Marquis still did not consider the neglect and violence inflicted on Blanche as an abuse. He thought it was ¡®a little strict discipline¡¯ to teach his lacking daughter. He simply took on the role of ¡®a caring father who tried to teach his sick daughter but failed¡¯. Unable to speak, the Marquis covered his forehead with both hands and shed silent tears on his rough cheeks. In the end, even Pierre comforted the Marquis. ¡°Father. Blanche will be fine. That child is the one who survived a fall from the third floor. Our Blanche is strong.¡± ¡°I wish I did too. I hope so too¡­ I keep thinking of your dead mother. Oh God! If Blanche dies like this, how will other people view our family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Father. Our late mother would be sad if she knew that Father thinks like that.¡± While the Marquis was suffering from grief he looked up at his dependable grown-up son. ¡°You are so reliable, Pierre. Thank you.¡± Pierre smiled bitterly. ¡°You should sleep a little. When Blanche wakes up and sees Father now, she might be shocked and faint again, thinking a ghost appeared.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was that bad.¡± ¡°Come on, Father. I¡¯ll take you to the bedroom.¡± Even though he quietly followed his son, he could not hide his little regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If only I had succeeded in business¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Father. The family¡¯s failure was due to the recession, not Father. You know it too.¡± Needless to say, Pierre, who told a white lie, didn¡¯t feel very good. ********** CH 8 * * * After confirming that the Marquis was asleep, Pierre met Mariette, who was anxiously walking down the hallway waiting for him. It was obvious from the expression on her face, she was also not in a very good state. Mariette grabbed Pierre and hugged him. ¡°Brother Pierre!¡± ¡°Mariette!¡± In Pierre¡¯s arms, Mariette sniffled as she spoke. ¡°I heard from grandfather. He said you came here because you were worried about us?¡± Actually, he was more worried about Blanche, but it seemed that his words that were delivered had changed. He did not dare to correct his sister¡¯s misunderstanding. Mariette burst into tears. ¡°Brother. I am so upset!¡± As he had done with Alphonse and the Marquis, Pierre, once again, unwaveringly appeased his sister. ¡°Shh, Mariette. Do not cry. It¡¯s okay. Everything will be fine¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not okay! What if Blanche dies here? If she dies, who will repay the debt to Count Juan?¡± He couldn¡¯t stand those malicious words. A chilling aura leaked from Pierre. ¡°¡­ Mariette. Let¡¯s not talk about this in the hallway, let¡¯s move.¡± After looking around for a moment, Mariette led Pierre. ¡°Brother is right. We can¡¯t let the servants know. This way.¡± The two moved to a nearby gallery. In the room that had become empty because of their debt, Mariette pleaded. ¡°Brother Pierre. How about borrowing money from the Imperial Princess? Brother and the Princess go to the same academy!¡± Pierre looked glum. ¡°I will never talk about that with the Princess. We are friends, and we do not beg for money from friends.¡± ¡°Is that important right now?! Think carefully, Brother! Why does Brother have to work for that d*mn Count Juan after graduating from the academy? A man so great that he was scouted by the Empire! Besides, do you think the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hire someone who worked for Count Juan? What are you going to do if you can¡¯t become the Minister of Foreign Affairs like Father wants you to?!¡± Pierre waved his hands and wrinkled his eyes. ¡°Stop it. Mariette. It¡¯s hard to listen to your grumbling right now.¡± ¡°Grumbling? Do my words only sound like grumbling to you?¡± The annoying voice immediately made him as tired as the Marquis. Pierre snapped back, looking sick and exhausted. ¡°When Blanche tried to commit suicide twice, what did you¡­¡± Mariette immediately screamed. ¡°Were you praying it was suicide? You still don¡¯t know? All this must have been the work of Count Juan! That crazy old b*st*rd dares to covet me without knowing who I am!¡± Pierre unknowingly clenched his teeth. ¡°Mariette, are you really worried about Blanche? Or are you just concerned that instead of Blanche, you will have to marry Count Juan?¡± ¡°¡­ Both!¡± ¡°Well, it looks like the latter to me.¡± She let out a smirk. Mariette was disgusted by Pierre¡¯s hypocrisy. ¡°Brother is always like that. You always make me look like I¡¯m the bad child.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know what? Oh great Brother Pierre? Blanche remembered it.¡± Pierre¡¯s face hardened at her meaningful words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What else could I mean?¡± With a sneer, Mariette replied. Pierre instantly felt a headache. She whispered in a bright voice. ¡°Brother is also an accomplice! Both Brother and I are the reason Blanche¡¯s legs are like that!¡± It happened one fall when the twins were nine years old. At that time, Pierre, like Mariette, hated seeing Blanche. It was terrible having a disabled person in their family and they considered her a flaw. Then one autumn day. The family went on a vacation to a local villa, and, unable to resist their father¡¯s threats, the siblings took Blanche to various places in the forest. When it was time for the most awaited snack of the day, her brother and sister decided to play a little prank. Mariette had Blanche sit on a mossy stone, then her eyes shone with malice as she spoke. ¡°Blanche. If you stay here and behave until we get back, we¡¯ll play with you tomorrow!¡± ¡°Huh, but m-my snacks¡­¡± Pierre cut off Blanche¡¯s words because he didn¡¯t want to hear her stutter, even with such short words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll bring yours when we get back. So wait patiently here. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The young Blanche nodded her head silently. The siblings returned to the villa and had a fun day eating their sister¡¯s share of snacks. However, Blanche, who they thought would come back on her own over time, did not return even after a day or two. In front of their parents who were worried about Blanche, the siblings kept their mouths shut until the end. They were scared that they¡¯d get in trouble for leaving their sister in the forest. Will it be a relief? Three days later, the Marquis¡¯ Knight found Blanche. The little child wandered through the forest in search of her brother and sister who did not return, then fell off a hill and broke her leg. From then on, the third child of the Marquette family started walking with a limp. * * * Pierre, who exchanged accusations with his younger sister, could hardly shake his gloomy feeling. Before he knew it, the sky had turned red as if it was being engulfed in fire. Pierre went to his room in the East wing and then turned around, moving to the West wing. He wanted to apologize to the unconscious Blanche. He thought, ¡®I should have sent letters more often¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t have the right to say anything to Mariette. Feeling the regret accumulating in his throat again, step by step, he cautiously headed towards Blanche¡¯s bedroom. He witnessed such a shocking scene. He could see Blanche¡¯s back as she stood upright at the edge of the balcony of her room! In an instant, he remembered that Blanche had attempted suicide. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me this time too!¡¯ ¡°Blanche!¡± Blanche turned around at his urgent voice. ¡°Brother Pierre¡±? The color of his face, looking at his younger sister, turned white as if he would faint at any moment. Tears as clean as dew fell on Pierre¡¯s neat cheeks. He cried and begged. ¡°No. I was wrong, Blanche. So¡­ So don¡¯t think about bad things anymore. Please, yes¡­?¡± After a while, an even more surprising thing unfolded before Pierre¡¯s eyes. Blanche was slowly walking towards him! And without wobbling even a little bit! She laughed lightly. ¡°My brother is really back. Welcome home, Brother Pierre.¡± Only then was Pierre able to loosen his tight jaw and let out a relief that was similar to crying. ¡°Blanche! Your¡­ Legs! How¡­!¡± ¡°Yes. It just happened.¡± For a moment, Pierre, who had lost strength in his knees, slumped to the floor and sat down. Blanche gently patted Pierre as he wept loudly. Pierre cried so desperately that she could hardly let her brother go from her arms. Of course, useful tools should be kept. * * * [Blanche Marquette LV 01 Age 17 / Female Health 50/50 Mana 5 Fame 10 Morality Error Stress 210] Before Pierre came, Blanche had gotten out of her bed after checking her status window one more time. She almost died from poison ten days ago. ¡®I¡¯m glad that the [Lesser Witch¡¯s Healing Potion] was helpful.¡¯ As it was an item of a lower tier, the effect was slow and she had to lie in bed for a long time. And somehow, she didn¡¯t die. In the midst of the twilight, Blanche made a promise as she stretched her legs. ¡®Originally, I was going to leave the day before the wedding and get revenge, but now I can¡¯t. Unless I¡¯m dead, the criminal will try to kill me again. So before that, I have to leave this house.¡¯ Blanche vowed then took out the [World Map] from her inventory. ¡®First of all, in order to escape from my father¡¯s influence, I have to leave the Lupinus Kingdom. I also can¡¯t go to the Empire because of brother Pierre. And, getting fake identification is difficult. I will also need to find a place where women can find a job. In addition, it would be nice to have a place where I can protect myself from the monsters that will pour out from the dungeon 7 years later.¡¯ was a nurturing dating simulation game with RPG elements. One day, the continent was suddenly in a state of chaos when monsters and dungeons appeared. The female protagonist receives a revelation from heaven and saves everyone. The chaos of the world is only an element to make the female protagonist stand out. No matter how many extras died, as long as the heroine was alive, it would not affect the progress within the game¡¯s story. The most important person in this world is the female protagonist, not the extras. And the most important thing is who the female protagonist will choose as the male protagonist. ¡®So, as an extra, I need to level up. I¡¯m in danger and there¡¯s no man to save me. However, since I received the [Tutorial Box], I can at least level up.¡¯ Players of can increase their level with experience points by solving quests or catching monsters. But right now, there were no monsters to catch, and the main story had not yet begun. In other words, she didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d be able to go through the main story unless she was a player, specifically, the female protagonist. ¡®Dungeons will appear in this world from early spring next year. The monsters pouring out of the dungeon will come out seven years after the game¡¯s story begins.¡¯ In a few years, the continent will be engulfed in chaos and civil wars will continue to repeat. Only then can the female protagonist become the hero of the continent and decide the male protagonist. ¡®The best ending will happen when you choose Brother Pierre as the Emperor. Because Brother Pierre is the founding contributor and the lover of the female lead who will raise him to the Emperor¡¯s position.¡¯ She clicked her tongue and excluded the Kingdom and the Empire where the main male leads would live from the new starting point. Good looking men. The male protagonists will belong to a group that would fight because of the appearance of the dungeons. Unlike the main characters, for Blanche who was an extra, it was enough for her to be safe alone. Maybe this was an effect of the morality error. ¡®Then there¡¯s only one place I can go.¡¯ A place where you have to get out of the Lupinus Kingdom and pass through a Southern Kingdom. A place where there is no extraterritorial jurisdiction. The lawless city of Digitalis. Digitalis was the first place to find peace amidst the chaos of dungeon occurrences. ¡®Although that peace was achieved with money and violence.¡¯ That was where the villain of the game, Ricardo, lived. Ricardo Giotto Digitalis. A cruel man who rose to the top of the Giotto family by killing his biological father at the age of 18. He usurped the sole throne of a lawless city at 22 and swept half the continent with a monster army at the age of 30. The enemy of the heroine, the executioner in this world who does all evil things and condemns the good. But he is also the protagonist of the hidden ending. ¡°Ricardo should be 15 by now.¡± CH 9 ***** Blanche looked around her cramped room in the twilight. Her bedroom was the smallest of the rooms on the second floor. Still, it had quite a big bed, and there was a dressing table and a sink. Blanche thought. ¡°These do not suit me. I want a better one.¡± Better than Mariette¡¯s greenhouse, dresses, or jewelries, the Marquis¡¯ daughter. She will have wealth, and of course, fame and power. She will make sure no one treats her recklessly again. ¡°To do that, I have to stick with the female lead. But I don¡¯t want to go to the heroine right now. It¡¯s like buying and struggling.¡± The answer came sooner than expected. She will stay quietly by the villain, Ricardo¡¯s side, then when everything is settled, she will go to the heroine Anastage and betray him. Then the rest of Blanche¡¯s life will be peaceful. While the room was burning in the light of the sunset, Blanche slowly stood in front of the balcony door. An empty balcony was visible through the window. Disappointed with her family, falling off the third floor on her own felt like a distant past. The cold air clung to her skin. ¡®Now all that¡¯s left is to decide when and how I will leave this house.¡¯ Blanche wouldn¡¯t go straight to Digitalis, but she thought she should level up first. There are no monsters, so she¡¯ll have to go through the normal quests though. ¡®But at what time¡­ Ah!¡¯ She had a good idea. There is a way to effectively increase her level in a short time! Blanche became more relaxed and her worries disappeared in an instant. Surely using that option, there would be no problem raising her stats. It was time for her to enjoy the sunset balcony. A familiar voice behind her called out her name urgently. ¡°Blanche!¡± ¡°Brother Pierre?¡± Blanche turned around and Pierre was really there. He was pale and looked like he would faint right away. Dew-like clean tears streamed down his sleek cheeks. ¡°No. I was wrong, Blanche. So¡­ So don¡¯t think about bad things anymore. Please, yes¡­?¡± Suddenly, a great idea flashed through Blanche¡¯s head. Blanche showed Pierre that her legs were healed. Pierre, who burst into tears in an instant, ran to her and hugged her. Blanche held him face to face and thought calmly. ¡®In the future, Pierre will present a hidden item to the heroine.¡¯ As his concept was a generous character, he presented the heroine an heirloom as a gift. ¡®A unique item that doubles the experience. [White Sand Bracelet]. I should have it. The [White Sand Bracelet] is now in the mansion¡¯s treasury, so I¡¯ll use Pierre to get the [White Sand Bracelet].¡¯ Blanche waited for Pierre¡¯s weeping to subside before trying her luck. ¡°Brother. Do you think I should sacrifice myself for the family?¡± As the darkness fell over the siblings¡¯ shoulders, Pierre slowly pulled away from his younger sister. However he only stuttered like a broken clockwork doll and couldn¡¯t answer aloud. Since Blanche¡¯s marriage had already been decided, he knew that whatever he said at this moment would hurt his sister. ¡°Blanche. I¡­¡± ¡°Shh. It¡¯s okay, Brother. I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡± Pierre felt his tears, which had just subsided, rise again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s me who should be sorry. If I had known this would happen, I would have asked the Princess for help from the beginning. I¡¯ve been arrogant, I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to marry Count Juan. I¡¯m sorry, Blanche. My little sister¡­ I¡¯m so sorry to you.¡± Blanche had a pitiful expression on her face, but in her head, she was busy calculating more coldly than anyone else. ¡®So that¡¯s what happened. Because of the nature of the Marquis, once he asks for money, he¡¯ll keep asking for more in the future, so you blocked it from the very start.¡¯ She gently stroked her brother¡¯s wet cheek. At this moment. She had become a natural scammer. ¡°My brother. You¡¯re so soft-hearted, how will you survive under that notorious Count after graduation?¡± Pierre nodded and shook his head. ¡°Now is not the time to worry about me, Blanche. You¡¯re supposed to marry such a Count!¡± ¡°I know. What do I do now¡­?¡± At Blanche¡¯s despondent smile, Pierre apologized what felt like a hundred times. So it wasn¡¯t strange when the following words came out of Blanche¡¯s mouth. ¡°Brother. If you¡¯re truly sorry, will you grant me one wish?¡± ¡°Say it. Whatever it is, I will try my best.¡± ¡°Actually, I want to go into the treasury.¡± ¡°The treasury?¡± When Pierre tilted his head at the unexpected request, Blanche answered timidly, as if embarrassed. ¡°My older brother and older sister often went in and looked around when they were young, but since I was a child, I was not able to enter the treasury. Because there are many precious things there. The thought that I won¡¯t be able to enter up until the moment I leave the family made me want to take a look at least once.¡± The Marquis did not hesitate to discriminate, fearing that she would destroy the family¡¯s treasures. At the time, young Pierre and Mariette shrugged their shoulders at this discrimination. As the shameful past came to mind, Pierre blushed involuntarily. His sister, who will soon get married to the Count, only had this wish. His heart broke. ¡°Okay. I will get the keys from Father tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes. I trust you Brother. And Brother Pierre. There is one more thing I want to ask you.¡± ¡°What?¡± For a brief moment, Blanche laughed bitterly. ¡°I want you to keep it a secret from father and sister that I can walk. Obviously, both of them will be upset.¡± Indeed. To marry the third child who miraculously became normal to an old man over 80. If the Marquis knew, he might become an alcoholic. Pierre asked, rubbing his bloodshot eyes with tears. ¡°Blanche. Don¡¯t you hate us?¡± Her hesitant lips soon confessed in a light voice. ¡°How can I hate my family? To hate you¡­ You¡¯re my family.¡± Drip. Tears shed on Pierre¡¯s white and immaculate cheeks again. Pierre was pretty when he cried. Before the game was released, he was dubbed ¡®The character I want to cry the most¡¯ by the female employees. * * * The next day, the Marquis came to Blanche himself with the key to the treasury. He burst into tears as Pierre told him the story when he came looking for the key to the treasury. ¡®It¡¯s the only thing I can do for my daughter who is getting married to such a tr*sh.¡¯ So the Marquis stood with Pierre in front of the second daughter with red eyes. Pierre looked ridiculous, because when the Marquis cried, he also cried. The two looked like a pair of crucian carps. The Marquis handed the key directly to Blanche¡¯s hand who was seated in a wheelchair. ¡°Go on, Blanche. This is the key to our family¡¯s treasury.¡± Blanche smiled happily at her father¡¯s belated kindness. For now, in order to stab the Marquis in the back, she will play the ¡®good daughter¡¯ as much as needed. ¡°Thank you. Father. And forgive me for being sensitive lately. The wedding is just around the corner, so I was nervous. I¡¯m sorry, Father.¡± The Marquis cried at her sullen expression as she apologized. ¡°No, Blanche. You have nothing to apologize for.¡± That was true. But it¡¯s not like she could be honest. She shook her head, making up a soft smile. ¡°No. I am a bad child.¡± ¡°Blanche¡­¡± Pierre filled the gap where the Marquis hesitated. He knelt down in front of the wheelchair and carefully held his sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Blanche. After visiting the treasury, why not have a picnic in the greenhouse? The weather is so nice today even though it¡¯s winter, it would be a waste if we do not make the most of it.¡± Blanche could see through Pierre¡¯s heart at once. ¡®It seems that the treasury is quite empty. I see that they¡¯re being considerate of me in case I get upset because there probably isn¡¯t much to look at.¡¯ In her memory, the treasury was about 1800 square feet in size and was filled with various kinds of gold and jewels. ¡®If you could clean out a place like that, it would be because of sheer incompetence.¡¯ Although she was clicking her tongue inwardly, Blanche continued acting until the end. ¡°Really? I¡¯d be happy to. Oh. Will Father go on the picnic with us?¡± ¡°Of course I will. Since you¡¯re so obedient, I will spend all my time by your side today, even if it gets late.¡± Pierre¡¯s eyes brimmed with emotions at the sight that he could not have imagined. But Blanche¡­ ¡®I wish this soap opera would end now so they can take me to the treasury as soon as possible.¡¯ ¡­ That was what Blanche thought. Fortunately, Blanche didn¡¯t have to wait too long. Pierre said while sniffling. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Blanche. Let¡¯s go see the treasury.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Pierre, I¡¯m going to push Blanche¡¯s wheelchair.¡± ¡°Yes. Father.¡± Blanche smiled brightly as her eyes met the Marquis who was about to stand behind her. The Morality Error was a big help in acting. ¡°Father. I¡¯m very happy. My father is spending time with me for the first time in a long while.¡± But what¡¯s going on? Why is the Marquis saying this all of a sudden? ¡°Blanche. From now on, you can call me ¡®Daddy¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°Hmmm. I don¡¯t know about Pierre since he¡¯s a grown up now, but Alphonse and Mariette still call me ¡®Daddy¡¯.¡± It was an absurd thing to say. She couldn¡¯t have been more agitated from this. ¡®What the hell are you talking about now?¡¯ Hiding the tremor in her body, she acted, using a soft voice with all her might. ¡°¡­ No. Father. I¡¯m going to be a Countess soon. Count Juan wouldn¡¯t want his bride-to-be to behave like a child.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I didn¡¯t think that far.¡± Pierre, who saw through his father¡¯s regrets, urged his youngest sister. ¡°Blanche. Don¡¯t do that, you can call Father ¡®Daddy¡¯ even now. You used the word ¡®father¡¯ more often than ¡®dad¡¯ when you were young.¡± That was indeed the truth. However, it was according to the orders of the Marquis. Fearing that he would be criticized for raising a spoiled little daughter, he put special effort into Blanche¡¯s etiquette education from an early age. At that brief moment of embarrassment, Blanche saw through the heart of the Marquis without difficulty. ¡®I¡¯m going to be a Countess soon, and now I¡¯m a useful daughter, so you¡¯re going to improve our relationship.¡¯ Holding back her desire to grind her teeth out loud, Blanche pretended to be careful and opened her lips. ¡°Da¡­ddy?¡± The Marquis¡¯ face filled with a warm bright light. Seeing this, Blanche¡¯s heart felt like it rotted away at once. ¡®I should have noticed it from the moment the house went bankrupt. This man has been crazy for a long time!¡¯ ********** CH 10 But she only said this in her heart. Blanche made eye contact with the Marquis¡¯ green eyes identical to herself and smiled. But soon after, she was faced with an even more disturbing sight. A happy smile hung on Pierre¡¯s lips as he watched them. With a desire to pass out immediately, Blanche continued her forced smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Da¡­ddy.¡± Then the wheelchair moved. Unlike the usual, the three of them chatted and looked so friendly that others would probably say they look really good. Until Mariette showed up. She stood guard in front of the treasury at the end of the East wing on the second floor. She must have been waiting for the three of them. Mariette greeted her with a bright smile. ¡°Here you are. Dad. Brother. Blanche.¡± [System/ Mariette is hostile towards you.] Unexpectedly, the Marquis faced the first daughter with a rather stiff expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mariette?¡± ¡°Dad too. What¡¯s going on with you suddenly being like this with your family? Isn¡¯t that right, brother?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Mariette froze. It was a reaction as if a rich man who she met for the first time spoke vulgarly to her. But Mariette was Mariette. In that brief moment, she adjusted her expression and smiled sweetly. ¡°Blanche. Did you know what brother Pierre and I talked about? Even if you pretend you don¡¯t, I still feel bad.¡± Mariette¡¯s gaze turned to the Marquis. ¡°Actually, I had a small fight with brother yesterday. Isn¡¯t that right, brother Pierre?¡± Pierre¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Was it a small fight?¡± ¡°Okay. I will apologize first.¡± Mariette apologized, as if she didn¡¯t want to waste her time over useless things. Pierre¡¯s eyebrows narrowed even more. The Marquis clicked his tongue because he didn¡¯t like these siblings arguing. ¡°What the hell did you fight about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Pierre widened his eyes unknowingly and glanced at Blanche. He couldn¡¯t explain it clearly. Then Mariette nonchalantly spoke her lies. ¡°Recently, I haven¡¯t sent a letter to brother. I think older brother is mad at me Dad.¡± The Marquis shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s your fault, Mariette. I¡¯ve said it before. When I was still attending the Imperial Academy, the only time I could breathe was when I received letters from my family.¡± ¡°Yes, I remember. Thanks to you, I have fully repented on my mistakes. So, brother Pierre. Will you accept my apology?¡± Not only the Marquis, but also Blanche¡¯s gaze reached Pierre. He nodded his head reluctantly. ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Mariette smiled brightly as if she was relieved. But her smile was only meant for the Marquis and Blanche. ¡°How fortunate I am that my brother accepted my apology. After all, it is better to settle disputes within the family quickly. Isn¡¯t that right, Blanche?¡± It was only then that Blanche realized Mariette¡¯s intentions. ¡®You¡¯re telling me to apologize first.¡¯ Blanche was dumbfounded and even laughed. ¡®How can you use such shallow methods? Do you think I¡¯ll make up with you?¡¯ Blanche pretended not to know, then turned to the Marquis. ¡°Daddy. I want to open the door to the treasury myself.¡± At the word ¡®Daddy¡¯, the Marquis¡¯ mouth hung open. ¡°Of course. If that¡¯s what you want. Mariette. Step aside for a moment so that Blanche can open the treasury¡¯s door.¡± ¡°¡­ Of course. Dad.¡± With a strangely sharp tone, Mariette slowly retreated to the side. With the help of the Marquis, Blanche was finally able to insert the key to the treasury. Click. The sound of the door unlocking was heard. As the Marquis pulled Blanche¡¯s wheelchair back, Pierre opened the thick and heavy door to the treasury. [T/N: I think I¡¯ll be dreaming of the word ¡®treasury¡¯ tonight. XD] Through the open door, Mariette was the first to enter. ¡°Oh my gosh. A lot has changed here, too.¡± The treasury was so desolate that you could hear Mariette¡¯s disgusting voice echo. Embarrassed, the Marquis coughed and pushed Blanche¡¯s wheelchair into the room. Once upon a time, the treasury was filled with gold armors, porcelain from the East and gold coins and jewels that were piled up like a mountain. But now, there was barely anything left. Mariette frowned, as if the sight made her upset. ¡°Dad. I don¡¯t know what the hell Blanche will be able to see.¡± ¡°Well, why are you here?¡± At the sharp tone of the Marquis, she put on a gloomy expression. ¡°I heard from grandfather. He said you¡¯re having a picnic in my greenhouse later? That¡¯s too much, Dad. Why didn¡¯t you invite me to such an event?¡± Uhumm! Concealing his displeasure, the Marquis coughed. ¡°¡­ Neither you nor Alphonse was invited.¡± ¡°Yeah, Alphonse has to study, so of course you shouldn¡¯t invite him. But Dad. I can¡¯t go to the academy because I¡¯m a girl, so it¡¯s only natural that you should have invited me to the picnic!¡± Afterwards, the Marquis sighed at his eldest daughter¡¯s whining. ¡°Today is not for you, but for Blanche, Mariette.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like I¡¯m going to eat Blanche.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you? In fact, didn¡¯t Blanche attempt suicide that day because she decided to marry in your stead!¡± The Marquis was also a person who is used to blaming others for everything. Instead of blaming the poor Blanche and himself, he blamed Mariette. Mariette¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t know why someone who thinks so highly of Blanche isn¡¯t selling the mansion, Dad!¡± Blanche intervened in the squabble. ¡°Please stop it. I didn¡¯t say that I wanted to visit the treasury just to see something like this.¡± In fact, Blanche didn¡¯t even have the heart to get involved in their fight. But the Marquis is the one who will push her wheelchair, and his eldest daughter is arguing with him in the treasury! In the very same room where the [White Sand Bracelet] that Blanche wants to steal is being kept! Blanche forced the corners of her lips up. ¡°Father. Please stop. Why don¡¯t you tell me about the treasure that once filled this room? I already know, but I want to hear directly from Father what kind of stories our family had.¡± [T/N: She switches back to ¡®Father¡¯ here] As the affectionate voice of his second daughter replaced the ear-scratching first daughter¡¯s voice, it made the Marquis happy. ¡°Blanche. If you want, I will tell you ten times, no, even a hundred times.¡± Thus, the Marquis told the stories to the siblings that went all the way back to their great-grandfathers. Finally, the explanation of the Marquis arrived at the [White Sand Bracelet]. ¡°-And this is the [White Sand Bracelet]. It belongs to the first Marquis Marquette. Did you know? The first Marquis¡¯ wife was a princess of the desert kingdom.¡± The bracelet was designed in the form of a cuff bracelet that wrapped around the wrist generously. In addition, the engraved exotic patterns with embossed colors even sparkled in a milky color. ¡°Here, try it on, Blanche.¡± At the suggestion of the Marquis, she naturally wore the bracelet. [White Sand Bracelet] [A bracelet made by compressing star sand in the desert. It was made in the now-lost ancient kingdom.] Mana +400. Stress -200 + Double experience. + Poison resistance effect. + Curse resistance effect. + Inventory increased by 20X10] Blanche literally widened her eyes. She knew that the item could increase the experience points, but she did not know that it had poison and curse resistance and that it would also increase inventory space. ¡®It¡¯s a gift that Pierre will use to woo the female lead.¡¯ Blanche felt a surge of desire she didn¡¯t even know existed. It was when Blanche looked at the bracelet under the sunlight that Mariette suddenly intervened. She got testy, perhaps because she seemed to have lost her place. ¡°Blanche. That¡¯s enough, give it to me. I want to try it on too.¡± ¡°No. Sister must have worn it a lot when she was young.¡± ¡°Blanche is right. Mariette. Just for today, yield to your sister.¡± At the firm tone of the Marquis, Mariette pouted her lips as if displeased. But she couldn¡¯t act like she used to. Blanche quickly turned the topic around. ¡°Dad. I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you for a while, but what is this engraving mural on the wall?¡± ¡°Oh, that is-.¡± The Marquis answered all of Blanche¡¯s trivial questions with sincerity and without hesitation. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t notice that Blanche had not returned the [White Sand Bracelet] back in place. But Mariette and Pierre were different. The two remembered that Blanche had not returned the bracelet. Also, the fact that the [White Sand Bracelet] disappeared from Blanche¡¯s wrist at some point. The brother and sister thought at the same time. ¡®Blanche was definitely holding the [White Sand Bracelet]¡­¡¯ Mariette and Pierre secretly glanced around the empty room. The brother and sister could not find the [White Sand Bracelet] even after the four of them left the treasury. However, the difference in reaction between the siblings was heaven and earth. Unlike Pierre who chose to stay silent, Mariette¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®This is my chance to knock Blanche down a peg! Besides, if they find out that she stole the heirloom, Dad and Brother won¡¯t stand for Blanche any more!¡¯ With a smile, she vowed that as soon as the sun rises the next day, she will go find the Marquis. Not knowing that Blanche already knew her own dark thoughts through the system. Early morning before dawn. Blanche secretly stepped out into the hallway. She easily sneaked into Mariette¡¯s room. Blanche, who grew up watching Mariette, knew that she was a heavy sleeper. Blanche slid the [White Sand Bracelet] in the drawer of Mariette¡¯s dressing table. ¡®An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. I will repay malice with malice.¡¯ Thus, Blanche¡¯s perfect crime began. That same morning. Mariette, unaware of Blanche¡¯s plan, visited the Marquis early in the morning. ¡°Actually, I spent the whole night thinking about whether or not to tell Dad about this. But Dad. No matter how much I think about it, I think Dad should know!¡± Mariette accused her younger sister of stealing. After denying Mariette¡¯s testimony, he only believed his eldest daughter after checking the near-empty treasury. The Marquis, who was blinded, immediately ordered the butler to search Blanche¡¯s room. Not long after, the butler appeared in the family drawing room on the 3rd floor along with the [White Sand Bracelet]. The Marquis trembled with a face that could not hide the feelings of betrayal. ¡°Blanche really¡­¡± But the butler shook his head. ¡°No, this bracelet is¡­ I found it in Lady Mariette¡¯s room.¡± There was silence in the drawing room, enough to hear a needle dropping. The Marquis repeatedly wiped his exasperated face, swallowing annoyance and anger. Pierre closed his eyes as if he had seen a terrible sight, and young Alphonse clicked his tongue. However, Blanche, who planned this situation, quietly stared at her twin sister. CH 11 Having received everyone¡¯s gazes at the same time, Mariette, who was paler than ever, shook her head vigorously. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. I really didn¡¯t!¡± Mariette cried out desperately, but no one believed in her innocence. [System/ Mariette¡¯s stress increases.] Even the butler, who loved Mariette like a granddaughter, criticized her harshly. ¡°But, Lady Mariette. The [White Sand Bracelet] was found in Lady¡¯s dressing table.¡± Mariette, who was rolling her eyes in contemplation, turned the arrow of reproach. ¡°Blanche! It¡¯s you, right? You ordered someone to hide the [White Sand Bracelet] in my room!¡± But Mariette¡¯s behavior was not because she realized that Blanche was the culprit. Like the Marquis, Mariette had a habit of blaming Blanche unconditionally when something bad happened. At Mariette¡¯s cries, the Marquis glanced at the butler. Although unlikely, it was to confirm if Mariette¡¯s claim was true. The butler shook his head. The Marquis scrambled and scolded Mariette. ¡°Mariette! What kind of accusation is this to a child who can¡¯t walk?! Apologize to Blanche right now. Right now!¡± Mariette¡¯s eyes quickly reddened at the unfamiliar feeling of being scolded by her father. She refuted the injustice. ¡°It¡¯s not me, Dad! I didn¡¯t do it!¡± But no one in the parlor took Mariette¡¯s side. They didn¡¯t believe her. They just looked at Mariette pitifully. As Mariette¡¯s shoulders shrank helplessly, Blanche rubbed her temples and muttered in a tired voice. ¡°Dad. I¡¯ll just go back to my room. I¡¯m tired of staying awake, perhaps because my body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet.¡± The Marquis ordered the butler. ¡°Butler. Please take Blanche to her room.¡± Pierre stood up. ¡°No, Father. I¡¯ll take Blanche. Father still needs to talk to Mariette alone. Alphonse. You come too, you¡¯ll need to study soon.¡± ¡°I was just about to go.¡± The ten year old boy took a deep breath and couldn¡¯t shake off his resentment as his gaze fell on the crying Mariette. Blanche intentionally left a sad greeting. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Dad.¡± ¡°Rest comfortably, Blanche.¡± The Marquis, who responded to his exhausted daughter, was as kind as how he had treated Mariette in the past. It was to the point where Mariette looked stunned. Mariette was so upset that she felt like she was about to go crazy. * * * Neither quickly nor slowly, Pierre took Blanche to the bedroom. While he knew well that her legs were fine, Pierre still carried his sister directly to the bed, not showing any signs of being disconcerted. They were the only ones in Blanche¡¯s bedroom. He added more firewood in the fireplace in consideration of Blanche who was sick. It could have been a sincere act. But, instead of thanking her brother, Blanche narrowed her eyes, trying to guess his intention. It was because a while ago, in the family drawing room on the 3rd floor, the system window revealed Pierre¡¯s thoughts. It was still the same now. [System/ Pierre suspects you] Maybe this was an expression of his guilt? He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of bringing up his concerns until the end. Pierre asked kindly, wiping his hand that had touched the poker while controlling the fire in the fireplace. He was still smiling. ¡°Blanche. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all good. Thanks for asking, Brother Pierre.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to my room.¡± ¡°Yes. See you at lunch later, older brother.¡± As Pierre was about to leave the room, he hesitated for a moment. ¡°Yes, but¡­ Blanche¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± After hesitating for a while, he finally blurted out his words. ¡°Nothing. Don¡¯t worry about it. I was mistaken.¡± Pierre smiled bitterly and turned his shoulder. But then, his broad and firm back flinched at Blanche¡¯s sudden confession. She admitted it to Pierre, who was just about to leave the room, as if it was nothing. ¡°Yes. I brought the [White Sand Bracelet] to sister¡¯s room.¡± Pierre¡¯s footsteps stopped as he was about to leave the bedroom. Pierre turned around, hesitating, like a watch in need of repair. He looked very confused. ¡°Why did you¡­?¡± Blanche, staring straight into the quivering green eyes, confessed the truth. ¡°Because I want to run away from this house. So before that, I wanted to splash a cold drink on sister¡¯s face. You know it well, brother. How sister Mariette treated me in the past.¡± If I accidentally hit the back of the head with a hammer, would it look like that? Pierre ran his hand over her astonished face. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Blanche fired one last confession to confirm her kill. ¡°Brother. I¡¯m not going to get married for my sister.¡± At the unexpected words, Pierre stuttered, his jaw trembling. ¡°But Blanche. If you don¡¯t accept this marriage we will¡­¡± Blanche snorted as if she heard a joke. A cold expression could be seen on her face. ¡°You know it too, brother. Even if we have the same face, the Count doesn¡¯t want me.¡± Blanche¡¯s cold voice continued. ¡°Does brother also think that I should make sacrifices for the older sister who crippled me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Oh! Did I ask something I shouldn¡¯t have? Yes. Older brother is also an accomplice, so from the very beginning, whatever happens to me wouldn¡¯t matter, right?¡± Pierre¡¯s lips were glued tight at his sister¡¯s sarcasm. The next moment, Blanche moved her legs and got out of bed. Between conscience and pity, Pierre looked more pathetic than ever. ¡°Blanche. You don¡¯t know. How earnestly I prayed to God. Ever since your accident, there was never a single day that I was at peace!¡± But she was still silently blaming her brother. Pierre clenched his trembling lips and looked down at her feet. ¡°Look, Blanche. You no longer stutter, you don¡¯t limp. You are finally back to normal! Don¡¯t you see? God has answered my prayers¡­!¡± A strong sense of determination could be felt from Pierre. Blanche pointed at Pierre¡¯s heart and stabbed it using her index finger. ¡°Brother. Wake up. God didn¡¯t heal me.¡± ¡°Blanche¡­?¡± Watching his graceful face sweat, she declared the truth. ¡°I healed myself.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± As if facing a large blazing fire, Pierre backed away without realizing it. Blanche held his cheeks with her cold hands. ¡°Pierre. If you want to be freed from the guilt of breaking my leg, ask forgiveness directly from me, not from God.¡± In an instant, Blanche saw his reason dissipate. That¡¯s why she could spit out her next words with such a strong tone of voice. ¡°If you want me to forgive you, just once, give your all to me, just like you did to God!¡± * * * When the [White Sand Bracelet] was found in the dressing table drawer, Mariette was forbidden to leave the mansion. She was furious because the Marquis had her banned from going out as a punishment. The Marquis resolutely shook his head despite Mariette¡¯s pleas because she would not be able to meet the Third Prince. In fact, she was secretly looking forward to seeing the Third Prince come see her in this situation. So Mariette wrote a letter to the Third Prince. Well, three days had passed after that. She bit her nails involuntarily in nervousness. ¡®What? Why is there no reply from the Prince?¡¯ In the past, whenever Mariette sent him a letter, the Third Prince would reply within two days. ¡®But the reply is so late¡­¡¯ In an instant, the quarrel she had with Blanche in the past flashed before her eyes. [¡°I have a question. If the Third Prince and you really are that close, then why doesn¡¯t the Prince ever come to our house? Even if the relationship between the two of you is a secret, shouldn¡¯t the Prince visit Father and say hello to him at least once after your wedding?¡±] With an ominous feeling that was creeping up from the tip of her toes, Mariette could not hide her concerns while receiving a foot massage from her maid. Mariette, half lying on her couch, involuntarily clicked her tongue in annoyance. This made the lady-in-waiting in front of her shrink even more due to anxiety. [T/N: There are two maids, one was massaging her feet and the other is the one being referred to here.] Seeing the maid¡¯s distressed look, Mariette naturally thought of Blanche before the accident. She didn¡¯t feel good. ¡®All my life, you¡¯ve been begging in front of me.¡¯ ¡®These days, the girl who has been begging me her whole life, seems to no longer know her place.¡¯ The brown-haired maid, who was massaging Mariette¡¯s feet, skillfully read the mood of her lady. The maid urged the other lady-in-waiting on behalf of her master. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell us sooner why you came to see her? Does our Lady Mariette look so idle in your eyes?¡± The lady-in-waiting fell to her knees, contemplating as if she would faint at any moment. Then she divulged an unexpected secret. Surprised by the maid¡¯s words, Mariette asked. ¡°What are you talking about? Blanche can walk?¡± The maid trembled with her fear, shedding tears. ¡°Literally. My Lady. Lady Blanche can walk. I saw it with my own two eyes!¡± ¡°You. Can you take responsibility for that?¡± The maid put her palms together and begged. ¡°Yes. I can take responsibility for it. So Lady, please, get Fleur out of the basement! If we leave her like this, my friend Fleur might die in a few days!¡± The way she looked was unusual, so the maid pleaded to Mariette again. Unsurprisingly, Mariette ferociously raised her eyes and looked at her. ¡°Very well. If Blanche can walk just like you said, I¡¯ll save your friend and let her out of the basement.¡± ¡°Thank you, my Lady! Thank you so much!¡± The maid shook her head with joy, but Mariette was busy grinding her teeth. Right this moment. The deception of her twin sister was confirmed. ¡®Blanche! Blanche herself hid the [White Sand Bracelet] in my room!¡¯ She felt her forehead burn red with anger. Mariette stood up from her seat and ordered. ¡°I¡¯m going to see my dad right now. Dress me up more delicately than usual. And you there, maid.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Find out what Blanche is doing right now. As soon as I¡¯m done dressing up, I¡¯ll go with my dad to confront her!¡± ¡°Yes, my lady!¡± While the maid left to scout, Mariette changed into a dress with a calm and elegant atmosphere that the Marquis liked. Her make up was light as if she had none on her face. After all, the Marquis¡¯ little daughter was beautiful enough to show off to others bare-faced. As she was about to finish changing, the maid who returned, hesitated and opened her lips. ********** CH 12 ¡°M-My lady. I think you¡¯ll have to wait for a bit. Lady Blanche had just left the mansion with Young Master.¡± ¡°What? Blanche went out?¡± It was no wonder why Mariette was surprised. The Marquis only allowed Blanche to go out once or twice a year. Needless to say, it was because Blanche was a shame for the family. The maid murmured. ¡°Yes. However¡­ No, nothing.¡± Mariette reacted sensitively. ¡°What do you mean nothing? You just hesitated. If you¡¯re hesitating, that means it is not nothing. Tell me. What is it?¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s strange ¡­ .¡± ¡°What is?¡± The maid who hesitated softly spoke. ¡°The bedding disappeared from the second lady¡¯s bed. When I went there, only the mattress was left. The reason why this is weird is¡­ I washed and dried the bedding for Lady Blanche yesterday.¡­.¡± After hearing those words, an ominous feeling ran through the back of Mariette¡¯s head. ¡®No way¡­!¡¯ She didn¡¯t have any more patience left in her. She ran straight to Blanche¡¯s room, clutching her dress with both hands. It didn¡¯t take long for her quick steps, which were close to running, to cross the hallway. In comparison to her own room, Blanche¡¯s bedroom looked like a stable. Mariette began to search. The brown-haired maid who had followed her, asked. ¡°My lady. Shall I search the room too? What should I look for?¡± ¡°What to look for? We¡¯re here to find what¡¯s missing! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes? But I don¡¯t know much about Lady Blanche¡¯s belongings.¡± ¡°You¡¯re frustrating!¡± Mariette clenched her teeth. ¡°Check if there¡¯s anything she took that can be used when running away! Hurry!¡± Her prediction was correct. There was no comb in Blanche¡¯s dressing drawer, no towels and soap in the sink, and no blankets on the bed, as her maid said. Mariette made a face that looked like she was on fire. ¡°No! We have to stop her!¡± She ran straight to the Marquis¡¯ office. Mariette exclaimed as she slammed the door to the office without greeting or announcing her visit. ¡°Dad! Blanche ran away!¡± The Marquis let out a deep sigh as he looked at Mariette breathing on his shoulder. He looked severely irritated as he swept his hand over his forehead. ¡°Mariette. Why are you so immature? Are you accusing that poor girl again? Huh?!¡± Mariette¡¯s shoulders trembled involuntarily as the Marquis shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not accusing her! No, this time, this time it¡¯s real!¡± Clicking his tongue, the Marquis looked at the documents on his desk again. Ssk Ssk Ssk The sound of the pen writing on the document made Mariette scream, out of resentment. ¡°Dad! You have to believe me! You have to trust me this time!¡± ¡°I must have raised you wrong.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Stop it, Mariette! Blanche didn¡¯t run away. She went on an outing with Pierre to the downtown area!¡± ¡°No, Dad! Daddy was tricked! We¡¯re about to be kicked out to the streets!¡± The Marquis was so upset that he even got a headache. ¡°Mariette! Watch your words! Who would dare throw us to the streets¡­!¡± Fearing that the servants would hear the argument, the Marquis stood up without speaking and closed the door to his office. Holding the hem of the Marquis¡¯ sleeve, Mariette implored. ¡°Dad! Listen to me. I came to check on her. There are no blankets in Blanche¡¯s room. The comb and towels are gone. Besides, I asked her maid and she said all her undergarments were gone too!