rosalie
Stories
19
Chapters
1,146
Words
1.9 M
Comments
8
Reading
6 d, 17 h
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Having her own space made Nelisa psychologically more stable. She naturally returned to her original habit of drinking coffee instead of eating breakfast. Today too, she roughly substituted coffee for breakfast and headed to the workshop. Since there had been no contact from the carpentry guild yet, Nelisa would be alone in the workshop for the time being. When she unlocked the sturdy lock that secured the empty workshop, a rush of cold air hit her. She opened the windows and doors wide to ventilate…-
16.7 K • Ongoing
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Nevertheless, Nelisa decided to maintain her humble posture. Until she knew why Adelaide was angry, she needed to endure anyway. Adelaide, looking very displeased, tapped her fingers before finally speaking. "If you truly repent your past malice, who do you think should have the initiative to make or break the relationship between us?" "......?" Nelisa became instantly confused. Initiative? What did that have to do with her begging for forgiveness? Seeing her expression, Adelaide clicked her…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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Nelisa understood that silence as tacit agreement. A somewhat bitter smile formed on her lips. "I don't expect to be accepted as a friend again. Still, I'll keep my promise." This much was sincere. Nelisa truly intended to abandon the villainess life and not interfere with Adelaide's life at all. She wanted to declare that she would never marry and spend her whole life in the workshop, but she wasn't sure how such words might be conveyed between that well-communicating father and daughter. For…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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Several days had passed since Nelisa's transmigration. She decided it was time to make plans for her life. She couldn't just live as a dependent of the Wiesbaden family. Once you become an adult, shouldn't you earn your own living? Moreover, clinging to the Wiesbaden household like this wouldn't allow her to properly complete her revival quest. The ultimate goal of her transmigrated life was to revive her original self who was wandering in a comatose state. She would achieve a splendid happy…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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This was the first time Nelisa performed proper etiquette since her transmigration. Her breath caught in her throat from nervousness. "I pay my respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am Nelisa." She bowed her body forward at approximately a 45-degree angle, then slightly lowered her gaze to avoid direct eye contact with the other person. Strangely, she was able to perform the proper courtesy toward the imperial family with a very familiar sensation. Nelisa thanked the original villainess in…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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⁕⁕⁕ The day Duke Wiesbaden and his daughter visited the imperial palace. Adelaide made a special decision that day. She decided to bring Nelisa, who usually stayed at home on such occasions, along for the outing. True to her decisive nature, she headed to her father's room as soon as she made up her mind. "Father!" "Hmm? Adele?" The Duke, dressed in comfortable indoor clothes, was just about to pick up his teacup when he greeted Adelaide. She pleaded with a deliberately earnest…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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In the end, Nelisa returned to the Wiesbaden family. She stood before the duke alongside Adelaide. The guardian of the original villainess and the female protagonist's biological father, Duke Wiesbaden scolded Nelisa in a stern tone. "Running away from home, it's truly absurd, Nelisa." Nelisa bowed her head without protest. "I'm sorry for causing worry, Duke." "Why on earth did you do it?" When he asked with a click of his tongue, Adelaide answered instead of Nelisa. "We had a big…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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As expected, the group of strong men quickly scanned the interior of the restaurant, soon spotted Nelisa, and fixed their gaze directly on her. Nelisa unconsciously groaned. "Ugh......" The sound of footsteps were approaching steadily. Nelisa, still seated, creakily raised her head. The large men smugly grinned. "Lady Nelisa, Lady Wiesbaden has ordered us to bring you back." Nelisa stupidly opened and closed her mouth. She hadn't expected to be caught so quickly. "Ah......…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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Juyeon, who had become Nelisa, finally seemed to have found a ray of light. There was no need to forcibly act like a villainess. She could abandon the villain role that didn't suit her personality and show that even this hopeless 'Nelisa' deserved to be happy! She would turn around the life of a villainess steeped in inferiority and jealousy, become a kind and diligent supporting character, and assist the male and female protagonists until they happily married. She muttered, trying to convince…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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A 20-year-old fresh graduate begins each day with excitement as they step into society. Juyeon, who recently succeeded in joining the company she had wanted since college, looked at her employee ID card with satisfaction. Yeo Juyeon | Product Designer How much she had struggled just to wear this necklace around her neck! Still, Juyeon considered herself very fortunate. Many of her peers were still job hunting. "Whew, I can do this. Let's go." Just before leaving home, Juyeon muttered as…
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16.7 K • Ongoing
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Thwack. "Catch that bastard!" "That smart-mouthed punk!" A fist flew toward his face. "Oops." Barbarossa dodged with a snicker, bending his body. "Rat bastard!" "Why bring so many people just to catch one little rat?" Barbarossa wagged his tongue. Though this wasn't what his knight training was meant for, his talent was being displayed only in back alley brawls. 'Being a ruffian is my true calling.' It was laughable when he used to wear ill-fitting noble clothes and put on…-
364.9 K • Ongoing
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"What good would it do to tell Barbarossa that the father of the child the woman he's seeing is carrying might not actually be him?" Lady Maude gave a hollow laugh. "Do you think that child, who dated women so much because of his inferiority complex about being illegitimate, would respond to a woman claiming to be pregnant with his child by demanding she identify the real father?" He’s a man who met women due to emotional deprivation, but for that very reason, couldn't make his own child…
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364.9 K • Ongoing
