The Archduke’s Gorgeous Wedding Was a Fraud

What? Marriage?

‘Marriage all of a sudden?!’

Oh, I think it’s time for me to wear a hearing aid.

Doubting my hearing, I didn’t hesitate to give Lacius an ‘Are you crazy?’ look.

No, it’s not that I don’t like it; it’s just so random. I don’t think this was in the original book

“Three years. You just need to be my wife for three years.”

When my reaction didn’t satisfy him, Lacius gave emphasis to his words and proposed over and over again.

I asked in reply, after reading the ‘love rumor’ part of the newspaper,

“If my ears aren’t wrong, are you asking me to marry you?”

“To be exact, engagement comes first, followed by marriage.”

“Well yeah, but the bottom line is still marriage.” 

“Yes.”

Lacius’ eyes, while saying this, looked extremely exhausted. The expression of a man whose soul was tormented by unwanted care and attention. That’s what he displayed.

“You’re a painting wizard, so you wouldn’t have to worry about assassins.”

“Um, well, I haven’t said I’ll do it yet.”

“Think about it. If you say you’re going to be my wife, you’ll get a lot of bribes. You can take everything. Take all the gifts. I won’t say anything.”

“Bribes?”

“Yes.”

Hold on.

My ears started to flutter.

Although I understood that the prerequisite, “If I survive,” should be added in big brackets before Lacius’ words, I was still greedy. Before I became bewitched by those sweet words, I had something to ask.

“Why me?”

Before I knew it, I put down the fork and the warning signals in my mind lit up. That’s what I kept thinking while I was trapped in the slaver’s crate.

If I’m villainess no. 4, then I have to hide well and never get involved with anyone. 

Especially the male protagonist, he was prohibited. Since I was a child, I grew up being told that I could live well by myself even if I was thrown into the desert. Even if it’s a ridiculous world found inside a book, I’ll be able to live somehow, so I should avoid his offer as much as I can.

Even if you roll in a  field of dog poop, it is said that this world is still better than the underworld.*

*(A korean proverb: it’s still better to live than to die even if you’re living poorly and hardly.)

“How can you trust me?”

“You have a lot of doubts.”

“Of course. I don’t trust you, but how can you trust me and say something like this?”

“…….to be quite blunt. “

Lacius held his chin as if he found the situation interesting. I folded my arms and waited for his answer.

“The auction house. I was originally supposed to wipe out the guys there.”

Yes, I knew that.

I also knew that you’d cover villainess no. 4 with clothes after seeing her and that you would let her go immediately after taking her home. In the original story, Shay left Archduke Schweiden’s residence a few days after she wrote her statement. 

But Lacius never said a word to me about leaving yet.

“The moment I saw you, I saw a flash in my head. Even though you were intoxicated with drugs, your gaze looked as if you wanted to rip everything to pieces and kill everyone…It was admirable.”

…?

Is that an insult or a compliment?

I showed an ambiguous expression.

No, wait, what do you mean rip to pieces and kill? Of course, I wanted to poke through the eyes of those  staring at me with my fingers, but I wasn’t thinking of something as terrible as that.

Oh, maybe it’s because he’s the head of the knights, that’s why his expressions were brutal.

“If it’s you, I believe you’d be able to do wicked acts* full of spirit. You talk informally to me, so I’m sure you wouldn’t feel intimidated even if you were to meet the princess.”

*(패악질을-Wicked acts- to conduct badly)

Lacius’ blue-gray eyes glinted. It seemed like he found the princess quite annoying.

I was in turmoil for a moment. Money and a glamorous life stood before me. I could get a feast like this every day. I don’t have to envy people eating delicious food anymore.

Moreover, accepting bribes was a very attractive condition. No matter how powerful I am as a painting wizard, I have to draw with such detail comparable to a masterpiece, in order to make a decent gem or a chunk of gold. And I would also need money to buy painting tools and canvases, right?

‘If I think about the possibility of living here for the rest of my life… It’s a great opportunity.’ 

Even if I go back to my original status after that, it’s still better than being a slave.

‘Isn’t the original female lead’s scheduled appearance still a year later?’

It was at the time of the princess’ birthday party, and considering the weather, it was probably around autumn. Well, it’s spring now, so there’s still quite a bit of time left, right?

However, I didn’t respond willingly. Then Lacius opened his mouth again.

“Again, I’m not a person who is interested in marriage, and I don’t intend to marry anyone.”

I know that well. But I promise to immediately leave when the dense female lead appears. Yeah.

“But I’m going to marry you. We’re going to look like a couple who’s madly in love with each other.”

“Aha.”

“So sell my name and behave as you please. You can talk to anyone like you do now.”

“… What if I get executed?”

“I will protect you at all cost, but try to be the most gorgeous and wicked woman in this empire so that no one will dare come near me anymore when they see you.”

So you’re going to call in a tiger to stop the wolves? Well, there’s nothing I can’t do. However, I opened my eyes suspiciously and asked,

“What about the pay?”

If you ask me to use such drastic method acting, of course the cost of buying me alone wouldn’t  be enough. You can’t even buy a house in Seoul for 100 million. Then he whispered in a low voice the amount.

“…What?”

I asked again, wondering if I misheard. Lacius repeated the answer to me with sharp, clear pronunciation. 

“10 billion gautes. “

“…..!” 

“I’ll give you 10 billion.”

What the f*ck..?

One gaute is 10,000 won. This was the conversion in the original book. Besides, the prices are low here. Oh….?

As a humanitarian, I should be infuriated at the idea of selling marriage for money, but far from being angry, I willingly decided to become a crazy b*tch in this area.

“I’ll take care of it, dear customer!”