¡± Only then did the Marquis listen to Mariette¡¯s words. But he still found it hard to believe his first daughter. First of all, Blanche could not walk. At that moment, Mariette exclaimed as if she had read her father¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Dad! Blanche¡¯s maid says she can walk! She walks very well on her two feet!¡± ¡°¡­That can¡¯t be. Besides, Blanche went out with Pierre.¡± Mariette shrugged at the embarrassed look of the Marquis. ¡°What if brother is helping Blanche?¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± Mariette clenched her chest in frustration. She lifted her head at the thought that came like a thunderbolt. ¡°Dad. Check the key to the treasury! Quickly!¡± The daughter¡¯s impatience must¡¯ve been contagious so the Marquis opened the safe. He breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You must be wrong, Mariette. Come on, look. Isn¡¯t the key to the treasury here? ¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Dad? Why?¡± The blood slowly drained from the Marquis¡¯ face. ¡°Why is the key that I clearly put in the bottom compartment on top¡­?¡± There was no need to explain further. The Marquis took the treasury key out of the safe and ran out of the office. The Marquis, who was sprinting across the hallway at full speed, bumped into a maid and caused her to fall. But he had no time to check on the maid. He was in such a hurry. As he made haste, the Marquis stood in front of the treasury. The hand of the Marquis was urgently opening the door. As he turned the knob, grunting, the Marquis checked the items inside the treasury, trying to search for what¡¯s missing. The [White Sand Bracelet] that was taken from Mariette was gone. * * * It was a night with a full moon. A carriage was galloping at full speed on a bumpy forest road outside the capital city. Twenty or so Marquis¡¯ Knights and the Marquis of Marquette himself were on its tail. Pierre, who was sitting on the driver¡¯s seat and driving the carriage himself, urged the horses that looked tired over and over again. ¡®Just a little longer, just a little bit more!¡¯ He sped up the carriage, not knowing that someone was biting their tongue over and over again in the rattling carriage. It was because of the fact that every time she heard the Marquis¡¯ muffled shouts behind them, her heart raced even faster. ¡°You punks! Get me there right now!¡± In the end, the Marquis, unable to overcome his anger, fired his musket into the air. Taang-! That was then. Srrrp! Snap! One of the front wheels of the carriage could not endure the rough forest road any longer and broke away. The carriage quickly leaned to one side and then overturned. Pierre¡¯s figure, who was sitting on the carriage and driving a horse, flew in the air. The Marquis screamed as he saw his son¡¯s body collide with a tree in the forest. ¡°No! Pierre!¡± The sibling¡¯s carriage stopped only after it was completely broken. He didn¡¯t know what in the world happened but the Marquis put the empty musket behind his back. The Marquis then hurriedly got on a horse. When he stopped the horse, the Knights following him stopped as well. They found Pierre lying on the ground as if he was dead. Amidst the silence of everyone holding their breath, an unknown Knight shouted. ¡°Marquis! Look at the Young Master¡¯s chest! He¡¯s breathing! He must be alive!¡± ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± He ran to his son thanking God repeatedly. Meanwhile, the Knights pounded the overturned carriage and shouted. ¡°Lady! Lady Blanche, are you okay?¡± The Marquis¡¯ stepped away from his son, whose chest fluctuated wildly in front of him. The Knight Commander was checking Pierre¡¯s wounds. ¡®I¡¯m glad Pierre is alive. But what about Blanche?¡¯ When a carriage flips over, the person inside is prone to death from breaking their neck or their skull. The Marquis froze and walked towards the wrecked carriage. He groaned as he felt sick to his stomach and was about to vomit with worry. ¡®What if Blanche died? No. If Pierre is alive, so will Blanche. She must be alive¡­¡¯ ¡°Open the carriage door¡­ Hurry!¡± ¡°But the door is locked from the inside, Marquis.¡± ¡°Then break the door! Do I even have to tell you this?! Break the carriage door and get my daughter out!¡± The Marquis shouted so loudly that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if his eyes popped out. Bang! Bang! While the Knights smashed the door, the inside of the carriage was as quiet as death. Blanche¡¯s bright red hair was clearly visible through the window. At some point, thick tears were dripping down the rough cheeks of the Marquis. ¡°Oh, Blanche. You must not die. You can¡¯t die¡­ How am I supposed to pay off our family debt when you die?¡± The Marquis wept with fear and loss. Around that time, the Knights finally broke the door. Silence. The Marquis shuddered with his eyes closed. He covered his eyes with his wrinkled, trembling hands. ¡°H-How¡­ is she? Is my daughter dead?¡± ¡°Uh, Marquis, it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Come on, tell me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Miss Blanchett!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The Marquis lowered the hands that were covering his face and ran to the front of the carriage. Segolene, wearing a half-peeled red wig, waved her hands struggling. ¡°You¡¯re working late at night, Marquis.¡± ¡°What the hell is this¡­?¡± Pierre limped and approached the Marquis, who was speechless, from behind. Pierre¡¯s arms, legs, and even his right forehead were broken and blood was flowing. He said. ¡°Father. Blanche is gone.¡± ¡°W-What¡­!¡± When the Marquis realized he had been playing on the palms of his son and daughter, he trembled in anger and turned to face his son. But when he saw the injured face of his eldest son, he couldn¡¯t be angry anymore. With a face stained with sweat, dirt and blood, Pierre smiled brightly. ¡°She¡¯s going to live her life now, Father.¡± * * * It was the morning before the Marquis set pursuit. He looked at the treasury and was convinced that Blanche had run away. After fainting for a short while, his head was filled with anger to the brim. The Marquis, who had locked the treasury again, went down to the mansion¡¯s first floor at an unusually slow gait. ¡°Butler! Butler!¡± ¡°Yes. Marquis. Did you find it?¡± The butler appeared with haste at the call of the Marquis. The Marquis asked, whose face was fuming with anger. ¡°Where is the destination of Blanche and Pierre? No, not that. Immediately send someone to each checkpoint in the capital to find out which gate the Marquis Marquette¡¯s carriage passed through. Go!¡± Less than three hours later, it was revealed that the family¡¯s carriage had passed through the West gate. The Marquis growled like a beast. ¡°If you go through the West gate and ride a horse for a day, you will reach the port city. Blanche wants to board a boat from there!¡± So the Marquis hurriedly prepared about twenty knights, and loudly left the mansion in search of Blanche. For this reason, even after the Marquis left, the commotion in the mansion did not subside. They couldn¡¯t believe it. The gentle Lady Blanche ran away from home! ********** CH 13 The employees of the mansion, regardless of age or gender, were busy talking about Blanche¡¯s rebellion. So no one knew that one of the maids, who had her head bowed down so low, escaped the mansion. They didn¡¯t notice that this maid was none other than Blanche. Leaving the capital like that, Blanche never looked back. * * * [System/ level 195 has been reached.] [System/ level 196 has been reached.] [System/ level 197 has been reached.] [System/ level 198 has been reached.] [System/ level 199 has been reached.] It was a nice afternoon. Blanche, sitting at the corner of a wagon loaded with alcohol, looked dryly at the texts piled up one after the other like a tower. The sweet taste of the [Experience Apple] she just ate lingered on the tip of her tongue. Finally, she was ready to head to the lawless city of Digitalis. She did it. It had only been a month since she ran away. Blanche had reached level 199. Even in her situation where she couldn¡¯t catch monsters or break the main quest. This was a trick that only the woman who knew information about could use. After she ran away, she first raised her level to 25 with a hidden quest. She also collected [Experience Apples] like crazy. [Experience Apple] was a hidden item that randomly increased experience points by at least 500% and up to 2,000% immediately upon ingestion. In addition to that, Blanche also receives the effect of doubling the experience points with the [White Sand Bracelet]. So, in the blink of an eye, she reached level 199. In addition, the hidden quest where you can get [Experience Apples] made a lot of gold, enough to make Blanche¡¯s pockets quite heavy. Thanks to this, Blanche met the space travel wizard, who is hard to find, like a friend. * * * Blanche entered Digitalis wearing a gray hooded cape. She safely arrived in front of Lilies and Bread, one of the Giotto family¡¯s businesses. The sound of the winter breeze passing through the signboards randomly placed on the street could be heard. It was the sound of a bullet hole in the signboard. Blanche turned on the status window while looking at the experience bar, which was a bit lacking to reach level 200. Thanks to the system in which one random stat goes up when leveling up, Blanche¡¯s Health was well over 200. This was because her bonus stat was Health. [Blanche Marquette LV 199 Age 17 / Female Health 248/248 Mana 405 (White Sand Bracelet effect applied) Fame 10 Morality Error Stress 0 (White Sand Bracelet effect applied) Remaining stat points: 198] Stat points are surplus points that can be invested in each stat as points that are generated whenever the level rises. You can also buy merchandise from special shops through the mascot with it. ¡®If my stamina is 248, it¡¯s overwhelmingly stronger than most men.¡¯ In addition, the level of an ordinary person who is not an Elementalist, goes between 1 and 15. ¡®Great. I am now ready to meet Ricardo.¡¯ Blanche pressed the hood down once more and entered the gambling room. When she entered the room, the first thing that greeted her was shouts everywhere, the smell of fishy sweat, and the smell of disgusting filth. Is it because the dungeon by-product market has not yet been established? This was what she felt when she first entered Digitalis. Compared to , the city of gold and vice that appeared in the original work, this place was shabby. Also, the distinction between downtown and non-residential areas were clear. Blanche looked around the inside of the store measuring about 1700 square feet. First of all, it wasn¡¯t unusual to even see what¡¯s happening at several tables that filled half the store. Dice gambling, card games, smoking, arm wrestling¡­ A situation that cannot be said to be healthy is the same for the rest of the store. There was a square ring, and bodies fighting inside it. Two men who took off their shirts were doing their best to grab and beat each other. Even though blood spat out and teeth flew away with a single punch, the people around the ring were busy shouting. Instead of stopping them, they were cheering for the players to kill their opponents, whilst holding crumpled tickets. They were all fanaticals as if they had a screw loose. Suddenly, someone gently wrapped Blanche¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey, lady. Is it your first time here?¡± He was a man in his late 40¡¯s, with a wrinkled face and dark blonde hair that reached his shoulders, dripping with oil. Blanche bended his thumb that touched her shoulder like kneading a dough. She slammed his smelly face into a nearby pole. ¡°Ack!¡± The man¡¯s screams blended into the atmosphere of the crowded and promiscuous gambling hall. No one cared about what he was going through. Blanche replied without blinking an eye. ¡°Right. It¡¯s my first time. So I just needed a guide.¡± ¡°Wait, Let me go for a second¡­!¡± Blanche didn¡¯t even listen to him. She checked his status window. [Jack LV 5 Age 47 / Male Health 70/70 Mana 10 Fame 47 Morality 0 Stress 275] With a Health stat similar to that of a mere ten-year-old Alphonse, she recklessly broke one of Jack¡¯s thumbs. ¡°Aahhh!¡± A loud scream like a pig¡¯s squeal went up in the air, but again, everyone was so busy with what they were doing that they didn¡¯t even pay attention to the two. No, to be precise, there were people who looked at them with interest, but they didn¡¯t seem to want to stop Blanche. Jack begged and held his runny nose. ¡°I-I was wrong! Save me!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. If you can answer my question.¡± ¡°Hiic!¡± Blanche asked him, who was terrified. ¡°I came to find Ricardo from the Giotto family. Where is the boy now?¡± Then Jack slammed and shouted, banging his hand on the pillar on which his face had been buried. He was desperate as if he found a lifeline. ¡°Here! Someone is looking for the child of the Giotto family! Someone is looking for the boss¡¯ eldest son!¡± The noise in the store subsided as if the waves that had been raging calmed down. Only after the chaos in the room subsided, a skinny man in his early sixties stepped forward. It was an old man with a lot of scratches on his glasses. [Sylvano LV 6 Age 61/Male Health 90/90 Mana 60 Fame 47 Morality 10 Stress 132] The man wearing glasses asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± Blanche¡¯s voice became a little polite, thinking that it might be Ricardo¡¯s acquaintance. ¡°My name is Blanche. I came here to be part of the Giotto family.¡± In the middle of the silence, suddenly, someone burst out laughing. ¡°A kid like you who looks like he hasn¡¯t hit puberty wants to become part of the family? Besides, what kind of madman gives his son a fancy name like Blanche?¡± Some people agreed with that statement. It seemed that none of them thought that Blanche, who defeated Jack, was a woman. [T/N: So the sentence regarding puberty is actually a bit more literal but I changed it a little because it felt off when translated. Since they assumed she¡¯s a guy, they¡¯re making fun of her voice that hasn¡¯t matured yet.] She said, ¡°What matters is what I can do for the family, not my name.¡± Sylvano asked. ¡°So why are you looking for Ricardo?¡± It was then that Blanche regretted that she had brought up Ricardo¡¯s name too easily. She said reluctantly. ¡°I will see him myself and tell him.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not the one sent by Count Juan.¡± Blanche raised an eyebrow at the familiar name. A number of muskets and crossbows were aimed at her. [System/ The Giotto family are hostile towards you.] Starting with someone¡¯s terrible screams, people rushed out of the gambling hall like a wave. Now, only Blanche and the Giotto family of about twenty people were left in the room. She was still nailing Jack¡¯s face to the pole. Sylvano shot her a gloomy look and commanded. ¡°Leave Jack alone. Rookie.¡± Blanche, who looked at Sylvano and Jack alternately for a moment, clicked her tongue and let Jack go. Sniffing like a child, Jack ran towards the gang. Blanche made an excuse as she slowly lifted her hands palms forward into the air. ¡°If I had known he was a member of the Giotto family, I would have been careful.¡± ¡°Rookie. Don¡¯t be cocky. Jack is just an apprentice.¡± As Jack returned safely to the gang, Sylvano waved his hand in the air. The weapons that were aimed at Blanchet dropped to the ground. Sylvano said with dignity. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything else, but I¡¯ll acknowledge your guts. Ok, rookie. Starting from today, you are now a fighter for the Giotto family, a Soldato.¡± [T/N: Soldato: First official level in the Mafia hierarchy] ¡°You can decide that yourself?¡± When Sylvano was about to answer, Jack, still weeping from the pain of his broken thumb, intervened. ¡°Consilieri! That guy can¡¯t be Soldato! It¡¯s a b*tch!¡± ¡°What?¡± When Sylvano¡¯s teeth were horribly distorted, Blanche clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ve been beaten by a b*tch yet you were quiet this whole time?¡± Sylvano immediately took one of his men¡¯s crossbow and aimed it at Blanche. ¡°Take off your hood, b*tch.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°I told you to take it off.¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult for Blanche to picture what would happen if the situation were to continue. There¡¯s a reason why she wore a grey hood after she ran away from home. With a deep sigh, Blanche finally took off her hood. Not surprisingly, the Giotto family fell in love with her beauty at once. ********** CH 14 Silence descended. Let¡¯s look back at the rumors about Mariette, who had the same appearance as Blanche. There was a rumor that a bird on the hunting ground stopped flying and crashed because of Mariette¡¯s beauty, or that a Knight who participated in a jousting tournament fell in love with Mariette and was disqualified for failing to move his horse. No one could confirm about the former, but the latter story was true. In the Lupinus Royal Palace, when Mariette passed by, everyone would be busy looking at her, young and old, with their necks bent as she walked by them. Because of this, the more time passed since she ran away, the more Blanche realized the destructive power of her beauty. So, she cut her long hair short, exactly opposite of what a noble young lady would do. But when her face was this pretty, no matter what style of hair she had, they would still stop to admire her beauty. Blanche couldn¡¯t help it so she brought a drab gray robe to cover her face. She had to do it this way because she didn¡¯t want to attract unwanted attention. Sylvano, who had been doubting his own eyes for a long time, coughed in vain. ¡°Hmmm. Miss. We do not accept women as members of the organization. So be on your way. If you go now, I¡¯ll let you go unharmed.¡± Blanche¡¯s eyes narrowed. From the moment she revealed her face, the tension was gone and she didn¡¯t like the cluttered atmosphere. ¡°I won¡¯t listen to you. Call Illia.¡± Sylvano became infuriated as she called the Boss¡¯ name like a neighborhood dog. He beckoned into the air. All the crossbows and muskets aimed towards her again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Lady know how to count?¡± ¡°Well. Maybe I do. However¡­¡± Blanche, who was stretching her words, suddenly punched the table near her with her fist. Kwaang! The table, which was broken as easily as splitting a biscuit, fell on the floor with a loud noise. The men who were surprised by Blanche¡¯s beauty had no choice but to be surprised by her strength once more. Blanche snorted. ¡°I think I have more power than all of you combined.¡± The eyes of the gang, who were at a loss for words, gathered on Sylvano. After thinking for a moment, he nodded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let you meet Boss as you wish. Follow me.¡± * * * Sylvano took her through a dizzyingly winding alley to a two-story red-brick house. Compared to the mansion where Blanche was born and raised, the building Sylvano guided her to was shabby and narrow. This house was already considered to be pretty good as one was rarely found in the poor residential environment of Digitalis. Anyway, she entered the Giotto family¡¯s house and was led to a conference room. First of all, the conference room was more cramped than expected. Besides, there were no windows to avoid being attacked, so it was stuffy and dark. Also, although there were many sofas in the conference room, they were old and their designs were not uniform and were unsightly. However, Blanche liked the fact that the old sofas were made in a rectangular shape without a base, and that there was only one sofa covered with a bear skin on top. She also didn¡¯t like that there were wooden boxes piled up on the walls on all sides as if mimicking a bookshelf. She didn¡¯t know what was in the dusty boxes, whether they were filled with alcohol, cigarettes, jerky, or unknown documents. Second, it was dirty. Blanche reluctantly looked at the rugs in the conference room with cigarette ashes scattered everywhere. ¡®No matter how objectively you look at it, it doesn¡¯t look like an oasis for an organization that will rule Digitalis in 7 years. At a glance, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ Around that time, Sylvano introduced Blanche to Illia. ¡°Illia. This woman wants to become part of the family and came to me.¡± Was he in his late twenties now? Or early thirties? Illia was a man with wheat-colored hair that half covered his neck and ice-blue eyes. He was a handsome man with stunning eyes and beautiful lips. The atmosphere around his body was as sweet and kind as the spring breeze, and the cravat on his pure white shirt that tightly wrapped around his neck gave him a stoic atmosphere. Just by looking at his face, no one would think that this man was a criminal boss. He looked like a Young Lord who grew up in a good family. Blanche checked his status window. [Illia Giotto LV 30 Age 35 / Male Health 170/170 Mana 100 Fame 356 Morality 7 Stress 487] Surprisingly, like Alphonse, Illia was a gifted man. Although he was a little lower level than Alphonse, he was a spirit warrior. ¡®His Fame is 356. Is there a class where your Fame rises by increasing the level?¡¯ But the numbers were ambiguous regarding that. Furthermore, considering that Mariette, who was at a lower level, had a considerable reputation, fame might be a relatively easy stat to increase if one was famous. ¡®What do I need to worry about? After all, he will be killed by Ricardo within three years.¡¯ A world where it becomes easier to become stronger by raising the level after the dungeon appears. When such a world comes, this man will be murdered by his own son. In other words, Illia was not that important, Blanche thought. Ilya turned his back on Blanche with a smile as impressive as his face. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t seem to have been swayed by her beauty. Illia pulled out an unbranded bottle of wine from one of the wooden boxes in the room. Still not looking at Blanche, Illia opened the bottle. ¡°Beauties are always welcome, but since when did we take women as colleagues, Sylvano?¡± ¡°Did you hear that, Blanche? Leave while we¡¯re still being nice.¡± ¡°No.¡± Sylvano tightened his jaw in response to the impudent answer and glared at her with bitter eyes. Unavoidably, Blanche opened her mouth again. As if she was being generous. ¡°I don¡¯t want¡­to.¡± Sylvano rolled his eyes and waved his hands in the air. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy! I was trying to be nice!¡± Illia, who had already turned his back and watched the scene, grinned and headed for the chair covered with bearskin. He sat comfortably in the chair and even tilted the bottle. ¡°Hey, miss. Since you were born so beautifully, don¡¯t waste your life in a place like this, and leave Digitalis. Tourism is enough, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll even attach an escort if you want. Oh yeah. You¡¯ll have to pay for it though. We are not philanthropists.¡± Huh, Blanche replied back with a languid voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one who was born pretty, right?¡± He didn¡¯t know he would hear these words from her, so a brief glimpse of surprise flashed across Illia¡¯s face. But Blanche didn¡¯t like this. Especially his eyes that were looking at her as if he was watching a child act cute! Blanche¡¯s mouth slowly opened. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to put me to work, that¡¯s fine. You can do that. But let me meet Ricardo.¡± ¡°Ricardo. Who is that?¡± Blanche lashed out at him as he pretended not to know while flaunting his pretty face. ¡°Your first son.¡± ¡°Do you know the boy?¡± ¡°I know him, but I don¡¯t think he knows me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Illia stared at her as if observing, raising his chin at an angle. After a while. He got up from his seat and walked over to Blanche. Suddenly without notice, Illia took Blanche¡¯s hand. Fortunately, the hand he was holding was not the one wearing the [White Sand Bracelet], so she decided to exercise patience for a while. So Ilya observed Blanche¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty hand. It¡¯s a very fine hand with no calluses or scars. Like a noble lady. That¡¯s weird. No noble lady like you would live near here.¡± After observing, Illia politely let Blanche go. But he could not retrieve his hand. In the blink of an eye, Blanche had his wrists clamped. As time passed, the smile on Illia¡¯s face disappeared. Even so, Blanche gave strength to her hands little by little. As if to ridicule him, she let go of his thumb. ¡°I asked you to call Ricardo.¡± Illia¡¯s eyes flashed at the words that sounded like a threat. ¡°I am not a parent who introduces my son to unknown women.¡± Unable to break Illia¡¯s wrist, Blanche clicked her tongue and threw his wrist into the air. Despite the red handprints on his wrist, Illia chuckled. He even seemed pleasantly surprised at her unexpected actions. ¡°Okay. Miss. I will bring you into the family.¡± Surprised, Sylvano refused. ¡°Illia!¡± As if to refute, Illia waved his hand once. ¡°But only if the young lady successfully passes the test.¡± Blanche raised one corner of her mouth with a confident expression. ¡°I will pass whatever it is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good attitude. Miss. Your name?¡± ¡°Blanche.¡± ¡°Blanche. That¡¯s Snow White¡¯s name. It suits you very well.¡± After nodding his head once, Illia gave Sylvano an order. ¡°Consilieri. Send Blanche to Mario. Considering the hardships we¡¯ve been through over the past two years, shouldn¡¯t we at least send this much?¡± She didn¡¯t know who Mario was, but it was clear that it was a tricky name. Otherwise, there was no way Sylvano would groan like he was suffering from a toothache. Sylvano nodded his head reluctantly. ¡°I get it.¡± Then Sylvano beckoned to Blanche. ¡°Follow me. I have something to prepare before you go.¡± ¡°Before that, there is something I want to confirm.¡± She stared intently at Illia. Illia asked. ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°If I pass the test, will I be able to meet Ricardo?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Then Blanche nodded her head as if satisfied. Although it was satisfactory, her expression was close to being expressionless. Illia shouted a toast, holding the bottle behind her as she left the room with Sylvano. ¡°For our new fighter!¡± [System/ Illia doesn¡¯t trust you.] * * * After leaving the conference room, Sylvano gave Blanche an old corset and a bright red dress. Reluctantly accepting them, Blanche tilted her head involuntarily. ¡°Wearing something like this to fight?¡± Sylvano answered with a look of indifference. ¡°Yes. Women should. That¡¯s the rule. If you don¡¯t like it, leave the city right now.¡± ¡°Where can I change my clothes?¡± Sylvano sent her to a guest room with one old bed. She couldn¡¯t wear the corset by herself, so she only changed her dress, hiding the corset in her inventory. CH 15 Blanche, who was wearing the wretched red dress as if it were a sackcloth, came out of the room and stood in front of Sylvano. ¡°I¡¯m all dressed up.¡± He guided Blanche with a stiff face. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two left the mansion. Blanche only briefly answered Sylvano¡¯s questions from time to time, but she never spoke first. They arrived in front of a three-story mansion made of white marble in a black wagon that looked like it could be used for moving bodies. The mansion they arrived at was the family house of the Scusa family, the influential Eastern power. The carriage stopped in front of the main door of the mansion with the sunset as its background. A man who looked too brutal to be called a footman opened the door of the carriage and checked the occupants. As if it was a natural order, his gaze rested on Blanche. Sylvano spoke, as he pulled up his glasses, towards the bewildered footman. ¡°Tell Mario that Sylvano of the Giotto family has brought the gift of peace.¡± Blanche could only read the situation after being guided to the drawing room with Sylvano. She raised an eyebrow as she felt the two men standing guard at the drawing room door looking at her. ¡°So am I the bed-warming fighter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late to regret it, little girl. Now you can¡¯t turn back.¡± Despite his heavy and gloomy voice, Blanche still had expressionless eyes. ¡°I have no regrets. I¡¯m not even scared. Because I am such a fighter. Am I not?¡± Sylvano looked at her reaction suspiciously, it didn¡¯t make sense no matter how much he stared. But he soon nodded his head indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m glad you know. Remember, Blanche. As you said at the casino, what matters is what you can do for your family.¡± ¡°Yes. I will sacrifice this body and deliver certainty.¡± Sylvano swallowed the words that had risen to the top of his throat at her confident speech. He felt pity towards Blanche. ¡®If you become family like this, you will only be used in the same way next time. Tsk tsk.¡¯ Perhaps the news had come that a beautiful woman who could open the eyes of the blind had come, the proud Mario appeared faster than usual. [Mario Scusa LV 17 Age 49 / Male Health 170/170 Mana 20 Fame 521 Morality 16 Stress 0] ¡°Now who¡¯s this! Isn¡¯t that Sylvano?¡± ¡°Long time no see. Mario.¡± Sylvano bowed his head coldly, making up a pleasant smile as if it was painted. Mario looked at Blanche up and down with lustful eyes as he was greeted by Sylvano. ¡°Who is this lady?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift from the boss. It¡¯s a commemoration of the end of our war.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since that foreign guy prepared something right. How old are you, lady?¡± ¡°I am seventeen years old. Mario.¡± ¡°You¡¯re young. Very good.¡± Mario lightly grabbed Blanche¡¯s hand and kissed her fingertips, like an octopus sucking a straw. Blanche looked at him without raising an eyebrow. Mario stood next to her. He nonchalantly wrapped his arms around Blanche¡¯s waist and pulled her towards him. Mario giggled. ¡°Sylvano. Tell Illia. If it continues like this in the future, our peace will last for a decade, no, a hundred years. Ha ha ha!¡± So Sylvano returned to the family house, leaving Blanche behind. * * * Eight hours had passed before Blanche returned. When she returned to the family house, Sylvano was already sleeping. When he was forcibly woken, he felt his sleep run away as if he was splashed with ice water. And it wasn¡¯t because of his age. Bang! Blanche stared at Sylvano. A corpse was thrown onto the sofa table in the living room where they were alone. It was the body of Mario, the boss of the Scusa family. Mario¡¯s neck was mercilessly broken, shaped like the letter ¡°A¡±. Blanche looked at Sylvano who appeared as if his soul had left his body. She was wearing a neat black dress, then whispered like a butterfly flapping its wings. ¡°The pillar was very weak. This man. Oh. I was talking about the pillar in the neck.¡± A war in which the Giotto family surrendered to the Scusa family after two years of indecisive battle. At this moment, that painstakingly achieved peace was shattered. [System/ Sylvano¡¯s stress is increasing.] ¡°Are you, are you crazy-?!¡± Sylvano let out an ear-shattering scream. Blanche let out a silent sigh. As if Sylvano was weird. ¡°Why are you angry?¡± ¡°Oh, my God. From the first time I saw you, I knew that you were a b*tch because of your hair, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d mess things up this much!¡± Surprised, Sylvano¡¯s mouth gaped open. ¡°You know what you did?! You broke the peace treaty now! You turned the Giotto family¡¯s honor into rags!¡± There was a sound of wind coming out of Blanche¡¯s mouth. ¡°Honor? That¡¯s weird. From what I know, honor belongs to the strong.¡± Sylvano¡¯s face heated up as if it would explode if poked. He was so angry that his shoulders were trembling. ¡°How dare you! You can¡¯t even follow a simple order! Get out. Leave the city right now! You will not be part of the Giotto family!¡± As if dissatisfied, she pulled her lips tight. ¡°Who are you to decide that? Move. I need to meet Illia. Where is Illia¡¯s room?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Blanche moved. Sylvano, unable to bear it any longer, pulled out a butterfly knife from the inside of his pajamas. He swung his knife aimed at Blanche¡¯s stomach. ¡°Get lost. Right now.¡± It was strange. Even when the cool cut of flesh flowed with blood, Blanche remained calm. No, that wasn¡¯t all. She glanced down at the cut in front of her own belly and in an instant, held the hand that gripped the handle of the knife. In the blink of an eye, the knife was flipped the other way. As if it was natural, the tip of the knife Sylvano was holding headed towards him. The true value of her physical strength at 248 was demonstrated. Unlike Sylvano, who opened his mouth in surprise, Blanche still had a grim expression. Sylvano stammered incessantly. ¡°You, what the hell are you¡­?¡± ¡°Move. I¡¯m going to see Illia.¡± Instinctively, Sylvano aimed the knife at her stomach again, but quickly realized that it had been broken. He threw the knife to the floor. ¡°Boss is not something you can meet just because you want to meet him! Organizations have procedures!¡± ¡°Move away, old man.¡± Because of his nagging that she didn¡¯t want to hear, she pushed him. Weakly, by Blanche¡¯s standards. Sylvano couldn¡¯t resist and fell on the floor. He accidentally hit his back on the floor, moaning and shouting at her back as she exited the drawing room. ¡°You don¡¯t even respect an old man!¡± Sylvano shouted, someone who specialized in stealing only the wallets of old people with slow feet in the past. Blanche went looking for Illia without hesitation. ¡®The typical house¡¯s first floor is a guest space or a drawing room. So Illia will be on the second floor.¡¯ Her prediction was correct. Illia¡¯s room was on the second floor. It was the largest room in the family house and looked like it received the most sunlight. However, his room, contrary to its good location, was decorated with old-fashioned d¨¦cor that looked like it was at least 100 years old. Thick tapestries adorning the walls, old stuffed animals, etc. Above all else, no matter how much she thought about it, it was in bad taste to decorate one side of the wall with the heads of bears, deers, tigers, etc. Even the bottom row had six head shapes. They were busts of the previous bosses. Also, his room had nothing but a bed, a fireplace and an old sink. Blanche frowned as she scanned the interior where even the trivial things necessary for daily life were hard to find. She wasn¡¯t particularly interested in how other people lived, but she didn¡¯t think this was right. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like a room where people live.¡¯ As she was wrinkling her forehead involuntarily, she found Illia, undressed and barefoot on the bed, staring straight at her. ¡®Even with the same physical strength as Illia of 170, Mario didn¡¯t look as good as that.¡¯ Not to mention his large, broad shoulders, and tight abs under his well-shaped chest resembled a statue. Indeed, it is a beauty that suits the final boss¡¯ biological father. Blanche approached Illia. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Illia smiled languidly, stroking his stiff neck muscles with one hand. ¡°Can you sleep with all the fuss tonight? So what¡¯s going on, girl?¡± ¡°My name is Blanche. Not ¡®girl¡¯.¡± He laughed bitterly. ¡°Oh yeah. You¡¯re also a part of the Giotto family now. I¡¯m sorry. I will definitely call you by your name from now on.¡± Slowly, Illia raised his head. His eyes narrowed between the wheat-coloured hair that fell on his forehead. He was like a beast ready to hunt. ¡°Blanche. Did you finish the job properly?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Illia scoffed at the confident answer. At the same time, Sylvano appeared from behind Blanche. ¡°Illia! It¡¯s a disaster, this girl killed Mario!¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Mario¡¯s body is in the first-floor drawing room!¡± Illia¡¯s face, who had been relaxed, contorted. * * * In the lawless city of Digitalis, large and small organizations share the area. It was an eat or be eaten kind of world. The last two years of war that the Giotto family had been through were like that. Two years ago. The Giotto family started a war with the neighboring family to expand their territory, and they were winning without a hitch. Had it not been for the sudden appearance of the Scusa family, the winner of the war would have been the Giotto family. The Scusa family attacked the Giotto family in the name of merging with the family they were fighting. The Giotto family belatedly sought an alliance, but failed. In the first place, there was no boss in Digitalis who was kind enough to intervene in a fight that was almost lost. In the end, Illia, who had failed to secure funds to continue the war two months ago, had no choice but to bow his head to the Scusa family. He promised to pay a humiliating protection fee of 20% of their gross income every month. So Illia and the Giotto family made a promise for their future. Well, that humiliating peace is now broken. The three moved to the drawing room where Mario¡¯s broken body was. ********** CH 16 The facial expressions of the three people surrounding the corpse couldn¡¯t be more different. Unlike Blanche, who looked expressionless, Sylvano had a gruesome expression as if he had lost his beloved child, and Illia¡­ He was laughing to the point that you could almost see his throat. ¡°Kuk kuk¡­ Ahaha!¡± Sylvano, who was feeling down, scolded him. ¡°Illia, you idiot! Why is the boss of the family happy when this happens?!¡± ¡°Then should I cry, Sylvano?¡± Sylvano¡¯s neck veins protruded. ¡°I knew you were passive about the peace agreement from the beginning! But since you¡¯re the one in charge of the organization, you shouldn¡¯t be happy about this!¡± Illia stopped laughing at the sound of the desperate voice, and raised his hands in the air as if to convey submission. ¡°Alright. Consilieri. If there is anything you want to say, say it now.¡± Sylvano¡¯s sharp eyes landed on Blanche. ¡°We are handing this girl over to the Scusa family, right now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So that we can live!¡± Blanche grumbled then frowned at him. ¡°That¡¯s too much. Cutting off your tail?¡± ¡°So who told you to kill him? Huh?! Your task was not to break the pillar of his neck, but to build another one!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like men who are weaker than me.¡± Sylvano was forced to bury his face in his palms at her blatant remark. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you hate the pawns of the Scusa Family House like Mario?¡± Illia burst into laughter again, the conversation between the two was impressive. Sylvano and Blanche¡¯s mouths opened at the same time. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, you b*st*rd!¡± ¡°I happened to hate them and that¡¯s why I shut them up for good.¡± Illia withdrew his smile, and Sylvano tilted his head a beat late. ¡°What?¡± She unenthusiastically confessed the truth. ¡°After you left, I broke Mario¡¯s neck right away. Then a lot of this and that came rushing in.¡± ¡°A-After I left, you killed him right away?¡± To the stuttering Sylvano, Blanche nodded her head. ¡°Yes.¡± In an instant, the eyes of the two men changed. Illia asked. ¡°Sylvano. How many people live in the Scusa Family House?¡± ¡°At least 50 people as a rule of thumb.¡± ¡°Blanche. Did you sort it all out?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Illia smiled gloomily like a villain. His smile was madness itself. ¡°If all the executives living in the family house are dead, this is a war worth fighting from now on.¡± Unable to hide his excitement, Sylvano added his words. ¡°We have to finish it quickly though. So we have a chance too. Besides, if other gangs find out that we¡¯ve broken the treaty, we¡¯ll give them an excuse to start a war.¡± Illia said. ¡°Then let no one know that we broke the treaty in the first place.¡± ¡°Okay. Leave the evidence manipulation to this Consilieri. This war was waged first by Mario, whose pillars were weak! Ha ha ha!¡± With his yellow teeth shining brightly, Sylvano wrapped Blanche¡¯s shoulders with both hands. ¡°Good job, Blanche! You¡¯re the greatest hitman!¡± Sylvano let Blanche¡¯s shoulder go before he could hear, ¡®Do you want your wrist to fly off?¡¯ He looked back at Ilya. ¡°Let¡¯s do it, Illia. With Blanche, we can end this war quickly.¡± He was right. Blanche will be the best weapon of the Giotto family from this day forward. Illia quietly shook his head. Why? ¡°No. Blanche will not participate in this war.¡± Sylvano did not accept the boss¡¯ decision and protested. ¡°Illia! It¡¯s become a fight that deserves to be fought, so why are you making it harder?¡± Illia ignored him and turned to Blanche. ¡°Blanche. Have you ever killed anyone before?¡± ¡°No. Today was the first time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Unlike Illia, who was silent as he gathered his thoughts, Sylvano couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. ¡°First time?! You killed at least fifty people in one day?!¡± Illia looked down at her with a smirk. He didn¡¯t know what the heck the story is behind how she entered Digitalis with her pretty face at that, but maybe she was overdoing it. ¡®We can¡¯t break a good weapon right away. Besides, it¡¯s difficult to depend on a newcomer. I can¡¯t make Blanche¡¯s presence known here.¡¯ Illia, who was not worried about her, but worried about the future of the family, spoke to Blanche again. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t asked your age yet.¡± ¡°I am 17 years old. January 18th is my birthday.¡± ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you still young? You¡¯re only two years older than Ricardo.¡± After a while, he gently patted and stroked her hair. ¡°Blanche. Good job on your first kill.¡± But Blanche did not stay quiet. Her green eyes shone like gunfire. ¡°Can you win without me?¡± Are there any other gang members like her in the world? She¡¯s a rookie asking the boss if they¡¯re going to be fine without her. Besides, the person she¡¯s talking to is the boss of a mafia family. Fortunately, Illia didn¡¯t seem offended by Blanche¡¯s arrogance. ¡®A child is a child.¡¯ Illia smiled and lifted his hand that was stroking her hair. Tap. As if playing with a little baby, he touched her nose with his index finger. ¡°Don¡¯t look at it like that. If we had been an organization that would collapse without newcomers, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to last up to this point.¡± Sylvano reluctantly agreed. ¡°Yes. Illia is right, rookie. Rest. But only for today! It¡¯s your first murder, so we¡¯ll give you a break!¡± Blanche blinked and understood the situation. ¡®Usually, people who commit murder for the first time are shocked, so they seem to be very considerate.¡¯ It¡¯s surprising. Both had morality close to the bottom. ¡®No. They have low morals, so they¡¯re not trying to be considerate.¡¯ If she was a flower in a pot that they could raise, it was obvious that Blanche would become the ace of the Giotto family in the future. She nodded her head sullenly, and she soon confirmed what she should have already checked. ¡°Okay. But what about Ricardo?¡± Did Blanche say something strange? Silence suddenly fell. She could feel something going on between the two men. Blanche¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°When am I going to meet Ricardo?¡± Illia gave a refreshing smile. ¡°¡­ You will meet him after this war is over. He¡¯s pretty busy too.¡± ¡°I guess Ricardo isn¡¯t here? Fine.¡± Even though she said so, Blanche did not extinguish the sparks of doubt. Looking at her like this, Sylvano asked. ¡°But why do you keep looking for Ricardo?¡± ¡°Well, I came here to be his subordinate.¡± The two men¡¯s eyes widened. Even if it snowed in the middle of summer, that would not surprise them more than this. Illia, who did not understand at all, muttered to her. ¡°You, Ricardo¡¯s? As his father, it¡¯s a bit harsh to say this, but Ricardo is much weaker than you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. He can do it.¡± As Blanche nodded happily, Illia couldn¡¯t hide his suspicions even more. Of course, he didn¡¯t know the future. Meanwhile, Sylvano smirked. ¡°Blanche. How about becoming his wife rather than a subordinate? Illia, it¡¯s okay right? She¡¯s 17 and he¡¯s 15, so the age difference is fine!¡± Illia shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s beyond my choice.¡± Blanche looked at Sylvano, who was doing well but had a sprain, with pathetic eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not like that with him.¡± ¡°Ahaha! ¡®For the meantime¡¯, but you can do that in the future! As you know, Ricardo isn¡¯t good at anything else, but he looks like this b*st*rd Illia, so I can guarantee, his face is top notch. Blanche! Unlike Illia, who will shrivel up in the next few years, Ricardo is now in full swing! Besides, as his godfather, I assure you, he doesn¡¯t have a woman right now! Poor him! He¡¯s so pure!¡± Sylvano was so excited, he was like a show host shouting ¡®Just for $34.99!¡¯ at a home shopping network. Not surprisingly, he introduced his second product. ¡°Or do you like younger guys? Illia has a very cute 11-year-old son called Giulio!¡± Illia put a hand on his waist looking dissatisfied. ¡°Sylvano. Selling someone else¡¯s two sons at a cheap price is not good.¡± However, Sylvano did not give up easily. Apparently he was worried that Blanche would leave the family. Sylvano scratched the back of his head. ¡°But Blanche. I think your outfit has changed?¡± She nodded her head. ¡°After working hard for five hours, I sweated a lot, so I borrowed it from the Scusa Family House. I like that house. There was also hot water coming out of the shower room.¡± Blanche only learned after running away that not all houses had hot water. It turned out that hot water used in a house was almost like a measure of wealth. This was because it was not possible to install water supply in any house, and to use hot water at any time, you have to spend a lot of money to install magic tools. Sylvano scratched the back of his neck as if hesitating. In fact, the Giotto Family House did not have hot water and there was no running water either. As if he had made up his mind, he vowed. ¡°Hot water¡­ Okay. When this war is over, we¡¯ll install something! Isn¡¯t that right, Illia?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t die.¡± It was a calm tone as if he was not talking about death. Shaking his head, Sylvano looked at Blanche again. ¡°Blanche. It¡¯s a bit awkward to say things like this now, but would you like to fight with us too?¡± She was silent, and Illia patted Sylvano on the back and walked out of the drawing room first. ¡°Come on. Sylvano. Wake up the gang.¡± ¡°Okay. I got it. Anyway, you don¡¯t even know an old man¡¯s heart¡­¡± * * * There were a total of 26 members living in the Giotto Family House. Among them was Illia¡¯s second son, 11-year-old Giulio Giotto. A boy with long bangs covering his eyes because none of the adults around paid him attention. He was very small for an 11-year-old and looked like he was 9 or 10. Giulio¡¯s wheat-colored hair, like Illia¡¯s, glistened with gold in the early morning sunlight. Even though the adults were busily going back and forth from early dawn, Giulio stood still at one side of the hallway without showing any signs of surprise. It seems that this kind of situation is familiar. Blanche was surprised by his beauty and stood in front of Giulio, ignoring a member of the gang who stumbled and fell in the hallway. Though the wheat-colored hair covered his eyes, she could feel the red eyes behind them shining brightly like rubies. Blanche greeted the child. ¡°Hi.¡± CH 17 ¡°Hello¡­¡± Giulio answered timidly, with a voice as small as his size. She willingly lowered her knees. She would take this opportunity to dig up information about the current Ricardo from Giulio. She smiled skillfully. ¡°You are Ricardo¡¯s brother, Giulio.¡± Giulio raised his head in surprise. ¡°Do you know my brother?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Giulio licked his lips at Blanche¡¯s sweet voice. Sylvano, whom they did not know had appeared, intervened between them. ¡°Now, isn¡¯t this a good start to already be acquainted? Giulio. You have to look good to this sister. She will become your sister-in-law or perhaps your wife later.