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Lady Maude stared at me intently. "Why are you telling me this?" "Because there are rumors circulating that you were deeply involved in Barbarossa's downfall." In truth, what people dared not speak of in Lady Maude's presence wasn't Barbarossa's name. What people really whispered about and wondered was whether the rumor was true that Lady Maude had sent a woman to ruin the life of the illegitimate child her husband had brought home. "Barbarossa, Sir Percival's illegitimate son, had one…
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364.9 K • Ongoing
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"You'll help me if I'm in danger, right? I am a promising talent in the spirit realm, after all." The way to safely navigate the back alleys without Sir Lucion's help was to borrow the power of the Spirit King Sylphid. I was anxious since it had been a while since I'd drawn a spirit summoning circle, but Sylphid responded to the summons immediately. Even when I didn't call him, this Spirit King who watched over me whenever he was bored started nagging as soon as we faced each other. 「If you…
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364.9 K • Ongoing
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Splash. Barbarossa, who had been sleeping until midday, woke up from an unexpected shower of cold water. As he got up, clutching his head that ached from the hangover of cheap liquor he had guzzled, he saw a woman smiling brightly at his bedside. She was beautiful. Barbarossa's lips curved pleasantly. "Hello, Sir Barbarossa. Oh, not Sir anymore, right? I'm sorry our first meeting is like this. I tried to wake you politely, but you wouldn't get up no matter how much I called you, Mr.…
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364.9 K • Ongoing
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When the green alcohol flowing into her red lips showed the bottom, a servant approached and poured into her glass again. While she was looking at the queen, the back of her head felt hot. Ella turned her head, feeling someone staring at her intently. Lady Eins, who had just spoken with her, was staring at her. Why is she looking at me like that? Even though their gazes had already met once, she continued to stare at Ella. "I have something to show you. It's a gift from my father. As you all…-
245.8 K • Ongoing
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#V. The Queen The Marquis slapped his wife's cheek. Ella couldn't speak for a while after hearing that shocking news. The servants said that bright red blood had dripped at the entrance of Gwendel's tent, but by morning, the blood drops that had seeped into the dry soil were no longer visible. Ella searched for the Marquis's camp after his stewards had left. And she stared at the blood drops on the long leaves of the weeds that grew askew. She recalled the previous night. Around dusk, there…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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It was lewd but not an unfamiliar action. Since they had started sleeping together, he had always been obsessed with her breasts and buttocks. Burrowing between her cleavage and thighs while panting had been an everyday night occurrence, so there was nothing to be startled about. Yet sometimes, sex with him was overwhelming. Especially in moments like this. At the end of continuous tension, when she had to spread her plump thighs, it was even somewhat disappointing. Ella looked down at the…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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Besides, today was even more so. She didn't feel like smiling at him at all. "At least soften your expression." "What expression am I making?" Her questioning was impertinent. Ella narrowed her eyebrows. She was displeased. She didn't like Larque, and she didn't like herself. To be marked by the queen and then to be disliked by the Marquis Gwendel's wife as well. It was terrible. Would it have been better if she had volunteered to receive a whipping then? She didn't care…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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The queen, who had been quietly holding her fan, stared at Larque with a chilly gaze. It was the first time she had heard this story. Ella, standing beside her, blinked without expression. He looked at the queen with interest and then looked at Ella. The woman standing in line with the attendant had a more subdued face than usual. Larque smirked and then faced the queen again. "A serious disrespect...... I should whip her." The queen put strength into her closed mouth.…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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The woman was fuming. Ella's eyes remained calm. Her heart was pounding, but she didn't show it. Enduring was what Ella could do best and had done for the longest time. So she couldn't be compared to this woman. She stared blankly at the Marquis's wife. She had heard she was a nobleman's daughter. She had heard the Marquis was discussing a covenant with the daughter of a great southern noble. However, what the Marquis had chosen after much deliberation was the daughter of his knight's family. Poor…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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The year of her marriage to the Marquis had passed. Henrietta had not even shared a bed with the Marquis, let alone conceived his seed. As long as the woman in front of her existed, she might never be able to reach him. Everything in the castle existed for the Marquis's bedchamber maid. There was not even the smallest thing that existed for her. Her mother from her maiden home had said that the legal wife of the Marquis was a more honorable and noble position than a girl who served the Marquis's…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"You need to wake up before the maid comes, Master." "Why?" "Because it's not a proper sight for the maid to see." "I'm holding my woman, so why." Larque was being stubborn. Ella laughed. At least she had succeeded in waking him up. She pouted her lips. She didn't want to show this sight to the maid, not because they weren't in San Parvale. Of course, it wasn't good to show such a sight even in San Parvale. "What will make you get up?" "Kiss…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"Umm...... Is this it?" Ella showed the sapphire to the wet nurse. The woman who had been examining the bed straightened her back and approached. She took out the remaining sapphire earring from her pocket and showed it to Ella. "Oh my. This is it. This is right. Thank you so much. The earring is so small it's hard to see. Getting old is the problem. Hoho." The woman laughed out loud. Ella followed with an awkward smile and then went outside. While walking down the…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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Marie was embroidering a handkerchief. She smiled brightly as soon as she saw Ella and patted the seat beside her. Ella sat next to Marie and looked at the gold thread in her hand. Her belly was round, and in contrast, her arms and legs were pitifully thin. "Marie, you know how to do this too?" "Huh? You can do this too, Ella." Marie answered. Saying that because you can do it, I can do it too wasn't an appropriate answer. But Ella smiled broadly. Marie had an expression of…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"Since it's been my room ever since Chloe left, it's currently filled with my things and quite disorganized. Too embarrassing to show, really." Fortunately, Kalkus, who had noticed the situation, stepped in with timely and appropriate words. Yes, I should insist on what Kalkus said. If they called her brother's belongings Kalkus's things, there shouldn't be any problem. But her room was still an issue. She absolutely must not show it. He couldn't just look around someone else's house as he…-
