“What nonsense. At that age, I was abandoned by my father and had to fight countless enemies and kill just to survive. All because of brats like your son.”
“…Ugh, ugh…”
“I’ll send you to his side as well, Marquess Karwin. So you can have the reunion you’ve longed for—with your son, in hell.”
As Ashid added those words, he raised his sword. The moment he swung it, Marquess Karwin would lose his life.
At that instant, the marquess, who had been trembling in pale terror, suddenly burst into laughter. Ashid furrowed his brows at his incomprehensible reaction—just as Karwin suddenly tore open his own shirt with his hands.
Everyone’s eyes fell upon the intricate black magic circle etched grotesquely onto his gaunt chest. Karwin let out another shout.
“Yes, I foresaw this from the moment I set out for battle! So, Ashid Carlisle Alberic, Devil of Ashelard! I shall drag you to hell with me!”
Without hesitation, the marquess slashed his own wrist with a blade.
A ticking sound, like the hands of a clock moving, echoed eerily through the silent ballroom. The moment Lowell realized what it was, his face turned deathly pale as he shouted,
“That lunatic! He cursed himself into a living bomb!”
“Your Highness! You must escape immediately!”
“Retreat at once! Get as far away from here as possible!”
At Ashid’s urgent command, the knights swiftly moved to withdraw. He, too, stepped back in haste.
But at that moment, Karwin, moving with unexpected speed, lunged forward and grabbed onto Ashid’s sword blade. Blood dripped from his hands as he clutched the weapon, his voice brimming with madness.
“I’ll drag you to hell with me, Ashid! I’ll tear your soul to shreds and offer it as a sacrifice for my poor son’s peace!”
“You insane bastard…!”
Ashid gritted his teeth, about to let go of the sword Karwin had seized—
“Your Highness, get back!”
Sir Fincher rushed in, wrapping his arm around Karwin’s neck. Without hesitation, he threw a teleportation scroll onto the ground and stomped on it, tearing it apart.
“Damn it, Sir Fincher!”
Ashid roared as he charged toward them with his sword—but he was too late. The magic activated instantly, and both Fincher and Karwin vanished before his eyes.
A split second later, an ear-splitting explosion erupted from the annex opposite the ballroom, followed by the deafening sound of the building collapsing.
The knights, frozen in shock at the sudden turn of events, let out deep, sorrowful sighs.
“Sir Fincher…”
“Aah… How… how could this…”
“That damned old man…”
Ashid let out a hollow laugh and collapsed onto the floor.
“…Ha.”
His expression wavered between a laugh and a sob. Bowing his head, he remained silent for a long time.
A heavy silence engulfed the ballroom. The knights, equally consumed by grief and fury, said nothing—only gazed at their lord’s back.
‘Once again, because of my own weakness, I’ve lost someone precious.’
Just like when he lost his mother. Just like when he lost his guardian knight, who had been like a mentor to him. Again.
Ashid endlessly berated and blamed himself in his mind. But at the same time, that sorrow twisted into hatred and rage toward those responsible. A chilling smile spread across his strikingly handsome face.
In a voice laced with menace, he murmured,
“…I should have killed Marquess Karwin sooner. No—should have killed them all. Everyone who planned and carried out this scheme. Every last one of those wretched fools from the Principality of Resinia who supported it.”
Yes. That’s what he should have done.
From the start, he should have never let a single Resinian live. Whether they were children or the elderly, he should have slaughtered them all—so that they’d never dare dream of such an atrocity again.
Ashid’s deep navy eyes, dark as the night sky, turned pitch black, devoid of reason. With a sneer, he slowly rose to his feet. Then, looking over the knights, he commanded,
“It seems we’ll need to replenish our forces. Sir Lowell, return to the capital with me immediately. Sir Wellard, you will draft a proclamation of war against the Principality of Resinia. Prepare everything for battle before we return.”
“…Are you saying we’re declaring an all-out war against Resinia?”
Wellard asked, a faint trace of fear in his expression. Ashid let out a short, mocking laugh.
“They must pay the price in full. Wouldn’t you agree?”
With those final words, Ashid stormed out of the ballroom and mounted his horse. As he spurred his steed forward, his expression was one of sheer, maddened fury—reminiscent of Marquess Karwin, who had thrown his own life away just to kill him.
At that same moment.
Ashelard’s capital, the Grand Duke Alberic’s townhouse.
Daniela woke up to the sound of knocking from the maids who had come to rouse her.
For the first time since she had transmigrated into this world, she had fallen into a deep sleep without dreaming.
Just like the night before, the maids assisted her with bathing and dressing.
The new dress they brought was a striking teal adorned with soft pink lace, ribbons, and intricately embroidered peonies—it was both extravagant and stunning. Daniela couldn’t help but admire her reflection in the mirror.
‘Beautiful.’
And probably ridiculously expensive. Just how much money and time had gone into making this one dress?
As she speculated on the cost, the maids gently braided her thick, crimson hair and decorated it with diamond and emerald hairpins.
“We’ve finished, my lady. Shall we bring your breakfast here?”
“Yes, thank you.”
When Daniela smiled in response, the maids curtsied and exited the room. Shortly after, they returned with a breakfast spread of freshly baked bread, fruit salad, omelets, and fragrant tea.
Just as Daniela finished eating, the head maid, Mela, approached her.
“My lady, I have something important to tell you. And something to deliver as well.”
“Hm? What is it?”
Daniela tilted her head in curiosity. Instead of answering right away, Mela first dismissed the other maids from the room. Then, she entered the Grand Duchess’s private sitting room and returned with a silk-wrapped box, which she placed before Daniela.
“Please, open it, my lady.”
Daniela carefully lifted the lid. Inside, she found hundreds of keys and thousands of parchment scrolls neatly tied with ribbons.
“What is all this?”
“From left to right, these are the keys to the Alberic estate, the annexes, the northern castles His Highness owns, the treasure vaults, and secret passageways. The scrolls are the deeds to the lands and buildings that you will now manage.”
Daniela’s eyes widened in shock. She looked up at Mela, who nodded slightly and continued.
“Until now, the steward and I have handled these matters. But as the new mistress of this household, you will take charge. You will also need to appoint administrators to assist you.”
“…My god.”
“Ah, and His Highness has also ordered that you receive an allowance of five thousand gold coins each month from his trust.”
“…Five thousand?”
Daniela let out a shrill gasp.
She had heard that just one gold coin required at least two don of gold to mint. Five thousand gold coins a month? Even if she won the lottery every week, she wouldn’t earn that much.
Though astonished and delighted by the absurdly large sum, Daniela quickly sobered.
After all, she would only receive this allowance for three months.
‘Because once the true heroine of this novel, Camellia, appears, this contract marriage will come to an end.’
Of course, she was promised a divorce settlement when that happened.
But Ashid was the villainous Grand Duke of this world. There was always a chance he’d break their agreement. Meaning, she could end up with nothing and be kicked out.
‘Which is why I need to multiply this money as much as possible.’
So that if anything happened, she could escape. So that she could survive and live a wealthy, happy life once all of this was over.
‘Luckily, I know exactly how this novel unfolds. I just need to use that knowledge.’
A sly smile curled Daniela’s lips.
After all, any good transmigrator must start a business at some point.
And so, she began planning.
Likimg the story so far, thanks for the translation!!!