¡± ¡°¡­ H-Huh?¡± Blanche stood up from her kneeling down, and waved her hand at the bewildered child. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Sylvano was just joking.¡± Sylvano giggled and beckoned to her. ¡°Blanche. Follow me. I¡¯ll introduce you to the guys who will stay in the family house with you.¡± ¡°See you later, Giulio.¡± The boy nodded without a word. Blanche went down to the drawing room on the first floor with Sylvano. The three men who stood in the drawing room were also the same as the men in the hallway with guns and gunpowder in their arms that came and went. However, they quickly melted away when they came face to face with the beauty of Blanche. Sylvano introduced them one by one, starting with the man on the right. ¡°From this side, Tommy, Felice, and Severo.¡± [Tommy LV 9 Age 29 / Male Health 90/90 Mana 0 Fame 17 Morality 50 Stress 150] [Felice LV 7 Age 31 /Male Health 50/60 Mana 70 Fame 8 Morality 42 Stress 80] [Severo LV 9 Age 28 / Male Health 90/90 Mana 20 Fame 21 Morality 32 Stress 0] Tommy had light brown hair and golden eyes. Felice was a man with auburn hair and black eyes. The last one with brown hair and brown eyes was Severo. Sylvano introduced Blanche. ¡°This is Blanche. From today onwards, she is a member of our family, so take care of her. Do you understand?¡± Felice came to his senses late, but Tommy and Severo were still intoxicated with Blanche¡¯s beauty and nodded their heads. Sylvano turned to Blanche. ¡°And Blanche. You too must take good care of this house. If it becomes known that our family broke the peace treaty first, there is a chance that other guys will come barging in.¡± Blanche could hardly understand him. ¡°Do we have to defend this place? We will be moving soon.¡± Sylvano hated what she said as if there was a slice of lemon in his mouth. ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°We got a new house, won¡¯t we move out? Besides, that house has hot water. Here, the water pipe must be installed separately.¡± Perhaps because it was in front of his subordinates, Sylvano looked serious. ¡°Don¡¯t say such nonsense Blanche. This is a house with a 100-year history of the Giotto family. If you are going to leave this place and move, go alone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that. The house is too big to live alone.¡± However, she could not give up the mansion made of pure white marble. ¡®Should I tell Ricardo and ask him to move there?¡¯ Ricardo was still unaware of her existence, but Blanche was sure he would obey her. Because to her, the villain Ricardo was cold-hearted but a reasonable man. That was when Illia, who had already armed himself, shouted as he passed the drawing room. ¡°Sylvano! Depart!¡± ¡°Okay! Here we go!¡± When Sylvano answered, she gave her last goodbye to him. It was a dry greeting that was too concise for sending off someone. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see each other alive. Blanche.¡± Soon the eight wagons that had been parked outside the mansion left. The weather was very cold today. * * * After the gang members left, the four decided to have breakfast. Cooking was, of course, the responsibility of the three men, not Blanche. When Blanche came down to the kitchen with Giulio, Severo showed manners and pulled out a chair for her in front of the table. After she sat down and grabbed a knife and fork, the others began to eat. The breakfast menu was lamb, beef and chicken. There were no vegetables or fruits in sight. Blanche said as she was cutting the meat of the lamb attached to the bone. ¡°It¡¯s too greasy in the morning.¡± Severo, who had been looking for a chance to talk to her the whole time, answered eagerly. He smiled softly as if his lips would melt at any moment. ¡°You have to eat like this so you¡¯ll have strength all day.¡± ¡°Really? I prefer fruits and vegetables.¡± Suddenly, Giulio pulled the sleeve of her dress. As Blanche looked up, the boy mumbled, his face turning red. ¡°Me too, sister. I hope spring comes soon. Then we can eat more vegetables.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was a friendly atmosphere. Then a window in the kitchen shattered from a sudden gunshot. Giulio, who understood the situation first, exclaimed. ¡°Everyone get down!¡± Blanche hid under the table with everyone. An unknown man shouted outside the broken window. ¡°Illia! You f*cking foreign bastard!¡± Felice, the oldest of the people under the table, mumbled seriously. ¡°It seems they¡¯ve found out that our organization broke the peace treaty first.¡± When no other shots followed, Severo carefully crawled under the broken window and peeked outside. He quickly counted the number of members from the other gang. ¡°Ten, eleven, twelve¡­ Fourteen! Fourteen in total!¡± Tommy cursed at their situation. ¡°D*mn. There are only three of us who can fight here!¡± Blanche was about to say that she would fight as well. Another shout came from outside. ¡°Come on, Illia! Today I will cut off your head! D*mn alien b*st*rd! How do you even manage the members of your organization?! Hey, you f*cker! I don¡¯t know what you did, but your gang broke the roof of the whole town!¡± Tommy grumbled. ¡°Those wretched twerps. Where did they get that nonsense! The members here are gentle so I know they¡¯re innocent. The Family House is empty and they¡¯re just using this as an opportunity!¡± At those words, even the youngest Giulio couldn¡¯t hide his anger. A short exclamation came out of Blanche¡¯s mouth. ¡°Oh.¡± Naturally, four pairs of eyes focused on Blanche. She blinked her eyes in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, it was hard to find this place in the middle of the night, so I tried to search from a high place. That¡¯s what happened last night. With a physical strength of 248, she ran around the roofs of the city for three hours, damaging properties. Everyone was at a loss for words at the appearance of the culprit, whom they would have never imagined even in their dreams. He couldn¡¯t believe it, so Tommy laughed with a staccato. ¡°Ha. Ha. Ha. That¡¯s a really funny joke.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Severo muttered and nodded his head. Blanche murmured bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s not a joke.¡± Severo, who had forgotten the situation for a moment, squeaked. ¡°That can¡¯t be possible!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Yes, Blanche is a woman¡­¡± Tommy added to Severo¡¯s comments. ¡°Besides, Consilieri told us to protect Miss Blanche!¡± Swallowing his sigh, Felice crawled to the kitchen sink and grabbed a cleaver. ¡°You¡¯re dainty too.¡± Blanche raised one corner of her mouth. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, that¡¯s fine. After all, whether you believe it or not, the facts do not change. But. I will give you one piece of advice.¡± The dry voice sounded quite serious, and Tommy swallowed aloud. Blanche continued. ¡°From now on, it would be better not to spit out unsavory words like ¡®Women are weak¡¯. Even if I am generous with it now, from next year onwards, there will not just be one or two women on the continent who will not stay still.¡± Early spring next year. Within a year of the appearance of dungeons, roles based on gender will begin to blur on the continent. This is because the world will change where women can become stronger by raising their levels. Severo stuttered and noticed what he felt in her solemnity. ¡°B-But Miss Blanche is the boss¡¯ woman, so you can¡¯t be strong.¡± ¡°The boss¡¯ woman. Who?¡± ¡°Yes? No¡­. That¡¯s? That¡¯s weird. Then why did Consilieri tell us to protect Miss Blanche?¡± She tilted her chin to a slanted angle as she watched Severo dripping with sweat. ¡°I was curious about it before. Is Consilieri Sylvano¡¯s last name? Or a nickname?¡± Severo was belatedly suspicious of her who did not even know this basic common knowledge. ¡°It¡¯s not a nickname. Consilieri is a word that refers to the second highest person in the organization!¡± ¡°Oh. Ah yes.¡± Blanche¡¯s eyes, which nodded as if she knew, rolled to one side. Later, when Ricardo becomes the boss, it would be perfect if she becomes Consilieri. That way, it would make it easier for her to sell the family to the heroine, Anastage. Blanche asked. ¡°How does one become a Consilieri?¡± Felice was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s going to be tough. The Consilieri can only be the oldest or the smartest person in the organization.¡± ¡°Okay. It¡¯s kind of like an assistant.¡± ¡°Anyway, I knew for sure that Blanche was an outsider.¡± Felice narrowed his brows looking displeased. As if they didn¡¯t like the silence of the Giotto family, there was another gunshot outside the broken window. This time, seeing that the windows were intact, it looked like it was shot into the sky. ¡°Illia! Will you just stop trying to trick us and come out?!¡± Blanche snorted with an indifferent expression. ¡°Hmm. What do we do now?¡± Tommy cried. ¡°How can you ask us that?¡± Around that time, Giulio looked up at Blanche. ¡°Sister. Did you really damage the city¡¯s properties?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He couldn¡¯t find any hesitation in the answer that came out as soon as he asked the question. Giulio, who opened his mouth in surprise, was answered by Felice, who still did not believe what Blanche said. ********** CH 18 ¡°Giulio. Miss Blanche has a slight headache, so don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Tommy and Severo also grunted, clenching their tongues. ¡°God is fair. Somehow she was pretty, but since she was too pretty¡­¡± ¡°What? No matter how much I think about it, the three of us can¡¯t fight against 14 people.¡± As Tommy suggested, Felice nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s escape.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s better to run away. It¡¯s hard to just fight, but then we also have to fight while protecting a woman and a child. There is no chance of winning.¡± Severo and Giulio also exchanged convincing glances. That¡¯s what Blanche didn¡¯t like. ¡°No.¡± Tommy let out a small swear word. ¡°D*mn! Do you not understand our situation right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I understand the situation. It¡¯s okay. I can deal with them all.¡± Sparks flew from his brown eyes. Severo clenched his right fist. ¡°If you weren¡¯t the boss¡¯ woman, I would¡¯ve decked you already!¡± Blanche sighed and stood up. Even Giulio¡¯s eyes opened wide. Tommy was the first to stop her. ¡°Are you crazy? Why are you standing up?!¡± But she defiantly ignored him and shouted at the broken window. ¡°A messenger is coming out! Wait!¡± Has anyone seen Blanche¡¯s face outside? Outside the window, they could only hear the beautiful woman. Blanche, who was about to leave the kitchen, was caught by Felice, who was still crouching down. ¡°Do not go! If things go wrong, the boss will kill us!¡± ¡°Nothing will go wrong, so you won¡¯t die. And while your job is to protect me, my job is to protect this house.¡± Felice, who couldn¡¯t bear it, heard a gurgling sound from his mouth. His calm, dark eyes seemed to have flipped over in an instant. ¡°You crazy woman! How can you say such carefree words?!¡± ¡°Put your hand away. Before I break it.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± That was then. Before the fight between the two could forcibly be ended by Blanche, the owner of an unfamiliar voice with a whistle appeared in the kitchen with the four men. ¡°Hwiyu~ Aren¡¯t you an amazing beauty?¡± Eventually, the rookies who had been shooting from outside came into the house. As if it was quite cold outside, the man with orange blond hair and amber eyes, who had a red nose that looked like it had been bitten, glanced at Blanche from top to bottom. ¡°Hey. What did our pretty girl eat to make her so pretty~?¡± [Guillermo LV 16 Age 19 / Male Health 160/160 Mana 50 Fame 156 Morality 320 Stress 0] As she observed the man with six piercings in his left ear, she raised her eyebrows in dissatisfaction. ¡°Are you the intruder¡¯s boss?¡± ¡°Kki kki. That¡¯s right. The name is Guillermo, who became the boss of the Campano family when I was only 19 years old!¡± He shouted proudly and stabbed the air with the crossbow he was holding. Blanche frowned quietly at the man. ¡®There are noises on the first floor, same with the floors in between. It seems like they¡¯re scouring the house as they please.¡¯ A dark light flashed in her green eyes. But her annoyance was not solely due to the rudeness of the intruder. ¡°You guys. You all look dirty.¡± Was it because there was no water supply? Except for Illia and Sylvano, the members of the gang were also grungy, but these intruders were on a different level of filth. Protecting the house doesn¡¯t mean keeping it clean, but Blanche, who grew up as a noble girl, didn¡¯t like these dirty men. ¡°The house is getting dirty because of you. Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± Blanche grabbed Guillermo¡¯s tie, who was a head taller than herself, and shuffled him across the hallway. Perhaps because of his high morality, Guillermo was unable to use his crossbow against Blanche. No, he went beyond the inability to use the crossbow and threw the crossbow he had in his hand, trying to somehow untie the tie held by Blanche with his bare hands. It was no use. ¡°Ouch! Hey, can¡¯t you let go?! Do you want to die?!¡± She didn¡¯t even listen to his scolding. So, Guillermo¡¯s men, who appeared with him in the kitchen, had no choice but to stare blankly at Blanche¡¯s back with bewildered expressions. Blanche, who had dragged him all the way to the front door, ignored Guillermo and checked behind her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you all coming out?¡± Then one of Guillermo¡¯s men asked. ¡°Boss. Uh, what should we do?¡± Guillermo, whose face turned red, coughed in vain. Then he muttered a little to Blanche. ¡°Miss. Can you let me go now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Guillermo¡¯s face looked like he wanted to hide in a mouse hole at that moment. ¡°I¡¯m going out on my own two feet, so let me go!¡± ¡°¡­ Good.¡± Only then did Guillermo regain his freedom. At that moment, his men, who had searched the 1st and 2nd floors, came out into the hallway where the commotion occurred. Guillermo turned his shoulders for no reason, as if he was overjoyed, and belatedly asked his subordinates. ¡°Hmmm. Everyone, have you checked the inside of the house properly?¡± ¡°All empty.¡± ¡°Sheesh. D*mn that Illia b*st*rd. To run away leaving a child and a woman behind, how cowardly!¡± Blanche spoke to him, who was genuinely angry. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to come out on your own two feet?¡± Guillermo, with his face still dyed red, scratched the back of his head, which he did not know when he last washed. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t want the precious house that will be my hideout #2 destroyed while fighting the rest of them. I¡¯ll go out and fight. Guys. Take the Giotto family and their children out respectfully.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Hearing the voices of his trustworthy subordinates, he reached out to Blanche. ¡°Shall we go? Miss?¡± She turned down his hand as she saw the four members of the Giotto family forced into the hallway. ¡°I don¡¯t need an escort.¡± ¡°How arrogant. Well, I¡¯ll forgive you since you¡¯re pretty! Huhaha!¡± Tommy, who had a gun behind his back, shouted at him who overcame embarrassment with laughter. ¡°C-Coward!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did our members break the roof of the city? Do you have any proof?!¡± Severo also shouted with a roar. ¡°Yeah, without proof! You came here to pick a fight for a cause that doesn¡¯t exist!¡± That was then. Suddenly, Changkang! The window in the front door shattered with a sharp sound. An arrow suddenly pierced a nearby wall. But the surprises did not end there. Blanche was held in Guillermo¡¯s arms. Guillermo swiftly protected her with his own body as shards of glass were about to hit her. Blanche looked at Guillermo¡¯s jawline, observing him, who was holding her in his arms. He was about the same height as her, and his face was grubby. Still, she liked Guillermo¡¯s judgment. Guillermo quickly checked to see if she was safe, and then immediately looked outside. At least he wasn¡¯t an idiot making fun of a woman¡¯s face. Of course, the noise outside the door wasn¡¯t small enough to be ignored. There were no more than 14 people who gathered like a cloud in front of the mansion. ¡°Illia! Give me damage compensation, you bastard!¡± ¡°Your family made a hole on the roof of our family house!¡± ¡°Our family will start a war with the Giotto family from today!¡± Guillermo clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch. Everyone wants a slice of the cake.¡± Everyone living in Digitalis knew that the Giotto family, who had been one of them in the West, had been weakened by a blood battle over the past two years. In other words, even if there was no news that they broke the peace treaty first, they were all determined to not to miss the opportunity to take a bite. In an instant, Giulio sprinted and looked out of the house through the broken window. The child let out a sigh. ¡°Sister¡­ If you were going to do this, you should have at least named another family.¡± Blanche meekly admitted her mistake. ¡°Okay. I will do that next time.¡± At that, Tommy and Guillermo asked at the same time. ¡°Hold on a moment. Are you really saying Blanche broke the roofs? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°The mess was made by this pretty girl?¡± But Blanche had only one answer to say. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Guillermo nodded reluctantly. ¡°Okay. But you¡¯d better run away now. Not everyone is a gentleman like me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was going to say.¡± Blanche smiled bitterly and walked out of the family house alone. A young beauty with red hair and green eyes. Besides, she was wearing a black dress that clung to her body and a pure white bracelet on her right arm. At least 500 criminals murmured at her overflowing beauty. While the owners of harsh and mean impressions looked at them as if they were licking themselves, Blanche opened her lips that were lustful like fruit. ¡°The Giotto family feels responsible for what happened last night, so they sent me as the person in charge!¡± Immediately there was ridicule and naughty noises. Most of them were insulting Illia and Sylvano¡¯s cowardice or were trying to figure out what to do with Blanche. But instead of being intimidated by these promiscuous words, she just looked straight at the crowd. Because there was no way to solve this situation at all. In the lawless city of Digitalis, where all kinds of crime and betrayal took place, there was a way to have absolute immunity. In the next moment, Blanche took a deep breath in and shouted loudly. ¡°I am Blanche of the Giotto family! Who will take the throne of Digitalis!¡± * * * As a city that was weak and strong, only the strongest in the city can occupy the throne of Digitalis. Only the winner of a 1:1 duel can claim the throne. Because of this, the King of Digitalis was always unable to reject the challenger. Even if that challenger was a slender beautiful girl who seemed like she would collapse if the wind blew a little bit too hard. Guillermo, who helped Blanche get on a horse, headed to the family house of ¡ºHis Majesty¡». She was surrounded as if escorted by the crowd that challenged the Giotto family. It was natural. This time, the great King of Digitalis was a man who had held the throne for three years, and was famous for having no mercy on losers. Everyone was going to make it a spectacle to see the beauty of the gorgeous Blanche ruined. Guillermo clicked his tongue and whispered in Blanche¡¯s ear. ¡°Hey, pretty lady. Why don¡¯t you try escaping now? No matter how strong you are, ¡ºHis Majesty¡»cannot be defeated.¡± A cold voice came back, disregarding any concern. ¡°Don¡¯t talk while you¡¯re riding. You¡¯ll bite your tongue.¡± Guillermo wanted to know what the hell this woman was. After a moment of grumpiness that can be seen on his cheeks, he clicked his tongue and bit his lip. The King of Digitalis was the boss of the Southern Miele family. If the Scusa family ruled the East of Digitalis, the South was the territory of the Miele family. Unsurprisingly, the Miele family¡¯s mansion built of unknown black stones was magnificent. Moreover, the Miele family seemed to have already heard that a challenger was coming. If not, then why would everyone in the Miele family, including King Amerigo of Digitalis, be in the front yard of the mansion? Amerigo, who looked as wide as a meter, couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter at the sight of the young challenger. ********** CH 19 He was close to 50 by now. He was incredibly skilled at fighting, not to mention his innate physical strength. He was able to protect the throne several times despite his fat belly. He cracked the bright red apple he was holding in his left hand, showing his white tongue, and biting it aloud. ¡°Who is this lady?! Are you the challenger of this Amerigo? I guess you made a mistake and instead you¡¯re asking me to deal with you in bed?¡± Facing¡ºHis Majesty¡»alone, Blanche did not blink an eye, undeterred by Amerigo¡¯s overwhelming appearance. ¡°No I didn¡¯t.¡± Around that time, the crowd surrounding the two of them created a space for them to swing freely and hit each other. A space naturally formed in the shape of a circle like a ring. Among the crowd who gathered like ants were not only Guillermo, but also Felice, Severo, Tommy and the young Giulio. Spit. Amerigo spat the chewed apple in front of her and threw the apple he ate behind him. He snorted. He was trying to play around with Blanche¡¯s head. ¡°I heard that Illia, that foreign b*st*rd used the young lady as a bait and ran away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it either.¡± Despite her calm answer, Amerigo was determined. ¡°It seems that you too have come all the way here, hoodwinked by Illia¡¯s pretty face. After all, women have no eyes for men. Listen up, miss! A woman is happier when she meets a man who likes her more than she likes him!¡± ¡°Are you a woman too?¡± Amerigo¡¯s eyes widened at the outrageous question. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Are you a woman too? Since you seem to know a lot about women.¡± A woman, that huge Amerigo? It was too absurd. Suddenly, there was a sound of a person trying to hold back laughter in the crowd. ¡°Kuku.¡± They were both silent as they focused on their conversation, so Amerigo could hear the laughter clearly. Thinking that he had been insulted, Amerigo¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°Who¡¯s the bastard who laughed at me now-!¡± ¡°Oh, no, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ Ack!¡± He wrapped his hands around the man¡¯s head, who was buried in the nearby sea of people, and pulled him out like a radish. Amerigo was furious and spoke in a tone that was neither terrifying nor gloomy. ¡°You dare laugh at me?¡± ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡»! I, I did not-!¡± ¡°Make excuses in hell.¡± A blue light began to rise like a haze from Amerigo¡¯s hand. It was magic to increase muscle strength. After a while, the man¡¯s body drooped. At the sight of the corpse being thrown on the ground, the crowd cheered with admiration! Waaaaaa!!! Blanche raised an eyebrow and checked his status window belatedly. [Amerigo LV 30 Age 48 / Male Health 300/300 Mana 300 Fame 789 Morality 0 Stress 0] 300 HP and 300 Mana. Thanks to the [White Sand Bracelet], Blanche¡¯s magic power was higher, but her Health was short by 52. ¡®Indeed. It¡¯s something worth bragging about.¡¯ Amerigo smiled with great determination as he read Blanche¡¯s indifferent face. ¡°Miss. Are you now regretting that you¡¯ve come here? Even if you don¡¯t show off that much, from today onwards, this body will continue to love you.¡± He didn¡¯t just stop talking, he pretended to grab Blanche¡¯s waist in the air and vulgarly thrusted his pelvis. An insidious laugh erupted from the Miele gang. No, most of the crowd laughed. Everyone except the Giotto family and the Campano family. In addition, the curse words spat out referring to Blanche all described her as a whore. Amerigo placed his hands on her waist and warned again. ¡°Come on, lady. Last chance to abstain. As you can see, this body is very strong!¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re stronger than I am right now.¡± Blanche nodded her head as she turned her status window on. Soon, her hand quickly swung through the air. She was tinkering with her status window in her own way, but in the eyes of others it was nothing but strange and meaningless hand gestures. Blanche, who had stopped waving her hands, asked. Her voice more serious than ever. ¡°By the way. Where did you get the apples?¡± ¡°Yes? My girl, do you want to eat an apple? If you suck the sausage well, this older brother might give it to you.¡± Blanche swallowed her sighs with her rising annoyance. ¡°If I said I was here to fight, I will fight. You¡¯ve been making me say it twice since earlier. I¡¯m done with you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Stomping fearlessly, she stood in front of Amerigo, then threw a punch aiming at his stomach. Amerigo blocked the fist with his palm, which would have been light and fluffy even if he was hit anyway. After crushing her hand like this, he was going to enjoy the beauty¡¯s sweet scream. That was Amerigo¡¯s fatal mistake. The moment Blanche¡¯s fist and his palm met. No more, no less, there was a ragged hole in Amerigo¡¯s palm the size of Blanche¡¯s fist. He was so startled that he forgot the pain and looked at it as if he had been possessed by something. Something resembling a raw meatball was dangling through the hole on the back of his hand. Surprisingly, it was his own shattered bones and crushed flesh. Amerigo looked at Blanche with a belated astonishment. ¡°You, this¡­ What the hell¡­¡± This would be his last memory. Because this time, Blanche¡¯s fist met his stomach. Her fist, digging into his thick flesh at once, neutralized him so easily. In the blink of an eye, blood poured like a fountain behind Amerigo¡¯s back. Thud. Amerigo¡¯s massive body fell backwards bluntly. Blanche¡¯s right arm was painted red with blood, along with the [White Sand Bracelet]. Even her shoulder, it looked like a wing. Tuduk, tuk. The afternoon sun shone brightly on the drops of blood dripping from her arm. Blanche was still standing expressionlessly, in the middle of the crowd, immersed in a chilling silence. Suddenly, she stared at the Miele family. They lost their boss in an instant, and they were engulfed in shock and could not even get rid of their fear. Blanche asked. ¡°Consilieri of the Miele family. Where did your dead boss get apples this midwinter?¡± At the end of the silence, a man squeaked inaudibly as if he had been strangled. ¡°Oh, we have a greenhouse.¡± ¡°Okay. Then move all the edible vegetables and fruits in your greenhouse to the Giotto Family House.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes. Of course¡­!¡± He nodded eagerly, he was still in a daze. Blanche wiped her blood-soaked hands and checked her status window again. [Blanche Marquette LV 199 Age 17 / Female Health 446/446 Magic 405 (White Sand Bracelet effect applied) Fame 10 Morality Error Stress 0 (White Sand Bracelet effect applied) Remaining stat points: 0] That¡¯s it. She poured all of her 198 remaining stat points into her Health just before the fight started. Blanche turned off the status window and called the Miele family Consilieri again. ¡°Consilieri.¡± ¡°Yes, ¡ºYour Majesty¡»!¡± ¡°Do you have hot water here?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes we do!¡± ¡°Great. I need to wash up a bit. And before that¡­¡± She slowly looked around her as she stopped talking. As if she was looking for someone. ¡°Everyone who just called me a prostitute, come out.¡± Blanche was learning quickly. * * * Illia and the family returned home late in the morning. It must have been a pretty tough battle, as they were full of dirt, sweat and wounds from head to toe. Blanche was sitting next to Giulio on the sofa in the first floor drawing room, both eating a bright red apple. Illia entered the drawing room with an indifferent expression on his face and greeted Blanche, while Sylvano raised his hands in the air, trembling with fuss. ¡°Rejoice, Blanche! As of today, our Giotto family has completely taken over the Eastern section!¡± She nodded her head. ¡°What about casualties?¡± Illia answered. ¡°There were four deaths. Eight people were injured.¡± ¡°Not as many died as I thought. That¡¯s a relief.¡± Sylvano smirked and cleared his throat. ¡°Uh-huh! Now we are rich! Huh? But where did you get that apple?¡± Giulio announced the good news with both cheeks still full of apples, like a squirrel¡¯s cheek pouch. ¡°Today sister Blanche became ¡ºHer Majesty¡», Uncle Sylvano!¡± The old man in his sixties doubted his ears and closed his eyes blankly. ¡°What? ¡ºHer Majesty¡»?¡± Blanche calmly nodded her head with a calm gaze that did not contain a single flutter. ¡°Yes. I became King.¡± Sylvano squeaked. ¡°What are you talking about! Tell me in detail, Blanche!¡± Not only Illia, but also the members of the gang who were busy organizing their weapons while going back and forth in the hallways also listened to the conversation in the drawing room. Suddenly, Guillermo came into the drawing room and rebuked Sylvano, as if trying to clear up this confusion. ¡°Huh! How impertinent!¡± At the appearance of a stranger, Illia pointed the musket hanging on his back at Guillermo. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sylvano did not stand still. His dexterity was so swift that Guillermo had no choice but to give way to Sylvano¡¯s butterfly knife under his neck. But Guillermo, far from worrying about himself, only smiled at Blanche. ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡». Our Campano family, as ordered, have arranged all the food pillaged from the Miele family in the basement.¡± Illia looked at Guillermo quietly and muttered a single word from his mouth. ¡°Pillage?¡± Blanche corrected. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I got it as a gift.¡± Guillermo stepped up. CH 20 ¡°Such humble words! That¡¯s right. Strictly speaking, it was a tribute.¡± He gently placed his hand on Sylvano¡¯s blade that was pressed close to his neck, but gave up on removing the cutlery due to the old man¡¯s firm eyes. Sylvano glared at Guillermo, who couldn¡¯t forget the smile he showed Blanche, as if to tear him to death. Sylvano, who was never vigilant, gave strength to his stomach and shouted. ¡°Hey! Felice!¡± At that voice, Felice, who had just come up from the basement, hurriedly crossed the hallway and ran into the drawing room. ¡°Yes. Consilieri. You called for me?¡± ¡°Why is this b*st*rd in our family house?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± Before Felice could explain, Guillermo exclaimed vigorously. ¡°My name is Guillermo! I became the boss of the Campano family at the young age of 19 and will become Blanche¡¯s right-hand man from today!¡± Felice added, tearing him apart. ¡°He wants to join our family and Blanche.¡± ¡°Hey! Get it right! We are people who will only follow Blanche!¡± Felice corrected Guillermo¡¯s protest. ¡°He tried to take Blanche to his family, but he was rejected.¡± Guillermo rolled his orange eyes that resembled the sunset. But Illia¡¯s gun was still aimed at him. ¡°Guillermo. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of that name, including the Campano family.¡± Felice said tremblingly. ¡°You don¡¯t know them? They¡¯re the ones who steal courteously from the Stoke Kingdom.¡± Illia¡¯s gun was lowered. ¡°Are you a mushroom smuggler?¡± Blanche tilted her head. ¡°Mushrooms? Smuggling?¡± Illia nodded. ¡°Yes. They¡¯re the ones who smuggled and sold wild pine mushrooms. The export of pine mushrooms from Stoke Kingdom is prohibited.¡± Indeed, Guillermo was a man with a morality stat of 320. Guillermo, who had just been busy flirting, protested. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me! After all, I¡¯m much richer than you!¡± Once again, Felice¡¯s correction followed. ¡°That¡¯s a lie. The guys live in a hut. I heard it all from his subordinates when we moved the apples.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± It was a belated protest. Whether he was relieved or not, Sylvano clicked his tongue and pulled the knife away from Guillermo¡¯s neck. Erasing the pathetic look he had in his eyes, Sylvano looked at Blanche warmly. ¡°Blanche~ Didn¡¯t I tell you to take good care of the house? That also meant not letting outsiders inside!¡± She calmly shook her head. ¡°I thought of him as a cat because I have to borrow the cats¡¯ paws during the busy season. If it weren¡¯t for their gang, the five of us would have had to move so many fruits and vegetables.¡± Around that time, Giulio, who chewed an apple tightly and swallowed it, smiled brightly. ¡°Cats are cute.¡± Pu ha ha! Except for Blanche and Guillermo, everyone burst out laughing. Even Illia laughed, so what more can they say? At the ridicule that surrounded him, Guillermo blushed in embarrassment to the tips of his ears. He mumbled as he made excuses. ¡°You guys are already monopolizing the distribution of useful things, so I can only touch the pine mushrooms.¡± As if to scare a child, Sylvano threatened. ¡°Ah? Do you have anything to say, pine mushroom?¡± Even the youngest Giulio watched the fight between the two with excitement. Illia¡¯s cold eyes pierced Blanche from the front. ¡°So Blanche, you killed Amerigo?¡± ¡°Yes. I won.¡± ¡°That story. I want to hear it in detail.¡± Thus, Blanche told them everything, starting from when Guillermo¡¯s gang attacked the family house. Even the Miele family, who lost the boss to overwhelming power, offered her the position of the boss. Up to that point, Sylvano was afraid that she would leave the family now, his worried expression was evident. Sylvano¡¯s insinuating voice was very polite. ¡°So, ¡ºYour Majesty¡». Are you going to the Miele family now?¡± ¡°No.¡± In response to the satisfactory answer, Sylvano clenched his fists and swung them in the air. ¡°Oh, of course! ¡ºYour Majesty¡»! From the beginning, I believed in the friendship of ¡ºYour Majesty¡»!¡± Their friendship was only on the third day, and there was no need to go back to the past when Sylvano tried to attack her. Blanche and Sylvano himself knew that he was trash. Suddenly, Guillermo cried out as if he was begging for his throat to be cut off. ¡°Blanche! No matter how much I think about it, this shouldn¡¯t be it! Miss Blanche is too good to be just a part of the Giotto family!¡± Sylvano swung his butterfly knife threateningly into the air. ¡°This punk is just babbling anything with his mouth? Your organization has no history!¡± ¡°Ha! Is your 100-year history that great? What¡¯s the point when your boss is a foreigner!¡± Digitalis wasn¡¯t a lawless city to begin with. The reason why this city could be extraterritorial was because of its geographical location, it had been colonized by numerous Kingdoms and Empires. The inhabitants of Digitalis realized that they had been colonized for more than 200 years. The ruling class was unjust. When colonists and natives fight, only the colonists suffer. Even if an argument arises because of the fault of the natives. Because of this, people naturally began to distrust public authorities. At the same time, it was almost like a law that they had to protect their family themselves . Even if they had to borrow the power of a criminal organization. As such, the crime rate of Digitalis increased day by day, and soon, all the kingdoms began to be reluctant to touch this city. A lawless city. Digitalis. A city where all public officials, including security guards, were found dead on the streets overnight. Digitalis was a city full of mad terrorists who constantly threw homemade b*mbs at the royal palaces on the mainland for interfering with illegal businesses. In the end, Digitalis remained the only free and lawless city in the Western continent. Because of this, as time passed, criminals from various kingdoms naturally flocked into the city, but the racial discrimination still remained. Of course, Illia couldn¡¯t stand this blatant insult. In fact, although the strength of the Giotto family had weakened recently, ever since Ricardo was born, no one has brought up Illia being a foreigner. If you did, your neck flew off your neck. At one time, Illia was a strong candidate for ¡ºHis Majesty¡». Although he had no interest in the throne of Digitalis. Eventually, the surroundings became quiet. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Illia. He gazed at Guillermo, his blue eyes gleaming wildly. ¡°You. Do you want to play with me now?¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± Guillermo involuntarily stuttered and swallowed in the brutal atmosphere. And he glanced at Blanche, as if asking for help. Did she notice his request for rescue? Blanche sighed heavily. Guillermo hurriedly ran in front of Blanche. And asked her as if nothing had just happened. ¡°Blanche! Are you uncomfortable anywhere?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just been noisy since earlier.¡± ¡°Well. That old man¡¯s voice is indeed a little squeaky.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°What.¡± Unlike his fear of Illia, he was not scared of Sylvano. No, he couldn¡¯t afford to be afraid. He might get killed if he looked weak. Sylvano growled at Guillermo, whose jaw tightened. ¡°Open your ears and listen to me, mushroom b*st*rd. I¡¯m only 62 next year! It¡¯s still in full swing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point, look at you getting angry¡­¡± Blanche¡¯s green eyes moved busily as Guillermo clicked his tongue. That was because the text popping up from the bottom of the field of view was noisy. [system/ Your fame is rising.] [system/ Your fame is rising.] [system/ Your fame is rising.] [system/ Your fame is rising.] Blanche checked the status window. [Blanche Marquette LV 199 Age 17 / Female Stamina 446/446 Magic 405 (White Sand Bracelet effect applied) Fame 110 Morality Error Stress 0 (White Sand Bracelet effect applied) Remaining stat points: 0] Not even a day had passed, yet her fame had risen by 100. Of course, compared to Amerigo¡¯s Fame which was at 789, it was a very low number. However, seeing that the system continued to print messages that her reputation continued to rise, it was clear that her Fame would increase in the future. Apparently, today¡¯s battle was quite impressive to the city¡¯s criminals. As Sylvano and Guillermo¡¯s quarrels ensued, Illia turned his attention to Blanche. ¡°So Blanche. What do you plan to do next?¡± Everyone paid attention to her bland reply. Blanche replied. ¡°I told you. I rejected the Miele family¡¯s offer. So I will continue to be a member of the Giotto family.¡± ¡°Are you going to be Ricardo¡¯s subordinate?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As she nodded, Guillermo tilted his head. ¡°Ricardo? Who is that?¡± Sylvano clicked her tongue, clearly showing that he didn¡¯t like Guillermo even a little. ¡°Stop making a fuss. It¡¯s the name of Illia¡¯s first son.¡± ¡°Is Ricardo that strong?¡± Sylvano smacked his lips. ¡°I wish he was that strong too.¡± There were thorns in those words, and the Giotto family felt the pain. Silence sank like a heavy stone that had been thrown into a lake. Of course, Blanche was a great powerhouse to have. However, the Gioto family, including Illia, were not naive enough to be pleased in covering up this fact. Blanche, a new member of the gang, was stronger than the boss. Moreover, she even seized the throne of Digitalis in one day. One way or another, it would be a burden for Illia to have her under his control. Sylvano thought that Blanche would rather have wished to marry Ricardo. That way, the boss and her would be able to keep peace under the guise of a ¡®family¡¯. What¡¯s more, if that were to happen, no outside bugs would be able to tempt Blanche and overthrow the Giotto family. It was a bittersweet fact, but the fate of the Giotto family now rests on Blanche¡¯s mood. Sylvano cleared his throat as if it was hard to get his words out. ¡°Oh, Blanche. Ricardo¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to tell me. I know where Ricardo is now.¡± ¡°Huh? How?!¡± Sylvano was startled, Giulio muttered cautiously. ¡°I told her. The fact that brother is in the hands of Count Juan.¡± Two months and 15 days ago. In order to continue the war against the Scusa family, Illia gave Ricardo a mission. The mission was to collect the principal and interest from Don Juan who had borrowed money from Illia ten years ago, and had now prospered as a loan shark. Given Don Juan¡¯s current reputation and power, it was a mission that would never be successful. However, as the fate of the organization depended on it, Ricardo had no choice but to leave for the Lupinus Kingdom alone. Till now, Ricardo had not returned. Because of this, the Giotto family did not even know whether Ricardo was alive or dead. Blanche even mentioned what she had heard from Giulio. ¡°I heard you put up a prize money? And if Ricardo was rescued by a member of the gang you will promote them one rank higher. And if someone outside the family came to rescue Ricardo, they would be accepted as a full member.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± CH 21 ¡°It¡¯s been over a month since the prize money was announced, but if you look at the lack of news, it means that Ricardo is either dead or that no one has ever offered to come to rescue Ricardo. One of the two.¡± It was an accurate guess. Blanche opened her mouth with a very determined face to give consolation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Illia. Your son will not die so easily.¡± ¡°You speak as if you know my son better than me, his own father.¡± ¡°Maybe I do.¡± What does a father who will be murdered at the hands of his own son know so well about him? Illia, unaware of this fact even in his dreams, stared at Blanche with a face just as cold as hers. Suddenly, Guillermo coughed. ¡°Good. Illia. As long as Blanche has decided to stay with the Giotto family, I can go and run to the rescue of anything, from dogs, cows, and even Ricardo. Well, one of us might be able to rescue Ricardo.¡± That¡¯s right. It wasn¡¯t something that should come out of Guillermo¡¯s mouth though. Unsurprisingly, Sylvano let out a snort of anger. ¡°Hey a**hole look at me! Do we look like scarecrows, you punk? What? ¡®Illia¡¯? Is our boss the dog next door to your hut? How dare you call the Giotto family boss by name?¡± ¡°Old man! Bosses can call each other by name. What¡¯s wrong with that? I am also the boss of an organization!¡± ¡°What kind of boss sells pine mushrooms!¡± The fight between the two continued as they exchanged words like that, but neither of them raised their hands against their opponent. Apparently tired, Illia pressed his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s stop. It¡¯s late.¡± Indeed, at those words, the momentum of Guillermo and Sylvano was cut off. ¡°Hey, your boss is telling you to stop too. This old man.¡± ¡°This kid, really¡­ You, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow!¡± Blanche caught Illia as he was about to leave the drawing room. ¡°Wait, Illia.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about. It¡¯s business. I need to tell you as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I have no intention of doing business with you.¡± Sylvano, not Blanche, immediately protested. ¡°Illia!¡± Illia raised his hand to stop Sylvano. ¡°Partnerships are between people who have a choice. But now it seems that I don¡¯t have a choice. Is it not?¡± Digitalis is a city of the weak and strong. In the business world, the strong man¡¯s words are the law so Illia will have no choice but to follow Blanche¡¯s will. And Illia, the boss, did not like this. Whatever Sylvano was thinking, he wanted to kick Blanche out of the organization, even now. As a boss, Illia could not stand the way the organization was being swayed by the young girl. Besides, he already got what he wanted from Blanche. Now, for him, Blanche is a hand that can be discarded. Because of this, Illia fixed his musket. So when Blanche approaches, he can respond straight away. This action was a kind of signal to the Giotto family. In addition to Sylvano, who was with him in the drawing room, a war of nerves raged among Giulio, Felice, and the rest of the gang, who were observing the situation in the hallway connected to the drawing room. Guillermo, who had no intention of intervening in the fight, slowly retreated. He wasn¡¯t trying to run away, but he was afraid that they would catch him by the ankle if they had a fight with Blanche. Moreover, if he were to be taken hostage, it was clear that Blanche would let Guillermo die without blinking an eye. Everyone¡¯s eyes waited for Blanche¡¯s next move. At the atmosphere in the room, Blanche slowly lifted both of her palms to the height of her shoulder. ¡°Well, okay. Everyone must be tired, so I¡¯ll step back for tonight.¡± Phew. A sigh of relief, not Illia¡¯s, came out of someone¡¯s mouth. However, Blanche¡¯s words did not end like this. Her voice that followed was twisted. ¡°Illia. Eventually, you will realize it too. I am always right.¡± * * * Next day. The Consilieri of the Miele family led a dozen members to visit the house of the Giotto family. It¡¯s 9 a.m., just past breakfast time. The Miele family knelt in the front yard of the house and cried out at the top of their voices, looking like they committed a mortal sin. When the Miele Family¡¯s Consilieri took the lead, the gang members followed. ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡»! Please stop your anger and become the boss of our organization!¡± ¡°Please come!¡± ¡°There are still many things that ¡ºYour Majesty¡» will like in our organization¡¯s greenhouse!¡± ¡°There are a lot!¡± Blanche, who was looking through the window of the drawing room with Sylvano, raised an eyebrow. Next to her, Sylvano, who was brushing his teeth with a toothbrush made of birch and pig hair, bit his lip. ¡°You punks. Are you that desperate to somehow protect your properties?¡± ¡°Properties? What properties?¡± Sylvano explained, pulling down his glasses. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. As an outsider, you might not know. That is, since yesterday, you have been promoted to the title of ¡ºYour Majesty¡», right? So now all of the properties that belonged to the dead Amerigo are now yours.¡± Blanche quietly listened to the anxious Sylvano, who feared that she might leave the family. ¡°If they don¡¯t want to relinquish their vast fortune to you, they will have no choice but to wage war with other organizations because of that. Because Amerigo¡¯s property is that of the Miele family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Besides, you killed Amerigo yesterday, and half of their organization was killed. From my point of view, if they go to war now, they will unconditionally lose. So they have no choice but to get on this rope. Okay, Blanche? These guys absolutely don¡¯t want to take you as the boss because they like you. Okay?¡± In an instant, interest flashed across Blanche¡¯s indifferent face. ¡°Is it now? You mean I have that much money? That¡¯s good. I just had something to do, and that will make it easier.¡± ¡°Huh? What is it? May I help you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have an appointment today? Is that okay?¡± Sylvano answered politely, holding the toothbrush. ¡°Oh my, why are you worried! You are ¡ºYour Majesty¡», even if I did, I¡¯d have to break it!¡± She nodded her head lightly a couple of times. ¡°That¡¯s good. Ah. Bring Illia down too. I have business at Miele Family House.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you going to take the money?¡± ¡°No. To spend money.¡± * * * That afternoon. A crowd gathered in front of the Miele Family House like pitch black clouds. This is because the new ¡ºHer Majesty¡» had summoned all the bosses and executives of each organization. More than a thousand people looked up at Blanche, who was sitting on the throne on the podium, with excitement. The podium and throne were used by the deceased Amerigo, so it was huge compared to Blanche¡¯s slender body. Blanche looked at the throne which crude, gilded and studded with rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones. The crown she couldn¡¯t wear on her head rested on her lap. The crown was also fitted to Amerigo¡¯s head size and was too large for her to wear. She still wore the black dress she wore when she killed Amerigo. She looked like a royal princess from a kingdom. With Sylvano and Illia on the right and the Consilieri of the Miele family on the left, Blanche slightly raised her right hand, and the voices of the crowd roaring under the podium became silent at the same time. Finally, in her loud voice, she spoke her words. ¡°We all know that the late night vandalism the day before has made you feel uncomfortable. So I, Blanche, who understands your feelings deeply, want to punish the Giottto family!