"Eyes like polished agate."
"Skin smooth and white as silk."
"Lips sewn tightly as if with red silk thread."
"......."
"......."
It wasn’t even a high-quality lifelike doll painstakingly crafted by a master artisan.
The only thing that marked the doll’s gender as ‘female’ was the ribbon tied to its right temple — just a cheap stuffed doll that children from ordinary families might have played with when they were young.
“So... does Baron Yandel feel love toward the doll?”
At the mont Ragna cautiously asked, a wave of sha flooded , blood rushing to my head.
It felt as if my hair was falling out in real ti.
‘...I want to die.’
It was strange.
Even in the Goblin Forest, even at Ice Rock, no matter what hardships I faced, I had never thought like this before.
“Y-Yes.”
I forced myself to nod in agreent, and another noble muttered in admiration.
“No wonder! Despite having so many won around him, there wasn’t much talk about it...!”
He seed to sincerely believe that the real reason I wasn’t married yet was because of that doll.
Well... fortunately(?) such people were in the minority.
“Be quiet.”
A noble next to the one who said that, who spoke so naïvely, sharply scolded him to watch his manners.
That {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} was why I hadn’t brought a sophisticated doll.
If I had brought one actually made stitch by stitch by a real artisan, more nobles like that would have appeared.
Ah, of course, the most important was the reaction of the marquis.
“.......”
Holding the small doll tightly in one hand, I cast my gaze toward the marquis.
At first, like the other nobles, he seed dazed, but soon he regained his composure.
“To say you love a doll...”
The marquis muttered aningfully, glancing between the doll and .
“If it’s like you... then it’s fitting.”
He didn’t an that loving a doll was ‘like ’ in essence.
He probably ant that coming up with this kind of solution was typical of .
‘...How will he respond now?’
Whether the marquis believed or not was irrelevant.
No, I hadn’t said it expecting him to believe in the first place.
Like when Duke Kearlunus and Marquis Terserion exchanged words as if reading from a script.
Every statent was followed by political calculation.
And my earlier remark was no different.
I had subtly expressed my determination not to marry anyone in this way.
“Hmm...”
The question was whether that effort had worked on the marquis...
Waiting silently for his reply, the marquis finally answered, seeming to have finished organizing his thoughts.
“Your confession that you love a doll was quite shocking and embarrassing to . But I believe there are many ways people express love.”
“...So?”
“I will respect your choice.”
At first glance, these words sounded very positive, but, unsurprisingly, they were followed by pointed remarks.
“This is a gathering of ministers who illuminate the future of the kingdom. I trust you know the responsibility that follows your words.”
Simply put, if I don’t keep what I just said, I will be held accountable sohow.
“Still, since you showed such sincerity, it is only proper as an adult to support your decision.”
However, the marquis seed to think it unwise to corner too much and offered a compromise.
“But as the kingdom’s chancellor, I ask you to have children when the ti cos. Both to continue your family line and because it would be a great loss for this country if soone like you leaves without offspring.”
When the ti cos.
“It seems there are so fine female warriors, too.”
He would tolerate marriage within our people and having children.
I replied to the marquis’s proposal.
“...I will consider it.”
Though I said that, it basically ant I understood.
After all, it would be ridiculous to suddenly say yes here.
“Now then, let’s conclude this discussion here... Everyone has waited long enough. We shall proceed with the ninth agenda.”
For now, it seed I had gotten through this well.
Honestly, I had never planned to make such a declaration of lifelong bachelorhood.
Only the choice not to marry anyone.
And that choice was not born out of fear of conflict with the marquis.
Maybe it was a convenient excuse?
The mont I finished talking with Uncle Yong, I made up my mind.
‘What marriage?’
It might have been a betrayal of my standing in this city and those who follow .
But so what?
So might say I still have a long way to shed my modern ways.
But to , marriage was sothing sacred.
I could not make a vow to spend life together without even truly knowing my own heart, let alone having children.
‘Especially when I don’t even know when I might die.’
Ah, but it wasn’t just emotional reasons behind this decision.
I was focusing on survival.
Perhaps marriage might help along the way, but after much calculation, I concluded:
‘The drawbacks equal the benefits.’
Marrying soone politically advantageous may seem good at first glance, but inevitably creates enemies.
If I receive help, it ans I must also help others in return.
“Then, with this, I conclude this eting. Thank you all sincerely for coming.”
Lost in thought, the ninth agenda finished quickly, and the royal council ended.
And then...
‘Why is the exit order reversed this ti?’
Instead of everyone leaving at once, one by one left the hall in order from those closest to the head seat.
With two-minute intervals.
‘...They really discriminate over the strangest things.’
