Chapter 20
Lucas frowned as he scrutinized Noctem. He looked flustered.
His expression was one of complete confusion, as if he truly had no idea what was being said.
“Of course. Marrying the young lady… Just imagining it…”
Imagining it… what?
Lucas scanned Noctem’s face thoroughly as his words trailed off.
It seemed like he wanted to express his displeasure, yet the back of his neck was flushed red.
Clicking his tongue, Lucas observed the contradiction between Noctem’s words and his body’s involuntary reaction.
I should’ve known the moment he said he’d spend his whole life swinging a sword.
But to think he still hasn’t realized his own feelings.
“Ah, I see. I just thought you were especially fond of her.”
“I was not. And don’t forget, the young lady is the daughter of the head of the noble faction.”
If it were the Emperor, maybe. But as a Grand Duke who had abandoned his royal status, he was free to marry outside the family.
So what if she was the daughter of the noble faction’s leader?
That was an utterly ridiculous excuse. What followed was even more absurd—so much so that Lucas couldn’t even laugh.
“She is not someone I hold in my heart. How could I possibly marry such a person?”
So, did he marry Lina Goldstein out of deep love?
“Ohhh? If you say so, brother.”
The brother I know would only come to his senses after having her taken away.
Yeah. He had spent his whole life looking down on love—let him regret it for once.
I can already see it.
Lucas imagined Noctem, drowning in regret, desperately clinging to Charlotte. He shook his head slightly.
There was a one hundred percent chance he would embarrass the imperial family.
“What? What’s with that look?”
Noctem frowned, noticing Lucas’s sudden shift in demeanor.
“Nothing. Weren’t you busy? Hurry up and go. Get going.”
But all that greeted Noctem was an outright dismissal.
In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to ask Lucas why he was looking at him so pityingly.
And so, he left the imperial palace.
A week passed.
For Charlotte, life remained as ordinary as ever—meeting Kai, reading books about agriculture, or visiting Adrian to secure funds.
However, the social circles outside were abuzz with the Grand Duke’s sudden annulment of his engagement.
It wasn’t just that he had thrown down a breakup letter—he had filed an official summons for trial.
He accused the Goldstein family of defaming the imperial family, all while conveniently omitting any mention of Charlotte.
Naturally, the family was caught completely off guard.
Just hours ago, he had been their steadfast ally and their daughter’s future husband. Now, he was a greater enemy than a stranger.
In the end, they had no choice but to pay a hefty bail.
Money could be earned again, but status wasn’t so easily regained.
And just like that, they hurried to marry Lina off to a foreign country.
Charlotte was not unaware of the situation—it had been widely reported in the Empire’s newspapers.
Moreover, amidst all the chaos, a response had finally arrived from the Grand Duke’s estate regarding her previous invitation.
“Now that my fiancée is gone, I must reconsider whether to go alone…”
It was basically a thinly veiled way of saying, “I can’t possibly go alone, so young lady, you should accompany me to the restaurant, don’t you think?”
But Charlotte deliberately ignored the underlying message and replied, telling him to think about it some more.
No reply had come since then, but she was sure one would arrive soon.
The real question was whether he would let it go or be even more blatant this time.
Hoping that the Grand Duke would simply drop the matter, Charlotte picked up a book titled “Sailing Alone: You Can Do It Too.”
She had read about twenty pages when—knock, knock.
Someone rapped on the door.
“Come in.”
Charlotte turned another page as she spoke.
The door creaked open, and steady footsteps echoed through the room. It was likely one of the household knights.
“His Grace has summoned you.”
It was one of the knights who always treated Dana with an amiable demeanor.
Charlotte walked past the knight, meeting his gaze—where disgust and fear coexisted.
The knight was supposed to protect her, yet his footsteps did not follow behind.
He had abandoned his post.
Though it was an infuriating situation, Charlotte remained composed and made her way alone through the estate, arriving at the Duke’s office.
The crossed swords that had once barred the door were removed, and the door swung open.
The Duke, who surely knew she had arrived, pretended not to notice her.
“What is it that you called me for?”
Charlotte spoke first. Only then did the Duke lift his head.
“There is a banquet at Count Waynes’ estate in three days. You will attend.”
“Not Dana?”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. She was someone who would soon disappear—what business did she have at a banquet?
The Duke answered her question, erasing all doubts.
“It is a gathering for the unity of the nobility. The Grand Duke will be attending as well.”
He continued with a sinister glint in his eyes.
“We can’t have her, so now we must utterly destroy her, don’t you think?”
“……!”
“If you collapse and are carried out in the middle of such an event, it will have a significant impact. We can use this opportunity to suppress the restrictions they are trying to impose on us.”
A chilling laugh escaped him, his eyes gleaming with ambition. The sheer intensity of it made Charlotte’s breath catch in her throat.
As he stared directly into her trembling eyes, the Duke picked up a small vial from the table and shook it lightly.
“This is the poison you will drink at the banquet. Our people have already been planted inside—they will mix it into your wine and bring it to you. Just wait thirty minutes, and you will collapse.”
“…Poison?”
“Are you scared of dying?”
The Duke sneered.
“Don’t worry. It’s called poison, but it won’t actually harm your body.”
At those words, Charlotte barely held back a scoff.