¡± Sylvano, who had been ecstatic until now, opened his mouth as his jaw dropped. Blanche completely ignored it. Also, Illia¡¯s vicious glaring eyes were consistent with ignorance. She smiled lazily like a lioness who had succeeded in her hunt. ¡°I order everyone to burn down the Giotto family house in two days! Of course, the throne of Digitalis has no power to command you, but there is no one in this city who will not participate in such a fun event!¡± Cheers erupted in the hall. Illia caught Sylvano as he ran away screaming, ¡®Blanche, are you crazy?!¡¯ Moreover, her speech did not end there. Finally, Blanche rose from the throne. ¡°I will open the treasure house of the Miele family that is mine right now! Don¡¯t limit yourself, take as much as you want! Whoever sees the treasure first, don¡¯t be shy and loot it! I want chaos!¡± The Miele family¡¯s Consilieri, standing to her left, looked as if he wanted to faint. Sylvano deeply sympathized with him. Blanche threw the crown in her right hand onto the platform. The golden crown rolled over the podium with a dull sound. Her orders weren¡¯t over yet. ¡°Also, the Giotto family cannot participate in the treasure loot! Otherwise, this Blanche will not stand still!¡± [System/ Sylvano is stunned.] * * * The night when the veil of darkness has subsided heavily. Sylvano, who had fainted, opened his eyes. The place he came to his senses was in his bedroom, inside the family house. Sylvano was startled by the voice speaking without warning, and he got up from the bed like a spring bouncing up. ¡°Old man. You¡¯re not dead?¡± ¡°What?! Why are you in our family house again?¡± Guillermo, who was sitting on a chair beside his bed reading a book the size of the palm of his hand, grinned. ¡°Why? These are all the grace of ¡ºHer Majesty¡».¡± Sylvano, who remembered the situation just before fainting, gritted his teeth. ¡°Blanche¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll wear it out, old man. You¡¯re old, but you still need your teeth.¡± ¡°Now where¡¯s the girl?!¡± Sylvano picked up his glasses lying on the table, ran as if he was going to grab Blanche¡¯s collar right now. Guillermo shrugged his shoulders. CH 22 ¡°She¡¯s chatting with your boss in his room.¡± Sylvano, who stretched his legs out of bed, was caught by Guillermo. ¡°Sylvano. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to do, but it would be better if you stop thinking about it.¡± ¡°Let go! A guy who doesn¡¯t even have a family house would never understand!¡± ¡°So you want to die with the family house?¡± When Sylvano¡¯s shoulders flinched, Guillermo clicked his tongue. ¡°Wake up. The fact that ¡ºHer Majesty¡» isn¡¯t normal, Sylvano, you probably didn¡¯t know either.¡± Sylvano rubbed the palms of his palms against his face, which was red as if he wanted to cry. ¡°D*mn. How did something like that roll into our organization!¡± ¡°Ehem. Well. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand what the Consilieri feels, but I¡¯m envious of you too. You. You were incredibly lucky. You know?¡± Guillermo¡¯s argument was correct. Thanks to Blanche, the Giotto family ended a humiliating peace treaty overnight and became the rulers of the Eastern sector. Sylvano, who looked twice as old as his peers because he had devoted his youth to bad things, looked at the boy. ¡°I know, you b*st*rd. I know it well, so tell me about what happened during the day.¡± Guillermo smiled faintly. ¡°Yes? You passed out, old man.¡± ¡°D*mn, I know I passed out in an unsightly way! What happened after that! Did you really need me to say it?¡± ¡°Uh-huh! That¡¯s right, you passed out on the spot! It was so funny!¡± Guillermo laughed like his belly button would fall out. Sylvano had no choice but to put on a horrified expression. ¡°I am done now. The criminals of Digitalis will look down on me!¡± He wanted to go back to before he fainted, even if he had to pluck his eyes out. Guillermo couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t worry, Sylvano. You¡¯re not the only one who passed out in front of everyone.¡± ¡°Ah. There were guys from the Miele family too. They¡¯re probably in a mess by now.¡± The strongest family in the South, who lost not only the boss and members of the organization, but also their property in one day. It was clear that war would not cease in the Southern region for the time being. Silvano snorted through his nose. ¡°That Blanche girl! If she was going to make this much trouble, she should have discussed it with me first, the Consilieri! D*mn! It was a great opportunity to eat the South as well as the East!¡± ¡°Wow. Old man. Aren¡¯t you too greedy?¡± ¡°By the way, you keep calling me old man? Hey! Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯m still in full swing?!¡± ¡°Yes you did tell me~¡± ¡°You punk! Get out of my room! You too, go steal the Miele family¡¯s treasures!¡± Guillermo closed the book he had not read since Sylvano woke up. ¡°I¡¯m not that st*pid. The idiots seemed to think that Blanche¡¯s second order was a punishment to the Giotto family, but I did not. Old man.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°Kki kki. Look. You know, old man. Blanche has a plan.¡± Sylvano rubbed his throbbing temple. ¡°She did a lot of things, what does that girl want to do to the city.¡± Guillermo¡¯s amber eyes twinkled. Unlike Sylvano, he showed signs of excitement. ¡°Wasn¡¯t ¡ºHer Majesty¡» wonderful today? Besides, she said it with her own mouth. She wanted chaos. Hi-Hi. If she¡¯s gonna be my girl, she would have to be like that!¡± It seems that Guillermo was really attracted to Blanche. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have shouted, ¡®That power! That spirit! So hot!¡¯ Sylvano gave Guillermo a look that said ¡®pathetic¡¯. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wipe the white runny marks left on your nose while saying things like that? And don¡¯t cross the line, you b*st*rd! Blanche will marry our Ricardo! Whether it¡¯s a man or a woman, his body and looks are the best among all!¡± Guillermo grumbled, perhaps embarrassed. ¡°Once I move, should I wash up everyday?¡± Sylvano¡¯s two cheeks were grumpy. ¡°Are you moving too? Where?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to follow ¡ºHer Majesty¡» to the Scusa¡¯s former Family House?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Keep your voice down, Sylvano. I¡¯ve already gotten permission from your boss.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re moving in, I can¡¯t possibly live with you under the same roof!¡± But Guillermo was still relaxed. That¡¯s what it was. He had a point of belief. Also, the source of Guillermo¡¯s confidence was not Illia¡¯s permission. ¡°You can¡¯t live? How are you going to cover the vast Eastern sector? Aha. After winning, you seem to be abandoning the West together with all your regrets?¡± ¡°Are you crazy, you bastard? The Giotto family is an organization that has ruled the West for 100 years!¡± If there were strong families like the Scusa and Miele in the East and South of Digitalis, the West would be a land of opportunity to wage war on. The North was a barren land, full of pr*stit*tes and orphans. Guillermo smiled mischievously. ¡°Then there¡¯s your answer. Don¡¯t you think so? Right now, the Giotto family has to borrow the power of a rookie like me.¡± It was true, but Sylvano was not going to back down easily. Sylvano threatened. ¡°Stop playing tricks and get lost. We have ¡ºHer Majesty¡» that you like so much. Huh. I¡¯ve already figured out everything I need to know. Blanche overwhelmingly smashed Amerigo, right? Then it¡¯ll be safe for a while! Besides, all the crazy people in the city have turned their eyes to scramble for the treasures by now, so there¡¯s nothing lacking from this side!¡± Huh, Guillermo snorted. ¡°You¡¯re more naive than I thought, Sylvano. Do you believe in ¡ºHer Majesty¡» like that? How long do you think a strong person like ¡ºHer Majesty¡» will be under the Giotto family?¡± ¡°At least, she won¡¯t be taken away by the likes of you.¡± ¡°You have to look at it with the short and long terms in mind. You watch. Because of this body¡¯s overflowing charm, ¡ºHer Majesty¡» will soon become my woman.¡± ¡°Annoying b*st*rd! Hey! How old are you this year?¡± ¡°19 years old! What do you think? Compared to Old Man, am I not just the right age?¡± ¡°Hmm. Seeing how your head thinks, it¡¯s understandable why your organization is so popular.¡± It was a sarcastic remark, but to Guillermo it only sounded like a compliment. It¡¯s because if he¡¯s done something really stupid, the Giotto family¡¯s Consilieri was the kind of person who would say, ¡°Well done.¡± Guillermo chuckled. ¡°Hey. After living for a long time, the day will come when I will be recognized by the Giotto family¡¯s Consilieri. Huh? Where are you going, old man? Are you going to eat?¡± Sylvano, who suddenly grabbed the doorknob, screamed. ¡°Am I supposed to report my every action to you?¡± ¡°Are you going to your boss? At this point, tell our wonderful ¡ºHer Majesty¡» that this Guillermo has perfectly fulfilled the order to take care of Sylvano~¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Sylvano shouted for him to leave, but it was himself, not Guillermo, who left the room. Sylvano strode across the hallway. Perhaps they were already in the midst of preparing to move as everyone in the organization was busy putting things in boxes. Finally, standing in front of Illia¡¯s bedroom, he swallowed his anger and knocked on the door by slamming his fist. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me! I¡¯m coming in!¡± So Sylvano entered without permission. He saw Illia sitting on the bed and Blanche standing far away from him. For some reason, the atmosphere between the two of them was quite harsh. What¡¯s going on? It wouldn¡¯t be strange if a fight broke out right away. Of course, if there was a fight, the winner would be Blanche. Sylvano blinked blankly. ¡°What. What¡¯s with the mood?¡± Illia sighed. ¡°Sylvano. Look over there.¡± As soon as he followed the boss¡¯s hand gesture, Sylvano ran to the scene and sat down. The wall, which had been decorated with stuffed animals and statues, was a mess. In particular, Sylvano screamed when he saw the statues of six human heads that filled the bottom row were broken as if they had been hit with a hammer. ¡°Who did this? Who would dare do this to our bosses-!¡± In his astonishment, Blanche nodded her head with a determined expression. ¡°It¡¯s me. I did.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you again this time!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bring such abominations to the house I¡¯m moving to.¡± Sylvano lamented, stamping his feet at the water already spilled. ¡°Illia! What were you doing not stopping the situation that it got to this point?!¡± ¡°Do you think Blanche would have listened if I tried to stop her?¡± ¡°But you should have told her how important these people are! Blanche! Maybe it¡¯s because you don¡¯t know, but these people are the former bosses of the Giotto family! In the future, Illia¡¯s sculpture will also be erected next to these¡­ Arrggh! Illia! Why didn¡¯t you at least stall for time until this Consilieri woke up!¡± Blanche casually seized Illia¡¯s opportunity to speak. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Sylvano. I wouldn¡¯t have listened to you either.¡± ¡°Arrggh!¡± Sylvano forgot his age and began to tap dance in a fit of rage. He didn¡¯t miss a beat as he jumped in place. After a while, he regained his composure, reminding himself of Blanche¡¯s overwhelming power. ¡°Blanche. Speaking of which, let me ask. Why are you trying to burn our family house down?¡± ¡°One of the members harmed the whole city, so I thought it would be quiet if I did this much.¡± Sylvano breathed fire from his mouth once more at her attitude that seemed to be talking about other people¡¯s affairs. ¡°That was your fault!¡± ¡°Yes it was.¡± ¡°Besides, you also have the right to immunity from becoming ¡ºHer Majesty¡».¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But why the hell?!¡± ¡°The Scusa Family House has hot water. We need to install water pipes here, so until when should we wait?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Sylvano, tearing off his hair with both hands, seemed like he would be able to chew and swallow steel right now. But what kind of a man is he? Has he become a man whose bones are made of steel? After a while, he became a gentle dog in front of the absolute powerhouse, Blanche. Most of all, he was very concerned about the icy atmosphere between the two people in front of him which still hadn¡¯t dissipated. Sylvano asked. ¡°Okay. So what were you talking about now?¡± ¡°Not a big deal. I just turned down Illia¡¯s offer. Right?¡± As Blanche blinked, Illia calmly nodded his head. ¡°Yes.¡± But Sylvano knew. He realized it. Even if he did a handstand, this atmosphere was not nothing! Needless to say, unlike Sylvano, Illia had accurately grasped the situation. Illia thought. ¡®If things progress the way they¡¯re going, we will never be able to control Blanche.¡¯ In an instant, a sharp light passed through his cold eyes. ¡®I need a chance to break Blanche¡¯s spirit.¡¯ Sylvano had no choice but to move on. ¡®Since they both decided that it¡¯s nothing special, it seems that they agreed to cover it up like this.¡¯ Sylvano made a face that looked like he was tired and dying. ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t fight with each other. Just don¡¯t.¡± ¡®Because then I¡¯m going to be in a lot of trouble,¡¯. He gulped down his throat. CH 23 The two days promised to the citizens of Digitalis have passed. As Blanche had promised, the citizens were excited and burned down the Giotto family house. Before playing with the fire, the Giotto family and the Campano family moved safely to the former Scusaa family¡¯s mansion. On the evening of that same day. For the first time in a long time, Illia made an announcement at dinner ¡°I am removing Blanche from the Giotto family right now.¡± A long wooden dining table that is spacious even for a hundred people. Illia, sitting alone at the top of the table, sipped whiskey leisurely after dropping a nucl**r b*mb in the dining hall out of nowhere. Even the members of the organization, who have been polished off the dirt, were silent as if they were drenched in ice water from the top of their heads. The members of the organization did not dare to react, and quietly looked at Blanche, who was sitting in the first seat to the left of the wooden table, showing no signs of agitation. Did she expect something else? She wasn¡¯t too surprised. She didn¡¯t even feel betrayed. She just raised her right eyebrow and felt upset. Finally, she opened her mouth. ¡°Liar. You said you wouldn¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°Blanche. I made this judgment for the sake of the organization.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be bored.¡± As she smiled, the tension that filled the dining hall grew sharper. Finally, Blanche stood up with the sound of a chair being pulled. Sylvano was able to raise his voice, which had been silent as if he was strangled, until now. ¡°Where are you going, Blanche?!¡± Blanche answered in a calm tone that was not overshadowed by emotions. ¡°The boss told me to leave. Then I should go.¡± Everyone but Illia¡¯s eyes widened. Sylvano exclaimed hastily. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to go! Isn¡¯t that right, Illia?¡± ¡°Sylvano. Now it seems that even you do not see me as the boss.¡± ¡°Are you crazy! How can you let her leave!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know when we started running our business trusting only one little girl.¡± ¡°Why is Blanche now a little girl? It¡¯s not little girl, it¡¯s ¡ºHer Majesty¡»! Say it¡ºHer Majesty¡»! The first ¡ºHer Majesty¡» produced by our Giotto family!¡± Following the unilateral declaration of expulsion, the boss and the Consilieri were now in an argument. A man rose from his seat, knowing that a crisis is an opportunity, which is usually not a big deal. He sat farthest from Illia. He was a boy in his late teens with orange blond hair and amber eyes. He was quite handsome after washing well and wearing clean clothes. He also looked very attractive with the corners of his beautiful lips raised even when he was still. With six piercings on his left ear alone, he staggered in front of Blanche. ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡»! Good thinking! Forget about the Giotto family who don¡¯t know this kind of grace and come to us!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Why? Blanche looked at him strangely. Like she was meeting him for the first time. The 19-year-old boy tilted his head at the strange look he felt. Even Sylvano and Illia were closely watching the confrontation between the boy and the girl, and Blanche asked. ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Guillermo!¡± A slender man about an inch taller than Blanche. This handsome man with a playful and pleasant atmosphere was Guillermo¡­ After washing, he changed his clothes and became a completely different person. Blanche pretended to know belatedly. But she didn¡¯t feel sorry. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Guillermo felt embarrassed. Guillermo coughed. ¡°Uhumm. Anyway, ¡ºYour Majesty¡». Since this happened, let¡¯s stay together and come join our Campano family from now on. With the power of ¡ºYour Majesty¡» and our actions, we will be able to become the losers in the southern region at once.¡± Blanche spoke again with an indifferent expression. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± Guillermo, unaware that his life was precious, stopped in front of Blanche. ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡»!¡± ¡°Move. I¡¯m leaving Digitalis like this.¡± Everyone except Illia was startled by her cynical voice. She left the dining hall with everyone behind her. Like someone who had a place to go on this dark and cold winter night. But in truth, it was someone who was not welcomed by anyone. So Blanche calmly left the dining hall, and soon crossed the hallway on the first floor of the mansion. Everyone was shocked and amazed at the sight. But wasn¡¯t Blanche obsessed with the Giotto family? How can she just leave the family like this? This was unlike Blanche, as if she had another plan. For a moment, everyone¡¯s suspicious eyes turned to Illia, but he just filled his throat with alcohol. Sylvano hit his chest with his fist when he saw Illia¡¯s relaxed appearance. He really kicked in the lucky stone that rolled in. But still, Illia did not regret it. He knew. ¡®Blanche will surely return with Ricardo. Until the two of them return, we need to lay the foundation for the family.¡¯ * * * Blanche didn¡¯t even pack her luggage. She doesn¡¯t have to pack her things in the first place because she kept all of them in her inventory. After her Health stat went up, she hardly ever felt tired, so now Blanche can walk through Digitalis in a day or two, and keep going. After Blanche left the dining hall, the boss¡¯s solemn orders followed, so the Giotto family could not go after Blanche. Except for one person. Giulio ran after Blanche when she was at the front door. Blanche pulled a gray hooded robe from her inventory. Giulio exclaimed. ¡°Sister! Wait, wait!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Biting his lip, the ten-year-old boy asked. ¡°Older sister. Are you going to save my brother now?¡± [T/N: He calls her ¡°noona¡± here which is generally used to address a close older female by a younger male, biological or not] She nodded her head with an indifferent look. ¡°Right. But how do you know that?¡± ¡°Sorry. Yesterday I overheard father and older sister talking in the room. Not in this house but the house we used to live in that wasn¡¯t soundproofed.¡± ¡°Then you must have heard that I refused.¡± Giulio nodded his head with a sullen expression. ¡°Yes.¡± It was. Last night. Blanche refused to obey Illia¡¯s own orders. She couldn¡¯t help it! ¡®I can¡¯t believe he wants me to save Ricardo alone. To be arrogant when you¡¯re an incompetent boss who only saved the dying organization with my help!¡¯ Blanche trembled with anger. Moreover, she had no choice but to go to rescue Ricardo as Illia wanted. ¡®Anyway, the problem is that Ricardo belongs to the Giotto family.¡¯ If Blanche can¡¯t join the Giotto family, she will soon become Ricardo¡¯s enemy. Because Ricardo in the original story eventually became the King of Digitalis. Blanche didn¡¯t want to kill Ricardo or be killed by Ricardo. In either case, it would be difficult to sell Ricardo to the female protagonist, Anastage. ¡®He said that anyone who gets to rescue Ricardo from Count Juan will be accepted as a member of the family.¡¯ She clenched her teeth. ¡®When I come back, no one will be able to kick me out from here. I will make sure of it.¡¯ Blanche will never live under other people¡¯s mercy again. She will live a life of using rather than being used. Blanche bid farewell to the weeping Giulio. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°Older sister! Wait! Here!¡± Giulio sniffled his nose and hurriedly loosened the necklace he was wearing and held it out to her. It was an elephant pendant the size of her thumb. An elephant made of black wood and with a golden carpet on its back. Eyes of diamonds the size of grains of salt, an ivory-golden elephant swayed in the boy¡¯s hands, threaded on an old leather strap. [T/N: Probably the one on the cover, although we can¡¯t see the pendant] Giulio held out the necklace to her again. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my mother¡¯s keepsake.¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°My brother is suspicious by nature, so unless there is evidence, he won¡¯t believe that you are from the Giotto family. And don¡¯t worry too much about what Father said. No matter what anyone says, older sister is from the Gioto family.¡± ¡°Okay. I will use it well.¡± Blanche then placed the pendant in her inventory. Mario¡¯s corpse revealed that she could use some sort of spatial magic, so Giulio was not surprised at all when she used her inventory. ¡°It is precious to me, so please come back and return it to me!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± That was then. Someone who wasn¡¯t afraid of Illia called out her name in a loud voice, making the whole mansion ring. ¡°Blanche!¡± ¡°Guillermo?¡± Guillermo grabbed a thick coat and rushed to her. He put the coat on the bewildered Blanche. Perhaps because of the difference in physique, Guillermo¡¯s cloak wrapped around Blanche¡¯s body generously. He playfully clicked his tongue. ¡°I knew this would happen. ¡ºYour Majesty¡». Even if you leave, you have to dress up warmly.¡± Blanche blinked slowly. ¡°Is this new?¡± ¡°You told me that I looked dirty, so I made up my mind and bought a new one.¡± ¡°Was it really such a big decision to buy a new coat?¡± ¡°Ackk!¡± Critical Hit! Blanche, who did not know anything, attacked Guillermo¡¯s weakness. For some reason, Giulio squinted his eyes and ran towards her. ¡°Older sister. How much would be left from picking and selling pine mushrooms? After paying the protection expenses and the salary of his family, the pockets of this chick boss are nothing but dust.¡± After the cat is the chick? Guillermo struggled with a red face. ¡°Hey! You, you didn¡¯t have to say that in front of ¡ºHer Majesty¡»?!¡± It was quite a pleasant talk, but Blanche only calmly conveyed her thanks. ¡°Thank you, Guillermo. I¡¯ll dress well. Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, ¡ºYour Majesty¡». My kids will be here soon.¡± ¡°I am leaving alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Before long, thirteen of the Campano family ran to the front door. They each held a basket of apples, several loaves of bread from the banquet, water and wine, and a bundle of stickers that looked like burn marks. CH 24 In the blink of an eye, Blanche, who had her arms filled with the gifts she received, put everything in her inventory as if shaking them off. A man she didn¡¯t know who gave her the burn stickers spoke. ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡». That¡¯s what criminals with bounty on their heads use to get out of town. It was a waste product from the magic tower, and the free citizens of Digitalis rushed to develop and improve it. It works really well, so if something happens, use it to hide your identity.¡± Blanche smiled faintly. ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s the best gift I received today.¡± The new coat I gave you wasn¡¯t¡­? Poor Guillermo wept inside. After a while, she looked around slowly. Then, she said her farewell with empty eyes like someone who didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now. I¡¯ll see you later if I can.¡± It was a dark winter night outside. It was even raining sleet. Blanche, nevertheless, slowly made her way through the invisible front. Guillermo and Giulio shouted to the firm back. ¡°¡ºYour Majesty¡»! You must come back! I¡¯ll be waiting-!¡± ¡°Older sister! Be sure to come back with my brother! Please!¡± * * * A scandal spreads faster than a good story. Within a month, the news of Mariette¡¯s marriage to a loan shark was known throughout the Lupinus Kingdom. Of all things, there was a lot of gossip that everyone said that the beauty had fallen into the grasp of an evil man. Count Juan decided to take this opportunity to spread notoriety across the Western continent, setting their wedding date a month after Mariette¡¯s eighteenth birthday. She covered her eyes and cried out. So everyone knew the Count¡¯s insidious plan. The count is trying to drag Mariette to the temple as soon as she becomes an adult. * * * Count Juan decided to hold a one-month reception in addition to the wedding. Because of this, the Count required an unprecedented number of laborers, so Blanche managed to infiltrate easily. Now she was no longer the twin sister of the new bride, Mariette Marquette, but a poor handyman with more than half of her face and neck covered with burn scars. It was late lunch time. The northern annex where the maids of the Count Juan family stayed. There was a commotion in the dining hall. ¡°What the hell did you do last night?! Do you know how much I was scolded by the maid because of you?!¡± Are you in your mid-twenties now? A woman with a hazy impression grabbed the woman who entered the dining hall alone. The red-haired woman with bulging burn scars on her face as well as on the back of her hands bowed her head and apologized without any excuses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Roxanne.¡± But Roxanne had no intention of accepting her apology graciously. Roxanne poked the head of the woman who had her head down with her index finger. ¡°There is nothing else to be sorry for. Irene. Do you think I¡¯ll pity you? After this reception is over, you¡¯re fired! Don¡¯t even think you can get a letter of recommendation!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was an extremely compliant voice. And Roxanne hated that even more. Because what she wanted wasn¡¯t such an insensitive apology. Roxanne wished Irene, or Blanche, with this disgusting burn scar, to beg her and cry ugly. So Roxanne vowed. ¡®Just wait and see! I¡¯ll make sure this girl cries in front of me before she gets fired!¡¯ Roxanne repeatedly groaned in annoyance. ¡°Because of you, I¡¯m responsible for the meals of the guards in the dungeon again! If this keeps going, I¡¯ll look like a savage!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was a lousy apology again. Roxanne threw a basket of laundry piled up like a mountain and poured it onto Blanche. The laundry, soiled and dirty, belonged to the soldiers who guarded Count Juan¡¯s castle. Roxanne rolled her eyes again. ¡°Hmmp! What meal? Nonsense. Go to the well to do laundry! You [email protected]!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Blanche grabbed the laundry basket. It looks like she¡¯d be stuck at the well all day. As soon as Blanche entered the dining hall, and was seen coming out again, words were exchanged between the maids. ¡°Roxanne is also very¡­ She¡¯s causing all this commotion just because of one person under her.¡± ¡°I never knew Roxanne¡¯s neck could be that stiff.¡± ¡°But this time Roxanne deserved to be angry. She already brought medicine to the person this morning.¡± ¡°I heard that the kid in the dungeon isn¡¯t even an adult yet?¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Roxanne was right. Irene, she¡¯s not good at taking care of the prisoners.¡± ¡°Right? She wouldn¡¯t get a proper job with a body like that. It looks like she will be fired right after the reception is over.¡± ¡°Hey. She should consider herself lucky, thanks to the reception, she got to work for a while.¡± No one could have imagined that Blanche was the King of Digitalis. On the other hand, Blanche headed to the well behind the castle while facing the strong winds of the cloudy winter weather. Despite the cold weather, Blanche kept falling asleep. It was because of what happened last morning. Blanche finally met Ricardo, but failed to escape. It was because Ricardo went crazy when Blanche spoke to him, perhaps because he was born in Digitalis and didn¡¯t know about the magic item, the image sticker. Ricardo even froze when she touched his body. No matter how many sleeping pills the guards ate with their meal, it was only natural that they who had been put to sleep woke up in the commotion. ¡®I wanted to leave before Mariette came to the mansion, but now I can¡¯t.¡¯ Blanche wanted to flick both Ricardo and Roxanne in the head. She arrived at the well, thinking, ¡®But if I do, they¡¯ll both die.¡¯ As Blanche laid down her mountain-high laundry basket, two middle-aged maids stared at her. They also shuddered at how impressive Blanche¡¯s appearance was. A conversation took place between the two maids. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s the¡­¡± ¡°Ah. Her.¡± But they didn¡¯t seem to want to talk to Blanche and just looked around. So, whether Blanche started the laundry or not, they kept chatting amongst themselves. ¡°Miss Mariette¡¯s widowhood inheritance (the property that the wife inherits after her husband¡¯s death) is so small.¡± ¡°I heard it too. Count Juan wrote a will? Wouldn¡¯t he need a son to take over the title in order to inherit all his fortune?¡± ¡°By the way, the Count is old, have you seen a successor? If there is no illegitimate child that comes to you at that age, doesn¡¯t that say something?¡± ¡°Because the field is good, it will be okay.¡± ¡°Well. The seed is bad, but the field is good.¡± [T/N: Referring to Mariette and Count Juan] ¡°Oh yeah. That¡¯s true too.¡± ¡°More than that, my hand! Hah, I can¡¯t do laundry anymore because my hands are freezing!¡± Wet laundry was lying on the floor by the well. Blanche did her own laundry silently, not paying attention to other people¡¯s laundry that became muddy. She would have continued the laundry silently, if only the two gazes persistently followed did not stop chatting. Blanche, who noticed the gazes, raised her head, and she said two maids giving and receiving, as if to listen. ¡°It feels like your hands are freezing. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A subtle glance passed between the two maids. Then a maid growled, and she spoke to Blanche. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Irene.¡± ¡°Yeah, Irene. Will you do the laundry for us?¡± When Blanche raised her eyebrows, the maid added. ¡°You just came, so your hands are still warm.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right.¡± In response to the casual answer, the two maids put on the faces of the two maids, though, ¡®How is she not¡­¡¯ Suddenly, the maid who asked Blanche for her name coughed faintly. ¡°Uhumm. So please do some laundry for us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± At the rejection of the offer, the maid snorted. ¡°Ha! Which maid are you under?¡± ¡°Roxanne.¡± ¡°What kind of! Roxanne, she¡¯s only been in the mansion for two years, hasn¡¯t she? My maid career is longer!¡± ¡°I see.¡± When Blanche answered dryly, the maid, who couldn¡¯t keep her hand still as if she was frustrated, raised her voice with arrogance. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying? Look here. With just one word from me, you also can be officially hired in this castle!¡± However, Blanche did not intend to fall for this conciliation. First of all, she didn¡¯t even have the patience to become a maid. Besides, Blanche, who was a daughter of a Marquis, was well aware that she didn¡¯t have the power to hire her. Pft, Blanche laughed at the two maids. ¡°What to do? I have something else to do. I don¡¯t think I can do that.¡± * * * Blanche, who headed to the laundry after breakfast, was not able to hang the laundry in the laundry room until the sun was setting. Winter was particularly cold, so she couldn¡¯t hang the laundry outside Count Juan¡¯s mansion. Finally, Blanche, who had finished her work, skipped dinner and headed to the temporary maids¡¯ quarters. This place, which was almost like a crumbling shack, was temporarily built by the Count when they recruited additional manpower. The thin walls were not enough, and the only items were an old stove and a straw bed. Blanche¡¯s bed was the furthest from the hearth out of the 16 straw beds. She put on the coat that Guillermo had given her and fell into her dark sleep. However, Blanche¡¯s sleep did not last long. Because after her surroundings darkened, someone gently shook her awake. ¡°Irene. Irene, wake up.¡± As Blanche opened her eyes, a young 16-year-old girl with her dark purple hair tied up into a ponytail came into view. She muttered in a voice that was not yet sleepy. ¡°Agat¡­¡± Agat narrowed her golden eyes and smiled brightly. ¡°My name. You remembered?¡± Blanche, who had no intention of getting along with the girl, asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Agat shyly offered the black bread to Blanche. Blanche blinked, and Agat said quietly. ¡°I know how you feel, but you have to eat meals on time.¡± Only then did Blanche realize that this little girl was concerned that she was starving herself. She was worrying in vain. In fact, there was a reason Blanche didn¡¯t go out to dinner. She didn¡¯t have to eat such lousy food. Steaming stews and fresh apples were always in Blanche¡¯s inventory. However, such a thing could not be dreamed of by an ordinary maid, Irene. CH 25 Blanche rose from bed and quietly accepted Agat¡¯s favor. ¡°Thanks. I will eat well.¡± Around that time, a third voice called out Blanche¡¯s pseudonym. It was Agat¡¯s friend, Phoebe. ¡°Irene! Come and eat! It¡¯s warmer here because it¡¯s next to the stove!¡± At that moment, Agat took Blanche¡¯s hand and led her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Irene.¡± Reluctantly, Blanche followed Agat to the bedside of Phoebe, although a more appropriate term was a pile of straw. Phoebe, a 16-year-old just like Agat, was as cheerful as the freckles across her face. Phoebe¡¯s face with her pink hair and gold inside was definitely close to the hearth. ¡°Come on, both of you sit here.¡± Agat expressed her gratitude. ¡°Phoebe. Thanks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Blanche did not turn down their favor, and mingled between them. Although not leading the conversation, Agat and Phoebe did a lot of talking on behalf of the silent Blanche. After a single complaint about the hard work and cold weather, Phoebe¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Ah! Guys. I saw the one who would become the Countess from afar!¡± Contrary to Blanche¡¯s hard face, Agat spit out a sigh. ¡°You mean Mariette? Good for you, Phoebe!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I just saw her get off the wagon. As you said, she was a very beautiful person. Even on a long trip, she had curly red hair. And Irene. She had fresh green eyes like you! Huh? Come to think of it, Irene, your hair color and Lady Mariette¡¯s hair color are the same!¡± ¡°Yes. What a coincidence.¡± Blanche felt her heart grow cold as she replied. Once again, she didn¡¯t like the fact that her twin sister was the hostess of this large mansion. Even if her husband will be as old as a grandfather. ¡®I don¡¯t regret running away. I just don¡¯t like Mariette benefitting from it. Just like Mariette did to me in the past.¡¯ Blanche¡¯s expression became more difficult to manage as she thought of Mariette. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t need to hang out with these two innocent and kind girls for too long. This is because the sound of angry footsteps, which could not be covered up by the sound of the strong winter wind, suddenly came to the temporary maids¡¯ quarters. Thud! The paper-thin door opened. [System/ Roxanne is hostile against you.] ¡°Irene!¡± She couldn¡¯t understand Roxanne¡¯s attempts to harass her by wasting her own break time with Blanche. But she soon found out why she did. In the next moment, Roxanne roared at her. ¡°What the hell did you say to the senior maids! Do you know how mad they were at me because of you?!¡± It seems that the sparks of what happened at the well splattered on Roxanne. Roxanne was furious and even pointed at Blanche. ¡°Do you really get thorns on your tongue if you don¡¯t make trouble for even a day? Or are you rebelling against me now or what?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Blanche pretended and Roxanne gritted her teeth. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Great. I¡¯ll tell you! Follow me right now!¡± Blanche held out the black bread in her hand to Agat before following Roxanne. ¡°Please hold this. Agat. You can eat it if you want. Actually, this bread is yours.¡± That¡¯s right. There was no way a temporary maid could take the share of the person who did not come to the dining hall in the first place. Kind-hearted Agat glanced at Roxanne, who was very angry. Apparently, She seemed to be worried about Blanche. ¡°Irene¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Roxanne¡¯s enthusiasm grew even more hostile at her calm voice. ¡°Come on out!¡± So Blanche went to the laundry with Roxanne. And saw it. The clothes that had been washed clean with frozen hands were all soiled in the mud. As Roxanne had hoped, it was the moment when a crack finally appeared in Blanche¡¯s face. Roxanne smiled contentedly and threatened. ¡°Can you see? What you did!¡± Blanche saw through Roxanne¡¯s tricks at once. ¡®I didn¡¯t do other people¡¯s laundry and I did my own work, so there was no reason to be scolded. So from now on, you will make up something that will get me scolded, is that it?¡¯ Blanche¡¯s forehead heated up, but she had no choice but to apologize. Because she hadn¡¯t saved Ricardo yet. But that didn¡¯t mean she was one without a plan. Blanche delivered the malice wrapped in obedience. ¡°Sorry. Roxanne. I will wash it again.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I stay up all night and wash it until tomorrow morning, I will be able to bring clean clothes to the soldiers guarding the castle within the deadline. Right?¡± Roxanne raised her nose at her flowing apology. ¡°Yes? Hmmm. Are you saying you¡¯re going to do the laundry with your own mouth?¡± ¡°Yes. Roxanne.¡± ¡°Great. Then let¡¯s go to the well right now.¡± Blanche nodded calmly. She sharpened the blade of revenge inside. That was then. The number of people in the laundry area increased. ¡°Is there anyone here?¡± Roxanne rushed to the stranger. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m leaving!¡± Eventually, a conversation between a woman and Roxanne who did not know who she was continued. A strange woman held out a dress to Roxanne. ¡°It¡¯s Lady Mariette¡¯s dress. Leave it to the chief laundry and wash it clean.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In an instant, a different emotion passed in Blanche¡¯s green eyes. The moment she heard that it was Mariette¡¯s clothes, a good idea came to my mind. ¡®The temporary maid, Irene, cannot enter the dungeon where Ricardo is imprisoned. But Mariette can.¡¯ Besides, if she pretended to be Mariette and escaped with Ricardo, she might get Mariette in trouble, even just a little. Blanche was very pleased with her new plan. * * * Blanche, who was left alone in the laundry area, took off the burn stickers on her body and changed into Mariette¡¯s dress. Although dirty, the dress, which was cleaner compared to the clothes of the temporary maid, matched her well even without a corset. It was as if it belonged to Blanche from the beginning. Blanche went straight to the dungeon. Unlike Mariette, Blanche had short-hair, but it didn¡¯t matter because she could easily imitate Mariette. So no one dared to stop her. Blanche who arrived at the entrance to the dungeon. ¡°Hey. Who¡¯s in charge here?¡± ¡°Who? Ah! Lady Mariette!¡± A guard ran in front of her as if rolling. Blanche raised her eyebrows on purpose. ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Of course I do. Aren¡¯t you Lady Mariette!¡± ¡°How do you know my face, a mere guard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before in a portrait!¡± A portrait of a partner before marriage. It seems that the guard secretly went to the Count¡¯s art gallery. Blanche put on a sullen expression. ¡°But you¡¯re the only one protecting this place?¡± The guard groaned with his bright red face. ¡°Until the young lady¡¯s wedding goes smoothly, the safety of the guests comes before the prisoner. My colleagues were mobilized to guard the castle.¡± ¡°Really? Is that so?¡± ¡°But. But what brings you so far¡­¡± When Blanche stood still looking at him, the guard couldn¡¯t seem to speak. Slowly, Blanche approached him with a subtle look. ¡°Well. Why did I come all the way here?¡± ¡°I, I¡­¡± His pupils were shaking. Then a fist came raging, landing on the guard¡¯s stomach. He fainted, without a single scream. Blanche rummaged through the guard¡¯s arms and pulled out an old key. She passed through the dark dungeon corridor and stood in front of a familiar iron door. Fortunately, there was no further commotion. There was only one guard, and the dungeon was empty except for Ricardo¡¯s room. When Blanche opened the prison door, a pitch black darkness unfolded, without a single light. She sighed and took her lamp out of her inventory. At a glance, you could see that the old lantern was stained with grime. It was the reward item [Edith¡¯s Lamp] received along with an [Experience Apple] after Blanche broke the Hidden Quest the day before. Blanche licked her lips. ¡°Ricardo. Are you there?¡± Instead of answering, only the sound of chains rubbing against the floor came back. With [Edith¡¯s Lamp] in hand, Blanche cautiously entered the prison. The prison was a narrow space, only about ten steps wide. Blanche only had to walk about four steps before she found Ricardo. The fifteen-year-old boy wore restraints on his wrists that were attached to the wall just like last dawn. And again, it was weird. The pupils of the boy laying down on the bed were blurry, like he wasn¡¯t even there. Blanche clicked his tongue briefly. ¡®I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t scream like yesterday.¡¯ Ricardo only blinked the cold blue eyes that resembled Illia¡¯s, but when he saw Blanche, he didn¡¯t react at all. The boy with jet-black hair was no different from a living corpse. But it was strange. Because Ricardo¡¯s helpless appearance looked fragile as if it was about to break, but he still looked pure. ¡®The only thing resembling Illia is the color of his eyes. Perhaps his mother was also pretty. You¡¯re handsome for someone who wasn¡¯t the main character.¡¯ Ricardo was an outstanding young man to the extent that Blanche, who was usually indifferent towards other people¡¯s looks, was interested. It overshadowed the fact that he had not washed properly in four months. Blanche checked his status window. [Ricardo Giotto LV 15 Age 15 / Male Health 12/150 Mana 80/80 Fame 41 Morality 99 Stress 999] Stress 999. It was clear that this was the reason Blanche couldn¡¯t escape with Ricardo the night before. Blanche took a deep breath. ¡®I should have checked the status window first yesterday. I was stupid.¡¯ But. Who would have guessed that one of the villains that will make the continent a hell in the future was so broken? Blanche quietly raised the old lamp in her hand to eye level. A familiar status window appeared. CH 26 [Edith¡¯s Lamp] [The lamp of Edith, who aimed the blade of revenge towards her husband at the lighthouse in the Crete Sea. Watching the event for 10 minutes reduces stress by 100. Durability 30/30] Blanche used [Edith¡¯s Lamp]. A bunch of colorful lanterns appeared in the prison, which she didn¡¯t know where they came from. In addition, the lanterns floated leisurely through the prison room without a single wind, and disappeared like a mirage when it met the ceiling. Thanks to this, Blanche and Ricardo were able to gaze at each other quietly under the warm lights of the lanterns. Unlike yesterday, the air surrounding the two was warm and dreamy. After Blanche had used [Edith¡¯s Lamp] three times, the light began to return from Ricardo¡¯s blue eyes. Finally, Ricardo opened his white, swollen lips. There was a shrill sound in his voice. ¡°¡­ Is this not a dream? Who are you?¡± Blanche confirmed that Ricardo¡¯s stress stat had dropped to 699. Slowly, she stood in front of Ricardo through the lanters that filled the cold prison. In line with Blanche¡¯s steps, Ricardo also changed his posture and sat neatly on the old bed. So an amazing thing happened. Blanche was kneeling in front of him. It was to reassure Ricardo, whose stress stat was still high. ¡°My name is Blanche. You?¡± ¡°Ricardo. Ricardo Giotto.¡± Blanche put down the lamp on the floor of the cold prison, took out Giulio¡¯s elephant pendant from her inventory and held it out to Ricardo. ¡°I¡¯m here to give you this.¡± Ricardo picked up the elephant pendant with trembling hands. Suddenly, tears welled up in his blue eyes. Stuttering, Ricardo asked without hesitation. ¡°Are you from the family? No, did Father send you?¡± ¡°No.¡± A ripple broke out in his blue eyes like a clear lake at the resolute answer. Blanche emphasized. ¡°I came to save you. I didn¡¯t receive any orders or requests from Illia.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± As he shook his head with a bewildered expression, Blanche narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°No. I¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have a question for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did the Giotto family lose the war?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ricardo shook his head and blamed himself. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. If I had completed my mission safely¡­¡± [System/ Ricardo¡¯s stress increases.] Blanche used [Edith¡¯s Lamp] one more time, which stopped just in time as she clicked her tongue quietly. Clumsily she comforted Ricardo. ¡°You don¡¯t have to blame yourself. Even though they lost the war, the family is now the ruler of the East.¡± A look of surprise crossed Ricardo¡¯s face. ¡°That can¡¯t be possible!¡± ¡°Is it possible. Because ¡ºYour Majesty¡» helped them.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡ºYour Majesty¡»? Amerigo from the Miele family helped us? No way!¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t help. Amerigo is dead.¡± Ricardo smiled brightly like a flower. ¡°Then, a new ¡ºYour Majesty¡» came out of our family, right? It must be my father! The new ¡ºYour Majesty¡» is my father! Right?¡± Blanche nodded her head roughly as she didn¡¯t want to raise his stress stat again, and she wanted to run away from the Count as soon as possible. ¡°Hmm. How similar.¡± ¡°Similar?¡± Ricardo frowned. She got up from her seat. ¡°Go back to Digitalis and see with your own eyes for the details.¡± ¡°Okay. Come on, untie this!¡± He hurriedly swung his arms tied in chains. However, Ricardo¡¯s expression darkened noticeably as she lifted her jailer¡¯s bundle of keys. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Those keys, no¡­! The jailer doesn¡¯t have the key to the restraints. Giacomo has the key!