Oddly, after experiencing this discrimination, I felt a strange desire to improve my rank in the royal council.
Hmm, maybe it’s a well-made tradition?
If even I have the desire to climb the ranks, imagine how much the power-hungry monsters want it.
Thud.
Soon, everyone had left and the hall was empty.
Feeling an inexplicable loneliness, I stood and exited the hall.
Now I was about to go ho.
“...Wait a mont.”
Soone called from behind.
“Ragna...”
Well, better to keep distance since others might see.
“Haven’t left yet, Lady Peprok.”
“There’s no one nearby, so you can call by na as usual.”
“Still, better to be cautious about these things, Lady.”
“.......”
Yeah, I still call Alia ‘Emily’ just in case I slip up sowhere.
“But so... did you wait for ?”
“Yes, I have sothing to say.”
“Sothing to say?”
“That doll earlier.”
Ragna ntioned the doll with an unpleasant look but continued.
“Ah, don’t worry, I don’t really believe what I said earlier. At first I almost misunderstood, but... I heard from Father... no, Marquis Terserion. I realize I still have much to learn about politics.”
“So, what do you want to say?”
“Um...”
Ragna hesitated a long mont, then closed her eyes tightly like when I ca out, and spoke.
“Baron, do you dislike ?”
“What...?”
“I’m asking if you dislike so much that you’d reject despite such a humiliating experience.”
Uh...
That question caught a bit off guard.
But to be honest, I answered.
“I think you’ve misunderstood. I don’t dislike you at all.”
Of course, if you ask if we are a suitable match for marriage, I can firmly say no.
But...
“The main reason I rejected the marquis’s proposal was political.”
“Political... you an?”
“Yes. If we marry, do you think the other nobles will stand idly by?”
The marquis faction was already rising alone in Rapdonia’s politics.
If I join in now?
The noble coalition centered on Duke Kearlunus and House Kaislan, plus the neutral-aligned Count Alminous’s faction, wouldn’t just watch.
They would try to protect themselves by forming alliances.
“We can stop that.”
“That might be true. But I don’t want to get involved in such political headaches in the first place.”
“I see......”
“So you understand.”
“Yes. I understand. You’re saying you had to refuse because of your current status.”
Uh... that could be interpreted that way?
The nuance felt a bit off, but on closer inspection, it wasn’t exactly wrong...
“Well, I’ll be going now. Bjorn Yandel, you must be tired, so please rest soon.”
“Yes, it was nice to et you. See you later.”
“Yes.”
After brief farewells, we parted ways.
Then, as I left the palace and headed toward the carriage stand—
“...Hmm?”
Suddenly sensing a presence, I glanced toward an alley and saw soone standing silently in the shadows.
About 170 cm tall.
Slender build.
Wearing gloves and a thick robe that covered every inch of skin from head to toe.
At first, I thought maybe an assassin was sent.
But thinking it through, that made no sense.
Not just anywhere, but in Hwangdo Karnon.
No sane person would send a single assassin to try to deal with .
‘What is this at this hour?’
The figure looked suspicious, but I thought it unrelated and tried to continue walking.
Step.
The mysterious figure stepped forward toward the streetlight.
And at the sa ti—
Swoosh.
They threw back the robe covering their face, forcing to stop.
A plain black mask.
But its shape, curves, and the aura perfectly matched sothing in my mind.
‘...Black Mask.’
But I, Bjorn Yandel, not a community investigator or Lee Hansoo, narrowed my eyes trying to keep a poker face.
“What do you want? Assassin?”
In the briefest mont, that was the most natural reaction I could think of.
But the masked figure shook their head.
And then...
“No, of course not.”
A strangely familiar female voice accompanied the words.
Whoosh.
The mask was removed, revealing the face.
Black hair and black eyes.
Features and skin close to Asian.
“Harine Suebui.”
No, more precisely, the evil spirit that had taken over Harine Suebui’s body.
Korean Kang Hyunbyul.
She smiled silently at .
A chill ran down my spine, but I hid it and asked calmly.
“Why are you here? Did Ragna send you?”
“No.”
“Then why...?”
“I told you before. I’m going to do as I please now. So let’s et outside.”
Of course, I knew Hyunbyul sent a note like that before.
But out of habit—
“What does that an—”
—was about to ask.
“Ah, I didn’t expect you to wait this long back then.”
Hyunbyul interrupted, shrugging off the thick robe that covered her whole body with a frustrated motion.
And then...
“Still, I’m glad you ca.”
She stepped closer with her long legs.
‘No wonder she seed taller than before.’
Step.
“Bjorn Yandel.”
Step.
“No, Hansoo oppa.”
How does she even know that?
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