412.1 K • Ongoing
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How dare she burst into tears when her master kissed her. She deserved to be punished. If it had been Sir Endymion or Sir Kirion, they would have whipped the girl's thighs with a riding crop. But Larque simply waited until she stopped crying. The girl soon stopped crying and slowly backed away. Larque pulled her back again and made her stand before him. A servant girl who didn't meet her master's eyes was useless. A servant girl who didn't beg her master for pleasure was worthless. This young…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"Are you really sure you won't regret this? You can still turn back now." While receiving Edmund's concerned gaze, Clea looked out the window. Under the brightly shining sunlight, a building constructed distinctively from its surroundings, as if boasting its dignity, came into view. Even though they had almost reached their destination, the temple, Edmund tried to persuade her. Not entirely disliking his concern, Clea raised the corners of her lips. "My…-
243.1 K • Ongoing
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"I asked what is going on here." Edmund asked the figure before him in a voice devoid of any emotion. However, his gaze was full of contempt, as though he was looking at something insignificant. Meeting Edmund's gaze, Lloyd smiled cynically as if finding it absurd and said. "I greet Your Highness, the great Crown Prince." "Just answer the question." Despite the cold voice that made their years of friendship seem meaningless, Lloyd wasn't…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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"I thought rumors couldn't be trusted, but seeing the relationship between the two of you, perhaps the secret story between that lady and the crown prince might be true." Hayden, the district head in charge of the capital's temple, was still observing the situation with a smiling face. He was busy measuring what was true and what was false among all the news reaching his two ears. "When I saw with my own eyes, the Crown Prince clearly seemed to have feelings for her." To…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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"I'm sorry." "Please, I beg you. Help me just this once." Faced with the other party's refusal, Grit bowed his head again and pleaded. The other person's status was merely that of a viscount. Yet the reason he bowed his head was because the current situation was extremely urgent. Having been refused everywhere else, Grit desperately needed the person before him. Despite sincerely bowing his head, the viscount's response was…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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"Lloyd, don't do this." "You're the one who shouldn't do this to me." She didn't want to be seen with Lloyd by people anymore. The more rumors spread about Edmund and Clea's relationship, the more attention Aria was drawing. In such a situation, being seen with Lloyd like before would only hinder her relationship with Edmund. She wanted to drive him out, but it could lead to rumors of discord with the grand ducal family. So Aria recklessly led…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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"I really can't believe it." "I knew she was a bad person for a long time, but to think she tried to commit murder." "Lady, are you alright?" The Hersher ducal residence was filled with people who came to comfort Aria. Everyone looked at her with pity and cursed Clea, wondering how anyone could do such a thing to the tender-hearted Aria. With a pitiful expression, Aria quietly spoke to the people who were trying hard for her sake. "I'm fine. She…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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After finishing her conversation with Ruphia, Clea quietly headed to where Edmund was. Edmund already knew she had arrived from the sound of footsteps coming from the doorway and was looking in her direction. Meeting his gaze, Clea felt her cold body warming up and lifted the corners of her mouth. But Edmund's expression was serious. "What do you want to ask me?" "It's not such a difficult request." "Really?" "Yes. You just need to watch…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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"There seem to be too many rumors going around these days." "I know. Just a few days ago, there was news circulating that His Highness the Crown Prince had a secret meeting." When rumors spread that Edmund had a secret meeting with some lady at a banquet, the Empire's citizens naturally hoped the news was true. If it had been about someone else, they wouldn't have cared, but the subject was the Crown Prince. Since the imperial family was one of the main interests…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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"Malicious rumors, you say?" It was a calm question fitting the quiet dining atmosphere. Clea wasn't particularly concerned. There had already been plenty of unfavorable rumors circulating about her. She thought this would undoubtedly be another pointless rumor. Meanwhile, the expressions of everyone else had completely hardened. They glared at the aide, clearly displeased with the current situation. The aide cleared his throat and then…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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The Grand Duke felt like he was burning inside. He had received news that Lloyd had escaped from his confinement room while he was briefly away. He tried to pinpoint where everything had gone wrong. His son had been nothing but cute and kind when he was young. But suddenly he started to go astray, and now he was rebelling well past the age for such behavior. 