¡± Ricardo¡¯s blue eyes contorted as if he was about to cry. Blanche asked. ¡°Giacomo? Who is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Count Juan¡¯s right hand¡­ ¡­ .¡± As things got complicated, she sighed. In an instant, Ricardo¡¯s heart was impatient as he understood what he had read in Blanche¡¯s expression. ¡°Don¡¯t go! He comes to me regularly! So¡­!¡± Blanche calmly cut his words. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t have time to listen anymore.¡± Ricardo cried out evilly. ¡°I will scream if you leave me! I¡¯m going to make a fuss so the soldiers can come and catch you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave me alone! Get me out of this hell! Please!¡± Observing his reaction without hesitation, Blanche informed the truth. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was leaving you.¡± She grabbed the restraints that were thickly wrapped around Ricardo¡¯s wrists with both hands. Blanche cut the restraints like slicing an apple in half. Ricardo¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out at the astonishing sight. He smiled as Blanche passed by him who had become quiet. ¡°Are your hands really that strong?¡± Suddenly, the boy¡¯s face heated up. [System/ Ricardo¡¯s stress increases.] Blanche sighed and spoke to herself. ¡°If you tease me one more time, it¡¯ll be a big deal.¡± ¡°¡­ what?¡± ¡°Nothing. More than that, can you stand up?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ricardo answered confidently. But Blanche already knew. The fact that he only has 12 stamina. As soon as Ricardo got up from his seat, he staggered like a newborn giraffe, and fell on his bu++. She chewed up, swallowed and digested her irritation as much as she could. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Let¡¯s wait a little longer to escape. The wedding starts in a week, so we¡¯ll take advantage of the chaos and escape.¡± But Ricardo shook his head as if he would die if he didn¡¯t escape now. ¡°No! Then again, that man, Giacomo, will come to visit me!¡± Rather than asking what the hell Giacomo did to him, Blanche calmly thought of a way to restore the boy¡¯s stamina. She asked. ¡°Do you like pork loin stew?¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s that all of a sudden?¡± Ricardo opened his eyes wide while asking back. He didn¡¯t understand, but in the blink of an eye, a stew that was steaming appeared on Blanche¡¯s hand. Ricardo was able to forget the disgusting face of Giacomo that had been engraved in his mind at the delicious smell he had not smelled in a long time. He swallowed his saliva without realizing it. The thick appearance of the stew made with sliced meat and carrots cut into large pieces was alluring. Belatedly, Blanche let out a short exclamation. ¡°Ah. Isn¡¯t it a bit greasy for someone who has suffered in a place like this for a long time? I have an apple, would you like to eat an apple?¡± Instead of answering, Ricardo quickly took the stew from her hand. In a hurry, the boy was able to eat a proper meal for the first time in months. Blanche even gave him the blanket and pillow she had brought from when she ran away from home. After food, when a blanket and pillow appeared in the air, Ricardo opened his cute lips in wonder. Blanche introduced herself as a kind of wizard. But why? He did not hide his anxiety. ¡°Is it okay¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± Suddenly Ricardo shook his head. ¡°Giacomo will not stand still when he sees this.¡± ¡°Is that person that scary?¡± Instead of answering, Ricardo kept his mouth shut. She quietly checked his status window. She wondered, his stress stat broke through 720 at once, then soared to 742. At this rate the durability of [Edith¡¯s Lamp] will wear out in one day.¡¯ Blanche sighed and wrapped the soft, warm blanket around his body again. ¡°If you can¡¯t answer, just look at the lantern. Seeing that puts your mind at ease, right?¡± Ricardo¡¯s blue eyes were filled with Blanche¡¯s reliable image. He asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯m already dead. It was so painful. Aren¡¯t you also a fantasy I made up?¡± Blanche held his hand quietly. At fifteen, Ricardo¡¯s hands were as cold as ice. She sat right next to him and watched the lanterns rise together. She gave strength to her hand holding the boy. ¡°Feel it. My hand. Isn¡¯t it warm?¡± ¡°¡­ Warm.¡± Suddenly, Ricardo was shedding tears that resembled dews. In a tone full of conviction, as prophesied, Blanche promised. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Giacomo will never see you again.¡± Ricardo trembled with his lower jaw and lips. ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°Because I will make it that way.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± Blanche felt Ricardo¡¯s gaze staring at her from the side. So she promised one more time. ¡°I promise in my name.¡± In an instant, darkness passed through her eyes as she smiled at Ricardo. * * * Leaving the dungeon, Blanche gave [Edith¡¯s Lamp] to Ricardo. It was a consumable item, so she asked him to use it only when he was afraid, afraid enough to cry. Also, she gave him all the apples she had and asked him to restore his stamina in the next six days. Blanche did not go back to the maid¡¯s quarters, but slept in the laundry room. Despite the fact that it was built of stone, the laundry room was warmer than the accommodation of temporary maids because it had a fireplace or a hearth. Roxanne appeared in the laundry room after Blanche had just eaten her stew for breakfast and put her empty bowl into her inventory. So diligent, she seems to have come to waste her breakfast time in order to harass Blanche again. ¡°Irene!¡± ¡°Welcome. Roxanne.¡± Roxanne, still filthy, lifted the crane from her laundry hanging in her laundry room. CH 27 Roxanne took off the clothes in the laundry box and saw that they were still dirty. ¡°What¡¯s this? They¡¯re still the same!¡± ¡°Yes. Because I didn¡¯t do the laundry.¡± Roxanne snorted as if she was amazed by the peaceful answer. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s funny?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not funny, but I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard right. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t be acting like that towards a temporary maid whom I won¡¯t see in a month.¡± Roxanne, who trembled for a moment, made a harsh expression with all her might as she rested her hands on her waist. But it was useless, she was not in the least bit scarier than Giulio who was waiting for Blanche and Ricardo in Digitalis. ¡°I treated you kindly, so you dare act like this right now?¡± ¡°How could that be? My eyesight is fine. Miss Roxanne had never been nice to me.¡± ¡°You, you!¡± Roxanne was quite impressive, her face reddened as her nose breathed flames. Blanche shook her head. ¡°I think you¡¯ve said everything you want to say, so I¡¯m going to go have breakfast. Miss Roxanne should do the laundry. Miss Roxanne ruined it in the first place, right?¡± ¡°Hey! Do you want to be fired like this?!¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not Miss Roxanne, but the Count who pays me, so I don¡¯t think you can fire me.¡± In fact, Count Juan¡¯s wedding chores were something that everyone was reluctant to do. First of all, the pay was low. Besides, the rumors about the Count weren¡¯t very good. For this reason, most of the people who applied for this temporary maid job were people who gathered for the sake of their families. Unbeknownst to her, Roxanne¡¯s tears welled up in her eyes. For her, Blanche was below her, and she deserves to be listened to. She didn¡¯t know why things were going this way. So Roxanne had no choice but to raise her voice. ¡°Look! Do you think I will leave you alone like this?!¡± Blanche scoffed. ¡°Yes. Do your best.¡± With a tearing scream behind her, Blanche turned away. Because what mattered to her was not what Roxanne thought, but where Giacomo was. So Blanche passed through the back corridor of the mansion. Just then. Bark Bark! The hounds barked loudly outside the hallway window, but her steps did not stop. When Blanche looked down at the window, she saw the hunting grounds¡¯ keeper heading to the hunting grounds, it was the forest behind the Count¡¯s mansion, with dozens of beagles with him. ¡®Seeing that the hounds were mobilized, it seems that the Count is going hunting today. Then Giacomo, the count¡¯s right-hand man, will also attend the hunt.¡¯ She thought as she looked at her own blunt expression reflected in the window. ¡®If I know the face, I can kill Giacomo. Ricardo said he comes to visit regularly, so I might be able to meet him at night by waiting near the dungeon. If I break Giacomo¡¯s neck in front of Ricardo, his stress stat might decrease.¡¯ Blanche had finally come up with a plan. She looked at the clear winter sky where the sun came out, and then went back her own way. * * * Blanche felt uncomfortably tired. Unlike usual, it was because she could hardly be alone today. It was Agat and Phoebe¡¯s fault. Blanche, who was about to go out to the hunting grounds after skipping lunch, was caught by Agat and Phoebe and forced her to go to the dining area. Besides, the maids continued to speak to her, despite Blanche¡¯s short answers. Agat asked. ¡°Irene. Wasn¡¯t your bed cold? Would you rather sleep beside me from today onwards? If we both curl up, we will fit. It will be warmer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. My coat is warmer than it looks.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± As Agat¡¯s words continued to grow longer, Phoebe stopped her. ¡°Stop. Agat. Irene doesn¡¯t like it. And Irene¡¯s coat should be warm, right? The clothes were stuffed with goose fur. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Although she said that, Phoebe was still worried about Blanche. The same with Agat. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have asked this straight away. ¡°Is Phoebe right? Irene?¡± Blanche replied, after swallowing a spoon of the thin potage. ¡°Well. I do not know. It¡¯s something someone I know brought me when I left the house.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± In an instant, the eyes of the two girls turned red. They must have thought that Blanche had a tragic story that could not be explained in words. Phoebe said as if to soothe Blanche. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Irene. We won¡¯t look down on you because of your burns. In fact, my mom also had a lot of burn marks on her wrist. She¡¯s dead now, though.¡± Then, Agat spat out stories that were not even asked. ¡°My dad too. When we were young, there was a big fire in our village, so Phoebe and I are not afraid of you or disgusted with you.¡± It was a moving and warm conversation, but Blanche still nodded bluntly. ¡°I see.¡± It was a very disrespectful attitude, but the two girls thought it was because Blanche¡¯s heart had not healed. Amidst the aura of sympathy on their faces, a familiar, sharp voice found Blanche. ¡°Irene!¡± The owner of the voice was, of course, Roxanne. But for some reason, she was not alone today. Roxanne stood in front of Blanche with maids her age on either side of her. There was a trace of boredom in Blanche¡¯s eyes. Bang! Roxanne slammed her fist at the table where Blanche was sitting. ¡°Irene. You follow me right now.¡± ¡°If you have something to say, say it now. I am busy too.¡± These were the words Blanche said while raising her eyebrows and chewing on hard black bread. Roxanne was really funny. Roxanne once again thought, ¡®This isn¡¯t it.¡¯ It was at that time, as if to let everyone hear, one of the maids shouted. ¡°Ah really! You¡¯re much too insolent so we can¡¯t just let this go!¡± The other maids, who looked funny just like Roxanne, also added a word or two. ¡°Are kids nowadays really like this? Yes, they are all so arrogant and desperate because they can¡¯t somehow bring down a child who is weaker than them.¡± ¡°How ugly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pathetic.¡± It was then that Roxanne began to panic. The same is true of the two unknown maids who stood in front of Blanche as if to follow Roxanne. A good idea flashed through Blanche¡¯s head then. Blanche stood up. ¡°Are you in trouble, Miss Roxanne? Let¡¯s go. To a place without people.¡± Roxanne¡¯s group wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised by that. Agat tried to stop her right away ¡°Irene! Don¡¯t do that. Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Agat. Are you okay, Miss Roxanne?¡± Roxanne looked at her surroundings and coughed. ¡°Of course! Uhumm. What, did you think I would be scared and walk away if you acted like this?¡± As if running in a row, Maid 1, who appeared with Roxanne shouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see? She followed us with her own two feet! We didn¡¯t threaten her!¡± Blanche raised her chin at Maid 1. ¡°Do not disturb others while eating, just follow me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± So the three maids had no choice but to follow Blanche like a chick chasing a mother chicken. And they regretted it. Even though the sun had risen, it was still cold as it was winter, and Blanche headed to the forest behind the castle. In fact, after listening to Roxanne¡¯s scolding, Blanche was supposed to leave the maids first and hide near the entrance to the hunting grounds. Only then will she be able to see the face of Giacomo, Count Juan¡¯s right-hand man. Blanche, who finally arrived at the entrance to the hunting grounds, opened her eyes fiercely. ¡°Hey. Thank you for coming this far. So if you have something to say, just say it.¡± Roxanne, unaware that she was being used, fired as if waiting. Blanche was so cheeky that she wanted to rip and kill her. ¡°Look at you. Where is that arrogance coming from? Why? Do you really think we can¡¯t do anything to a [email protected] like you?¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°[Well]?! This b*tch is really!¡± Roxanne raised her hand in the air. Blanche grabbed the bitter hand that was about to hit her. ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Don¡¯t lay your hands on people for nothing.¡± Seeing Blanche sneering at her, Roxanne tried her best to recover her own hand. However, the hand held by Blanche did not budge. Roxanne cried out like a scream. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you go. If I let you go, you will hit me, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so funny, really! How dare you glare at me so blatantly when you¡¯re not even normal!¡± ¡°There are people who are non-disabled and bad-tempered, so, shouldn¡¯t there also be people like me?¡± ¡°This monster! If your face looks like that, you should at least have a pretty heart! Let me go. You will live alone for the rest of your life and die of old age! Who would take someone ugly like you?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter though.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Marrying a man is nothing.¡± Roxanne couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment at the indifferent voice. ¡°You really! Are you going to talk back to me from beginning to end?!¡± Suddenly, a third person¡¯s voice intervened. ¡°What kind of commotion is this?¡± At the appearance of a middle-aged man, Blanche felt her heart sink without realizing it. She knew the owner of the voice. The heavy voice spoke again. ¡°I asked what¡¯s going on right now¡± Unsurprisingly, when Blanche turned her head, she saw a familiar face. He had the same red hair and green eyes as hers. Marquis Marquette. Blanche¡¯s father. The Marquis, dressed in hunting clothes with a musket behind his back, had just come out of the woods with a servant and three escort Knights. But his complexion was not good. The Marquis was almost skin and bones and even had dark circles under his eyes. ¡®Was he suffering for marrying his cherished daughter to a mani*c?¡¯ If it hadn¡¯t been for Roxanne¡¯s scream at the right time, Blanche would have continued to stare at the Marquis. ¡°D*mn!¡± As Blanche released Roxanne¡¯s wrist, she squeezed her tears and cried out loud. ¡°You d*mn b*tch! It hurts!¡± Only then did Blanche realize that she had broken Roxanne¡¯s wrist. Instead of apologizing, she quietly stepped aside and bowed her head to the Marquis. The Marquis, who could not hide his surprise at the sight of Blanche full of burn scars, felt displeased at Roxanne¡¯s weeping. He said gritting his teeth. ¡°Whoever saw her would think her wrist was broken. Is there no quiet day with Count Juan at all?¡± CH 28 Blanche quickly apologized. ¡°Sorry. Marquis.¡± The Marquis mumbled as if he was talking to himself in surprise. ¡°You, your voice is like Blanche¡¯s¡­ No, it cannot be.¡± While his words were bitter, Maids 1 and 2 caught up a little bit too late with Roxanne who was weeping, and begged for forgiveness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My lord! We didn¡¯t know you were in the woods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! If we had known that a noble man was in the forest, we wouldn¡¯t have dared to come here!¡± The Marquis clicked his tongue. ¡°So I asked what the hell was going on.¡± Roxanne cried and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s all because of that monster!¡± She opened her eyes in a triangle shape and looked at Blanche. ¡°This monster has been given a job recently, but she doesn¡¯t even know how to be grateful! Look, my lord. I must have broken my wrist.¡± When Blanche was silent, the maids 1 and 2 also rushed to accuse her. ¡°That girl is a child named Irene, who was hired to do chores at the Count¡¯s wedding. But she has a very ferocious personality, so there have been a lot of problems.¡± ¡°This is why children who are not normal should not go out. If you¡¯re a [email protected], don¡¯t pollute other people¡¯s eyes like a monster, and live quietly like a mouse¡­¡± After a moment, the Marquis felt his heart throbbing. If you are born with an abnormality, you should live as if you were not there and not pollute the eyes of others. It was because that thought was not foreign to the Marquis. He kept Blanche in the house for 17 years with the same thoughts as that cruel maid. So, he lost his daughter who had escaped from her disability for the first time in a long time. The Marquis thought. ¡®If I had informed the social world that Blanche¡¯s disability had been cured, the rumors that our family had been blessed by the goddess would have spread! If I had, my business would have come back! It¡¯s a waste, such a waste!¡¯ As the Marquis staggered with a twisted expression on his face, the chief servant coldly supported him. ¡°Are you okay, Marquis?¡± ¡°I am fine. Rather, Sauveur. Call Count Juan. It seems like I have something to say to him all of a sudden.¡± The chief servant Sauveur looked at Blanche for a moment, as if he had guessed it. ¡°Yes. Please wait a moment, Marquis.¡± Sauveur went back into the woods to find the Count. The Marquis was only able to stand in place after being supported by one of the three escort knights. Because of this, the three maids who tormented Blanche felt the blood draining from their bodies. ¡®What do you mean Marquis! Then maybe he¡­ ?!¡¯ ¡®That red hair and green eyes. He must be Lady Mariette¡¯s father!¡¯ ¡®What do I do? How dare we make the Marquis feel uncomfortable!¡¯ In the midst of the silence, the eyes of the Marquis turned to Blanche. ¡°Hey. Did you say your name is Irene?¡± Blanche answered without raising her head. ¡°Yes. Marquis.¡± ¡°How old are you this year?¡± ¡°I am eighteen years old.¡± ¡°Your voice is similar to Blanche, and you¡¯re even my daughter¡¯s age. Irene. I don¡¯t know how this sounds to you, but I once had a sick daughter like you.¡± ¡°Yes. I have heard.¡± The Marquis laughed bitterly. ¡°The way you speak is also similar to my daughter. Usually, when I say something like this, I feel moved and cry.¡± Blanche didn¡¯t answer. The Marquis rubbed his temples. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. It¡¯s because I¡¯m so unwell. See you later, Irene.¡± The conversation between the father and daughter who met after such a long time ended there. However, the Marquis left a knight there to convey his will to Count Juan. After a while, the Count appeared in front of them all with a dozen entourage, guided by Sauveur. The Count asked the Marquis¡¯ escort knight who was left alone. He was offended by the Marquis who had called for him and disappeared. ¡°Where is my father-in-law?¡± ¡°The lord was ill, so he returned to the mansion first.¡± ¡°Oh my. He¡¯s like that and it¡¯s just Mariette¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony. How regrettable. At such a young age, his health was already this bad.¡± Even with that said, the prospective son-in-law, 23 years older than his father-in-law, raised his lips with a grumpy voice. Apparently, he judged the escort Knight¡¯s words to be lies. This was likely because the Marquis still disliked the Count even after the situation had reached this point. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for my money, you would be sitting on the streets! These aristocrats!¡¯ After reading the Count¡¯s expression, Sauveur decided to clear the Marquis. ¡°It¡¯s not what the Count thinks. The lord must have been reminded of Lady Blanche, who had passed away when she saw those three maids chasing one poor girl.¡± Only then did Blanche find out. The Marquis erased Blanche¡¯s existence with a death sentence. Belatedly, Count Juan¡¯s eyes turned to Blanche. He was fed up with her face, which had been horribly distorted by burns. ¡°Hah! I can¡¯t believe I have something like that in my house!¡± Sauveur¡¯s reaction, as well as the eyes of the Knight of the Marquis, were bitter. Then a large man, who had been standing at the Count¡¯s right side all this time, tapped the Count¡¯s arm and stopped him with his teeth. ¡°Boss. At ten o¡¯clock.¡± At 10 o¡¯clock, there is the Marquis¡¯ escort knight and Sauveur. Belatedly, the Count coughed in vain. ¡°Ku-humm. This is really¡­ I feel bad for showing my father-in-law a sight like that. So, Sauveur. From now on, tell my father-in-law about my actions clearly.¡± Count Juan looked at Roxanne¡¯s crowd with a scornful look. ¡°You there, the three of you are fired.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°No, is that not enough? Was that not enough, Giacomo?¡± Giacomo. A faint euphoria appeared on Blanche¡¯s face at the name of the man she had been looking for. Yes. A wild beast that found its prey couldn¡¯t help but be happy. She quickly glanced at the auburn-haired man in his early forties. He was about an inch taller than Count Juan and had thick lips. He also had copper-colored skin, and had a huge body shape, but it was unclear if it was because of fat or muscles. Giacomo grinned. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to ask the maid over there than me.¡± The Count nodded his head. ¡°Really? Then, the maid with burns. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Irene. Count.¡± ¡°Irene. Do you want me to lock those three in a dungeon? If you say it, I will do it.¡± Three desperate pairs of eyes met hers. Blanche shook her head quietly. No prisoners should be added to the dungeon until Ricardo escapes. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want that. Just fire them.¡± Count Juan patted his belly and finally ordered. ¡°Did you hear that? You don¡¯t have to work anymore, so leave this castle right now.¡± Roxanne, as it was her habit, tried to blame Blanche again. But Blanche was the underdog in this situation. She was afraid to open her mouth and listened to her friends, maids 1 and 2¡¯s cautions. ¡°Stop it, Roxanne!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± As Roxanne wept in embarrassment, Blanche watched silently. Then the Count confidently said to Sauveur. ¡°Go on, Sauveur. Go and tell my father-in-law about this. Don¡¯t forget to say that this son-in-law isn¡¯t that vicious. Keuhaha!¡± However, unlike the Count himself, Sauveur¡¯s expression was only trembling. Giacomo quickly read the atmosphere and stepped up. ¡°Boss. Please reconsider. Then, even the chief servant will be able to happily convey brother¡¯s personality to the Marquis.¡± The Count kept his gaze fixed on Sauveur and whispered to Giacomo. ¡°How else?¡± Hmmm, Giacomo coughed and spoke to Blanche. ¡°Irene. As of today, there are three vacancies in the mansion, so I will give you one of them.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Giacomo looked at Sauveur¡¯s eyes at the calm voice that was neither high nor low and showed kindness again. ¡°From today, I will appoint you as my exclusive maid.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The Count smiled confidently. ¡°Did you see that, Sauveur?¡± Sauveur raised his head with an unpleasant expression. He struggled to hide his contempt for the Count and Giacomo. ¡°All right. I will pass on the Count¡¯s mercy to the Marquis. Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Sauveur left with the Marquis¡¯ escort. The Count bit his mouth until they looked like a dot in the distance, then complained. ¡°Look at that. Anyone who saw it might think he is the Marquis!¡± Likewise, Giacomo, who didn¡¯t have a very good expression on his face, mumbled. ¡°Be patient. You live together. And now you will live with the most beautiful woman on the continent.¡± ¡°Kke kke. Right. That¡¯s why I now care about the debtor¡¯s mood. I hope the wedding day comes soon. Hehe.¡± Giacomo spoke to the Count, who had an unpleasant laugh. ¡°But, Boss. Are you planning to hire that as a real exclusive maid?¡± ¡°Why? I think it would be nice to have that on my side, as my wife¡¯s beauty will stand out even more.¡± Giacomo elbowed him lightly. ¡°You have to think about the successor, Boss. That¡¯s not good for pregnant women.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Hehe. I have a young wife, and now I will have a son.¡± Like an old and ruthless new groom, the Count had already decided to pass on his reproductive problems to Mariette. Pretending not to know this fact, Giacomo matched the Count¡¯s mood. ¡°I hope your son resembles you.¡± At Giacomo¡¯s joke, the Count giggled. ¡°Of course he will, you punk. Come on, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll have to warm myself up in the fireplace in the mansion. As I get older, the cold becomes more and more terrible.¡± The three maids, including Blanche, silently bowed their heads until the Count¡¯s party left. When the Count was far enough, maids 1 and 2 rushed at Blanche as if they found a rescue boat while drifting in the open sea. ¡°Irene! Save me!¡± ¡°Yes, help us!¡± In a moment, Blanche checked Roxanne. Indeed, her expression was worth seeing. Blanche was convinced. The reason Roxanne was crying right now wasn¡¯t just because of the pain in her broken wrist. She laughed at Roxanne and the two maids to her heart¡¯s content. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What power do I have?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, but talk to the maid and Giacomo. Yes? After all, I don¡¯t know about Roxanne, but the two of us met for the first time today!¡± ¡°Right! Now our only hope is you!¡± Blanche unwittingly laughed even harder. ¡°Aha. So, you¡¯re the type of people who bully the person you just met by ganging up on them?¡± Only then did the two maids feel bad. Blanche snickered and stepped back. While issuing a stern warning that maids 1 and 2 no longer touch her body. ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t touch me anymore. What do you think I¡¯ll say to the head maid when I go back to the castle? Who knows. Will you be kicked out of the castle without even being paid the right wages with just one word from me? Well. I think it would be okay to blame any sins on you since you¡¯ll be kicked out anyway.¡± CH 29 Indeed, the two maids could no longer say that they were unfair. So Blanche went back to the castle alone. The two maids, failing to catch up to her, turned the arrows of their wrath on Roxanne. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! Take responsibility, Roxanne!¡± ¡°Right. You said it was fun! How can this be fun?! We¡¯re going to get fired from the castle without a letter of recommendation!¡± Blanche no longer cared about what was going on behind her. Needless to say, it was a fact of what Roxanne became. Besides, Giacomo¡¯s disposal was now a priority. ¡®I tried to kill you quietly, but things got annoying.¡¯ Of course, it was unlikely that Blanche would be blamed for the murder of Giacomo. But there was a conversation between the Count and Giacomo that just came. If Giacomo dies at this rate, Blanche may become Countess Mariette¡¯s maid. Either way, it¡¯ll be hard for her to escape the castle with Ricardo. ¡®I¡¯d rather break Giacomo¡¯s leg. If his legs are broken, he won¡¯t be able to go to the dungeon no matter what.¡¯ But thinking back, Blanche, who became Giacomo¡¯s exclusive maid, was annoyed. ¡®I don¡¯t want to carry Giacomo¡¯s bottles all day. Is there an easy way to get rid of Giacomo¡¯s legs?¡¯ Blanche¡¯s morality error was still alive today. * * * Returning to the castle, Blanche was immediately summoned by the maid. The maid was a woman in her forties who looked strict. She gave direct precautions to Blanche, who came to work in her nature. Most of the instructions were about how not to offend the high ranking aristocrats. After finishing her guidance, the maid had a light chat with her. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. Irene. No one will pick a fight with you for nothing now. Since Giacomo is the Count¡¯s right-hand man. Besides, he¡¯s not interested in women. It means that he is the best master for a maid like us.¡± [T/N: This almost confirms what he did to Ricardo. I¡¯m still hoping it¡¯s not though.TT] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Moreover, he is well aware of the hardships of his subordinates who serve their superior, whom he was not fond of because of his seemingly long life. You don¡¯t know, but if you serve a person like Master Giacomo, other superiors are bound to argue with their exclusive servants.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In response to Blanche¡¯s blunt answer, the maid smiled warmly. ¡°I like it that you don¡¯t talk much. That¡¯s good. Stay silent like that in the future. Oh yeah. Who is your best friend among the temporary maids who came in this time? It would be better if you could tell me the names of the two.¡± Blanche noticed that the maid was trying to fill the vacancies of maids 1 and 2. In an instant, Agat and Phoebe¡¯s faces flickered in front of her eyes. But she quietly shook her head. Because Blanche wasn¡¯t going to settle in this castle. What¡¯s more, if she succeeds in her escape with Ricardo, she might endanger the two girls if they¡¯re considered to be Blanche¡¯s friends. Blanche was determined to keep a distance between the two girls in the future. ¡°None. I have no friends.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll decide that for you then. You can go.¡± * * * A solitary cell in a dungeon where neither the sunrise nor the moon could be seen. Inside, Ricardo lay quietly on the old bed, staring at the old lamp on the floor. [Edith¡¯s Lamp] illuminated the surroundings without using special abilities. Ricardo felt a sense of relief just by the fact that his surroundings had become brighter. So he could afford to keep an eye on the iron gates of the closed dungeon. ¡®Will Blanche come again today?¡¯ The door that Giacomo always opened and entered. As soon as the door opened and thought that Blanche would come in, hope swelled in Ricardo¡¯s heart. ¡®I hope the Count¡¯s wedding day comes sooner. I want to return with Blanche to Digitalis as soon as possible.¡¯ Blanche¡¯s figure flashed in his eyelids. Red hair that shone brightly in the dark and fresh green eyes. A neat voice that calms the heart just by hearing it. Without realizing it, Ricardo¡¯s face was painted red. ¡®Blanche¡­ She said it hasn¡¯t been long since her birthday, is she seeing a man right now? No, I¡¯m sure there must be.¡¯ He was a boy who had always dreamed of becoming an adult as soon as possible, but now Ricardo has a reason to become an adult faster. He pouted his lips involuntarily and was dissatisfied as he stared at his skinny wrists while imprisoned. ¡°You¡¯ll see. When I grow up, I will become a wonderful man just like my father.¡± That was then. Like a bomb igniting a fuse, Ricardo naturally recalled Giacomo¡¯s disgusting moan. With shoulder trembling, he dug into the soft blanket that Blanche had given him. But the shaking never stopped. Besides, he could even hear them in hallucinations now. Giacomo¡¯s voice echoed in Ricardo¡¯s ear with a damp breath. He called Ricardo Illia all the time. ¡®Illia! Look at me! Look straight at me with those pretty eyes! It feels good right? Huh?¡¯ Ricardo¡¯s blood turned cold at the terrible memory. Ricardo was finally able to regain his composure only after activating the magic enchanted by [Edith¡¯s Lamp]. Looking at the colorful lanterns that filled the cell, he repeated Blanche¡¯s name like he was casting a spell. ¡°Blanche, Blanche, Blanche¡­¡± The presence of Blanche who will soon open that door and come to rescue him from the darkness again. Relying on that one, Ricardo survived the living hell today. * * * The Count¡¯s wedding was five days away and was scheduled in the morning. Blanche, who had gone to attend to Giacomo, met Mariette out of nowhere. It was because Mariette¡¯s hysteria ahead of her unwanted marriage could not be tolerated and her five maids resigned overnight. Mariette appealed to the Count this morning in tears, because her wedding was approaching without a maid. Count Juan immediately sent someone to the surrounding estates to find someone to use as her maid. Because he always wanted his trophy to shine brightly. But it was obvious that he would have a hard time finding one for Mariette. No one except the Fallen Nobility would serve the Countess of Juan, who had nothing but money. For this reason, the Count entrusted Blanche to relieve Mariette¡¯s mood. It was because Blanche had a hideous burn scar that contrasted with Mariette¡¯s beauty. So, many times Blanche stood before Mariette with her chief maid. As soon as Mariette met Blanche, she was terrified and fed up. ¡°It¡¯s terrible! Maid? What is this? Is this a person? Isn¡¯t that a legendary monster?¡± The maid bowed her head. ¡°Lady Mariette. This child¡¯s name is Irene, and the Count has sent her to ease the mood of the lady.¡± ¡°The Count? But when I look at the girl¡¯s face and then in the mirror, I am reminded of how beautiful I am. Hey, you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Irene. Lady Mariette.¡± Mariette clicked her tongue. She did not recognize her twin sister. ¡°Who wants to know your name? All I want is your face! Come on, stand here by my vanity. So that I can see you and my face in the mirror alternately. And don¡¯t say a word. Because I don¡¯t want to hear your strange voice. Now, chief maid. Comb my hair with this pearl-studded ivory comb. If my ivory comb and my hair gets damaged I won¡¯t let it go.¡± The maid and Blanche quietly followed Mariette¡¯s orders. However, that alone could not stop Mariette from accusing her. Of course she got mad because her hair was not done as she wanted. Even though it was impossible to decorate braided hair with fresh flowers in the middle of winter. Mariette grumbled at the maid, asking her to bring her a pearl pin from the cabinet immediately. The maid smirked and shook her head. ¡°Sorry. Lady. The Count¡¯s treasure is not something I dare touch.¡± Mariette clenched her fists that were on her lap, contorting her pretty face. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t like everything about this castle! The cold, gloomy and rustic things make me annoyed to death, but now I¡¯m the star of this place!¡± She twisted her body as she yelled at her chief maid. ¡°Go and tell the Count that I want to see him. Right now!¡± ¡°Yes. Lady.¡± The maid left Mariette¡¯s bedroom, leaving Blanche with eyes that seemed to say to ¡®take care of yourself¡¯. Mariette¡¯s gaze, who was alone with her, slid on Blanche. But her sharp eyes soon softened. Because she remembered Mariette¡¯s lovely face compared to the Blanche in disguise inside the mirror on the vanity. Mariette groaned. ¡°Now the feeling of messed up things is starting to subside. Bad things. I¡¯ve been so nice to you, will you leave me and go back to the capital on your own?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In an instant, the eyes of Mariette and Blanche in the mirror met. Mariette laughed softly. ¡°By the way, you also have red hair and green eyes.¡± With her pink gums lit up, Mariette was horrified like a monster from a fairy tale. ¡°Yes. What do you think? Aren¡¯t I really beautiful?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that it? Don¡¯t you have anything else to say?¡± Blanche quietly lowered his eyes. ¡°Sorry. Lady. As you can see, I¡¯m ugly and I don¡¯t talk to people, so I¡¯m not very good at speaking.¡± ¡°Yes, it does seem like that. Hmph.¡± Suddenly, Mariette stood up. ¡°Wait here. No, follow me. I want to show that no one is in the room when Count Juan arrives. Then they will know that I am more valuable now.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Afterwards, Mariette leapt across the hallway and opened the door of one of the guest rooms without hesitation. ¡°Alphonse!¡± Alphonse, who was using the table in the guest room as a desk, raised his head, startled by the sudden visit of his sister. While studying with thick books scattered here and there, he was surprised once by Mariette¡¯s visit and twice by Blanche¡¯s makeup. ¡°Oh my God! Sister! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to disturb me while I was studying? What, who¡¯s behind you?¡± At Alphonse¡¯s wide-eyed eyes, Mariette¡¯s nose rose. ¡°What do you think? Between us two, don¡¯t I look prettier? Look carefully. Alphonse. This one also has the same red hair as us and green eyes.¡± If Blanche hadn¡¯t run away, Alphonse might have responded to Mariette¡¯s words as well. The ten-year-old boy could not agree with Mariette, even when he thought of Blanche. Alphonse was fine. ¡°Sister Mariette. You know what¡¯s weird these days? I don¡¯t think your personality was this bad when sister Blanche was here.¡± CH 30 In an instant, Mariette¡¯s fine brow wrinkled. ¡°Don¡¯t bring up Blanche¡¯s name in front of me! If it wasn¡¯t for that girl¡­!¡± Tsk, Alphonse clicked his tongue. Just like he did to Blanche before she tried to commit suicide. ¡°Don¡¯t hate the dead too much.¡± ¡°Who is dead!¡± Mariette reluctantly closed her lips, recalling Irene¡¯s existence without speaking. But if she just left it like this, she wouldn¡¯t be Mariette. She stood in front of the table that Alphonse used as a desk. Mariette swept away the open book, paper, and even quills on the table with her two hands, as if scouring them. Klang! Alphonse¡¯s belongings were thrown to the floor. Alphonse licked his lower lip like a goldfish in exasperation. Mariette frowned with a sullen expression on her face. ¡°If you bring out the name of that dead child in front of me one more time, I won¡¯t let it pass.¡± Alphonse¡¯s lips twitched uncontrollably. ¡°Huh. I¡¯m not going to live with my older sister for the rest of my life, so do you think I¡¯ll be intimidated by something like that?¡± Mariette snorted. ¡°Then who will pay for your Imperial Academy tuition? Ah. You won¡¯t be able to pass anyway, so you can just give it up?¡± Alphonse clenched his fists in anger. Seeing this, Mariette snorted again. She beckoned to Blanche. ¡°What are you doing, monster? Go on, pick up my dear brother¡¯s books.¡± Blanche bent her knees in front of the tomb of books lying quietly on the ground. And she checked Mariette¡¯s status window. [Mariette Marquette LV 9 Age 17 / Female Health 40/40 Mana 90 Fame 876 Morality 28 Stress 999] Blanche narrowed her eyes at the familiar stress stat. She remembered Ricardo. ¡®Each person seems to have different behaviors when their stress is at 999.¡¯ Around that time, the number of people picking up the books increased by one more. It was Alphonse. He grumbled and muttered to himself. ¡°I¡¯m annoyed with someone who doesn-¡­ ¡± Mariette, who was more sensitive than usual, did not miss his murmuring. ¡°Someone? Who is that someone? Someone defective! Like Blanche who deserves to die!¡± ¡°Sister. Stop hating the person who left. Huh, daddy? When did you come?¡± Blanche followed Alphonse¡¯s gaze and turned her head. Indeed, through the open door, a familiar middle-aged man was standing. Just like he was yesterday, the pale complexion of the Marquis closing the door one beat late strode into the room. ¡°Mariette. I can hear your voice all the way down the hall.¡± ¡°Are you here, Dad?¡± He let out a small deep sigh after his first daughter greeted him warmly. And then he made eye contact with Blanche. ¡°Did you say your name was Irene?¡± ¡°Yes. Marquis.¡± The Marquis smiled weakly at the calm voice. ¡°You¡¯re having a hard time because of my daughter. I¡¯ll apologize in her stead. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Blanche was startled by the unexpected apology, but soon realized what the Marquis really felt. [System/ Marquis Marquette hates you.] ¡®The Marquis¡¯ personality hadn¡¯t changed at all since I left. He was someone who lost his daughter who had a disability, so he¡¯s showing me a little favor. But he was just being mindful because of other people¡¯s eyes!¡¯ Blanche¡¯s voice did not waver as she answered. ¡°No. As a maid, it¡¯s something I must do.¡± For a moment, Mariette furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Dad. Since when did you start to remember the name of someone else¡¯s maid?¡± ¡°I decided to remember as this is your house, not someone else¡¯s.¡± At the blunt reply of the Marquis, Mariette grunted. She crossed the room and grabbed Blanche¡¯s elbow as she got up from the floor. ¡°Look. Dad! Irene or whatever her name is? This kid has the same hair color and eye color as mine! Besides, looking at her like this, doesn¡¯t it look like her body shape is similar?¡± The Marquis hardened his face. ¡°Mariette. What the hell are you going on about now?¡± Before long, Mariette spoke like a scream of desperation. ¡°Look, Dad! Why do I have to marry a grandpa when I¡¯m so young and pretty! If Dad had paid the money back on time, I wouldn¡¯t have to suffer like this! No, if Dad had properly caught Blanche then¡­!¡± ¡°Mariette!¡± A heavy and still silence descended to the point where even if a needle fell, a clanging sound would be heard. Thick tears dripped down from the corners of Mariette¡¯s beautiful eyes. The Marquis begged his daughter to appease her. ¡°Mariette. Please forget about Blanche.¡± ¡°But!¡± In an instant, the voice of the Marquis also increased. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you hate the Third Prince? You still hate your sister the most?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much. Dad¡­ How can you mention that person in front of me?¡± So that¡¯s it. Blanche¡¯s disappearance alone was not the only reason for Mariette to proceed with the marriage. He would have paid off her debts by selling the little mansion for her, had it not been for Mariette¡¯s ¡®mishap¡¯. Because Mariette, who was known for her beauty all over the continent, was a pretty useful product. As a dark shadow fell on the Marquis¡¯ face, he whispered to Blanche. ¡°Irene. I¡¯m sorry, but please leave. It¡¯s a family affair.¡± Following Blanche¡¯s quiet retreat, Alphonse also stood up. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to get some air. Dad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Alphonse.¡± Alphonse ordered Blanche. ¡°Did you say your name was Irene? Show me the castle.¡± Blanche, like a true maid, opened the door so that Alphonse could step out first. Before the door closed, Mariette, held by the marquis, pleaded with her tear-stained face. ¡°Dad! I really do not want this marriage!¡± After trying to comfort little Mariette, he couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed. ¡°Stop it, Mariette! How long are you going to keep fighting like a child!¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to marry a grandfather, but Daddy won¡¯t listen to any of my complaints?!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you mind your words?! I am a Marquis before I am your father! I have a duty to protect the Marquis Marquette!¡± ¡°Then am I not a Marquette? I am your daughter!¡± ¡°Yes. Mariette. You are my daughter. Not my son.¡± Tak. The door is closed. Blanche vowed that she would never get involved with Mariette no matter what happened. She was no longer a pushover. Blanche found Alphonse looking up at her, waiting. Alphonse was looking forward to a tour of the Count¡¯s Castle even in this situation. She bowed her head. ¡°Sorry. Young master. I too have just been hired in this house, so I don¡¯t know the structure of the castle.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll just go wherever you go. Now that I am the Count¡¯s family, who would dare stop me? Irene, since you¡¯re here, follow me.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes. Young master.¡± Why? Suddenly, Alphonse tilted his head. Blanche asked. ¡°Young master? Do you have any other orders?¡± He narrowed his eyes and watched Blanche from head to toe. ¡°No. Somehow, I feel like I¡¯m used to you.¡± Blanche immediately went on high alert. ¡°I am meeting young master today for the first time.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why it¡¯s weird. Somehow you are not unfamiliar, that¡¯s interesting. Your face is not that common.¡± Alphonse shrugged his shoulders as if he didn¡¯t even understand himself. ¡°I think it¡¯s because you resemble sister Blanche.¡± ¡°¡­ Who is she?¡± ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t you know the Blanche of the Marquis Marquette? Now, she¡¯s as famous as sister Mariette.¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± Alphonse scratched his cheek as awkwardly. ¡°Sister Blanche is sister Mariette¡¯s twin. She died of an illness a few months ago.¡± ¡°I see.¡± When Blanche nodded her head coldly, he chuckled and laughed. ¡°You¡¯re like my sister, so clumsy in dealing with people.¡± Then a faint smile appeared on her lips. Alphonse didn¡¯t seem to notice that it was a mockery. Blanche pretended to know nothing and opened her lips. ¡°Young master Alphonse is very kind.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard the word clumsy. My family always referred to me as lacking and dull, so I always thought I was terrible.¡± It was sarcastic. But the little boy seems to have taken this in a different way. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ No! You just haven¡¯t been given a chance to deal with people. There aren¡¯t many people who will really listen to you, so you¡¯re left clumsy because you don¡¯t know what to do!¡± ¡°Yes, perhaps.¡± Alphonse. How could this little boy have been so harsh to his family and so kind to an ugly maid? Blanche unknowingly contorted her face as she swallowed a snort. Alphonse did not hide his concern at this sight. He glanced at her repeatedly, walking slowly so that Blanche could follow him. ¡°Hey, is your family bothering you a lot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Alphonse green eyes lit up. ¡°Have you reconciled?¡± ¡°No. They are all dead.¡± Alphonse¡¯s hopeful face ripped apart at the lie. He apologized, losing his energy at once. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Alphonse muffled his speech before speaking to himself. ¡°It would be nice if I could apologize to sister Blanche even now¡­¡± A lonely and gloomy atmosphere revolved around Alphonse. He asked, pretending to change the topic. ¡°I think there aren¡¯t a lot of staff here. Do you think so too?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Curiously, Alphonse did not seem to notice Blanche¡¯s hostility towards him. That¡¯s why he was chattering without a break. She could not be freed from Alphonse¡¯s one-sided chatter until she happened to meet Giacomo. Giacomo, whom they met in the corridor on the third floor covered with red carpet, was delighted with Alphonse¡¯s appearance. ¡°Who is this? Isn¡¯t this the spirit warrior of the Marquis?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I mean, you¡¯re¡­¡± CH 31 Since he couldn¡¯t remember Giacomo, Alphonse lengthened his words in embarrassment. Blanche introduced Giacomo. ¡°Young master. This is Giacomo, the Count¡¯s vassal.¡± ¡°Oh yeah. That¡¯s the name right? Nice to meet you Giacomo.