Why would something be called poison in the first place? It was because, at some point, it could cause harm.
But the Duke remained unbothered. After all, it wasn’t something he had to drink himself, nor was it meant for anyone precious to him.
“The story will be that you’re being sent away to recover due to poor health. Stay quietly at home, and leave in about three weeks.”
“…….”
“There will be a few more details to align later, but for now, just say where you’re heading. Or go to one of the remote villas we rarely use.”
His tone was dismissive, full of impatience.
Charlotte, on the other hand, felt a flicker of life return to her deadened eyes.
“…Then I should go as far away from the capital as possible. I’ll stay in the Hoer Trade City for a few days and then depart.”
For a split second, a crack appeared in the Duke’s expression. It was fleeting, but Charlotte caught it immediately.
Hoer Trade City.
Also known as Hoer Port City, it was located at the farthest reaches of the empire’s western borders.
Though technically part of the empire, it primarily engaged in trade with other nations, making it a hub of unrestricted financial circulation.
The imperial family’s influence is weak there, and large sums of money flow freely. Naturally, nobles use it to hide their secret funds.
The Duke was no exception.
To subtly evade imperial scrutiny, he had been siphoning off taxes from his fiefdom and stashing them in Hoer Trade City’s banks.
And Charlotte was planning to seize it.
“Hmph. You’re planning to go there? That estate isn’t well-maintained, and it’ll be difficult to stay there. There’s another villa nearby—go there instead.”
He was outright rejecting the idea.
How obvious.
To the Duke, Charlotte was nothing more than a “foolish delinquent.” His reaction made sense.
And for Charlotte, it was the best possible response.
Hiding her true thoughts, she simply nodded.
So he really did stash his funds in Hoer Trade City. That’s a relief.
Since this world was slightly different from the one she had known, she had needed confirmation.
Even if it meant arousing a bit of suspicion, it was a necessary risk.
Of course, when the time came, they would likely send her to an even more isolated villa that was difficult to reach quickly.
Not realizing that this only works in my favor.
Even if they later discovered the missing funds, they would likely dismiss the idea that Charlotte had anything to do with it.
“Understood.”
“Hmph. Good. Don’t make any mistakes if you want to leave peacefully.”
As if he wouldn’t use the slightest misstep as an excuse to cast me aside anyway.
Did he really think she didn’t see through his shallow schemes?
It was laughable.
At the same time, it was a painful reminder of just how little he thought of her.
Still, Charlotte kept all these sharp thoughts buried deep and simply bowed before leaving the office.
The knights standing outside glanced at her, but once again, none followed behind.
She was used to this.
Ignoring them, she walked alone through the mansion.
Upon reaching the empty garden, she took a deep breath.
The crisp air filled her lungs, making her head spin.
I should be feeling good about this…
All she had to do was follow the Duke’s order, and she could finally leave this wretched capital.
Then why does it feel like my heart is caving in?
Was it because of the Grand Duke?
Charlotte shuddered at the thought.
Yes.
It was because of him.
To leave, she would have to drink poison and collapse right in front of him.
“So this is how I repay a handkerchief—with betrayal.”
She let out a bitter laugh but quickly shook her head.
No, that wasn’t right.
“I need to make sure this doesn’t become a burden for him.”
Not that there was much of a plan to begin with.
She just needed to make it look like the so-called villainess had finally fallen into her own trap.
And with twenty years of experience as a notorious delinquent, pulling off that act would be a piece of cake.
Three Days Later—The Night of the Waynes Family Banquet
Charlotte had to shine brighter than anyone that night.
And if there was anyone who embodied that word—radiance—it was her.
Hair as brilliant as molten gold, unlike anything found on the continent.
Eyes like emeralds, gleaming with an almost unnatural depth.
The natural sharpness of her gaze gave her a fierce look, but the slight upward tilt of her lips kept her expression perfectly balanced.
Elegant yet untouchable.
No matter how extravagant the dress, she could pull it off effortlessly.
But tonight, she needed to take it a step further.
Tonight, she had to become the craziest bitch the world would ever see.
So, she chose a scandalously tight, fiery red dress—something no one would dare to wear.
She paired it with emerald accessories to match her eyes.
Earrings, bracelets, and even a tiara—something rarely worn these days—adorned her as she stepped into the banquet hall.
“Charlotte Daphnien has arrived.”
The doorman’s announcement sent a wave of murmurs through the crowd.
But—
Click, click.
As she strode in, her face set in a haughty expression, the atmosphere shifted in an instant.
Like cold water had been poured over the entire hall.
“Ah…”
Someone let out a breathless exclamation.
It was impossible not to.
Charlotte Daphnien was infamous as a villainous tyrant, but beyond that, she was known for her devilish beauty.
And tonight, that beauty was more striking than ever.
She lazily scanned the crowd—of course, her gaze landed on Noctem Aphros as well.
For a brief moment, her composed expression nearly cracked.
But she quickly pulled herself together.
Click, click—stop.
The crimson heels came to a halt in the middle of the grand hall.
Then, in a voice dripping with mockery, she sneered—
“Why is everyone just staring at me like idiots? Shouldn’t you all be insulting me like usual? Honestly, you people have no backbone.”
A stunningly elegant face, paired with the most vulgar words imaginable.
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