'The boy who should inherit the family business and be loyal to the Empire is only thinking strange…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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'This cannot be!' Duke Hersher couldn't believe what he had heard with his own two ears. It was hard enough to believe that 'the' Edmund and Clea had a secret meeting, but on top of that, he was even considering a deeper relationship with her. But since he heard it directly from Edmund himself, the Duke couldn't deny it this time. He addressed a figure who happened to appear before him. "Sir Philip, it's been a while." "Ah, Duke Hersher. It has indeed…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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Duke Hersher only believed part of the rumors. It was because it was completely beyond his common sense. That the Crown Prince and the daughter of the Odoi family had a secret meeting. He believed it partly because Aria said she had seen it with her own eyes. He actually thought she had seen something wrong and misunderstood. That's why Duke Hersher was overflowing with confidence when Edmund granted an audience. Confidence that he would arrange the…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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The atmosphere at the Hersher family's dining table was subdued. This was because Aria, their flower and hope, didn't look happy. The Duke and his wife were very curious about what Aria had experienced outside. Until she left to play with friends, she had been forcing a smile. But now she looked completely gloomy. While the two were quietly observing Aria's mood, new information arrived. "Duke, the young grand duke has come to see the…
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243.1 K • Ongoing
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Jane already knew that Cain had a child. Six months ago, she overheard women talking in a cafe. 〈Duke Hastings has a son, doesn't he?〉 〈That's right. And he's already six years old.〉 〈Then is he getting married soon?〉 〈No. The mother died. Was she the daughter of some tremendous magnate from a foreign country, or royalty......〉 Rumors about the young lord of Hastings spread wildly. The young lord of Hastings who suddenly appeared was sometimes a child of the royal…-
35.1 K • Ongoing
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Victor spoke lightly, but the money she had to repay was by no means a light amount. Half of the debt was enough money to buy two mansions in the capital and still have some left over. The monthly interest payments were already overwhelming, so she would have to increase her work. If additional private tutoring jobs couldn't be found, she was looking into doing sewing work for pay. "Victor, you know my situation. I can't pay back half right now." Asking her to pay back half of the debt…
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35.1 K • Ongoing
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"Young Master, I think there was a condition. We agreed to play chess if you got five out of ten problems correct." "Teacher is such a penny-pincher!" Jane's student, Wolfgang, pouted his lips. His grumbling was full of affection for Jane. "Let's see if you solved them well." When Jane picked up a red crayon and leaned over to grade, Wolfgang quickly covered his test paper. "Not yet! There's still time left." "Your clock must be broken, Young Master. My clock is already saying the time…
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35.1 K • Ongoing
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"Please let me see him. Please!" "He's not in." "I'll go in and wait. Okay?" "Go back." Jane had been arguing with the Hastings family's gatekeeper for several minutes. In her hand was a newspaper containing the article about Count and Countess Whitney's execution. "This is important. It's a matter of life and death." Jane grabbed the hem of her dress and stubbornly attempted to enter. "Please leave!" The angry gatekeeper pushed Jane, and she fell, shouting. "What are you…
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35.1 K • Ongoing
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In truth, the silence that followed couldn't have lasted very long. Though it felt like an eternity to Jane. "As you know, Jane, Her Majesty's wrath is beyond words." Duke Hastings spoke. The opening wasn't good. However, Jane clasped her hands together and waited. Inwardly, she desperately prayed that he would grant her request. "I can't give you a definite answer, but I'll try." "Really?" Jane jumped in surprise, her shoulders bouncing. Even while making the request, she hadn't expected…
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35.1 K • Ongoing
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Prologue It was a nostalgic scent. A fragrance reminiscent of a rain-soaked forest. Jane, who had been sitting on the floor of her home that had been turned upside down by debt collectors causing a ruckus, lifted her head. There was a silhouette waiting at the doorway, which hung wide open with its hinges torn off. For a moment, Jane thought she was seeing things. There was no way he would appear at her small, shabby dwelling. But it was him. With brilliant blonde hair, ocean-like…
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35.1 K • Ongoing
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After finishing the morning meeting that had continued for quite some time, the emperor and Damian moved to another location and were having a casual conversation for the first time in a while. "Damian. I heard you're going on a family trip to Alento territory, that must be very enjoyable. Have you decided on the date?" The emperor had been friends with Duke Damian since his days as a crown prince, so when there were no people around, he would treat Damian as if returning to the past. "I haven't…-
67.5 K • Ongoing
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"Do you even know what's happening right now?" Even though the sun was high in the sky, Bruno was lying down due to his drunken state. At that sight, Jessica scrunched up her eyes and screamed while hitting Bruno's forearm. "Bruno! Bruno!!" "Ugh......" Bruno, whose head seemed to hurt, pressed firmly near his temples and gestured for her to go away. But Jessica had no intention of backing down. Rather, she looked at Bruno pathetically and hit his forearm more fiercely. If he…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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Ariel sat at her desk early in the morning. She spread out a map and checked Alento territory while sighing. The only answer she got back from the butler was that Damian would speak directly, but in other words, it also meant Damian wouldn't say anything about Ariel bringing up this topic. With Damian's personality, he would think the territory he had given her had already left his hands. He would think that doing whatever she wanted with it was the owner Ariel's decision first. Ariel, who…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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After finishing the first lesson, Ariel quite liked Daniel, but keeping possible situations in mind, she made him a proposal. "I'd like to continue observing lessons, would that be alright?" "......Do you mean you want to participate in the lessons themselves?" Daniel's question carried a strong sense of wariness. When parents talked about one thing or another next to their child, they sometimes unnecessarily cut off the child's thoughts, and he seemed to be worried about that. Ariel thought…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"Mom!" At Lucy's voice, Ariel turned her head. "Our Lucy, you're back?" Ariel, who