¡± Giacomo politely bowed his head and grinned. ¡°Young master Alphonse. What are you doing on the third floor?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to come here. I was just looking around.¡± ¡°I see. You were taking a break? I don¡¯t know much but they did say it is important to take a break from studying from time to time. Now, with this in mind, this Giacomo will guide you through the Count¡¯s Castle. Irene. You can go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alphonse caught Blanche, who gently retreated with an answer. ¡°No, Irene. You come with me too.¡± Alphonse tried to imitate the dignity of a high-ranking aristocrat. ¡°Giacomo. I want Irene to go too. I heard that she had just been hired in this castle.¡± ¡°Then, shall we take a look at the castle¡¯s art gallery first?¡± Giacomo nodded his head obediently, but smacked his lips as he missed the chance to be alone with the little boy. [T/N: This m*********er.] The brother and sister followed his guide and toured not only the castle¡¯s kitchen, but also the armory, the quarters of the soldiers guarding the castle, and the banquet hall. Finally, the three of them went down to the basement of the castle and arrived at the front of the treasury. The treasury of the Count¡¯s Castle had a door twice as large as that of the Marquis. It was also decorated with golden reliefs, making it beautiful. [T/N: Relief is a sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background of the same material.] In particular, the gargoyle relief embossed in the center of the top of the door was full of life. Alphonse carefully stroked the relief at his eye level. ¡°Goblins, trolls, imps¡­ Are they all monsters from the Bible?¡± Giacomo laughed and explained. ¡°That¡¯s right. It is said that long ago, humans in this land lived under the control of monsters. It is said that God took pity on humans and sealed all the monsters in a dungeon. In fact, this is only for Alphonse, but it is said that this door was made while there were still monsters in the world.¡± ¡°Hmm. The carvings are too elaborate to say they were made so long ago. How did the old people make these things?¡± ¡°Ahaha. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Now. That¡¯s enough for the explanation. Come on, open the door, Giacomo. I can¡¯t wait to see what¡¯s in there.¡± Giacomo shook his head at Alphonse, whose eyes were shining like a child in front of candy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Alphonse. I cannot open the door.¡± ¡°But. Do you not have a key to the treasury? It¡¯s fine. I can just ask the Count to show it to me later, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Please do. Come on, Alphonse. Let¡¯s go back now. If your leg hurts from walking for a long time, I will carry you.¡± Alphonse turned his head to Giacomo, who spread his arms like a warm-hearted uncle. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can walk this much. Let¡¯s go, Irene.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Giacomo stood right next to Alphonse, who took the lead proudly as if it was his home. Alphonse asked, as if he had suddenly remembered. ¡°By the way, what kind of security magic is in the Count¡¯s Treasury? In our house, a hundred years ago, the master of the tower casted the security magic himself.¡± Alphonse, who secretly boasted, was as cute as his age. And it seemed that Giacomo felt that too. His mouth opened wide like it was about to tear. ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great. Well, the Count¡¯s treasury also has security magic on it. Even so, it won¡¯t come close to the great security magic of the Marquis Marquette.¡± As Alphonse wished, he honored the Marquis that was on the verge of its downfall. Meanwhile, Blanche belatedly checked the status window of the treasure chest. [Don Juan¡¯s Treasure House] [The treasure trove of moneylender Don Juan. The wealth accumulated through various dirty methods is gathered here. Two keys are required to enter the treasure chest. Magic Defense +500 Material Defense +600 Durability 3000/3000] ¡®Certainly, they were very concerned about security.¡¯ Blanche regarded the treasury as a place unrelated to her, so she meekly followed Giacomo and Alphonse. * * * The morning of the wedding, four days left. Blanche took advantage of the darkness to steal Mariette¡¯s clothes once more. With a stunned guard behind her, she relentlessly walked through the dark hallway and stood before the familiar door. Inside the door that was closed in front of her, Blanche felt him hold his breath. So she opened her lips carefully. ¡°Ricardo. It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°¡­ Blanche?¡± There was joy in Ricardo¡¯s voice. She slowly opened the prison door. She took a few steps and could see that Ricardo¡¯s face had improved a lot. He got up from the bed and smiled brightly at Blanche. Like a dog on a snowy day. [Ricardo Giotto LV 15 Age 15 / Male Health 48/150 Mana 80/80 Fame 41 Morality 120 Stress 326] Blanche thought. ¡®If your stamina is at 48, does that mean you¡¯ve improved? But why did your morality suddenly rise?¡¯ She did not know that the meeting with her had made Ricardo promise to live a good life in the future. Blanche hurriedly stood in front of Ricardo. ¡°How is your body?¡± ¡°Very good! Enough to leave right now!¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right.¡± Considering that Blanche had 50 health when she was at level 1, Ricardo still had to rest. She checked the durability of [Edith¡¯s Lamp] that she placed on the floor of the prison. It only had 5 uses left. Meanwhile, Ricardo misunderstood her calm grasp of the situation and thought that she was offended by him. He was afraid that Blanche would leave the door at that moment, so he quickly arranged the blankets and made a place on the bed. ¡°Blanche. Sit here!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Hey, Blanche, are you in a bad mood? Would you like to see the lanterns together?¡± ¡°Nope. Use that for you. Right now, you only have five uses left, so we can¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°No! I just wanted to see it with you!¡± It was an impulsive tone. Blanche stared at him with cold eyes. ¡°You can only use it five more times. Besides, when the magic of the lamp is depleted, that candle will also no longer burn. You don¡¯t like being in the dark until you escape, do you?¡± Despite her sharp gaze, Ricardo smiled shyly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if we use it now, I still have 4 left. We can save those for later, right?¡± Blanche couldn¡¯t understand Ricardo at all. As if embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head. ¡°Actually, since there are only a few uses left, I wanted to see it with you even more. Come on. Blanche. Hmm?¡± His voice, and of course, his gaze and even his breath were careful. Blanche nodded reluctantly. She couldn¡¯t help but care about Ricardo¡¯s stress stat. Ricardo used [Edith¡¯s Lamp]. The colorful lanterns that he was used to now filled the prison. Also, he casually put a blanket on her lap. Blanche looked curiously at Ricardo, who was taking care of her even with his poor Health. Perhaps he felt the gaze, Ricardo gave the reason in a low voice as if he was crawling. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s cold.¡± Ricardo¡¯s face and neck were dyed red. One thing was clear. For some reason, Ricardo was shy now. So even now, he can¡¯t even make eye contact with Blanche, so he¡¯s shy and asked. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I was busy.¡± Despite Blanche¡¯s insensitive reply, he glanced at her sitting next to him without showing signs of displeasure. It was time for Ricardo to say something, wiggling his fingers like that. Suddenly, a steaming stew was pushed in front of his nose. Blanche said. ¡°Eat.¡± Ricardo blankly blinked his eyes a couple of times before bursting into laughter. Blanche frowned. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Just.¡± These were the words Ricardo said as he welcomed the stew. Ricardo grinned again as he chewed with his mouth full of stew. ¡°Warm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I know.¡± For some reason, Blanche responded. But she wasn¡¯t referring to the warm stew. She was talking about the warmth of Ricardo sitting right next to her. To shake off the tickling feeling, Blanche spoke in a blunt tone. ¡°Did the jailer come while I was away?¡± ¡°No. Even Giacomo didn¡¯t come.¡± Nodding her head, Blanche told Giacomo¡¯s current situation. ¡°He is busy right now. I secretly tore half of their tax ledgers and burned them.¡± At the beginning of the year, all nobles are required to submit their property management books to the royal family. This was because this was how the tax to be paid to the central government was determined. Blanche¡¯s voice continued. ¡°Besides, that person is the Count¡¯s vassal. From what I heard, there were no women under the Count, so it seemed that the vassals themselves were preparing for the wedding.¡± Ricardo, who had emptied half of the stew, gave a melancholic expression. Blanche asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It must be a forced marriage. I feel sorry for the bride¡­¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± What kind of expression Blanche had when she said those words, she herself did not know. Suddenly, Ricardo asked. ¡°Blanche by the way. What kind of person are you?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Your dress. It looks pretty good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not mine, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Ricardo shrugged his shoulders at Blanche¡¯s chilly tone. Sure enough, she suddenly felt bad. Blanche felt the atmosphere sinking. ¡°I went to the Count¡¯s treasury in the castle today.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I was just trying to have a casual conversation with you, don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not true!¡± As Ricardo shook his head violently, there was the slightest sound of wind blowing out of Blanche¡¯s mouth. After a while, she spoke to him again. ¡°I couldn¡¯t go inside, but the door was really nice.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± CH 32 Ricardo¡¯s exclamation raised questions which could be seen on Blanche¡¯s face. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That is-¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± At her tenacious gaze, Ricardo reluctantly confessed his thoughts. ¡°I just remembered. Why did I come to Count Juan?¡± In an instant, something flashed through Blanche¡¯s mind. ¡®Right. Ricardo had come to collect payment from Count Juan.¡¯ Ricardo scratched the back of his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? I¡¯m worried about money that I won¡¯t be able to take now.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not funny at all.¡± ¡°Blanche?¡± A twinkle flashed in her green eyes. Ricardo looked at her with half excitement and half worry. Finally, Blanche declared. ¡°I will take that debt. We must.¡± How can he explain the aura that suddenly exudes from her? How can Ricardo convey the horror that he instinctively felt? Ricardo just swallowed his saliva without saying a word, because he couldn¡¯t ask Blanche for details. He had a feeling that it was never going to happen. Meanwhile, Blanche thought. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of opening the treasury in the Count¡¯s castle? Yes, it¡¯s not enough just to go back with Ricardo.¡¯ Blanche imagined hitting Illia in the face with a gold coin. His stomach would go cold. Besides, if she opened the treasury, the source of Count Juan¡¯s wealth, the Marquis Marquette would also be in trouble in the future. Blanche¡¯s reasons to rob the treasury did not end there. Spring is coming soon. This spring, dungeons will randomly appear all over the continent. ¡®I will use Count Juan¡¯s money to make the Giotto family my own army.¡¯ Blanche smiled in conversion. * * * Time passed, and it is now the evening three days before Mariette¡¯s wedding. As usual, Blanche returned to her room after eating dinner alone in a remote place. She no longer stayed with the temporary maids. Yes, even though her room was the most remote and old place in the castle. Still, there was a small fireplace that did not exist in the room she stayed in before, so Blanche was quite satisfied with her new room. Besides, she was left alone in her room until two of the maids, who were duly hired, came in. It was welcomed by Blanche, who was often away late at night. But that happiness also ended today. Surprisingly, Blanche¡¯s roommates were Agat and Phoebe. When Blanche returned to her quarters, the two girls welcomed her with her open arms. ¡°Irene! Come on! You don¡¯t know how worried we were because we didn¡¯t see you in the dining area.¡± ¡°They said you got the three maids who came at you kicked out? Awesome, Irene!¡± At the faces of the two people as bright as sunflowers, Blanche drew deep curves on her forehead. ¡°Congratulations on being officially hired. Agat. Phoebe. I¡¯m glad you guys are happy.¡± Unfortunately, it seems that the meaning of the words was not conveyed properly because the burn stickers covered the expression. Otherwise, the two of them would not be able to cheerfully hug Blanche. ¡°Of course I am happy! Thanks to you, I can send money to my family on a regular basis!¡± ¡°Thanks for the congratulations, Irene!¡± They even shook her while hugging, so Blanche was worried that the burn disguise would be exposed. ¡®I can¡¯t go to Ricardo today.¡¯ Blanche, who had given up drinking for the night, had no choice but to put up with the chatter of the two unwelcome girls. Even as they put out the candles and laid on their beds, the two continued talking non-stop. Besides, they made sure that Blanche was listening in the midst of their conversation. Because of this, Blanche felt a tiredness she had never felt even when she smashed Amerigo in Digitalis. Agat asked. ¡°Yes, Irene. Who is Mr. Giacomo?¡± ¡°Someone who is busy paying taxes.¡± ¡°Oh my. Don¡¯t be like that!¡± ¡°Who wants to get rid of one of the two legs?¡± Phoebe laughed softly. ¡°Irene. Your jokes are so funny!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke.¡± In spite of her dreary voice, Agat chimed in. ¡°I heard that he was kind to the maids?¡± Phoebe spoke out too. ¡°Besides, he is very trusted by the Count! By the way, does the Count share the key to the castle¡¯s treasury with him?¡± Blanche felt bored after that. ¡°One of the keys to the treasury belongs to Giacomo?¡± Agat mumbled with a yawn. ¡°Giacomo should be called ¡®Sir¡¯, Irene¡­ This is why I can¡¯t leave you alone¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Right. I can¡¯t help it, I rarely pay attention.¡± When she wanted to rest, they talked freely, and when she asked for information, they mumbled. With great patience, Blanche asked for information about the treasury over and over again. But nothing came of it. Like Blanche, Agat and Phoebe were just newbies. And just like that, it was dawn. The wedding was now only two days away. * * * It was in the afternoon, just after lunch when Pierre arrived at the Count¡¯s Castle with Segolene. Mariette greeted the man and woman who came to her room with a faint smile. But she pretended to know only one person. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Segolene.¡± ¡°Hello, Lady Mariette.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not gonna say hi to me? I¡­¡± When Pierre had finished speaking, Mariette gave him a hateful look. Pierre, who fully understood his sister¡¯s heart, colored his handsome face with sadness, regret, and sympathy. ¡°Mariette. I¡­¡± Before his voice could be heard, Mariette called out to Blanche, who was preparing tea for the three of them. ¡°Irene! There is no need to prepare tea for this man.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Only then Segolene and Pierre discovered Blanche. Surprisingly, the two were neither surprised nor disgusted by Blanche¡¯s burn scar. Above all, the two of them seemed to care more about Mariette than Blanche. Pierre smiled bitterly at Mariette, who raised her eyes and looked at him. ¡°Mariette. It seems that you are still very angry with me.¡± Mariette frowned even more. ¡°Angry? Do you think I¡¯m just angry? You¡¯ll see. Pierre Marquette. I will never forget my grudge.¡± Segolene rolled her eyes and interrupted the sibling¡¯s ¡®friendly¡¯ conversation. ¡°It seems like I have to go now so you two can talk.¡± Gritting her teeth, Mariette caught her. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Segolene! I don¡¯t know what I could do to this shameless man if I was to be left alone with him!¡± Then Segolene looked at Pierre with a worried look. ¡°What should I do, Lord Pierre?¡± ¡°Please give us a moment, Segolene.¡± ¡°Yes. However¡­ The maid there.¡± Segolene suddenly looked at Blanche. Blanche asked, being careful of her voice. ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°Yes. Did you say your name was Irene? The burn scars are severe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡± ¡°How can that be? You don¡¯t have to worry. Irene. Even though I look like this, I serve under the Temple of Healing. My specialty is also burns treatment.¡± She truly was. Burns and burn scars were also illnesses that can be treated with divine power. But only for those with money. In general, meeting a priest was very expensive. Blanche had no choice but to show displeasure. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have any offerings for the precious priest.¡± Then, Segolene¡¯s brown eyes curved softly. Segolene shook her head. ¡°Do not worry. I am just a servant of God who wants your sincere thanks.¡± Pierre was also involved in her good deeds. Besides, she even used honorifics with Blanche for some reason. It was because, seeing her maid, Irene, who was uncomfortable in her body, she thought of Blanche. ¡°Ms. Irene. I know you don¡¯t trust Segolene as you met her for the first time today. But, as the brother of the prospective Countess, I guarantee. Segolene is different from ¡®ordinary priests¡¯. She is a priest who truly takes pity on her patients, consistent with her doctrine.¡± It rarely happened but a cold sweat was welling up on Blanche¡¯s back. ¡®I can¡¯t be treated by Segolene like this! If a burn scar that doesn¡¯t heal is discovered, my identity will be revealed in an instant!¡¯ The attention and focus of Segolene, Pierre, and Mariette turned to Blanche. Blanche clenched her fists involuntarily. [System/ Stress is increasing.] But the helping hand was not far away. Suddenly, Mariette shouted. ¡°No!¡± Mariette got up from her seat at once and she stood in front of Blanche. ¡°Irene. Just go ahead and try to get a burn treatment! I will kick you out of the Count¡¯s castle on that very day!¡± While setting tea in front of the table, Blanche welcomed her twin sister¡¯s threats for the first time. Segolene and Pierre could not hide their embarrassment at Mariette¡¯s threat. However, the good and ignorant two did not give up on the poor maid like this. Segolene and Pierre asked Mariette. ¡°Lady Mariette. Please reconsider.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mean to the innocent maidservant because of me, Mariette.¡± Mariette felt a headache rising. ¡°Are you two crazy? Irene is a maid of this castle! She¡¯s mine! But you dare do this without the owner¡¯s permission? I keep this terrible monster by my side, for a reason!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know why brother Pierre? When I¡¯m with Irene, I look prettier.¡± She didn¡¯t feel any shame as she spit those words out. Pierre¡¯s lips were wrinkled like a crumpled piece of paper. ¡°Mariette. you are really¡­¡± This time, even Segolene could not hide her contempt for Mariette. ¡°Irene. Follow me. We will heal your scars. And if you¡¯re worried about your job, I¡¯ll write a letter of recommendation for you, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Mariette¡¯s tearing screams followed. She even grabbed Blanche¡¯s wrist tightly. ¡°No! Irene, don¡¯t go!¡± Pierre, who couldn¡¯t stand it, got up so quickly that the chair he was sitting on tipped over. [T/N: Hi all! This is the end of Volume 1 (well somewhere in the middle of the chapter), can¡¯t believe that Ricardo still hasn¡¯t escaped TT] CH 33 He took off Mariette¡¯s hand holding Blanche. With stern eyes, Pierre fixed his gaze on Mariette. ¡°Ms. Irene. Follow Segolene. And I¡¯m sorry. My sister is getting annoyed at you for no reason.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you let this go?!¡± After Mariette repeatedly abused her temper, Pierre urged Blanche. ¡°Mr. Irene. Come on.¡± But Blanche could not follow Segolene like this. ¡°No. Young master. I¡¯m fine. I am already used to my appearance.¡± Then Mariette groaned. ¡°Look! Irene said it¡¯s fine, but why do you and Segolene keep insisting?¡± Pierre looked sullen. ¡°Mariette. This woman is not Blanche. So, don¡¯t be mean to her!¡± Mariette snorted her and shook off her wrist that Pierre caught. She opened her pale eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I am not being mean.¡± A cold breeze blew from Mariette. ¡°I will never forgive you and I will never forgive Blanche until I die!¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Pierre nodded his head. ¡°Do it. If that¡¯s the price for what I¡¯ve done, I¡¯ll pay it ten or a hundred times.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But Mariette. At least, don¡¯t take your anger out on the poor girl anymore.¡± Why? Mariette, who had been so fierce until now, suddenly began to weep. ¡°Brother. Brother shouldn¡¯t say that to me. Do you really not know?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now all I have left is my beauty! It will disappear once I give birth!¡± Mariette¡¯s cry was desperate. ¡°I have nothing now! There is no prince and no noble name of the Marquis, none, nothing! Do you think I will be satisfied with the position of a Countess in the country?! So I have to be pretty! I should always be prettier than anyone else! That¡¯s all I have left!¡± After she had finished speaking, Mariette was so overcome with emotion that she even knocked over her tea table. Mariette walked past Pierre and Segolene, who looked surprised, and left the room alone. Mariette was sniffling the whole time. Naturally, Segolene discouraged him from following Mariette. She grabbed Pierre¡¯s sleeve and shook her head. ¡°I think it would be better not to follow her for now. Pierre.¡± Pierre, who was pondering, eventually followed Segolene¡¯s advice. He quietly began to help Blanche with the teacup shards on the floor. With the tea table in place, Pierre¡¯s expression seemed to have chewed on even the gritty sand. Following Pierre, Segolene also bent her knees to the floor. But her concern was not for the fragments of a broken teacup, but Blanche. Segolene lightly patted Blanche¡¯s uneven hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Irene. I promise. That¡¯s what Lady Mariette said, but when you get better, you¡¯ll like it¡­¡± Suddenly, her words were cut off. What the hell was going on with this, Segolene was suddenly enveloped in embarrassment and astonishment. Segolene¡¯s voice trembled to the point of being a mess. ¡°¡­ Blanche?¡± For a moment, Blanche wasn¡¯t the only one whose heart sank. Pierre opened his mouth. ¡°Segolene. What are you talking about? Why did you suddenly say Blanche¡¯s name?¡± Blanche pulled her hand back that had been held by Segolene. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m just doing my job.¡± However, Segolene had no intention of letting Blanche go like this. She blocked Blanche as she was trying to escape. ¡°Are you Blanche? Oh my gosh, Blanche! How did this happen?!¡± ¡°My lord. I have no idea what the priest is talking about now.¡± Despite her excellent acting, Segolene was not deceived. ¡°No. You are Blanche. I can see that.¡± Pierre, who could hardly understand the situation, watched the confrontation between the two women with a confused look. ¡°Segolene. Tell me in detail Why are you calling her Blanche? What the hell is going on?¡± Segolene was still blocking Blanche¡¯s path, giving her explanations. ¡°You know, Pierre. The fact that when divine power touches a person, it is distorted into different wavelengths and absorbed by the other person.¡± Blanche countered. ¡°The priest didn¡¯t use divine power on me, did she?¡± ¡°No. In fact, I used divine power when I grabbed Blanche-sama¡¯s wrist.¡± A cold sweat ran down Blanche¡¯s back. Meanwhile, Pierre, who looked just as bewildered as his sister, finally understood the situation. His eyes quivered as if they were about to burst into tears. ¡°Are you the real Blanche? But why is your face¡­? Blanche! What the hell has happened?¡± That was then. Suddenly, a voice intervened between the three of them. ¡°What do you mean, Pierre? Why are you calling Irene ¡®Blanche¡¯?¡± It¡¯s the siblings¡¯ father. It was Marquis Marquette. After he had just entered the room, his chin was trembling in surprise. He shook his head and clenched his fists until his hands turned white. ¡°No? Tell me you¡¯re not. Why is our Blanche like that¡­¡± Suddenly, tears flowed down like a waterfall from the corners of his shaded eyes. Then, with his trembling hands, he wiped his forehead, which was wet with cold sweat. ¡°It has only been a month since Blanche left home. But does it make sense for that pretty child to be like that!¡± Thus, Blanche had no choice but to admit. Because her lies have already been found out. Any further delay was just a waste of time. Blanche blinked indifferently and confirmed the truth to her father. ¡°Father. I am Blanche.¡± ¡°Blanche! Ugh¡­.¡± After that, he cried while squeezing his chest. ¡°You were all better! You weren¡¯t stuttering and you could even walk, so why do you have to be like this again! Oh my God! God is punishing our family again! If anyone else finds out¡­!¡± As the Marquis staggered, Pierre quickly supported him. ¡°Father. calm down. Fortunately, only we know that Blanche is alive.¡± It was only natural that Blanche was upset. She asked Segolene. ¡°Segolene. Could you please close the door? I don¡¯t want to let more people know about the Marquette family¡¯s secret.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m closing the door, should I leave as well? ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± After confirming that the door was closed, Blanche put her hand to her face. Rip. When Blanche removed the burn makeup, the clear and clean complexion hidden underneath was revealed. The three people¡¯s eyes widened. Blanche confessed while sighing. ¡°This is makeup.¡± But as that happened, the Marquis began to shed even more tears. In addition, he even called to the God he had never sought for in his life, while liquid ran down from his nose and saliva dripped from his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Blanche. I¡¯m really happy. It¡¯s all my mistake, so I¡¯m glad God forgave our family, I¡¯m so glad¡­!¡± From beginning to end, the Marquis was only interested in his family and himself. Blanche wanted to rob the Count¡¯s castle¡¯s treasure trove right now. Only then will she be able to leave the Marquis¡¯ side! What was even more surprising was that Pierre and Segolene were crying too. They were rejoicing as if the Marquis had turned over a new leaf. Just because he welcomed Blanche! As if that was all it took to be a good father. Only Blanche was frustrated. * * * Meanwhile, Mariette was stomping her feet throughout the castle. It was only by chance that she overheard Giacomo¡¯s conversation with the Count. At the familiar voice, Mariette stopped walking at once. She looked down the stairs in the center of the castle and saw two men talking as they went down the stairs. The Count asked. ¡°So you mean Irene, the maid is really suspicious?¡± ¡°No matter how much you think about it, she can¡¯t help but doubt that the kid was a spy sent by the Giotto family. The tax ledgers were also damaged after the girl came in. The first time we met her was at the hunting grounds¡­ Besides, she caught the eyes of the Marquis at once. It¡¯s not just one or two things that are suspicious.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no way Illia would send a bitch with such a monstrous face as a spy. If she had been a citizen of Digitalis, she would have been famous just for her looks.¡± ¡°Anyway, I am sending someone to find out. But without having to go into detail, I found a strange thing.¡± The Count¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Something strange?¡± ¡°Boss. It turns out that there are things that can make you look like a burn patient.¡± ¡°What? Is there anything like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mainly used by b*st*rds with a bounty, but if that¡¯s the case, then Irene would definitely be suspicious.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s a spy sent to break into this place and kill! How dare she take advantage of this one¡¯s favor?¡± The Count, who had been huffing in anger for a long time, glared as he spoke. ¡°So what about Illia¡¯s son? Surely he hasn¡¯t escaped from the dungeon, has he?¡± When the Count asked, Giacomo grinned. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go check it out now.¡± Giacomo had a sinister smile at the thought of seeing Ricardo after a long time. Needless to say, it was his great pleasure to control the enemy¡¯s son. That was then. One of the castle¡¯s butlers ran to Count Juan. ¡°Count! Viscount Anuk has come.¡± Giacomo patted the Count before the matter was handed over. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead, boss.¡± The Count caught Giacomo whose steps were as light as a feather in anticipation. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Giacomo. Viscount Anuk is the eldest son of the Duke of Odillon of the Ramsay Empire. It¡¯s good to get acquainted with the Empire in advance, for our future dealings with them.¡± ¡°D*mn. I was hoping I could finally remove the cobwebs stuck between my crotch after a long time.¡± [T/N: Anybody got a kn*fe? Need to cut something off.] Giacomo whined, unsuitable for his size. He reluctantly followed Count Juan. Meanwhile, Mariette, who overheard all these conversations, was even distracted by her new realization. ¡®Irene¡¯s burns could be makeup!¡¯ Someone approached her who hid their identity by wearing a disguise. Naturally, she thought of Blanche. Yes. The only girl in this world with the same face as her. The moment she thought of Blanche, Mariette vowed. She will not spend her first night with the Count quietly. Even if she has a child in her womb. CH 34 The Marquis and Pierre wondered how Blanche had been. But Blanche did not say anything. Even though Segolene already left her seat in consideration of the Marquette family. She didn¡¯t have the slightest desire to share the recent events of her life with these people. From the moment she tried to commit s*ic*de, her family was dead to her. So, instead of telling her own story, Blanche asked about Marquis¡¯ plans. That was when she found out about Mariette¡¯s secret. Mariette was pregnant with the Third Prince¡¯s child. The Marquis let out a heavy sigh as if the ground was going to sink beneath him. ¡°That Third Prince b*stard, he played with our Mariette.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Moreover, His Majesty said that the Prince would not be held responsible even though they knew that our Mariette was pregnant. Not only that. The Third Prince is getting married to his fianc¨¦e this spring!¡± Blanche nodded her head with an indifferent expression. ¡°That is why Mariette will be marrying Count Juan. The Count doesn¡¯t even know that Mariette is pregnant.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Marquis was very upset that Blanche didn¡¯t seem concerned about Mariette, her own sister. However, he could not scold the daughter whom he had not seen in a long time. Blanche sarcastically asked the hesitant Marquis. ¡°Have you prepared the pigeon eggs and poison?¡± Not everyone is recognized as a couple just because they got married. The marriage will be recognized by everyone only if there are traces of the first night on the bed the morning after. Therefore, pigeon eggs were always prepared by brides who weren¡¯t pure. You just need to poke a hole in the pigeon egg using a needle, empty its contents, and then fill it with animal blood. It can then be used to replicate the traces of the first night. The Marquis, who had a dark expression, nodded his head. ¡°Mariette has the pigeon egg, and the poison is still with me. I will give it to her before I leave after the reception.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Marquis became frustrated at his daughter¡¯s dull reaction. ¡®I can¡¯t help it! Now that Mariette will be someone¡¯s wife rather than my daughter, I¡¯ll need Blanche! Oh! But everyone knows Blanche is already dead.¡¯ The Marquis could not just let his second daughter go. Blanche, who had been cured of her disability, was an existence that would raise his status after giving up his first daughter to an old man. So the Marquis fretted and pondered on how to reverse Blanche¡¯s death in society. Blanche asked the Marquis, who was staring blankly at her. ¡°Did you want to say something?¡± Deep creases formed on the Marquis¡¯ forehead. After a long pause, he acted like he was concerned for Blanche instead of speaking the truth. ¡°You¡¯d better put on your makeup before Mariette comes back.¡± ¡°Yes I will. No matter what, I can¡¯t reveal my identity to Mariette. If that happens, there will be a disturbance at the wedding.¡± [System/ There¡¯s something that the Marquis couldn¡¯t say to you.] Blanche could immediately guess what he couldn¡¯t say. While she hated him to the core, in the end, Blanche was his biological daughter. She struggled to calm her boiling anger as she sat in front of Mariette¡¯s dressing table. Looking at Blanche disguised as Irene, the Marquis became even more anxious. Pierre, who saw this, proposed to his younger sister on behalf of the Marquis. ¡°Blanche. When the reception is over, why don¡¯t we go home together?¡± Blanche sharply refused. ¡°No. I have a place I need to go.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± As she finished putting on the burn disguise, she got up from the dressing table and looked at the two. Blanche declared. ¡°Father. Brother. I have a new family. So I¡¯m no longer a person from the Marquis. Besides, Blanche Marquette is already dead, right? Give up. I will never go back home.¡± After a moment of surprise, the Marquis raised his voice. ¡°A new family? Are you saying you¡¯ve already gotten married in such a short time? I refuse to accept this, Blanche! You got married without my permission!¡± ¡°No matter what my reasons are, I don¡¯t want to be used by someone who sold his first daughter to a loan shark.¡± The Marquis¡¯ face turned pale at Blanche¡¯s gaze. It was as if ice had been dumped on him without warning. Pierre was also surprised by Blanche¡¯s words and actions. ¡°Blanche! How could you say such a thing to father?¡± She asked calmly. ¡°Why? Was I wrong?¡± ¡°You!¡± Then, a knock interrupted the quarrel between the siblings. Moments later, Mariette opened the door, accompanied by a maid pulling a trolley. Mariette, who knocked on her own unlike her usual self, seemed to be more relaxed than before. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re here too? Huh? Did Segolene leave? How wonderful. The number of teacups somehow fits the number of people. Oh, brother Pierre. I¡¯m sorry for what I said earlier. Was I too much?¡± Pierre glanced at Blanche who had gone back to being ¡®Irene¡¯, then put his hands together and bowed his head. ¡°No. Mariette. I¡¯m glad that you feel better now.¡± Mariette gave a meaningful smile and pointed her chin at Blanche. ¡°Irene. You still haven¡¯t put away the broken teacup. What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss.¡± Blanche left the room with the broken tea cup after politely apologizing. He may not have made it obvious, but the Marquis¡¯ eyes chased Blanche. Mariette did not miss a single moment of this. After Blanche had completely disappeared, Mariette sat down at the table. The maid started preparing the tea in front of them. Mariette had a relaxed smile which she couldn¡¯t even do until recently. ¡°What were you talking about while I was away?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Pierre is right, Mariette. There¡¯s no need to tell you such frivolous chatter.¡± Mariette snorted. ¡°Huh. But where did Segolene go? Seeing that Irene still has that face, she shouldn¡¯t be tired from using her divine powers.¡± Again, Pierre answered first. ¡°Segolene was tired from the long journey and went to rest.¡± Mariette smirked. ¡°So, were you able to spend a cozy time with the family?¡± Mariette¡¯s words sounded like Irene was family. As if she knew Irene was Blanche. Pierre filled in as the Marquis¡¯ became silent. ¡°No way. What good things could we have talked about without you?¡± ¡°Well. If you say so. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a story I should know about right?¡± Her words were meaningful in many ways. The Marquis felt a cold sweat run down his back. * * * After tea time, Mariette made Blanche work until late at night. She also made her sleep on a bench in her bedroom. Under Giacomo¡¯s orders, a maid was sent looking for Irene. Early morning came and there was only one day left until Mariette¡¯s wedding. When Blanche opened her eyes, Mariette, who was in her pajamas, was standing at her side. In one hand, she held the sticker that had covered Blanche¡¯s face. Mariette¡¯s green eyes glistened as if they were drenched in oil. A terrifying silence descended. Blanche slowly got up from the bench. Even though her secret was revealed, she was not startled at all. ¡°Since when did you find out who I am?¡± At her sister¡¯s carefree reaction, Mariette¡¯s eyes exuded malice. Her sharp voice attacked her twin sister. ¡°Is that important right now? Tell me, Blanche. What were you thinking?¡± Mariette was convinced that Blanche had come to make fun of her. Tsk Blanche clicked her tongue at the unpleasant assumption. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t? Do you think I¡¯m st*pid?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Shall I speak for you? It must have been funny that I was abandoned by the prince!¡± Mariette blurted, her face red in anger. Blanche¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, feeling awkward at her twin sister¡¯s appearance. ¡°I don¡¯t think that.¡± ¡°Like hell you don¡¯t!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. Mariette. Because I¡¯m not interested in your life.¡± Mariette stopped talking and her jaw was left hanging. She was engulfed in shock as if she had been struck on the back of her head. She had never dreamt that Blanche would be this apathetic to her. It was natural. Before Blanche attempted s*ic*de, she had always admired and loved her twin sister Mariette. After a while of being rendered speechless, Mariette¡¯s face hardened. It was because Blanche snatched the sticker and put it back on her face. Blanche walked towards the door and Mariette, who could barely open her mouth, caught her and asked. ¡°¡­ Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room. Huh. Did you think you could still treat me like a maid after you found out who I was?¡± Mariette pursed her lips clearly dissatisfied. ¡°Why are you so shameless? Are you doing this because you don¡¯t know what will happen if I reveal your identity now?¡± ¡°Why? What will happen? Will your wedding suddenly stop? Will the groom who is older than father want me instead of you, the most beautiful woman on the continent?¡± ¡°We are twins!¡± At her maddening cry, she desperately held Blanche. The corners of Mariette¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°We look the same. Don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Countess¡¯ seat was originally yours, Blanche! You ran away, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m here in the first place!¡± ¡°No. The position as Countess was yours from the beginning. Did you forget, Mariette? The Count had always wanted you as his wife.¡± Blanche scoffed then glanced at her sister¡¯s stomach. ¡°Wake up, Mariette. You¡¯ll start showing soon. Are you saying you¡¯re not going to get married now?¡± [T/N: The baby bump.] Blanche ripped Mariette¡¯s hands off of her, which were clasping her tightly. She calmly watched her twin sister who looked as if she had become the heroine of some tragic story. ¡®I¡¯m not going to do anything that I won¡¯t benefit from.¡¯ Blanche set this as her life¡¯s rule after remembering her past. Blanche¡¯s face was stone-cold. But Mariette couldn¡¯t give up her life like this. Something cold and blunt hit Blanche as she reached for the doorknob. CH 35 Clink. An object the size of a palm slammed into Blanche¡¯s back and dropped on the floor noisily. Blanche, who was struck by the thing out of nowhere, turned around and looked at the floor. Mariette confidently declared. ¡°It¡¯s the key to this castle¡¯s treasury.¡± Mariette was trying her best not to tremble. But Blanche knew Mariette well. She knows that if she doesn¡¯t catch Blanche here, her life will fall even deeper than it is now. ¡°I stole it from the Count¡¯s office. Don¡¯t you need money? It is not common for a woman to live alone without a father or a brother.¡± It was rude for her to meddle in her personal life. It was an awkward attempt at temptation. Blanche¡¯s white face smiled as if ridiculing her. ¡°So now you want me to be the Countess instead of you? Did you really think I would?¡± Mariette was desperately trying to keep her reason. Her voice trembled as she answered. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t wishing for that much either.¡± Blanche folded her arms. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°The first night. Play my part with the Count on the first night.¡± So that¡¯s what it was. Mariette had come up with a trick more perfect for her than a pigeon¡¯s egg. Blanche had no intention of accepting such a frivolous deal. But she had to make sure. She checked the key with her system. [Key to the treasury in Count Juan¡¯s Castle The key to the treasury that Mariette handed over. But it¡¯s not the real treasury key.] Crack Crack. Blanche gritted her teeth. Out of curiosity, she started acting. ¡°How do I even know if this is real or not?¡± Mariette¡¯s face brightened thinking that she had deceived her sister. ¡°If you¡¯re in doubt, go downstairs right now. If the door opens, it¡¯s real right? Of course, that¡¯s if you can avoid all the guards!¡± Apparently, she didn¡¯t even know that she needed two keys to open the treasury. A sharp atmosphere revolved around Blanche. ¡°Are you sure? What if I rob the treasury? I thought you wanted the fortune in this house?¡± ¡°The Count is the richest man in the kingdom. Even if you robbed the treasury, how much could you take with those tiny hands?¡± Mariette snorted. Blanche almost laughed involuntarily, but she managed to hold back her laughter. ¡®Stupid Mariette. You still don¡¯t understand the situation.¡¯ Just as the moon sets and the sun rises, Blanche will soon have all the money the Count earned from usury. Because Blanche decided so. * * * Soon, the night came again. Blanche went down to the dungeon disguised as Mariette. She was tired and more sensitive than usual. To the point where it was hard for her not to kill the guard. Mariette wasn¡¯t the only reason Blanche felt worse than usual. This afternoon, Blanche was almost taken away by Giacomo. If Mariette had not pleaded to Giacomo and appealed to the Count with her fake tears, they would have already found out her identity. Blanche thought. ¡®Giacomo has been trying to take me since yesterday and even today, so he must be suspicious of me.¡¯ Standing in front of Ricardo¡¯s cell, Blanche straightened her expression for a moment. Clank. Blanche, dressed in an ivory-colored dress that looked like something straight out of a fairy tale, opened the prison door. Ricardo, who had been sitting on the prison bed, staring only at the door, got up from the bed. He paused for a moment with a happy smile on his face. Ricardo exclaimed in an ecstatic voice. ¡°Blanche¡­ You look pretty today too.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She nodded and checked Ricardo¡¯s status window. [Ricardo Giotto LV 15 Age 15 / Male Health 61/150 Mana 80/80 Fame 41 Morality 120 Stress 72] Blanche, who checked his Health, smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯ve become healthier, Ricardo. That¡¯s a relief. Now, take this.¡± Blanche took out a purse from her inventory which she had stolen from Mariette. 3 gold coins and 15 silver coins. One gold was a little less than a million, and one silver was about 100,000, so it should be more than enough for the travel expenses to Digitalis. Ricardo tilted his head as he meekly accepted and put them in his pockets. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Blanche ordered him. ¡°Leave this place first, Ricardo.¡± Ricardo¡¯s face clouded like disturbed water. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving with me?¡± ¡°I still have work to do. So you go back to Digitalis first.¡± Ricardo shook his head as soon as she finished speaking. ¡°Whatever you have to do, I will wait here. For you, I can survive in this dungeon for a few more days. So let¡¯s go back to Digitalis together. Okay?¡± Blanche resolutely cut off his grumbling. ¡°Quit whining. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Ricardo¡¯s breath stopped like a man whose throat was being choked. Blanche, who was not happy with the final villain¡¯s grumbling, said coldly. ¡°Ricardo. I can¡¯t come down to this dungeon anymore. And I can¡¯t stop Giacomo anymore either. If you¡¯re smart, I think you know what that means.¡± Ricardo asked impatiently. ¡°Will I get in your way if I stay here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ll be a distraction.¡± He had a strange expression on his face, like someone who accidentally bit his tongue. Blanche let out a low sigh. ¡°Leave first. Someone in the castle might still remember your face. Giacomo will recognize you right away.¡± After a moment, a heavily repressed voice reached her ears. ¡°Will we meet again?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Blanche hugged Ricardo. He was two years younger than her, but already seemed more like a man. Ricardo was already taller than Blanche. Blanche patted Ricardo on the back like a child. She didn¡¯t even realize that he stiffened at the sudden physical contact. After clenching and opening his empty fists repeatedly, Ricardo was able to squeeze out his voice. ¡°You must come see me again, okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will always be by your side from now on.¡± Blanche whispered as she quietly let him go. ¡®That way, I can sell you to Anastage.¡¯ Ricardo, who couldn¡¯t have known what she was thinking, turned red with the misunderstanding. Blanche checked the durability of [Edith¡¯s Lamp], which slowly burned from the floor. There was only 1 use left. ¡®After all, I have to get Ricardo out of here as soon as possible. If he sees Giacomo, he might panic again.¡¯ If he met Giacomo without the effect of [Edith¡¯s Lamp], Blanche will be in a lot of trouble. * * * The morning was bright. Finally, Mariette¡¯s wedding day came. On this day, Count Juan generously decorated the castle with roses that were specially ordered from the capital¡¯s magic tower. The roses he ordered were enough to fill twenty-two carriages, so the guests could smell the thick rose scent even in the middle of winter. Needless to say, the Count seemed to want to seize the opportunity to enter high society with this marriage. A lot of work went into making Mariette¡¯s wedding dress. Mariette¡¯s wedding dress was luxurious enough to be worn by the princess of her country. But it was Blanche, not Mariette, who was wearing the dress. With the help of Mariette, Blanche decorated her short hair with a jewel hairpin, and Mariette cut her long hair, which she was so proud of. Fortunately, when Count Juan came unannounced, Mariette and Blanche had already finished their makeup. The eighty-year-old new groom wrinkled his eyes at the beautiful bride. ¡°Mariette. Why is your hair short?¡± Blanche raised her chin and gave strength to her neck. She was imitating Mariette. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t see the bride before the wedding.¡± ¡°Answer the question.¡± ¡°Whether my hair is short or long, I am beautiful. