My Sister is the Main Character

Episode 4

While I was contemplating how to respond, Jackal moved first. The eerie atmosphere disappeared, replaced by a bright, clear smile.

He even clapped his hands.

“Ah-ha. I get it. You’re that interested in me? I’m flattered.”

…His face looked genuinely touched, and I was momentarily at a loss for words.

“…Yes, since I was going to serve you, I wanted us to have a good relationship.”

But that relationship isn’t supposed to be marriage, you damned fool.

My mouth didn’t miss its chance to act properly. Regaining my composure, I quickly continued before Jackal could say more.

“Forgive me for being forward, but I understand that Your Highness’s territory is not in the best condition.”

“…”

“And I imagine you might be concerned about the recent difficulty in collecting taxes. What if I could solve that for you?”

The faint smile in Jackal’s eyes slightly faded.

“…You, Duke?”

“Yes. And what if I also knew a way to deliver substantial funds to Your Highness after tax collection?”

Jackal and the Emperor are mortal enemies.

To Jackal, the Emperor is an object of revenge. In this battle, Jackal is destined to win.

Moreover, the time will soon come when every noble house must choose between the Imperial Family and the Crown Prince.

If it weren’t for my sister’s imprisonment, aligning with the victorious Crown Prince wouldn’t have been a bad move.

“…The Duke knows more than I expected. You didn’t become a duke by accident, did you?”

“I’ve been diligently helping with estate affairs since I was young.”

I smiled as if I knew nothing. In truth, I saved the estate.

“And if I may think with my limited wits, Your Highness asked me if I could use our family heirloom, and after I said yes, you immediately proposed marriage.”

I spoke calmly.

“Do you perhaps want our family heirloom?”

“…”

Chill.

…His expression changed for an instant.

“I don’t know why you would say that. But, what if I do?”

The air tightened with sharp tension, but I continued speaking calmly.

“Obviously, I can’t  give it to you. Instead, as the Duchess, I can become Your Highness’s vassal and provide the strength of our heirloom when necessary.”

I can’t actually use the heirloom yet, so this is pure bluffing.

The die has been cast.

‘As long as he doesn’t insist on seeing the treasure’s power right now…’

“I refuse.”

As I waited, hiding my nervousness, the response I received wasn’t what I wanted.

When I looked up, I saw a face filled with languid interest.

“The power of treasure is surely something anyone would desire. It’s so sweet, I was briefly tempted.”

The next moment, Jackal placed his hand on his cheek with a dramatic sigh.

“But Duke, you only want me as your master…! Isn’t that a shame?”

“…Pardon?”

“If we get married, you and I would stand on equal footing!”

…As if you’d ever treat me as an equal.

Do you even know what kind of person you are?

His melodramatic behavior left me speechless.

“I… sincerely wish to marry the Duke.”

“..…”

“So, I must refuse a master-servant relationship, Duke.”

At that moment, I recalled a romance novel Rodemin had once handed me, featuring a contractual marriage.

— Oh, why! You insisted on a contractual marriage! Then I have to read things like this!

— Don’t be ridiculous. Get back to work!

…If I had read that book back then, could I have considered a contractual marriage with him?

‘Get a grip, Helena. What are you even thinking!’

As if a novel holds the answer!

I finally admitted it.

This bastard is obsessed with marriage.

“Well, there’s no helping it. I don’t want to get married either. Negotiations have broken down.”

Jackal hesitated before speaking.

“It’s my first time proposing, and also my first time being rejected. How embarrassing.”

…You’re really insane if you’re embarrassed about this right now.

“Tell me why you don’t like me. It doesn’t seem to be because of my face.”

“Pardon?”

“It seems the Duke likes calculations. I’ll give you a thousand gold per answer.”

Did he really think I’d fall for such an obvious trick? I spoke my opinion very cautiously.

“Shall we begin?”

Fine, I’ll play along. He’s offering money, after all.

“Should I provide answers while considering propriety and decorum?”

“No.”

The Crown Prince’s eyes widened slightly before he chuckled.

“Don’t consider them. Just answer. I swear on my honor and everything I have that there will be no repercussions.”

He had a beautiful face, but I reminded myself that every person who underestimated him based on his appearance ended up dead.

I moistened my lips.

“From head to toe…”

“To…?”

“Everything about you displeases me.”

I quickly continued speaking and then elegantly bowed my waist.

‘Mission failed completely. Oh well, time for Plan B.’

He was far more unreasonable than I had anticipated.

Now, the only option left was to quickly secure something that could control him!

“As per the law, I’ve been appointed as your aide for a year, and I’ll do my best to fulfill my duties.”

I walked toward the door. The attendants had already left, so I had to open it myself.

“Wait.”

As I gripped the doorknob, cold sweat ran down my back. His voice had turned chilling.

I felt like a frog before a snake, but I hid my expression and turned my head naturally.

“Thank you for your honest answer.”

Jackal’s smile wasn’t a true smile. His calm eyes flickered with a dangerous madness.

For a moment, I thought I saw a dark aura. Was I imagining things?

“I’ve already informed the attendants about the castle where you’ll stay, but I’ll change it to the one closest to me.”

Gulp. I swallowed hard.

“It’s unfortunate that my taste doesn’t suit you. I suppose I’ll have to figure out your taste… up close.”

“Pardon…?”

Behind Jackal, I could almost see a judge holding a gavel and wearing a powdered wig.

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll become your ideal type in the meantime.”

That sounded more like he’d forcefully make himself my ideal type if he had to.

With a soft smile, he dismissed me as if handing down a sentence.

“Go on now.”

Tap.

The door closed.

Jackal stared silently at the door in the stillness.

‘She’s not an assassin, yet she walks silently, suppressing her presence.’

His ears picked up even the faintest sound of footsteps. It meant she had plenty of experience in suppressing her presence.

Thanks to the thick dragon blood running through his veins, his senses were twice as sharp as an ordinary human’s.

No human could suppress their presence in front of him. He could distinguish every single footstep.

As a child, even the texture of clothing had been unbearably irritating.

But the sense he found most overwhelming was his sense of smell. Thanks to his dragon heritage, he could identify individuals by their scent.

While nearly all humans carried unpleasant odors, the woman earlier was different.

The scent of wildflowers tickled his nose. Or was it daisies?

It was also somewhat like the smell of a warm blanket.

Jackal clenched and unclenched his fist.

‘…It reminds me of something from long ago.’

The spot where she had lightly touched him.

It had taken him a long time as a child to adjust to the attendants around him. He had learned to suppress his killing intent before he learned to suppress his tears.

But this time, he didn’t feel any discomfort.

‘For the first time.’

A pitch-black aura flickered in Jackal’s eyes.

Moments ago, he had barely managed to suppress the rising energy, but now that she was gone, it resurfaced.