took Lucy's hand as she approached, walked forward. "Yes. Oh, Mom, you know...... Can't I help choose the tutor too?" "You too, Lucy?" "Yes. I want to see together too!" Ariel, who recalled the two tutors who had come to the ducal residence, slowly nodded. "Yes. It would be good if Lucy also sees and chooses together. Shall we decide together with Mom tomorrow?" "Yes, yes! ......Huh? Come to think…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"Sir Bruno, the two tutors who taught at the Zenova ducal residence were dismissed." "Did you find out why they were dismissed?" Bruno asked with a pleased expression. "It seems they select based on academics, but both the first and second were given warnings before starting. However, they didn't seem satisfied with those warnings." "What kind of warnings did they give?" "Well...... It was something about giving plenty of time to think, but more than that, there was a common point when they…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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It was after Jessica and Bruno returned from the ducal residence. "What's her reason for not hiring a tutor?" When Bruno asked Jessica for the reason, Jessica moved her lips and lowered her gaze. "Just...... That......" "Hah...... Really. So unhelpful...... Right, it was my mistake to expect such things from you." Bruno turned his head sharply. "But honey. Why...... Why a tutor anyway?" Bruno, who glanced at Jessica sideways, looked at the air and grinned wickedly. "We'll put a…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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Ariel, who had been braiding Lucy's hair, fell into thought. After Bruno and Jessica returned, Damian became even busier. He frequently went back and forth between the port and the imperial palace, and nobles visited the ducal house several times. Bruno hadn't come to the ducal residence since then, perhaps having given up on sending Damian as an envoy. However, there was no conversation between Damian and Ariel either. Damian, who maintained consistent silence, was the same as usual. Perhaps…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"...... Ariel." "Damian, can you hear it?" Bruno's footsteps passing through the corridor. Very small but consistently audible rhythm. ...... It didn't sound like the footsteps of an injured person at all. Ariel, who had lowered her gaze for a moment while concentrating on the sounds outside, raised her head. The sunlight from the window spread behind Damian. Damian's blue eyes were shadowed by the backlight and couldn't be seen well, but conversely, Ariel's appearance was completely…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"Ariel?" Damian looked at Ariel and immediately frowned. Ariel ignored Damian and glanced once at Bruno and Jessica sitting in their seats. "I was heading to the reception room thinking you might be seriously injured, but they said you went up to the study." Ariel smiled brightly and lowered her gaze to Bruno's leg. "It seems your leg isn't seriously injured. That's fortunate." "Ah, well......" When the flustered Bruno tried to continue speaking, Ariel didn't give him the chance and…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"No." Though she had expected it, Ariel bit her lips at Damian's too firm attitude. "...... Bruno often goes on trips with Derek and goes hunting too." "So?" "You've never even had a meal with our Lucy until yesterday, let alone a trip." Damian, who had completely fixed his gaze on the book, didn't answer Ariel's following words. Ariel, who had been standing stubbornly, was about to speak once more but saw Damian's concentrated face and gave up. ...... I boldly promised Lucy, but what…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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Ariel, who had been lying in bed, came to her senses at the sound of birds chirping. As she rubbed her eyes and turned her body, she felt a solid figure next to her. Having barely gotten any sleep last night, it seemed she had unusually overslept. Ariel covered her eyes with her palm against the sunlight streaming through the window. "Ariel." "...... Damian?" Damian pulled Ariel close to him. It was when Ariel, trapped in his arms, was about to close her eyes again while resting her…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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The marchioness, who had greeted Ariel with a nod, stepped aside for a moment. "It's nothing major, but I want to go hunting with my brother after a long time, but he won't give his consent at all. The war is over, so I was hoping you could help me, Lady Ariel ." "...... His schedule seems busy, so it might be difficult, but I'll ask once." Ariel nodded appropriately and closed her mouth as if telling him to go ahead. In the silence that immediately settled, Ariel only blinked while looking at…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"Dad?" It was when Damian had passed about half of the garden. Lucy, sitting under the canopy, spotted Damian first. "Dad!" "I greet Your Majesty the Empress of the Empire." "Duke Zenova." The empress's eyes widened round, then she quickly smiled brightly. Between her prettily folded eyes, she held Lucy's hand tightly, clearly showing she had taken a liking to Lucy. She had captivated the empress of the empire...... It wouldn't have been easy to make the empress her ally. It seemed…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"...... May I ask the reason you think so?" "Haha. Now the duke must also take charge of one main pillar. There are quite a few people who follow the duke too. The achievements he made in war aren't just one or two. Actually, there was no need for the duke to go to suppress the rebellion......" As Charles continued speaking and Ariel's smile gradually changed to a bitter smile, he stopped talking. "I misspoke." "Not at all. Because he stepped forward, you had to join as well, Sir…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"It would be good if you also went to the imperial palace tomorrow. Take Lucy with you too." Damian said while looking at his daughter who had stolen his spot and was lying down. "Tomorrow? Tomorrow is...... the day you receive your bestowed goods, but that day at the imperial palace......" "I think it would be good for Lucy to know what kind of person Dad is too." "Ah...... That's right. Lucy said such things to you yesterday......" Ariel lowered her eyes. "It's because I'm…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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Lucy's innocent smile accompanied her. The children who had chased Derek from behind whispered to their mothers while rolling their eyes. Since they were children who couldn't control the volume of their voice, all those stories reached the ears of the gathered ladies. "Mom. Miss Lucy said the duchess is an angel so she teaches all the studies too. Is it true? Is the duchess an angel?" One child who said that glanced at Ariel, then quietly continued. "But the duchess really looks like an…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"That...... Damian. About the tutor matter. I'm really