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± The Count grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not that you aren¡¯t beautiful. I just like your long hair, so let¡¯s grow it again. And don¡¯t ever cut your hair without my permission again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± While Mariette looked at him anxiously, Blanche couldn¡¯t hide her laughter. He was too funny. Of course, Mariette was terrified that he might find out that his bride had been swapped. The Count was already fighting with his new bride. Blanche found all of this pleasant so she kept her chin up and smiled. The Count thought that perhaps his eyes were mistaken, so he regarded this as the new bride¡¯s embarrassed smile. He placed his hands on Blanche¡¯s exposed shoulders. The Count¡¯s hands were as wrinkled and dry as his desires. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯ve reflected on your mistakes now. I seemed to have overdone it on such a good day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mariette, you don¡¯t have to worry about money anymore. I promise. You can buy anything that will brighten up your beauty in the future. I will not skimp on money on your dresses. Yes. My reputation will shine as bright as you are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Blanche placed one hand on his shoulder. She hinted at the Count blushing. ¡°Go on, Count. You need to go to the ceremony now. So, won¡¯t you proudly welcome me on the Virgin Road?¡± Count Juan put on a look of regret. He scanned Blanche from head to toe. His eyes were clearly thinking about the first night to come. The Count vanished from the siblings¡¯ view only after he lowered his lips to the back of Blanche¡¯s hand. Locking the door, Mariette asked Blanche. ¡°Aren¡¯t you even offended?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bearable because he¡¯s not my husband.¡± Hmph, Mariette snorted. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think the first night would be that terrible.¡± Blanche smiled at the conversion. ¡®Of course it wouldn¡¯t be terrible. I¡¯m leaving here tonight with my treasure.¡¯ The corner of Mariette¡¯s lips twitched looking irritated, not knowing her sister¡¯s motives. CH 36 Mariette reluctantly placed the jewelry box on the dressing table. Opening her jewelry box revealed a diamond necklace, the stone was the size of Blanche¡¯s eye. The necklace was in the shape of an inverted triangle that narrowed in the center, and it even reflected different colors. Mariette groaned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? It¡¯s my favorite among the gifts the Count has given me.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s useful.¡± Blanche nodded and hung the necklace around her neck with Mariette¡¯s help. She also wore colorful earrings in the shape of a chandelier. The earrings were made of eight drop-cut diamonds. Thanks to the earrings and necklace, a beautiful refraction was painted over Blanche¡¯s face. And then the veil. Blanche was done with her final preparations. She was so beautiful that no one in the world could find a word more fitting to describe her. Finally, it was time for her to go down to the wedding hall. Naturally, the Marquis came to pick up Mariette. What was surprising was that he didn¡¯t recognize her as Blanche. ¡°Mariette. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes. Dad.¡± Blanche stretched out her graceful white hand to the Marquis. He clasped her hand and gave a sad expression. He apologized belatedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mariette. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m letting you marry someone like that. This father has failed you.¡± Mariette and Blanche were surprised by this. The Marquis was the type of person who would never admit his faults. Blanche couldn¡¯t hide her disgust, unlike Mariette who quickly cried. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that now?¡± The Marquis¡¯ face turned red in embarrassment. ¡°No, I¡­ Hmmm, Mariette. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if you could start afresh since things have already turned out like this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to accept your apology so that you can ease your guilty conscience.¡± As was his habit, the Marquis immediately became angry. ¡°What sort of rudeness is this Mariette! How could you talk to me that way?! I am your father!¡± ¡°Yes. I know. You are my dad. That¡¯s why you¡¯re forcing me to get married right? To pay off my Dad¡¯s debt.¡± ¡°Then were you thinking of becoming a single mother like this? If it weren¡¯t for me, would the Count even want you?!¡± [System/ Mariette is anxious.] ¡°Blan-¡­ No, Mariette. Stop! No more fighting with daddy! We should go down to the ceremony hall before it¡¯s too late!¡± Mariette looked dissatisfied. She thought Blanche was deliberately picking a fight with the Marquis. Blanche snorted. ¡°No. I can¡¯t stop.¡± Her sharp eyes flew past Mariette, and fell on the Marquis. ¡°In the first place, Dad should have persuaded His Majesty the King! If Dad hadn¡¯t fallen off His Majesty¡¯s favor, the Royal family would have paid off his debts!¡± Enraged, the Marquis threw away Blanche¡¯s hand that he had been holding. ¡°Mariette! You can go to the wedding hall alone!¡± Blanche nodded happily. ¡°Yes. Fine.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Marquis was perplexed. There was no greater shame than entering the ceremonial hall alone, a bride unaccompanied by her father. Mariette, who felt like she was burning, started contemplating. She glared at Blanche with all her might. However, contrary to Mariette¡¯s misunderstanding, Blanche did not intentionally offend the Marquis. Besides, Blanche knew. In the end, the fact that the Marquis will reach out to her first. Blanche had a sly smirk. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to what lies ahead. Will Count Juan ever forgive father for the embarrassment?¡± She was right. Moreover, if it is the Count, he was only noble on the outside, but he could destroy them even with his eyes closed. Even Alphonse¡¯s tuition was now in Count Juan¡¯s hands. The Marquis clenched his teeth and swallowed his anger. But he couldn¡¯t respond properly. ¡°Th-that¡­!¡± Blanche waved in the air as graceful as a butterfly flapping its wings. ¡°What are you doing, Dad? Aren¡¯t you going to hold my hand again?¡± In the end, the Marquis had no choice but to reach out to his daughter first. Humiliation and anger passed over the Marquis¡¯s wrinkled face. He glanced at Mariette, as if he wanted to change the subject even for a moment. ¡°Blanche. I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Mariette nodded her head, but didn¡¯t answer the Marquis. Because her attention was on Blanche. It was clear that Mariette was surprised by Blanche¡¯s dexterity. In the next moment, Blanche, standing next to the Marquis, scoffed at Mariette. ¡°Id*ot.¡± It was directed at Mariette, who became teary eyed just by receiving a single apology from the Marquis, even though he was the one who put her in this situation. Her relationship with the Marquis had been damaged and now she didn¡¯t know whether they would go back to how they were, seeing the way he looked at her now. Thus, Mariette realized. That the relationship between the two of them had been completely turned upside down. Mariette glared at Blanche with sharper eyes. ¡®Let¡¯s see if you can laugh at me again once you find out that the key to the treasury I gave you was fake, Blanche.¡¯ Mariette gritted her teeth. ¡®Just wait. I¡¯ll put you in the Count¡¯s bedroom instead of me every night, using the treasure that you will never get as an excuse.¡¯ Whether or not Blanche, who was dressed as Mariette, knew this, she remained relaxed. The Marquis sighed at the unusual atmosphere between the sisters. ¡°Blanche. Today is the day, so be patient. You know your sister¡¯s personality well, right?¡± Blanche added sarcastically. ¡°Right. But it¡¯s not just going to be a day or two. So you should get used to this kind of treatment from now on.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Eventually, the impatient Mariette raised her voice. However, she couldn¡¯t be mad at Blanche. It was because the Marquis spoke again. He forced Mariette to sacrifice and bear with it. ¡°Blanche. I told you. Be patient.¡± The real Blanche helped with a loud voice. ¡°Did you hear that, Blanche? You have to put up with me today. Today is the day Mariette Maquette becomes Countess Juan, right?¡± All Mariette could do was swallow her boiling anger. So, whether Mariette, who was left alone behind her, stared at Blanche or not, she safely arrived at the wedding hall. The precious winter sunlight was pouring generously that morning. Finally, Blanche walked the Virgin Road in the Great Hall, which had been turned into a wedding hall. She went through the wedding without appreciating how beautiful the inside of the hall was. However, that did not mean that Blanche was relaxed. Even when the Count¡¯s kiss touched her forehead, she was always thinking of the gold. ¡®Where would the Count and Giacomo keep the treasury keys?¡¯ Blanche was completely absorbed in those thoughts. She could never have expected that Ricardo, who returned to the Count¡¯s Castle, was right there watching her fake wedding! * * * Ricardo didn¡¯t have any intention of returning to the Count¡¯s castle in the beginning. Having escaped the castle with the help of Blanche, he rode his horse in the early dawn. Ricardo reached a village far from the castle in the morning. Perhaps there was a festival, so the village was quite lively from the early hours. Ricardo let his horse rest and went to the public bath. This was because his poor appearance, as he had not been properly washed for several months, was inevitably noticeable in many ways. While at it, Ricardo even bought new clothes with the money Blanche gave him. He had only washed and changed into new clothes, but favorable gazes already gathered on him. Ricardo¡¯s appearance was as elegant and exotic as that of a nobleman. But the envying gazes could not keep Ricardo there. His goal was to return to Digitalis and wait for Blanche. Ricardo, who had barely eaten his meal, did not hesitate to get on his horse again. He intended to leave the Count¡¯s territory as soon as possible, just as Blanche had advised. All of a sudden, a bard¡¯s song reached Ricardo¡¯s ears. ~¡°So, the beautiful red-haired green-eyed girl was broken by Count Juan.¡±~ Ricardo¡¯s body moved faster than he thought. He also knew a beautiful girl with rare red hair and green eyes. Besides, he knew Count Juan as well. It was a song that he couldn¡¯t just dismiss. Ricardo pushed his horse to move towards the bard. The bard, who had been singing on top of a wooden box, quickly saw Ricardo even though he was surrounded by a crowd. The bard looked at Ricardo¡¯s appearance and regarded him as some sort of young lord who went out on an outing without his parents¡¯ knowledge. It was a plausible explanation. After all, a sumptuous wedding was taking place in the Count¡¯s Castle at the same time. The bard¡¯s singing voice and the sound from the lute, who were expecting gold coins, became more melancholic. ~¡°Lady, Mariette Marquette. The most delicate flower on the continent. A girl with red hair.¡±~ An ominous feeling ran down Ricardo¡¯s back. Furthermore, the portrait behind the bard! The moment he saw the portrait, Ricardo stopped breathing. The woman in the portrait painted in cont¨¦* was unmistakably Blanche. ¡®Why is Blanche¡¯s wanted notice posted on the street?¡¯ He bit his lips nervously and asked a young man nearby. ¡°Hey, what sin did the woman in the portrait commit to get her face plastered on the streets?¡± The young man, who was in the midst of singing, furrowed his eyebrows at the young voice. But when he saw Ricardo riding in a dignified manner on his horse, he politely refined his speech. Like the bard, the young man had mistaken Ricardo as a nobleman. ¡°What do you mean sin, my lord? She is not a criminal.¡± ¡°What? She¡¯s not even a criminal but there¡¯s a wanted notice on the street?¡± ¡°My lord. That¡¯s not a wanted notice, it¡¯s a portrait. But. If you are from a foreign country, you may not know it. My lord, this is the most beautiful woman in the Lupinus Kingdom, Lady Mariette.¡± ¡°Mariette? Do you mean that girl¡¯s name is Mariette? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes! There is no man in our kingdom who does not know the name of Lady Mariette.¡± Ricardo murmured. ¡°Mariette¡­ Her name was Mariette, not Blanche.¡± ¡°Yes? My lord? What did you say? I couldn¡¯t hear you well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. But still, I don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re saying that in this country, the woman¡¯s face is out on the streets because she¡¯s pretty?¡± ***** *The cont¨¦ crayon is an especially hard pencil, made of a mixture of graphite and clay that has varying degrees of hardness. It is usually made in black, red, or brown and is used as a drawing medium in any combination of these colors. CH 37 ¡°No way! Lucky for you, my lord. If today wasn¡¯t her wedding day, you wouldn¡¯t be able to see her portrait.¡± Ricardo¡¯s shoulders became stiff, as if a bucket of ice-water was dumped on him. ¡°Wedding?¡± The young man had a confused expression on his face. ¡°Did you not know? This song is about the wedding of Count Juan, which will be held today.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°From today onwards, Lady Mariette will be Countess Juan!¡± Ricardo felt the blood all over his body freeze. Grit. He gritted his teeth. ¡®I just found out Blanche¡¯s real name, and now he¡¯s saying that she is the Count¡¯s bride-to-be. I can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ Ricardo clenched his fist so hard that his nails left a mark on the palm of his hands. It was a belated regret. However, no matter how much he regretted it, nothing will change if he stayed in this place. Ricardo immediately put his thoughts into action. He quickly turned his horse around and headed for the castle of Count Juan. It was astonishing. He did not hesitate to return to the hellish castle of the Count at all. Even if Giacomo, who did a terrible thing to Ricardo, was in that very same castle. ¡®But I can¡¯t leave Blanche, no, Mariette like this!¡¯ He sped up again. ¡®Mariette is too good for Count Juan!¡¯ So Ricardo rode for four hours to reach the outskirts of the Count¡¯s Castle. However, he could not enter the castle on horseback. If he did that, he would be caught immediately. Because of this, he left his horse at the Count¡¯s hunting grounds and disguised as a servant as he entered the castle. He had [Edith¡¯s Lamp] dangling from his waist to calm his trembling legs from tension and fear. However, as he was disguised as a servant, he could not enter the Great Hall where the wedding was taking place. ¡®I need to change my clothes. If I dress like a noble young master, I will be able to attend the wedding.¡¯ As Ricardo was born in Digitalis, he was able to quickly find new clothes. He got good quality clothes by knocking out a guy his age and leaving him in a storage room. To complete the look, Ricardo placed a bottle in the hand of the young lord who ¡®fainted¡¯. So, in the blink of an eye, he became a plausible noble young master. A unique nobleman with an old lamp hanging from his waist. It was stupid. He knew that he would stand out, yet he couldn¡¯t throw away [Edith¡¯s Lamp]. Ricardo did not regret his actions. Unlike [Edith¡¯s Lamp], Blanche was not a simple item for him. Finally, Ricardo entered the Great Hall where the ceremony was in full swing. The scent of roses drifted everywhere. The Count was not a believer, so a court official was sent by the royal family to conduct the wedding. Ricardo carefully walked the Great Hall, sticking to the wall, then settled somewhere he could see the bride and groom¡¯s faces. He could only see Blanche¡¯s face at the edge of the isolated pillar. Ricardo immediately ran out of breath. Blanche had always been pretty, but today she was especially beautiful, enough to be compared to a mythical goddess. If possible, Ricardo wanted to push Count Juan away, taking his place who was kneeling beside Blanche on a thick velvet cushion. Ricardo¡¯s blue eyes fluttered with jealousy and thirst. He furrowed his eyebrows and bit his lower lip. He bit so hard that he could taste blood. * * * On the other hand, Mariette felt very good even though she was alienated from her own wedding. To the point where she hummed loudly in her bedroom, all alone. But the peace didn¡¯t last long. It was due to an intruder who entered her room without knocking. It was Giacomo, who had been steadily stalking Blanche for the past two days. After all, Mariette discovered Blanche¡¯s identity thanks to Giacomo, but who cares about that? Mariette shot fiercely. ¡°What is this? Can the Count¡¯s vassal enter the Countess¡¯ bedroom recklessly? I will report this to the Countess later.¡± Heh, Giacomo snorted. ¡°Is that what you think? Countess¡¯ b*tch? I¡¯ve already failed twice but in this Giacomo¡¯s dictionary there is no room for a third one!¡± [T/N: Trying to take Blanche for the past few days.] ¡°What? B*tch? How dare you swear at me like that?! Ack! Where are you touching?!¡± Mariette let out a loud scream. Out of nowhere Giacomo grabbed her left hand. In a fit of rage, Mariette screamed. ¡°Let go of my hand! How dare you!¡± She raised her free right hand and swung it towards Giacomo¡¯s cheek. But even that hand was caught by Giacomo. Giacomo, who grabbed Mariette¡¯s hands and rubbed them, became sure. ¡°Now, I see that your hands are not like a maid¡¯s, Irene.¡± At that moment, Mariette wanted to faint. ¡°What are you talking about, Giacomo? So what if I¡¯m not a maid?¡± ¡°Of course, you must be a spy!¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to decide whether it makes sense or not, I¡¯ll be the judge of that! Let¡¯s see if a wench like you can be as shameless when you¡¯re stuck in a dungeon!¡± Mariette¡¯s heart raced. She struggled with all her might. ¡°If you don¡¯t let me go, I¡¯ll scream right away! I¡¯m going to ruin her wedding!¡± Not long after, Giacomo grabbed both Mariette¡¯s hands with one hand and forcefully rubbed her face with his empty hand. Rip. The burn makeup came off horribly. Giacomo¡¯s mouth widened in amazement at Mariette¡¯s exposed face. ¡°No way!¡± Mariette did not miss this opportunity. Surprisingly, despite his size, Giacomo was pushed away as Mariette shoved him. Giacomo, who was stunned, asked. ¡°Why is the lady here?¡± ¡°I, I¡­¡± In that brief moment, dozens of excuses flashed through Mariette¡¯s head. But Mariette couldn¡¯t get any words out of her mouth. It seemed like she wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of this situation no matter what she said. Suddenly, a third voice appeared from behind Giacomo. ¡°What is going on here?¡± It was Marquis Marquette. Due to the confrontation between the two, the Marquis understood the situation easily. The Marquis asked. ¡°What are you doing to my daughter right now!¡± Giacomo was confused. He alternately looked at the Marquis and Mariette. ¡°My lord! Why are you and the lady, who should be at the boss¡¯ wedding, here?¡± The Marquis flinched. He reluctantly explained. ¡°Hmm. This child is not Mariette.¡± Finally, Giacomo recalled the existence of Blanche. ¡°I thought your second daughter was dead.¡± The Marquis approached Mariette and hid her behind his back. The Marquis raised his chin. ¡°She¡¯s just pretending to be dead. I don¡¯t know who the hell it was, or why, but someone tried to poison this child. We had no choice.¡± Giacomo, one of the perpetrators who tried to poison Blanche, quietly bit his lip. The Marquis asked. ¡°Since you are my son-in-law¡¯s vassal, you must keep this a secret.¡± ¡°If the girl who is getting married to my brother is the real Mariette, I will keep it a secret.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Even with the Marquis¡¯ affirmation, Giacomo¡¯s eyes showed that he was still suspicious of them. Without realizing it, Mariette shrugged her shoulders. Because of this, the Marquis had no choice but to understand even if he did not want to. Giacomo was suspicious of his daughter. Frustrated, the Marquis swallowed dry saliva. The Marquis and Giacomo continued to engage in a war of nerves. Giacomo¡¯s sharp demeanor only eased after he called a servant to make sure the wedding was going smoothly. However, this did not stop his doubts. But above all else, Blanche appearing here became an addition to the cards the Count can use to take control of his wife¡¯s family. ¡®The Marquis falsely announced that his second daughter was dead. If the boss finds out about this, he would like it.¡¯ Giacomo smiled nicely. ¡°I guess I misunderstood. I¡¯m sorry. My lord. And please forgive me, Miss Blanche.¡± Mariette nodded her head. ¡°I accept the apology. Giacomo.¡± Giacomo¡¯s eyes widened at her dignified attitude. ¡®It¡¯s strange, too. The Marquis¡¯ second daughter, she was said to be timid enough to never make eye contact with people, but that wasn¡¯t true at all.¡¯ Giacomo decided that he should inform Count Juan of this suspicion as soon as possible. ¡°You don¡¯t know how lucky I am that the lady has forgiven me. Then, my lord, my lady. May I leave first? As a vassal of the Count, even two bodies are not enough on a day like today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes. I hope you will return to the dining hall as soon as possible.¡± So Giacomo left. Mariette was then able to relax. But not the Marquis. Belatedly, she confirmed the Marquis¡¯ dark expression. Mariette made an excuse. ¡°Dad. I didn¡¯t bring Giacomo into the bedroom. That arrogant man attacked me on his own!¡± The Marquis¡¯ face became even more pale. It was a natural reaction. Because of Mariette¡¯s unique tone and behavior, the Marquis realized the secret his daughters wanted to hide! The Marquis asked. ¡°Mariette. What is this? Why is Blanche marrying the Count instead of you? Why are you here?!¡± Meanwhile, Giacomo returned to the Great Hall where the wedding was being held. He found Ricardo hiding in the corner of the wedding hall. * * * After hearing the truth from Mariette, the Marquis came to Blanche as soon as the reception was over. Because of this, the maids who were attending to Blanche could not contain their embarrassment. The husband and wife¡¯s first night will be happening soon, and the new bride¡¯s father almost broke into the couple¡¯s bedroom. The maid stood in front of Blanche and blocked him. She read the unusual atmosphere around the Marquis. The maid strongly insisted. ¡°Marquis! As of today, Lady Mariette has become the Countess. From now on, my lord, please be careful about your actions!¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that! I said I was going to see my daughter, but why are you getting in the way?¡± Judging from his nervousness, it seemed that the Marquis went through something quite troublesome before coming there. Blanche let out a sigh so deep that her shoulder moved up and down. ¡°Everyone leave for a while.¡± The chief maid frowned at her as if she did not agree with Blanche. But she could not disobey Blanche¡¯s orders as she had become the Countess as of today. CH 38 Eventually, the Marquis was able to speak with his daughter Blanche just like he wanted. However, the Marquis found it hard to open his mouth. He also looked more anxious than angry at Blanche for deceiving him. He pulled out a glass bottle the size of a thumb from his arms. It was a deadly poison that could kill an elephant. The Marquis handed it to Blanche. ¡°Take it, Blanche.¡± Blanche was not surprised that the Marquis finally found out who she was. However she was still disgusted with her father. The look on the Marquis¡¯ face showed that his frustration was stronger than his sadness. Moreover, he did not even try to switch Blanche and Mariette, even belatedly. Blanche laughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you giving it too soon? I don¡¯t think I should use this at least after Mariette gives birth.¡± Surprisingly, even after his youngest daughter laughed, he didn¡¯t yell like he used to. It was natural. Because he knew that his anger would reveal the situation. The Marquis sighed. ¡°Blanche. I don¡¯t care what you think of me. Just know this one thing. Whatever Mariette said to you, you don¡¯t have to deal with her business anymore.¡± ¡°No way. When the Count dies, the debt will be paid off anyway. After all, ¡®Mariette¡¯ is married to Count Juan.¡± At Blanche¡¯s sarcasm, the Marquis became furious, but later muffled his speech. ¡°D*mn it, if you get pregnant¡­!¡± As expected, he was chasing after the ¡®product¡¯ called Blanche for fear that it would get scratched. The Marquis thought that he still controlled Blanche¡¯s life like he did in the past. That was all it was. Blanche accepted the bottle that the Marquis had offered, and poured all the contents into a nearby vase. The Marquis was dumbfounded. ¡°Blanche! What are you doing! Do you know how expensive that was!¡± ¡°I changed my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± Blanche softly laughed. ¡°Dad. The Count must live for a while.¡± ¡®Only then will your life be dragged through mud.¡¯ The words lingered at the tip of Blanche¡¯s tongue. The Marquis looked around for a bit and lowered his voice. ¡°What nonsense! Remember, Blanche! Tonight, the Count must die!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. This is all for our family.¡± ¡°Not for the family, but for dad.¡± ¡°Tch. You¡¯ve become an adult and yet your mind is still so immature. What a pity, Blanche. Are you going to kill the Count with your bare hands?¡± The Marquis clicked his tongue again as Blanche shot him a look. He still had no doubts that Blanche would listen to him. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. You are the one who caused this situation!¡± The Marquis, who had fallen into the swamp of illusion, sighed. ¡°You have to. Blanche. Whether you stab him in the heart or strangle him with a silk string, have him drink alcohol first, it will make killing him a lot easier.¡± After finishing the conversation, the Marquis even took out the pigeon egg from his arms. ¡°Never sleep with the Count, no matter what. Now that you are normal, you should get married to a good place.¡± He spoke as if he had already decided for her. Blanche reacted to this. She immediately snatched the pigeon egg and threw it against one of the bedroom walls. It was regrettable that the pigeon egg flew to a place where the light of the candles did not reach. If it had flown to a slightly brighter place, the fishy smell and fresh blood would have made the Count suspicious. If that was the case, everything would have been caught, and Blanche would be able to run away with her mind at ease. No one will be able to stop Blanche once she gets the keys to the treasury. The Marquis was horrified by Blanche¡¯s ¡®unlike a good daughter¡¯ violent behavior. ¡°Blanche! Shouldn¡¯t you also be against this situation?¡± Her patience finally ran out. Blanche tilted her head and frowned at her biological father, who was ugly, selfish, and disgusting. ¡°How many more times should I tell you?¡± A cruel glare emanated from her green eyes, but the Marquis still couldn¡¯t understand his daughter. ¡°Blanche?¡± ¡°Marquis Marquette. You still don¡¯t understand? Blanche, your daughter, is already dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You killed her yourself the day you forced her to marry in place of Mariette.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your relationship with me has already ended.¡± ¡°You, you¡­!¡± Blanche scoffed at the Marquis, who pointed a finger at her in anger. He no longer had any hold over his independent daughter. Blanche declared. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with my life as if it was natural. I no longer belong to you.¡± ¡°So this is the choice you made while pretending to be good? Defiling your innocence instead of Mariette?¡± The angry Marquis¡¯ face was so red that it looked like it was about to burst. At the ridiculous sight, wind slipped out from Blanche¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do not worry. My lord the Marquis. You¡¯ll find out after tonight.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why I made this choice.¡± With that, Blanche no longer gave the Marquis a chance to speak. As soon as Blanche pulled the string near her bed, people flocked back inside. It was a mix of maids and escorts. For a moment, the Marquis, surrounded by large knights, pouted his mouth like a fish. He could not blame Blanche. Blanche, who pretended to be a good daughter whose true father was shameful, acted in front of everyone. ¡°Dad. It would be better if you left. I know you care about me, but trying to stay with me before midnight¡­ I think that¡¯s a little bit¡­¡± The maid spoke for her. ¡°The Madam is right, Marquis. Please leave.¡± He bit his clenched lower lip as if he still had a lot to say. But he could no longer teach Blanche anything. Eventually, the Marquis realized it. The fact that Blanche was completely out of his grasp. Blanche added, speaking to the Marquis, who was on the verge of getting sick. ¡°Oh. Dad. Tell Alphonse that even if he kept looking for ¡®Irene¡¯, he won¡¯t find her.¡± Alphonse was the only one in the family who didn¡¯t know that Blanche was Irene. The Marquis was the one who decided that he should not be informed. He hated decreasing the time Alphonse studied. He also hated Alphonse¡¯s inability to concentrate on his education. The only way to raise the honor of the Marquis family, who fell to the ground, was the success of their children and marriage. The Marquis mumbled with an annoyed face. ¡°You foolish daughter. One day, you will be able to understand this father¡¯s heart. I¡¯ve always been worried about you!¡± He did. Despite all this, the Marquis was convinced. It was impossible for Blanche to live well alone, away from her family. Well. He would not be able to imagine it, even if he died. He didn¡¯t know that the daughter he had been so harsh on would lead a life that was twice as successful than himself. Blanche laughed at her father¡¯s curse, which would never come true. Her laugh was mixed with ridicule. * * * Finally, it was the first night. Count Juan swallowed his saliva involuntarily at the sight that unfolded before his eyes. It was because Blanche, who sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at him coyly, was dizzying. But it was not because she was alluring. She was wearing pajamas that did not even expose her shoulders, so that she could stave off his withered passion. Indeed there was a possibility that she may not be ¡®Mariette¡¯, who was called the most beautiful woman on the continent. Thanks to his conversation with Giacomo, the Count was suspicious of Blanche¡¯s identity. ¡®As expected, there was no way the Marquis would give me the real Mariette. So that must have been why the disabled daughter was declared dead. What a stupid b*st*rd. If it was me, I would have taken advantage of the fact that my second daughter was cured of her disability. If you say that you have been blessed by the Goddess, it would raise the honor of the family, they are nobles after all.¡¯ The Count smiled menacingly. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. After all, the shell is the same. Besides, I found out what the Marquis had been hiding, so I could use this against the upright Marquis family. I¡¯ll let it go. Now, these beautiful twin sisters are mine.¡¯ His self-confidence overflowed for a moment, and as time passed, his throat dried up. It was because the dizzying beauty in front of him had paralyzed his reason. The Count could not read Blanche¡¯s expression. He walked slowly and stood in front of the bed. To break the spirit of the new bride, the Count opened his mouth first. ¡°You¡¯re not Mariette, are you? You¡¯ve been trying so hard to deceive everyone.¡± Blanche laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. I endured and held it in.¡± ¡°From now on, it would be better not to raise your nose by pretending to be the most beautiful woman on the continent. Because I have no intention of bending over fakes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was thinking the same thing. I don¡¯t want to have you under my feet either.¡± ¡°From now on, you will have to be obedient to me¡­ What did you say? You?¡± The Count, having assumed what Blanche was going to answer, opened his eyes wide belatedly. Blanche emphasized once more. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re nothing.¡± She grabbed the Count¡¯s collar the next moment. Blanche¡¯s eyes tilted like a crescent moon. ¡°It must have been nice playing with money.¡± ¡°Ack! I-I can¡¯t b-bre-¡­!¡± ¡°The people who go to usurers came in crowds.¡± ¡°L-Let¡¯s talk about this. Let¡¯s have a conversation.¡± The Count tried to release the collar caught by Blanche with all his strength, but it was all in vain. Her slender body did not budge no matter what the Count did. Blanche¡¯s green eyes gleamed coldly. ¡°Why do I need to talk to you? Did you speak to the people who came to you? No. I know the rumors well. They say that you somehow made it impossible to repay the money so that the women of the household were sold in the streets and the men were sold at the labor yard?¡± As time went by, the Count¡¯s face turned white. Blanche¡¯s strength holding his neck was beyond imagination. ¡°S-Spare me¡­!¡± Blanche was going to keep the Count alive to make the Marquis¡¯ life difficult, but she had no intention of letting him off easily. Suddenly, the Count¡¯s hand touched Blanche¡¯s chest. It was a mistake as Count Juan tried to push her away. The Count was able to escape from her grasp. But this was not achieved by the Count himself, but only because of Blanche¡¯s whim. Moreover, her change of heart returned with even greater violence. The moment when the Count, who was staggering with his short breath, sat on his a*s, Blanche¡¯s foot stomped on his leg. Crack. The Count¡¯s left ankle was broken at once. She kept the Count¡¯s mouth from screaming by pushing his face against the floor. She also knocked him down by breaking his arm as fast as a lightning bolt. CH 39 The Count¡¯s scream could only come out as a squeak due to Blanche¡¯s strength pressing his face down. There was no mercy in Blanche¡¯s eyes as she looked down at the captured prey. ¡°Answer me, old man. Where are the keys to the treasury?¡± ¡°T-Treasury? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡­ Ahh!¡± At the blatant lie, she moved her hand again. In the end, the Count had no choice but to weep like a child and ask for her forgiveness. It was the same as when countless debtors had come to him and asked for mercy. Blanche repeatedly asked the whereabouts of the keys to the treasury. He confessed reluctantly. ¡°The key is in the safe in the library.¡± [System/ Count Juan¡¯s stress increases.] The meaning of the rapidly rising stress stat was obvious. Blanche spoke. ¡°Lie.¡± ¡°H-How am I lying? It¡¯s not like that!¡± [System/ Count Juan¡¯s stress increases.] The corners of Blanche¡¯s eyes curved in an arc. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Where should I hit you so that you start telling the truth?¡± * * * Earlier that day. Count Juan¡¯s wedding had finally ended. Giacomo took advantage of the opportunity to reveal Irene¡¯s identity to Count Juan. Before the reception began, the Count, who had been resting with Giacomo for a while, opened his mouth wide. ¡°What? Irene is Mariette¡¯s twin sister Blanche? Wasn¡¯t Blanche dead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Besides, there¡¯s something strange about it.¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°The second lady of the Marquis family was famous for her timid and dark personality, right? But today, her temper was similar to the one who will become the madam.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°In addition, the way she talked was different from the way she did before.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Boss. When did you see me talk nonsense?¡± The Count struck him on the knee. ¡°Is that right! Then the bride could have been swapped!¡± But Giacomo thought differently. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right. If the Marquis was going to replace his daughter from the start, why would he dare to bring his second daughter into the Count¡¯s?¡± The Count snorted. ¡°How would I understand the brain of ??an id*ot who lost his business even though he had that much money?¡± Giacomo scratched the back of his head. ¡°I want to know because it¡¯s frustrating. Even if the Marquis replaced the real daughter, that¡¯s a problem. How the hell are we going to prove that? They both look the same anyway.¡± ¡°Find out. By any means.¡± ¡°But. Boss is a man, you will do well with either one.¡± ¡°Ha-ha! That¡¯s obvious!¡± ¡°Oh. Illia¡¯s son. That guy escaped.¡± ¡°What?! How are you even doing your job?!¡± Giacomo leisurely waved his hand despite the Count¡¯s criticism. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. I already told the soldiers a while back. That guy. I don¡¯t know what he was thinking. Did you know he even attended your wedding?¡± The Count¡¯s eyes became sharp. ¡°How dare he try to ruin my wedding! I will kill that guy.¡± The Count ordered Giacomo. ¡°You have to bring that bastard back to the dungeon right now, Giacomo.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t move private soldiers or knights. Don¡¯t make so much noise so the guests wouldn¡¯t notice anything strange. Now that I¡¯ve joined the d*mn high society, I can¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°Please trust me.¡± Giacomo smiled confidently. * * * Thanks to his natural appearance, Ricardo easily blended into the aristocratic group he met for the first time today. Moreover, he even boldly attended the reception. The reception was so grand and clearly reflected Count¡¯s desire to be incorporated into the upper classes. Ricardo, who sat near the end, was served with six kinds of meat dishes and fresh fruits and vegetables. Ricardo was well aware of how expensive fruits and vegetables were in the middle of winter. Also, it had been a long time since he realized that the dress and jewelry worn by Blanche were expensive. It was because he was more knowledgeable than his peers. Although he was a fifteen-year-old boy, he was also one of Digitalis¡¯ criminals, so it was only natural. Ricardo looked around the dining hall where the reception was being held. The dining hall, which was filled with a beautiful scent, was as luxurious as the great hall used for the wedding ceremony. It was also unbelievably warm considering that it was midwinter. Good food, good clothes and a good house. All of these were things that Ricardo could never give Blanche. Feeling inferior, Ricardo glanced at the distant superior. His stomach twisted at the beautiful sight of Blanche, who was sitting beside the Count. At the same time, Ricardo felt that she was so far away. Ricardo¡¯s tender heart filled with pain and anxiety. ¡®Will I be able to keep hiding like this? What if Mariette hates me because I¡¯ve been hiding here? Right. That girl will hate me. Because she¡¯s a noble girl, and I¡¯m just a thief from Digitalis.¡¯ His shoulders shrunk. ¡®Besides, how did Mariette know what was going on in Digitalis? It must have been a joke that she saved me. Our relationship was a lie from the beginning¡­¡¯ Tears welled from Ricardo¡¯s eyes. He was choked up because their relationship didn¡¯t even start the right way. That was how Ricardo found out for the first time today. The fact that such a desperate feeling was hidden within him. Sadly, all he could do now was to repress his pained heart and leave this place. Ricardo was too shabby to stay next to her, who was shining brightly. ¡®Let¡¯s go back to father as soon as possible.¡¯ He left the dining hall and said goodbye to the nobles he was hanging out with. A thick hand grabbed his shoulder as he passed through the crowded hallway. It was Giacomo. ¡°Why is my pretty girl here?¡± Ricardo was so startled that he couldn¡¯t even scream. He also couldn¡¯t properly rebel. Giacomo smiled kindly, rubbing his shoulder tenderly. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Illia.¡± He also called the boy by his father¡¯s name. When Giacomo bullied Ricardo, as he always did, Giacomo called Ricardo ¡®Illia¡¯. For a moment, Ricardo thought. ¡®I have to scream right now. Only then will I be able to reveal to all these people of Giacomo¡¯s evil deeds, even just a little.¡¯ But he already knew. The fact that he couldn¡¯t escape from his persistent, watching eyes. Ricardo had no choice but to quietly follow him, his whole body trembling. He himself couldn¡¯t figure out why the hell he was behaving like this. Ricardo was already drowning in helplessness. Giacomo¡¯s behavior became more blatant than before as they stepped into a less crowded hallway. He boldly rubbed his waist against Ricardo¡¯s pelvis. However, Giacomo¡¯s behavior stopped shortly after. He didn¡¯t like the old lamp hanging around the center as he m*lested Ricardo. Giacomo frowned and pulled [Edith¡¯s Lamp] from Ricardo¡¯s belt. ¡°What is this garbage?¡± At that moment, a light returned to Ricardo¡¯s blue eyes. Where did he suddenly get the courage? Ricardo kicked Giacomo¡¯s shin with all his might in an instant. He leaned his upper body forward unexpectedly, grabbed [Edith¡¯s Lamp] from him and started running. In his mind, he was earnestly calling the name of the woman who saved him from the darkness. ¡®Blanche, Blanche¡­!¡¯ Ricardo knew Blanche¡¯s real name was Mariette, but when he was in a moment of crisis, what came to mind was not Mariette, but Blanche. Giacomo shouted from behind his sprinting back. ¡°Illia!¡± A roar filled with anger rang loudly, as if it would swallow him at any moment. Ricardo ran hurriedly like a man who was being chased by a monster from behind. The boy was almost caught by the monster. Feeling desperate, Ricardo regretted it belatedly. ¡®I should have asked Blanche at the wedding somehow! Maybe she would have wanted to run away with me right now! There¡¯s no way she can escape the Count¡¯s castle alone!¡¯ Tears started forming again. ¡®I was stupid! Leaving Blanche behind, why did I do that!¡¯ As he ran, Ricardo bit his lower lip with all his might. ¡®Blanche wouldn¡¯t be happy with this marriage!¡¯ As Ricardo observed, Blanche only smiled when her eyes met Count Juan and remained expressionless throughout the wedding and reception. Moreover, at the wedding ceremony, Blanche¡¯s fresh green eyes, who shared the oath of kiss with the Count, were as cold as ice. Because of this, Ricardo vowed. He promised to leave this terrible place with Blanche after he himself defeated the monster. No more. He will no longer stay buried in despair. Without such a determination, he won¡¯t be able to survive the reality he was facing. In the end, Giacomo still caught him. It was late in the night when Ricardo was captured by Giacomo. Giacomo enjoyed watching Ricardo desperately run away, like a cat playing with a cornered mouse. *** [Warning! S*x*al as**ult on a minor] *** West Wing ¨C 2nd floor Warehouse The warehouse, lined with cleaning tools and miscellaneous items, was as large as the Count¡¯s castle. It was also dark because it was not frequented. Tak. A cold, hard wall touched Ricardo¡¯s back. Ricardo, whose anxiety reached the top of his head, shoulders trembling, looked up at Giacomo, who was standing in front of him with a flushed face. Crack! [Edith¡¯s Lamp] was shattered to pieces by Giacomo¡¯s foot. Ricardo¡¯s expression contorted in anguish. More excited than ever, Giacomo grabbed the boy¡¯s chin with one hand, and licked Ricardo¡¯s lips with his tongue. He skillfully subdued Ricardo¡¯s struggles. Giacomo did not hide his cruelty. ¡°What the hell are you so disgusted with? Did I put it in your hole or did I slap it? Besides, you enjoyed it too.¡± Ricardo screamed desperately at the unexpected words. ¡°I never did! I never liked it!¡± ¡°Really? Then, shall we go all the way today?¡± In an instant, Ricardo¡¯s eyes turned white. Ricardo was quickly engulfed in fear. ¡°Aargh!¡± Ricardo struggled, as if he had been thrown into the dirtiest, deepest bog in the world. The corners of Giacomo¡¯s lips ripped open as if he was satisfied with this reaction. ¡°Illia. It¡¯s okay. It will feel really good¡­ Ackk!¡± CH 40 All of a sudden, he couldn¡¯t finish his words and fell to one side. Blanche appeared in the void left by Giacomo after he collapsed. Blanche appeared from behind his back and hit Giacomo¡¯s side with her fist. She was draped in a robe over a loose pajama. Blanche glanced at Ricardo who was shivering like a puppy in the rain, and then turned her gaze to the floor. Giacomo was crawling on the floor. The sound of his ragged breathing and broken ribs cracking while crawling on the floor was deafening. Clicking her tongue, Blanche held her index finger over her lips. ¡°Giacomo. Why are you so noisy late at night? I don¡¯t want to deal with knights or soldiers as much as possible, so please be quiet.¡± But Giacomo¡¯s painful moan only increased, showing no sign of diminishing. Blanche gritted her teeth. Slowly she lifted her feet. Blanche was going to stop him from screaming even if he died with this. At that time. Ricardo¡¯s trembling voice caught her ear. ¡°Mariette¡­¡± Blanche turned and looked at Ricardo. His face was a little red and his hands were trembling. But Blanche did not give him a sympathetic glance. ¡°Why are you calling me by that name? I¡¯m not Mariette. My name is Blanche.¡± ¡°Is Blanche your new name for Digitalis?¡± ¡°No. I was Blanche from the start. Mariette is the name of my twin sister.¡± In an instant, anticipation spread across his face. ¡°Then¡­¡± Blanche shook her head at Ricardo who looked like he had a mountain of questions. ¡°You can ask me later. There is something more urgent now.¡± ¡°Oh yeah. I told you, you shouldn¡¯t be loud.¡± Ricardo looked at Giacomo as he rolled on the floor, his saliva dripping. Giacomo seemed to be thinking, unable to stand up or crawl away with his broken ribs. He moaned later, trying to reduce the sound even with the pain. But it was already too late. Because Blanche had already decided on Giacomo¡¯s treatment. Ricardo watched Blanche¡¯s calm expression attentively. ¡®As expected, Blanche is strong. Enough to fight one or two men and win.¡¯ His heart was pounding. Ricardo was glad he knew such a beautiful and wonderful Blanche. He was so proud that she took down Giacomo. But all of a sudden, Blanche¡¯s anger, thinking that it would return to Giacomo, fell on him. ¡°Ricardo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So you really want to get beaten up?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He blinked st*pidly, and in a moment he didn¡¯t realize, Blanche¡¯s fist stopped right in front of Ricardo¡¯s nose. Blanche¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I told you to go first because you were going to be a hindrance, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°B-But Blanche. I was going to save you¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s saving who?¡± With the cold rebuke, Ricardo arranged and fixed his disorganized attire. ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry.¡± Blanche let out a shallow sigh as she watched his head bow down. ¡°So are you okay?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ricardo¡¯s face grew hot just then. Come to think of it, this girl found him with a man who liked to m*lest other men. Ricardo bit his tongue at once and wanted to die. He desperately cried as he grabbed Blanche¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Nothing happened!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not dirty!¡± ¡°Okay. I can see that you came from a bath because your face is clean.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, no¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡± Ricardo waved his hands in the air in a hurry. Blanche nodded her head with her typical expressionless face. ¡°I know. What you meant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°People are not objects, how can they get dirty?¡± Ricardo¡¯s eyes were wet with tears. However, unlike Ricardo, Blanche could not feel any emotion. Rather, she was annoyed that she had to appease the crying Ricardo. Blanche said, paying attention to his stress stat. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to cry. It¡¯s not you who should be shedding tears right now, it¡¯s Giacomo.¡± Ricardo sniffed and nodded his head vigorously. ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Finally, Blanche¡¯s gaze fell on Giacomo. He seemed to not want to accept the moment of punishment. ¡°Y-You¡­!¡± A mop entered Giacomo¡¯s mouth, gasping and shivering in fear. Blanche had taken an old rag that she found somewhere around the place and forcibly shoved it into his mouth. Giacomo resisted. He swung his hands like rakes and grabbed her short hair. Scratch. Blanche did not blink an eye even as her hair was pulled out. Then she did what she had been wanting to do. She mercilessly broke Giacomo¡¯s hands that scratched her cheeks because he couldn¡¯t hold on to her hair. Blanche looked at Giacomo¡¯s struggling legs indifferently. ¡°Do you want to be unable to use your legs properly for the rest of your life? Stay still.¡± His crotch slowly became wet with water. Blanche, who had a strong sense of smell, furrowed her brows, while looking at Giacomo¡¯s chest while shaking. This is because she has been informed that Giacomo always carried the second key to the treasury after she took the first key from the Count. On the other hand, Ricardo, who was speechless at Blanche¡¯s overwhelming power, was startled like a young bird by the unexpected touch between the two. ¡°B-Blanche! What are you doing now? Don¡¯t touch him!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like touching him either. I have something to find.¡± ¡°What is that? I¡¯ll find it for you!¡± Ricardo hurriedly approached Blanche¡¯s side. Ricardo, who naturally sat next to her, flinched for a moment. It felt like all the blood vessels in his eyes would rupture because of Giacomo¡¯s frightening glare. But he couldn¡¯t do anything to Ricardo like before. Blanche took out the key to the treasury that she had stolen from Count Juan from her inventory. ¡°I am looking for the key to the treasury. It probably looks like this.¡± Ricardo nodded his head and diligently rummaged through Giacomo¡¯s clothes. Ricardo soon found a golden key that looked exactly like Blanche¡¯s. ¡°I found it.¡± Then, a graceful smile formed on her lips that could captivate any man. Blanche grabbed Ricardo¡¯s elbow then they stood up together. Giacomo, who had been casually lying on the floor, could only see the drops of blood splattered on Blanche¡¯s skirt. Her sharp eyes fell on Giacomo again. The next moment. Crack! Blanche slammed her heel, unannounced, at Giacomo¡¯s crotch. Giacomo couldn¡¯t bear the pain and passed out. But Blanche did not allow this. She found a bucket of mop-washed water in the room full of cleaning tools. Blanche poured the water over Giacomo¡¯s face. Her foot also stomped on his broken ribs. When Giacomo finally came to his senses, Blanche broke his knees, again, using her foot. Giacomo lost his mind at the excessive cruelty. Blanche said casually. ¡°With this, you will die from excessive bleeding without any problems.¡± Suddenly, a warmth touched her hand. It was Ricardo. He didn¡¯t mind Blanche¡¯s puzzled look, but he clasped his fingers between the gaps between her hands. Ricardo¡¯s hand touching Blanche was hot enough to burn. Ricardo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed like he was crying. There were dozens of emotions that could not be expressed in words in his blue eyes. Blanche said unconsciously. ¡°Do you remember what I said earlier? Do not cry.¡± Ricardo shook his head as if shaking off his tears. ¡°I¡¯m not crying. You saw wrong, I didn¡¯t cry in the first place.¡± ¡°Okay. I must have misunderstood. Sorry.¡± Blanche wouldn¡¯t know. How comforted he was by her gentle apology. Blanche tucked his hair behind his ear that had fallen in front of his face. ¡°Anyway, Giacomo will never find you, even in his dreams. No, even if he comes, what can a person who has lost all three legs do to you?¡± Ricardo quickly blinked his eyes. ¡°Did you kill Giacomo for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Blanche laughed softly. ¡°I did it for you.¡± At the same time she thought. ¡®So, keep relying on me from now on. Make me your most trusted person in this world. That way, when the time comes, I will sell you at the highest price.¡¯ Ricardo, who would never have dreamt of her dark thoughts, blushed and muttered in a muffled voice. ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡± His ears were red and he seemed to have no choice but to love every inch of Blanche. However, Blanche who had a morality error never thought that he liked her like this. Growing up with seventeen years of abuse made Blanche this way. Moreover, her attention had long been diverted elsewhere. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go check out the treasury. Hurry, Ricardo. Let¡¯s do this!¡± Ricardo laughed bashfully. Blanche left with Ricardo heading for the Count¡¯s treasury. Not hiding in the dark, but more proudly than anyone else. It was natural. The guards and knights guarding the castle knew Blanche as Mariette, the Countess from today onwards. They turned their heads to the sight of the Countess walking on the first night, but they could not boldly stop Blanche. However, not everything worked out according to Blanche¡¯s will. Blanche, who had descended underground and stood in front of the long-awaited treasury, threw a key to the floor in rare annoyance. The key was thrown so hard that it stuck to the stone floor instead of simply landing on it. Grit. She gritted her teeth. ¡°This is not the key¡­!¡± The key from Count Juan fit the treasury door, but Giacomo¡¯s key didn¡¯t. Moreover, the use of the wrong key also caused unexpected side effects. [System/ Magic is concentrated in Don Juan¡¯s treasure chest door. Magic defense increased to 800 for 24 hours.] [System/ Magic is concentrated in Don Juan¡¯s treasure chest door. Material defense increased to 700 for 24 hours.] Blanche stared at the door of the treasury, which had already been covered with a thin bluish film. CH 41 ¡®I was reckless. I should have checked the information window as soon as I found Giacomo¡¯s key.¡¯ On the other hand, Ricardo felt that it was all his fault, so he was terrified. What¡¯s more, Ricardo, who was supposed to be from Digitalis, felt his mouth sore. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of something like this before. But to maintain this kind of magic, it would cost an endless amount of magic stones¡­ Count Juan must have been richer than I thought.¡± Blanche¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Count Juan is, after all, a usurer who lends money to the fallen nobles and commoners. How could such a person maintain a treasury while using expensive magic stones? No matter how much I think about it, there is definitely more to it than I thought.¡± ¡°Even if so, what more can we do now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Then.¡± Ricardo looked carefully at Blanche¡¯s sullen reaction. ¡°Are you going to give up like this?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to give up?¡± Blanche, who was walking along the wall of the treasury, soon stopped in front of the wall between the pillars. She lightly placed her fist against the wall and lifted it, as if measuring her distance before breaking the wall. Surprised by this, Ricardo ran to Blanche at once and hugged Blanche¡¯s waist. He desperately tried to pull her away from the wall. Blanche, who had already made up her mind, did not even budge. Like a nail that had been hammered to place. Ricardo exclaimed. ¡°No, Blanche!¡± ¡°Let go, Ricardo. Don¡¯t interrupt me.¡± Ricardo was furious. ¡°Then what if you get hurt?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I am not that weak.¡± Ricardo was startled by the bitter gaze staring at him so he lowered his eyes. But he couldn¡¯t let her go like this. He was afraid that Blanche would get hurt. So he tried her best to convince her somehow. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t get hurt! Even if you break through the wall, the ceiling has a chance of collapsing!¡± Only then did Blanche agree. ¡°¡­ Okay. You¡¯re right.¡± His expression brightened a little. Ricardo and Blanche said at the same time. ¡°Right? So, let¡¯s leave now.¡± ¡°Ricardo. If you¡¯re so anxious, I can wait for you to leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± His eyes opened wide. Blanche was upset. He shook his head. ¡°You just said you didn¡¯t want to be swept away and die because of me.¡± Ricardo was embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I don¡¯t want you to get hurt!¡± Blanche couldn¡¯t understand him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me to get hurt?¡± Even Ricardo could not understand Blanche. Does Blanche really not know? Although they had only known each other for a little while, Blanche was already indescribably precious to him. However, Ricardo did not have the courage to confess his feelings. Because he already knew That Blanche¡¯s heart did not feel the same way as his did. His eyelashes trembled pitifully as he lowered them. ¡°Because. That¡¯s natural¡­¡± ¡°Natural? This?¡± Ricardo raised his head, startled by the sharp voice. Blanche¡¯s face darkened. Then, she grabbed him by the neck. With his throat strangled, Ricardo was forced to listen to a savage accusation that was nothing more than a monologue. ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. Who told you to care? Listen well. I hate not getting what I want more than dying! If I don¡¯t have it, nobody can have it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will never live like that again!¡± Sparks flew from her bright green eyes. For Ricardo, the situation wasn¡¯t all that bad. She was beautiful, most of all because she knew exactly what she wanted. At one point, his heart was pounding. So Ricardo looked at her carefully, as if studying her face and complicated mind. He thanked the god of fate for allowing him to meet Blanche again. Blanche misunderstood that he had become quiet because he was afraid of her, who had lost his words in awe. Blanche loosened her grip on his neck. But her eyes were still angry. ¡°So choose, Ricardo. Will you die here with me, or will you leave alone right now.¡± Ricardo¡¯s shoulders shuddered at the intimidation, but quickly turned the wheel of his thoughts. ¡®That thick stone wall cannot be easily broken through. Eventually, Blanche will break her hand.¡¯ If so, he decided what he had to do. Ricardo vowed to return to Digitalis with Blanche whose hand was broken. He slowly retreated from Blanche. While answering softly. ¡°I will be with you.¡± ¡°¡­ Good.¡± Blanche was surprised that Ricardo didn¡¯t run away, but she didn¡¯t spend any more time with him. The expression on Blanche¡¯s face disappeared. ¡°Still, I think part of what you said is true. That¡¯s right. I can¡¯t just use my fist to break through that wall.¡± She again stood in front of the wall where she had just measured her distance with her fist. In an instant, something flashed in Blanche¡¯s eyes. She decided. ¡°I¡¯m going to use my feet.¡± ¡°Wait, Blanche!¡± Ricardo, shouting ¡°If you do that, you¡¯ll just break your feet instead of your hands!¡±, could not reach Blanche. Boom! With a loud sound, Blanche¡¯s kick hit the solid stone wall. As expected, the wall did not budge. Ricardo turned white and ran to Blanche. Fortunately, there was no sign of pain on her beautiful face. But Ricardo didn¡¯t stop worrying. ¡°Blanche, your foot! Is your foot okay?¡± Ricardo got down on his knees in front of the girl and examined her legs. A foreign noise passed through Ricardo¡¯s ears, who had barely touched her feet and whose hands were still hanging in the air. ¡®Why am I hearing the sound of the gravel rolling?¡¯ His gaze then turned to the wall that had just stopped Blanche¡¯s kick. An amazing thing happened. Crack. As if the wall had been waiting for his gaze all this time, as soon as Ricardo¡¯s eyes reached it, a thin crack began to spread like a spider¡¯s web on the wall. As Ricardo hiccuped in surprise, Blanche said in a low voice. ¡°I have a long way to go.¡± Blanche stood in front of the wall again, ignoring the boy at her feet. She gently stroked the cracked wall with her fingertips. After she finished looking, Blanche brought her fist back in front of the wall. Ricardo watched silently, wondering if she would use her fists this time. His heart was pounding uncontrollably. But Blanche wasn¡¯t trying to punch a solid wall. Surprisingly, she gave the wall a finger flick. Ricardo did not hide his bewildered and puzzled look. ¡°Blanche? Why are you doing that all of a sudden¡­?¡± Instead of answering, Blanche looked back at him with a confident smile. That was enough. The strong wall behind her started to crumble. Clattering. Blanche murmured while passing through the thick dust caused by the unexpected demolition. ¡°I need to reflect on myself. I can¡¯t even break through a wall with a 100 Defense at once. Well, the durability was a little high.¡± ¡°B-Blanche?¡± The expression on Ricardo¡¯s face, who was still kneeling, was perplexed. She calmly talked to herself. ¡°If I had known this was the case, I would have broken the wall before I looked for the key.¡± All Ricardo could do was open his eyes in the midst of the dust. Blanche nodded over the wall. ¡°Look at that. Ricardo.¡± Then his gaze left Blanche. Ricardo¡¯s mouth widened. Behind the collapsed wall¡­ It was a mountain of gold. Even as an estimate, the entire space that looked over 600 square meters was glittering with gold. Besides, there were tons of treasure chests stacked on one side of the treasury. Ricardo stood up as if he was possessed. It was as if he was looking at a rare legendary dragon. ¡°This¡­!¡± With Ricardo¡¯s astonished words behind her, Blanche stepped on the wreckage of a crumbling wall and entered the treasury. That was then. [System/ Warning! A magic designed in Don Juan¡¯s treasury brings news of the invader to the co-owners. 40 minutes before the activation of the Imperial Knights¡¯ teleport magic.] Blanche raised her eyebrows and turned off the warning window in front of her. Suddenly, Ricardo followed her into the storage, picked up gold coins and put them in his pockets He looked very sad as he talked to himself. ¡°The pockets are small because it is a nobleman¡¯s suit.¡± Ricardo, who felt Blanche¡¯s gaze, asked cheerfully. ¡°Blanche, should I find a bag now?¡± ¡°Can you carry it? Besides, the treasury owners will come before you find a sack that won¡¯t break once you put gold in it.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean ¡®owners¡¯? This is Count Juan¡¯s treasury.¡± ¡°I thought so too, but it turned out that it wasn¡¯t. It seems that this treasury is not owned by one person.¡± Ricardo quickly turned pale. ¡°Then what? Father, no, the boss told me to take back the debt¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯ll just take it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Instead of explaining the plan to Ricardo, who tilted his head, Blanche pointed at the mountain of gold coins and moved her index finger. In an instant, the gold coins in storage disappeared. They were now in Blanche¡¯s inventory. Ricardo looked at Blanche with new eyes, but he was no longer surprised. Instead, his eyes were filled with respect, affection and admiration. Then, suddenly, Blanche began to take out miscellaneous objects from the air. Combs, soaps, and clothes to change into quickly popped out of the air. As a question mark appeared on Ricardo¡¯s face, Blanche explained. ¡°There is no inventory limit for gold coins, but chests full of gems have inventory limits, so I have to make space.¡± He didn¡¯t exactly know what [Inventory] was, but he could see her shuffling chests full of jewels. Did he even need an explanation? CH 42 Ricardo fell in love with Blanche, so much so, that he didn¡¯t think he could fall in love even more. Finally, Blanche, who filled all 449 inventory slots with various treasure chests, lifted the last box with one hand. The last box was light enough for an adult woman to hold with two hands, whether it contained jewels or gold coins. Blanche broke the lock of the tightly closed box with force. When she opened it, she saw various maps and documents. This last box was not a treasure chest, but a box that contained important documents. Blanche wrinkled her forehead. ¡®Most of these are documents about maps and the military status of the Lantana Kingdom.¡¯ The longer she spent looking through the documents, the brighter the light of understanding appeared on Blanche¡¯s face. ¡®Come to think of it, this was before the war between the Ramsay Empire and the Lantana Kingdom broke out.¡¯ As she noted before, monsters would appear alongside dungeons this spring. Because of this, some rulers in the continent took advantage of the chaos brought by the dungeons and wreaked havoc in the outside world. It was a war between nations. Moreover, the Lupinus Kingdom, Blanche¡¯s homeland, was also involved in this war. ¡®Now that I¡¯ve seen this, it seems that the war would have happened even if the dungeons hadn¡¯t appeared.¡¯ What the documents meant was clear. The gold coins that filled the treasury of Count Juan were the military funds of the alliance between the Ramsay Empire and the Lupinus Kingdom. ¡®The King Lupinus is amazing, too. He even used usurers to avoid the eyes of their ally, the Kingdom of Lantana.¡¯ Blanche threw the documents and its box to the floor. She felt an excessively intent gaze. Unsurprisingly, the owner of the gaze was Ricardo. As Blanche turned her head, Ricardo, whose eyes twinkled, raised clenched fists. ¡°You¡¯re awesome, Blanche!¡± His cheeks were dyed red and he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. ¡°You must be a great wizard!¡± She hesitated without realizing it. She felt awkward from receiving his kindness and generous praise. In particular, it was because his ¡®like¡¯ towards her was subtly different from that of Guillermo or Sylvano, making it difficult for Blanche. ¡®This punk. You¡¯re not trying to use me by praising me, you just really admire me, don¡¯t you?¡¯ Maybe that¡¯s why. Blanche immediately became uncomfortable with Ricardo. But it would be absurd to show such a reaction to someone whom she had to be close with in the future. Blanche avoided his gaze and moved her feet. ¡°Now that our business is done here. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes! Oh Blanche, here!¡± Suddenly, Ricardo took off the coat he was wearing and held it out to her. His blue eyes twinkled as if he was looking at the stars. Perhaps, he didn¡¯t want to hide his heart for Blanche. If not, how would Blanche, who had never received an ounce of love in the past seventeen years, have noticed Ricardo¡¯s heart? She looked down at Ricardo¡¯s hand which stayed in the air for a moment. ¡®This would be difficult.¡¯ But right now, there was something more urgent than breaking his growing feelings. They had to leave the Count¡¯s castle as soon as possible. Blanche silently took his coat and hung it over her arms. The coat was too big for Blanche. At that moment, Blanche felt that although he was young, Ricardo was still a man. Moreover, his clothes even covered Blanche with plenty of warmth. She struggled with her thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s run. We have twenty-three minutes left before the Imperial Knights arrive.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± More energetic than ever, Ricardo nodded his head. The two of them ran at full speed towards the stable. The guards of the Count¡¯s castle could not block Blanche this time either. Even as they saw her wearing a robe that was clearly not hers. After arriving at the stable with Ricardo, Blanche proudly ordered the stable keeper. She had asked that all but two horses be taken to the forest immediately. The stable keeper brought her a white mare and a black stallion, then moved the rest of the horses according to Blanche¡¯s orders. Ricardo rode on the white mare and stared at Blanche. She rarely rode horses so she could barely climb the black stallion. ¡°Blanche?¡± With an unusually pale face, Blanche hesitated. Blanche was not good at riding horses. No, to be more accurate, she couldn¡¯t ride a horse at all. After she got a limp, she lost the pony she loved so much to Mariette. Even on the day she challenged Amerigo, she rode a horse with the help of Guillermo. Again, Blanche felt uneasy as Ricardo, who was on the white horse, looked at her innocently. The reason was simple. She didn¡¯t want to show her weak side to others. She was afraid that others would look down on her like they did before she remembered her previous life. Blanche¡¯s green eyes fluttered shallowly. ¡°You can go first. I will run after you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to run? Blanche, can¡¯t you ride a horse?¡± ¡°¡­ No way.¡± Ricardo looked at her suspiciously. Blanche added what she thought was a plausible answer. ¡°I just don¡¯t like that black horse.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s switch horses.¡± Ricardo immediately started to climb down from his horse. If Blanche hadn¡¯t stopped him, he would have gotten on the ground in less than ten seconds. ¡°No.¡± Ricardo felt embarrassed and blinked his blue eyes. ¡°Uhm, Blanche?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± After letting out a brief groan, he descended from the top of the white horse. Ricardo looked carefully at her hard expression. ¡°Well, uhm, Blanche. I have a question for you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on useless things. Get back on the horse.¡± Ricardo ignored her words. ¡°Blanche. How did you get here from Digitalis?¡± ¡°I told you to get on the horse quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to sit on the saddle until you answer me properly.¡± She wrinkled her forehead and let out a deep sigh, then swept her bangs with her slender hand. ¡°I bought and cast a teleportation spell.¡± ¡°Did you walk?¡± Ricardo¡¯s eyes squinted. Feeling ashamed, Blanche added something that she wished she hadn¡¯t. ¡°¡­I also ran.¡± Pfft. A laugh burst out of Ricardo¡¯s mouth that he couldn¡¯t stop. Blanche¡¯s eyes narrowed with dissatisfaction. Ricardo covered his mouth belatedly. She raised one of her eyebrows. ¡°Why were you laughing?¡± Ricardo straightened his expression at her coldness. But Blanche wasn¡¯t scary, she was just cute. Indeed, Ricardo loved her at every moment. He smiled softly as if he was happy. ¡°No. I was just thinking that you ran and came to me so quickly.¡± Blanche didn¡¯t respond. Feeling embarrassed by the silence, he rubbed the nape of his neck. Then, moving his blue eyes to one side, Ricardo suggested in a gentle manner. ¡°Blanche. Thinking about it, I mean. We¡¯d better ride the horse together.¡± ¡°No.¡± He soothed Blanche again. ¡°Look, Blanche. We¡¯ll both freeze to death if we run in this cold weather in these thin clothes. No, you¡¯re strong and you¡¯ll be fine, but it¡¯ll be irritating for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please, Blanche. Just this once. Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be weak.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not pretending to be weak, I am really weak.¡± It was true. There was no man in this world who was not weaker than Blanche. It worked, Blanche¡¯s stiff expression softened a little. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped then.¡± Ricardo¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Blanche. Do you want to ride the white or the black horse?¡± ¡°If you can handle it, I¡¯d like that large black horse.¡± Ricardo skillfully grabbed the reins and promised to Blanche. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you fall.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that, so just ride in front.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m riding in the front?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After the short reply, Blanche sat in the saddle before waiting for his help. It meant that they shouldn¡¯t waste any more time. Sure enough, she urged Ricardo. ¡°Come on, why aren¡¯t you climbing up?¡± Ricardo smiled as if there was a breeze of relief in his lungs, then followed her on the horse. Blanche wrapped her slender, white hands tightly around his waist. Ricardo¡¯s back stiffened. He felt his whole body burn as if he was on fire. Blanche complained to Ricardo, who had barely moved the horse. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to leave?¡± ¡°Oh, right. I have to¡­¡± After squeaking like a rusty clockwork doll, he started the horse. In an instant, Blanche noticed Ricardo¡¯s red-hot ear. An obvious question ensued. ¡®What did I do again?¡¯ Blanche was not even slightly aware that her breath was tickling his ear. Blanche felt a sigh was forming at the back of her throat. Thanks to this, she was able to stop herself from letting out a deep sigh. ¡®With that sensitive personality, he can¡¯t even start properly.¡¯ Blanche hid her displeasure and leaned her forehead on his shoulder. In an instant, Ricardo¡¯s heart started beating like it was going to explode. Because of this, they weren¡¯t speeding up. Blanche, feeling exhausted, spoke nervously. ¡°What are you doing? Come on, why aren¡¯t we running.¡± ¡°Ugh, let¡¯s go¡­¡± Ricardo, who wanted to enjoy the excitement a little bit more, increased their speed as fast as he could. As the black horse sprinted, Ricardo¡¯s body was as hot as a ball of fire. Blanche knew this better than anyone. There was no way she couldn¡¯t know because her stomach felt warm against his back as if she was hugging a stove. So the two left the castle of Count Juan. No thoughts of her family were left in Blanche¡¯s mind. Even though the situation she caused was no different from throwing a huge piece of sh*t at her own blood and flesh. Sure enough, the next morning. The castle of Count Juan was overturned. * * * Marquis Marquette had to wake up earlier than usual. His chief aide Sauveur shook him from his restful sleep. ¡°My Lord! My lord, something has happened!¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it still morning? What happened for you to wake me up at this early hour.¡± ¡°Last night, the Count was attacked! By Miss Blanche!¡± The Marquis opened his eyes that he was trying to close. But his surprise did not last long. It was because he easily remembered the events before he had gone to sleep. CH 43 ¡°It¡¯s not surprising. No, wait. Why was Blanche¡¯s name mentioned¡­? You mean Blanche, not Mariette?¡± The Marquis quickly raised his upper body. ¡°Are you sure Blanche did it?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m still not sure what¡¯s going on, but I am sure it¡¯s her. Besides¡­¡± ¡°What else? What else do I need to know!¡± Sauveur¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°Last night. A thief entered the underground treasury in the Count¡¯s castle!¡± The Marquis¡¯ face darkened in an instant. ¡°How? How much money did Count Juan lose?¡± ¡°This may be hard to believe, but¡­ They said that all of his property had been taken.¡± ¡°What? Sauveur! Why are you so frustrating? You should have told me from the beginning that the Count had gone broke!¡± The Marquis got out of bed and wiped his face. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I need to meet the Count right now!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why? Did Count Juan die just within that short amount of time?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°What? Oh¡­ Yes, it seems Blanche killed the Count after all.¡± ¡°Huh? So did Lady Blanche really marry Count Juan instead of Lady Mariette?¡± ¡°Is that what¡¯s important right now?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sauveur coughed awkwardly. The Marquis asked. ¡°Where is Blanche now?¡± ¡°She seemed to have safely escaped.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. If that kid had been caught, I would have looked ridiculous. We¡¯ll somehow make it look like what happened last night was done by ghosts.¡± [T/N: Ghosts: I think he just meant unknown people] ¡°Oh, but, my lord. It was not the lady who killed the Count, but Viscount Anuk of the Ramsay Empire.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the Viscount committed murder in someone else¡¯s kingdom?¡± ¡°Oh no, the Viscount. Viscount Anuk is the eldest son of the Duke of Odilon.¡± ¡°Ah, it must be that famous illegitimate child.¡± The Marquis snorted. ¡°Huh! If you look closely, wasn¡¯t the deceased Count such a great man? To invite not only the high-ranking nobles within the kingdom to a wedding, but also powerful men from the empire. Even though he was a mere loan shark.¡± He clicked his tongue and groaned. ¡°How the heck could he have such good connections?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°What the hell do you know!¡± Sauveur answered, embarrassed by the Marquis¡¯ outburst. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My lord. If you give me a little more time, I will do my best to satisfy the lord.¡± ¡°Oh, my head. No, I have to meet the people involved in this matter as soon as possible and collect the information in person.¡± The Marquis rubbed his throbbing forehead. Sauveur hurriedly tended to the Marquis and arranged his clothes. ¡°Besides, this was not the only problem. It seemed that Count Juan had borrowed large sums of money from the Empire and some imperial nobles.¡± ¡°What a failure! Fortunately, Count Juan is dead. Oh! Were there any traces of the first night on the bed in his room?¡± ¡°As far as I know there was none.¡± The Marquis patted his chest. ¡°There is no law for people who died. I have to insist on the nullification of the marriage. We can¡¯t go into debt like this.¡± ¡°If that happened, wouldn¡¯t the debt to the Count remain the same?¡± ¡°I have my eldest daughter, Mariette, What are you worried about? There are many men on this continent who would spend huge sums of money to welcome her. If it hadn¡¯t been for Count Juan¡¯s threats, would I have given Mariette to him?¡± The Marquis laughed out loud. ¡°It was rather good. Wouldn¡¯t her marriage to the Count add pity to Mariette¡¯s fame? Mariette¡¯s new husband will be credited for saving her from her misfortune, and soon, a lot of money will fall in her hands.¡± ¡°Then I think you should run to Lady Mariette as soon as possible, sir.¡± ¡°Why again?¡± At last, it was revealed why Sauveur had awakened the Marquis this early morning. ¡°Well, at the moment Lady Mariette is asking Viscount Anuk to take her away.¡± For a moment, the Marquis¡¯ face turned red, then blue. He breathed heavily and was furious. ¡°Why do they make me angry! Do all the daughters despise their fathers?¡± The Marquis immediately ran to Mariette. She was in the dining hall. However, his eyes first went to a young man with knights behind him and seemed more capable than his own daughter. The man in his early twenties was having an early breakfast, looking down at the pleading Mariette who was kneeling on the floor. The man¡¯s voice, which was not very pleasant to hear, echoed throughout the hall. ¡°Certainly, a beautiful woman has a lot of use.¡± The man had silver hair flowing down, tied together as if it was made from melted winter sunlight. He also seemed to be a man who liked colorful clothes, enough to gather eyes around him. However, oddly enough, the man who was covered in high-quality fur and jewels had a neat and elegant atmosphere like a priest. Even the luxurious clothes could not hide the ascetic aura emanating from the man¡¯s delicate features. His appearance was so unique that even his unusual amethyst eyes were clean and beautiful rather than decadent. However, this atmosphere only remained if the lips of the man, Kirillos Odilon, were closed. He was a b*stard with a dirty mop for a mouth. ¡°Besides, b*tch. You¡¯ll be fine as long as your breasts, your arms and waist are nice to hug. Can you roll up your skirt for a moment?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mariette asked blankly at the completely unexpected request. But Kirillos¡¯ audacity did not waver. ¡°Well, a sl*t should have thin ankles and her thighs should be full.¡± Embarrassment flashed across Mariette¡¯s face, which was pitifully wet with dew-like tears. It was natural. Just five minutes ago, he had been kind to her, saying he knew her brother Pierre well! But he changed his attitude like flipping his hand? Mariette finally realized that Kirillos might not have been close to Pierre. But she couldn¡¯t back away like this. Because Mariette, just like Blanche, knew very well what her biological father, the Marquis, was like. ¡®I can¡¯t be sold in lieu of debt again!¡¯ She vowed again. ¡®I¡¯ll stay by Kirillos¡¯ side somehow. You¡¯ll see. I¡¯ve never met a man who didn¡¯t like my beauty.¡¯ Mariette intended to be the wife of the young and handsome Kirillos. Besides, even if he wasn¡¯t handsome, he was the eldest son of a long-established Duke. ¡®It¡¯s difficult because he¡¯s an illegitimate child, but it doesn¡¯t matter because this man will surely be the next Duke of Odilon anyway. I¡¯m far better off becoming a Duchess than marrying an old man who only had money! Besides, this guy wouldn¡¯t have a fianc¨¦e until he turned twenty-two.¡¯ The continent¡¯s most beautiful woman, Mariette, was full of confidence. ¡®Now the Duchess position is mine!¡¯ She pretended to be the most pitiful girl. ¡°My lord. Please stop joking around and do not cross the line. I lost the Count, who was supposed to be my husband, overnight. I¡¯m not in a position to take the Viscount¡¯s pranks lightly.¡± ¡°B*llshit.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Kirrilos got up and stood in front of the table with a bright smile and a loud, deliberately dragging sound. Then, standing in front of Mariette, he leaned down and grabbed her chin with one hand. It was rough and violent. ¡°You. Why are you pretending you don¡¯t understand me? Do you really want the seat beside me so much?¡± ¡°I-I have no idea what the Viscount is talking about¡­!¡± ¡°Hey chick. I hate liars. And I despise people who wield their appearance as a weapon to use men.¡± Mariette was astonished when her innermost thoughts were revealed. She had never seen a man like this before. A man who was not swayed by her beauty and coyness, and judged the situation in a composed way. Tsk. Kirillos clicked his tongue with a straight face. ¡°Anyway, Pierre was also suffering a lot. All the people he called family are holding him down.¡± ¡°My lord! That¡¯s too much!¡± ¡°Why are you angry? Did I say something wrong?¡± Mariette couldn¡¯t back down like this. She bit her lower lip. ¡°I think the Viscount already forgot! The fact that the Viscount took the life of the man who was supposed to become my husband!¡± ¡°Look at this? So you¡¯re saying I should have saved the garbage that stole my money?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let him live? Wasn¡¯t it strange that a creditor, who needed the debt paid somehow, killed the debtor so easily?¡± A faint light lingered in his purple eyes. ¡°¡­You must really have no idea.¡± It was a secret that the kingdom and the empire¡¯s military funds were in Count Juan¡¯s underground treasury. For this reason, the imperial family pretended that Kirillos and several imperial nobles lent money to Count Juan. As such, Kirillos could not keep the Count alive, who had lost all his military funds. From the moment he lost his military funds, Count Juan was no longer considered an ally. Moreover, he was a usurer from Digitalis. There was no guarantee that he would not make money off of the Empire¡¯s secrets. Kirillos¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°Well, good. So, just so you could tell me to take responsibility for you, you interrupted my breakfast?¡± ¡°Do you really have to say it like that?¡± ¡°Then did I have to say it in consideration of your feelings?¡± Mariette, who was firmly offended, decided to change her course. From a pitiful girl to a girl with a bad temper. Mariette knew that men were as fond of men of the former just as the latter. She reluctantly pushed his hand away from her chin. ¡°Let go! Learn to be considerate of other people¡¯s feelings!¡± ¡°What are you talking about now? Be considerate? Those are virtues only the weak possess. W*nch. Do you not know who I am?¡± The problem was that she didn¡¯t know. That Kirillos was no ordinary illegitimate child. He was the Duchess¡¯ illegitimate son, not the Duke¡¯s. Moreover, the Duchess of Odilon was the Emperor¡¯s sister. In other words, the blood of the imperial family flowed through Kirillos¡¯ veins. Mariette¡¯s eyelids trembled. ¡°How can you not know?¡± ¡°Hnng.¡± He snorted and straightened his bent back. He returned to his seat. If Mariette hadn¡¯t suddenly grabbed the hem of his robe, he would have been able to eat breakfast again. She added earnestly to his displeased expression. ¡°Sir. If you help me now, one day I will surely help you.¡± ¡°Help? You b*tch. I don¡¯t want to collect rice that had been thrown away.¡± Mariette seemed to have been stabbed in the back at his unexpected words. ¡°What do you mean thrown away? How was I thrown away?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing a wh*re can do, other than warm a man¡¯s bed.¡± Mariette had said something that came up without her realizing it. ¡°If I learn, I can do anything! If you teach me, I can do it!¡± Kki kki. Kirillos laughed. ¡°What are you talking about now? A lowly girl could only learn from a courtesan.¡± In an instant, Mariette had a strange feeling, it was as if the ground she stood on was about to crumble. But as a woman who was not allowed to get an education or a job, she did not know what it was. CH 44 Kirillos, who simply shook off her hand, smiled softly until his throat rumbled. ¡°From what I¡¯m hearing right now, Pierre¡¯s sister is saying that she wants to become a pr*stitute. My cousin, the Princess, should know about this.¡± He didn¡¯t laugh, but instead clicked his tongue briefly. ¡°That way I can stop that f*cking unrequited love. By the way, that b*tch. What the hell was she thinking? A princess wants to marry a nobleman from a foreign country who is not of royal blood?¡± Kirillos¡¯ eyes, looking at Mariette, sank low. ¡°Well, good. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for, I can help. Yes, a sl*t for 10 boxes of gold coins. Can I bed you then?¡± Mariette¡¯s face became as red as the color of her hair. ¡°H-How can you say such an insulting thing!¡± ¡°Thinking about it again, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to have you for one night.¡± Faced with arrogance engraved in his purple eyes, Mariette¡¯s whole body trembled with shame. Kirillos contentedly watched as anger spread across her face. He scratched Mariette¡¯s pride again. ¡°So how about it? Ten boxes of gold coins.¡± To quell her anger, Mariette tightly closed her eyes then opened them. Now, she no longer had a desire to seduce Kirillos. She didn¡¯t have to look good in front of him anymore. Mariette wielded her knife-like mouth as usual. ¡°My lord. You look quite natural talking about pr*stitutes. But. I guess if the Viscount wanted to take a woman to bed, that would be the only way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But my lord. Women don¡¯t buy with money, they seduce. If you haven¡¯t even learned anything from the secret of your birth, why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to find out?¡± She had to admit it. Mariette had this type of personality. Brazen enough to poke fun at Kirillos¡¯ complex, the issue of his birth! Grit. Kirillos, deeply offended, gritted his teeth. Nevertheless, Mariette stretched her knees, as she had been kneeling on the floor. Her counterattack was not yet over. What Mariette had to say, ruffling the hem of her crumpled dress, was truly a sight to behold. ¡°What are you planning on doing, having that kind of expression? Ah. The Viscount of an Empire wants to hit a young lady from a Kingdom? After all, he doesn¡¯t have much education, so it is only natural for him to raise a hand against a young lady.¡± Mariette thought. ¡®I don¡¯t know if this will backfire. But he couldn¡¯t possibly raise his hand here. It not just the two of us in this castle.¡¯ Yesterday was Mariette¡¯s wedding. Because of this, the Count¡¯s castle was teeming with guests and servants were everywhere. They would be the eyes and ears of others. Moreover, retaliating will also be cumbersome for Kirillos. Because he was a noble from the empire, and Mariette was a lady from a kingdom. There would be much backlash if Kirillos decided to hit Mariette. Besides, even if such a thing happened, would Mariette be afraid of such a thing now? She couldn¡¯t fall any lower. Kirillos was embarrassed by her, someone whom he had never considered would protest in the first place. ¡°B*tch. Are you really crazy?¡± ¡°I have to be crazy if I want to deal with a crazy guy, right?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The skirmish between the two of them escalated into a war. The Marquis, who couldn¡¯t find a chance to intervene between the two who quarrelled without a break, barely managed to interfere. The Marquis, who had been standing by the dining hall entrance this whole time, hurriedly ran between the two of them. ¡°Who is this? Aren¡¯t you the Viscount of the famous Duke of Odilon!¡± Cold sweat ran down the back of the Marquis. He also gritted his teeth. ¡®Mariette! I can¡¯t believe you brought this complicated situation unto yourself!¡¯ Kirillos looked dissatisfied at the Marquis who had intervened in front of him. He boldly looked at the Marquis from head to toe. ¡®You have green eyes and red hair that resembles that girl. You also look like Pierre.¡¯ Kirillos confirmed what he deduced. ¡°Are you Pierre¡¯s father?¡± The Marquis¡¯ hard expression loosened. ¡°You must know my son.¡± ¡°I do. I tried to get him to become my vassal twice, but I was rejected both times.¡± Kirillos said with a smile, but there was no sign of displeasure. Because of this, the Marquis hastened to read his mind. Meanwhile, seeing her father¡¯s servile smile, Mariette clasped the hem of her skirt with both her hands. She was envious of Blanche, who had run away without seeing this shameful sight of their biological father. The Marquis laughed out loud. ¡°Haha. I see, so that¡¯s what happened. My lord, please understand. Pierre entered the Imperial Academy to work for the foreign ministry of this country. It has been a childhood dream of Pierre to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lupinus Kingdom.¡± For a moment, Mariette felt smoke come out of her ears. She wanted to lash out on the Marquis. ¡®It¡¯s Father¡¯s, not brother Pierre¡¯s dream to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs.¡¯ But she didn¡¯t speak her thoughts. It would¡¯ve been pointless. She was her father¡¯s property before she was a member of the Marquis¡¯ family. Kirillos seemed strangely surprised by the sudden silence of Mariette, but didn¡¯t bother to point it out. He thought that it was only right for a b*tch to be quiet and meek in front of a man. Kirillos beckoned to one of the knights standing behind him. ¡°You there. Call Pierre right now. I have met the Marquis, so I have a question for him.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When the loyal knight left the dining hall with a greeting, the Marquis apologized. ¡°Unintentionally, I overheard the conversation between the Viscount and Mariette. My apologies. Viscount. I guess I raised my daughter too well.¡± ¡°No way. Your eldest daughter¡¯s behavior isn¡¯t normal. Is your second daughter¡¯s personality also like this?¡± The Marquis laughed bitterly on purpose. It was to get sympathy and get out of the situation. ¡°The problem was that Mariette¡¯s dead sister was always calm and quiet.¡± Kirillos tilted his chin at an angle. He seemed to have a lot to say. ¡°She¡¯s dead? According to Count Juan, Blanche wasn¡¯t dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± As the Marquis answered, a cold aura appeared on Kirillos¡¯ face. ¡°You. Can you take responsibility for those words?¡± Like a father who believed he had lost a child, the Marquis was furious. ¡°What do you mean by saying that to me?¡± ¡°Last morning. Your dead second daughter stole all the treasure in the Count¡¯s castle and ran away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie! Viscount! How could the dead steal!¡± ¡°She could do it because she wasn¡¯t dead.¡± The Marquis¡¯ heart sank. But he quickly remembered. Even if Kirillos knew the truth, he couldn¡¯t prove that Blanche was alive in front of everyone. Thanks to this, the voice of the Marquis roared proudly. ¡°Do not insult my dead daughter any further!¡± Thinking that the conversation should no longer continue like this, Kirillos turned his body halfway and looked behind him. ¡°Wizard. Show the Marquis the video sphere of the treasury.¡± The Marquis then saw the wizard standing behind Kirillos with the knights. The wizard was holding a box the size of a child¡¯s head stood in front of the marquis. He opened the box and injected magical energy into the crystal ball, and after a while, an image appeared inside the crystal ball. The video was not as clear as a landscape reflected in flowing water, but the quality was not so low that he couldn¡¯t recognize Blanche. The Marquis was surprised as he saw Blanche entering the treasury after the wall had been broken. ¡°My lord! This video is obviously rigged! You will find out if you investigate, Blanche never learned magic! Besides, high-level magic that could move so many treasures? Blanche is by no means a wizard!¡± Kirillos¡¯ crossed arms did not loosen despite the Marquis shouting with all his soul. The Marquis was continuously anxious. ¡°M-My lord! There are only a handful of wizards on the continent who can do such a thing!¡± Finally, the lips of Kirillos, who had been silent all this time, opened. ¡°You. You are no longer making excuses that your second daughter is dead.¡± The Marquis realized his mistake belatedly. ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°As if you knew that Blanche is alive.¡± At the resolute voice, the Marquis desperately shook his head. ¡°No, no! My daughter is dead!¡± ¡°Then the woman in the video is Mariette, not Blanche?¡± ¡°No way!¡± The Marquis, as well as Mariette, were both very nervous. Then, the sound of a whistle came out of Kirillos¡¯ twisted lips. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve already confirmed that b*tch isn¡¯t a wizard.¡± His purple eyes radiated a dazzling glow. ¡°So tell me. Where is your second daughter now?¡± Suddenly, Kirillos¡¯ mind was filled with the existence of Blanche. He could never forgive the b*tch Blanche, who had the same name as Snow White, for creating a mess for him. This was the moment when Kirillos, a candidate for the male lead in , knew of Blanche¡¯s existence. An eerie energy rose from Kirillos¡¯ whole body. ¡°Do I have to ask again? I asked where Blanche is now!¡± ¡°I- I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Kirillos thought the Marquis was lying, so he grabbed hold of his collar. He growled, showing his fangs. ¡°Okay, then you pay my money back.¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°The treasures your daughter stole from the Count¡¯s treasury. That money is mine!¡± ¡°This cannot happen! Why would I have to pay for the money Blanche stole?!¡± ¡°Have you ever seen such an idi*tic b*stard? If a daughter can pay her father¡¯s debts, then there must be a way for a father to pay his daughter¡¯s debts! Don¡¯t you think so?¡± It was a famous story that even Kirillos knew about. The Marquis¡¯ attempted to marry Mariette off to pay his debts. The Marquis was startled and immediately pleaded. ¡°But, Viscount! I¡¯m sorry, but my family cannot afford to pay that debt!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marquis Marquette. No matter what, as long as you sell your title and your remaining daughter, you can cover some of the interest.¡± Kirillos¡¯ arrogance and ruthlessness overflowed. Only then did the Marquis realize that he just met a creditor worse than the deceased Count Juan. There was no way out of it. Now, he will go bankrupt, whichever family Mariette gets married into. It was a natural punishment for people who viewed their children as commodities instead of beings to protect. Even more so that Blanche was the one who brought him complete bankruptcy. * * * Blanche and Ricardo used and repurchased teleportation magic repeatedly for over a week. Originally, only the upper class nobility could afford teleportation magic, but Blanche, who stole all the treasures in the Count¡¯s castle, did not have to worry about the cost. Even if they had to buy teleportation magic at a higher price than the Magic Tower branch. Blanche also bought teleportation magic from the black market. ¡®As long as we can avoid our pursuers, it¡¯s worth the money.¡¯