sorry, but I'd like Lucy to be at least ten years old for that part. I don't want to block a child's expanding thoughts yet. Also, I'd like you to be careful with such language in front of the child." "Language?" Ariel, who glanced at Damian, closed her eyes tightly and spoke. "Telling me to come to the bedroom, or saying Lucy has no manners, things like that. And......" Ariel, who closed her lips for a moment, quietly opened her…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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"Because prayer is an act done between people who like each other." Damian, who stuck right next to Ariel, bent his waist and stared at Lucy. "So Mom likes Dad very, very much." Damian looked as if he was delivering a decisive blow. Ariel tilted her head and frowned at her husband's appearance she was seeing for the first time. She felt like she was seeing something wrong. "No. Mom likes Lucy more. Mom is praying because Lucy said so. She's not doing it because she likes Dad. She's doing it…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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A woman is a man's trophy. "You'll be the best among the trophies that will go on the duke's display case." Even the moment the white veil was placed over her head, the words she had heard countless times from her father's mouth came out. Trophy. The best among them. The greatest praise her father gave to Ariel. But perhaps because it was a story she had heard since childhood…. Ariel smiled shyly and nodded at her father's words. She thought it would be nice if she were the prettiest, the…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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Brown hair that had become dry and brittle filled her vision. Her mother's collapse, like a tree on a hill full of green leaves, was an unbelievable sight incomparable to when her father died. She barely called out to her mother with her parched throat. Thinking it wasn't true, thinking what she saw was wrong, she crawled toward her mother and reached out her hand. "Mother......" The beautiful green eyes lost their light. The eroded vitality in those eyes told the cruel reality. That her mother…
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67.5 K • Ongoing
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Because he was Larque's son, it was natural. That's what the queen seemed to want to say. But she no longer smiled. No, she seemed unable to smile. When the queen trailed off, the king laughed even more cheerfully. Suddenly, she wondered if the king knew about the queen's love. The queen doesn't love the king. This beautiful king was the same. His two young sons were also not the queen's children. The queen had loved Larque since she left her home country. It was still the same now. Only her gaze…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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#IV. Black Forest Lier was a historic city. Before becoming the royal capital of Kylaq, it was the capital of Arnor and Glensium, which ruled the northwestern part of the continent, and the origin of the Roxus people who make up the subjugated class of Kylaq. The royal capital was located in the middle and lower reaches of the Ebony River, said to be the widest on the continent. The river meandered through the central and southern parts of the kingdom, merged with three tributaries, and flowed…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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Anna seated Ella at the table and gently recited the day's schedule. The fact that she specifically mentioned the banquet at the palace suggested that Ella would also need to attend. If so, the banquet would continue for several days. In the evening, a ball. The next morning, hunting in the forest owned by the royal family. Afterward, there would be a gathering where even the noble ladies would join for conversation, and on the evening after the hunt, they would watch a performance by inviting…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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Ella didn't answer. She just put down her glass and smiled faintly. Larque, accustomed to the girl's silence, didn't press for an answer. Instead, he quickly emptied his plate. Ella took a bite of each of several dishes. As she ate, she completely forgot that she wasn't observing proper dining etiquette. How many times in her life would she have such an experience? Not all servant girls who received the master's favor would receive such generous treatment. She too was just having a special…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"Come here." Anna gestured to Ella, who was touching her hair. She stood in front of Anna again. The woman held earrings in her hand. When Ella flinched at the sight of them, Anna whispered softly. "Today, the Consort's Small Star Pavilion will hang on your ears." The Consort's Small Star Pavilion. Ella stared at the earrings and then closed her eyes. The small earrings sparkling in Anna's hand approached as pain. The tweezers piercing the skin were a brief pain. After the…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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While waiting for the person said to be the imperial tailor to find her, Ella played with dolls with Larien. For Ella, who had never mingled with peers or had experience taking care of a sister four years younger, it was quite burdensome to keep a ten-year-old child company, but Ella was a girl more mature than her age and had excellent patience. But the same was true for Larien. Cecil and Carlisle's daughter was sometimes innocent but inexplicably serious and precocious. "When Ella grows…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"His Highness seems to like you very much. He says he'll give you a sarasa dress as a gift." Ella, who had been chewing the dry bread, looked at Anna. Anna smiled gently. "A tailor even visited at noon. There are several tailors in San Parvale, but none match the imperial tailors. But even he apprenticed at San Parvale's clothing shop before being selected by the imperial family." So our castle is the best. That was the interpretation. Anna snorted as she said this. Ella…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"Cut it off." "...... Pardon?" Vic asked back. Despite being in a position where she dared not ask back. The Duke showed no particular change in expression. He didn't seem angry from the beginning. He was a man whose emotional signs, thoughts, were unpredictable. Vic wet herself at the single word that flowed from his mouth. What did he mean by cut it off? She looked with trembling eyes at the three or four strong men entering through the door. In their hands were quite broad…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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#III. The Pumpkin Cradle Her first menstruation brought severe abdominal pain. It was unbearable agony that made it difficult to even stand on two legs. Ella clutched her throbbing lower abdomen and looked up at Victoire. The woman had a large build and a consistently fierce expression. Whether she was naturally like this or just harsh to her alone, Ella couldn't tell, but she didn't complain about her treatment. Though Victoire would slap her whenever she felt like it, according to…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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The maid was blessing her becoming a prostitute. Ella looked at the woman's dark face with tears brimming in her eyes. She had a skinny chin and prominent cheekbones, making her look as grumpy as Victoire, but her gently flowing voice was kind. Ella shook her head. No. No. I don't want to become a prostitute...... Sarah said becoming a prostitute was a terrible thing. Being called a lowly woman who sells smiles to other women, being a one-night stand for men. Rather than living a life that wouldn't…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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"I hate this. I hate it......" She shook her head. The hand that had been wiping between her knees stopped. The man looked up. His gray eyes were still indifferent. Ella twisted her lips. She pushed away his shoulder and fled to the wall. Like a cornered mouse, she clutched her bloodstained skirt and burst into tears. The servant had a dumbfounded expression. "Leave." "Pardon?" "Call a maid." The man rose from his seat. The servant, understanding his…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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It was painful to be bothered with problems she couldn't understand or answer. Ella just wanted to live ordinarily, blending in among many people. She wanted to live as a person, not as an eye-catching parrot in a cage. For a woman of low status, beauty is nothing more than a useless ornament. No, not even an ornament. A shell that can't be thrown away or burned. Ella didn't want to be beautiful. "Lila. Stop it. She doesn't look very happy. She might think we're making fun of…
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245.8 K • Ongoing
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Swoosh. Ael slowly opened her eyes to the sound of the strong wind passing by the window. At the same time, she felt a terrible thirst. 'Water...' Ael reached out to the side, groping to find the water jug she always kept on the bedside table. Instead of the familiar touch of the table, she felt the soft texture of a cushion. What is this? Where is the water jug? "Jenna, are you outside? I need some water..." Calling for her maid, Ael struggled to open her eyes again as the thirst…-
86.4 K • Ongoing
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‘This is the last of the money I had left.’ The money I had left would be gone once I paid for the carriage fare to the library. For other matters, I would have walked, but today I couldn't do that. I needed to finish what I was doing and return home as quickly as possible before my parents or Elise woke up. However, contrary to Ael's anxious heart, the road became so congested near the central square that it was difficult for the carriage to pass. "Miss, it seems a ship from the Ash…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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Morning arrived at the Aradis house. The viscount couple and their daughter had returned very late from a banquet at the royal palace the previous night. Because of this, the servants moved as cautiously as possible. The Aradis couple was known for their fiery temper. If they were accidentally woken up by loud noises on such a day, it was obvious they would be severely scolded. The servants thought it was rather fortunate and, like their masters, did not get up until late. In another noble…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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The puppy, much smaller than the others born in the same litter and unable to follow even simple commands well, was sold off cheaply by the Viscount to someone else. And since that day, Elise blatantly called Ael ‘Rida.’ As if to say, "What's the difference between you and that dog?" "Enough, just bring me some water and fruit." Elise brushed past Ael, waving her hand dismissively. Ael found Elise's attitude puzzling. Normally, Elise would have been annoyed, complaining that her sleep…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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Naturally, those with such power became the first royal family. From then on, those with power inherited the throne, and being an heir of the Golden Rule became evidence of noble blood. However, over time, the power weakened. Moreover, as technology began to surpass the power of the Golden Rule, the methods of using its power were quickly forgotten. Naturally, the prestige of the Golden Rule also lost its strength compared to the past. Nevertheless, there were still people who clung to the fact…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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As Ael was lost in thought, the carriage finally began to move again after being stuck in traffic. This allowed Ael to snap out of her reverie and reflect on the conversation she had overheard a little earlier. ‘They said he doesn’t reveal where he is.’ People assumed he was staying in the Empire, where the headquarters of the Ash Merchant Guild was located. To manage the ships and goods traveling across the continent and oversee business, it was natural for him to be in the Empire. But…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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Thud! The book, thrown with all her might, flew straight and struck the man fleeing on the back of his head. The staggering man turned his head. The moment their eyes met, Ael flinched and stepped back. It was because the man was glaring at her coldly. "Was it someone from the merchant guild!" He muttered something incomprehensible and turned to charge at Ael. In no time, a sharp dagger was in one of the man's hands. "......!" Caught off guard, Ael couldn't even scream and froze in place.…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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It was only after the host of the banquet came and almost begged the old noble that he finally left the venue. Even then, he shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear, still unable to quell his anger. 〈Just being in the same place as such an arrogant and rude person is unpleasant!〉 This meant he did not want to see Ael at any banquet he attended. Naturally, the Viscount couple blamed Ael for the commotion. 〈You should just smile and stand quietly among people like a lady, but you dared…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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Ael instinctively shrank back. Elise had been in a good mood for the past few days. It was because her meetings with the Grand Duke had become more frequent. As the meetings between the two increased, the Viscount couple became more attentive to Elise, granting her every wish. "The Grand Duke must be waiting for my reply, and you want me to write it on this low-quality, coarse paper? What would he think of me then?" Peeking out slightly, Ael saw Elise shouting at her personal maid, Maya. Maya…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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When was the last time Ael had tasted such fine tea? She momentarily forgot her pain and indulged in the taste and aroma of the tea. Callon quietly observed Ael as she enjoyed her tea. 'She lied.' Before coming to Denertum, Callon had sought out an etiquette teacher from Denertum to learn about the customs here. He studied everything from greetings to dining and tea party manners. He recalled the teacher who had taught him etiquette. The teacher was very strict about conduct, but compared to…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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* * * "Kyle, I appreciate the Ash Merchant Guild's generosity, but... this seems a bit excessive." Ael sat inside the carriage, looking at the pile of beautifully wrapped boxes beside her with a bewildered expression. Anyone would mistake the carriage Ael was riding in as a delivery vehicle rather than one for transporting people, considering how full it was with gifts. Callon shook his head with a smile. "Excessive? We can't just let someone who has helped our Ash Merchant Guild so much…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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Callon felt a sense of regret as he watched the expressions of the Viscount couple and Elise gradually change. ‘I should have prepared more.’ The documents they recovered today thanks to Ael were quite important. They contained information about regions that the Ash Merchant Guild's communication network rarely reached. ‘If I had missed that, it would have taken quite some time to receive them again. There’s no network using the Golden Rule there.’ In Denertum, where most of the…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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* * * Ael sat in her seat, constantly looking around. She had been guided to a building of the Ash Merchant Guild nearby. Ael, who was shown into a room typically used for conversations with clients, found it fascinating that one wall was a transparent glass window, allowing her to view the inside of the guild. Although she had never been inside another guild's building, she knew that at least other guilds in Denertum did not have rooms like this. 'The Empire seems to have reception rooms like…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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〈Riena sent a letter! She said the Grand Duke will be visiting the estate in the summer, and she will be visiting as well!〉 Riena was a woman who was frequently by the Grand Duke’s side, much like Elise. To be precise, she was more actively pursuing the position of Grand Duchess than Elise. If it were any other matter, Elise wouldn't have paid much attention to Riena. After all, no matter what anyone said, she was more beautiful than Riena. But when it came to the position of Grand…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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* * * “Miss, have you heard about the Oltvea mansion?” Jenna, who had gone to buy missing ingredients for dinner, spoke in an excited voice as soon as she returned, not even setting down her shopping basket. “Huh? Oltvea mansion? The one on the northeastern hill of the capital?” “Yes, that’s the one.” “The one the Ash Merchant Guild acquired?” “That’s right! Did you know about it too, Miss?” Ael felt a pang of guilt as she recalled overhearing it on the day she…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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〈As you can see from this, the land in that area belongs to our family! Therefore, you must pay us the amount and draft the documents accordingly!〉 They thrust documents at them, written in a script where you couldn't tell the top from the bottom, claiming the land was theirs. Nisha, along with Ino and other Ash Merchant Guild employees, are generally proficient in foreign languages. However, ancient languages were a different matter. It was a language almost extinct on the continent, used…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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At first, there were the kind of clichéd greetings you'd find in etiquette books. They scrutinized Ael with hawk-like eyes, as if assessing prey. Under those sharp gazes, Ael felt like a criminal dragged out into the square. With nowhere to hide from their scrutiny, Ael's gaze eventually fell to the clothes she was wearing. Before coming here, what troubled Ael the most was her attire. Having been invited suddenly, she had to choose something to wear from what she had, but none of her remaining…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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It was truly a day that passed by without knowing how. Who would have thought that a day that started with just running an errand would become so eventful? Ael opened one of the boxes she brought with Jenna. Although the Viscount ordered that most of the boxes be moved to his study for further inspection, he allowed the food to be taken to the underground kitchen. “Jenna, I have something for you.” “Yes? What is it?” Jenna leaned in, wondering if there was something else amazing. Ael…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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"An invitation? Why are you showing it to me if it came to you? And isn’t this in ancient language?" Elise placed the invitation on the side tea table as if she didn't even want to touch it. Then she noticed that it was written in a difficult-to-read script and, moreover, in an ancient language, which made her frown. Elise was not very good at reading ancient languages. Although it was considered one of the most sophisticated skills among the nobility and she had learned it from a young…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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“So, you forgot. I mentioned that we didn’t have a chance to properly express our gratitude that day due to the rushed preparations, and we wanted to do so properly.” Ael’s eyes widened at Kyle’s words. That was just a polite remark, and she thought it was already over. However, Kyle was speaking as if Ael had promised to contact them later but had forgotten. The viscountess, listening to their conversation, couldn’t hide her rising smile at the mention of expressing…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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The main reason Callon was pressuring Ino to find someone proficient in the ancient language was because a complicated issue had arisen recently regarding an ancient document. One day, a noble from Denertum suddenly visited the Ash Merchant Guild, claiming to prove that his family had a share in the land the guild was trying to purchase and brought a land document written in ancient language. Naturally, it was a document written in an extremely difficult script from long ago, which could not be…
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86.4 K • Ongoing
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