🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 3
“Miss, I’ll help you get ready.”
“Uh… okay.”
Two days had already passed, and today was the day Sebastian was supposed to come.
I’d barely slept the night before, lying awake trying to figure out how I could squeeze as much as possible out of Sebastian. With puffy, swollen eyes, I sat down in front of the vanity.
The maids who were usually unfriendly to me brushed my hair so roughly that it always hurt, so I was bracing myself mentally—
But the maid I was seeing for the first time today, unlike the others, brushed my hair carefully.
“Miss, you look especially beautiful today.”
“Huh? Oh… yeah.”
And that was true.
White skin, pink hair, and eyes that shimmered like emeralds.
Delicate features perfectly arranged.
For a mere extra, Espin had exceptionally striking looks.
“Today is the day Lord Sebastian is visiting, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Lord Sebastian really is wonderful. He’s so kind to us maids as well. His manners are impeccable.”
“Really?”
That was strange. He didn’t seem like someone who even knew what manners were.
In the mirror, the corner of the maid’s lips was curled up on only one side.
“You look so good together, Miss. Truly a handsome man and a beautiful woman.”
‘Handsome man and beautiful woman? Espin might be beautiful, sure, but…’
No matter how generously you looked at him, Sebastian was just an ordinary man—not quite a “handsome man.”
“I really hope you marry Lord Sebastian, Miss. There’s no one better than him.”
“Do you really think Sebastian is that wonderful?”
“Yes, of course. He’s of high status, yet so down-to-earth. I’ve never seen such a wonderful prince in my life.”
“Really? Thank you. I can’t believe I have a maid who gives me such good advice. What was your name again?”
“My name is Jane.”
“I see. Jane.”
So it was you, Jane—the rat Sebastian had hidden in the mansion.
For a mere maid to know Sebastian’s true identity, something even the head butler didn’t know? That was absurd.
It was practically a confession that she was his accomplice.
Watching Jane continue to praise Sebastian without realizing what a mistake she was making, I barely managed to suppress my laughter.
“Whew… focus. Focus.”
Standing in front of the drawing room where Sebastian was waiting, I took a deep breath.
The moment I opened this door, I’d have to start acting.
‘From now on, I’m a noble lady madly in love, and the person in front of me isn’t a greasy con artist—he’s a prince. A prince.’
After brainwashing myself, I threw the door open and shouted,
“Sebastian!”
Sebastian, who had been sitting on a chair in the drawing room stuffing himself with cookies, jumped up the moment he saw me.
“Espin!”
As if unwilling to lose, Sebastian ran toward me with just as much enthusiasm.
He didn’t seem to realize there were still cookie crumbs around his mouth.
“Sebastian, I missed you.”
My sudden show of affection clearly caught him off guard, but true to a con artist’s nature, he quickly recovered, gently patting my head and sending me a slick, syrupy gaze.
“I missed you very much as well.”
“I missed you more.”
Wow. If I died right now, would it be from embarrassment?
I felt like I might perish first from my own excessive sweetness.
But to deceive Sebastian completely, this kind of behavior was necessary.
The image of a naïve woman so deeply in love that she couldn’t see anything else.
Only then would Sebastian believe his plan was succeeding and lower his guard.
“Haha, it seems you really missed me.”
“Of course. I live thinking only about you, Sebastian.”
Seeing how smitten I looked, the corner of Sebastian’s lips curled up in an irritating way.
“Espin, by the way, about what we talked about last time—”
I cut him off as he tried to bring up the matter of the seal right away, clearly impatient.
One of the things I’d learned after being scammed by a friend and going back and forth to the police station was the importance of controlling the conversation.
Con artists seize the initiative and draw out the answers they want. That’s why it was crucial for me—not him—to take the lead.
“Sebastian, sit down first. We have so much to talk about.”
“Pardon?”
Looking bewildered, Sebastian sat back down.
“Sebastian, don’t you notice anything different about me?”
“Different? I’m not sure.”
“I’m wearing a new dress. Doesn’t this purple dress suit me?”
“Yes. It suits you very well.”
“Right? I knew it. Sebastian and I really do understand each other so well.”
“Yes, but Espin, there’s something important we need to discuss—”
“There is. Something important. Take a look at my earrings. They match my eye color exactly—aren’t they pretty?”
“Yes, they’re very pretty. But more importantly—”
“And this necklace too. Doesn’t it suit me perfectly? It makes my neck look slimmer—”
Finally losing his patience as I kept rambling about irrelevant things, Sebastian shouted at me.
“Espin! Are dresses and jewelry really what matter right now?!”
“Sebastian… are you raising your voice at me?”
I looked at him with a shocked expression.
“No, that’s not what I meant—”
“You’re the only one I can talk to about these things… I just wanted to share them with someone…”
As I turned my head away with a trembling voice, Sebastian panicked and stood up.
Fidgeting, he hurried to placate me.
“No, Espin. That’s not it.”
“Sebastian… don’t you love me anymore?”
“Of course that’s not true. You have no idea how much I love you. It’s just that I’m anxious because I need to resolve the issue of my status as quickly as possible so I can make you happy.”
“Really?”
“Espin. We’re destined for each other. Trust me.”
‘He could at least wet his lips before lying like that.’
The way he lied as naturally as breathing was almost admirable.
“That’s right. We are destined. The moment I saw you, Sebastian, I knew it was fate.”
“Yes. So don’t ever doubt my love.”
Before I knew it, Sebastian was standing right in front of me. He took my hand and brought it to his face.
Ugh.
The greasy slickness I felt at my fingertips.
My fingers were screaming to pull away immediately, but I endured it.
“Then, Sebastian, could you grant me one small request?”
“A request?”
I handed him the paper and pen I’d prepared in advance.
“Please write me a letter. So I can take it out and read it whenever you’re not around.”
“If that’s what you want, Espin, I’d be happy to.”
“Well… for the content, something like: ‘My beloved Espin. I am always watching over you. Our love will be eternal.’ That would be nice. And don’t forget to sign your name at the bottom.”
Completely unaware of how this letter would be used, Sebastian wrote down exactly what I dictated.
“Thank you, Sebastian.”
Seeing that I seemed pleased, Sebastian took this as his chance and cautiously brought up the topic.
“Espin. So… what about the seal?”
“Oh, that… no matter how much I look for it, I can’t find it.”
The hope that had flickered in Sebastian’s eyes froze over in an instant.
“What? What do you mean? Last time, didn’t you say the seal would be in this mansion?”
“I thought so too, but it seems my father took it with him when he went to the count’s estate.”
“To the count’s estate?”
Sebastian’s face twisted deeply at this unexpected development.
“Yes. That’s what the head butler said, so it must be true.”
“Ha… then what are we supposed to do? I trusted only you, Espin. What am I supposed to do without the seal?”
“Are you getting angry at me again?”
“No, that’s not—”
Once again failing to hold back and snapping at me, Sebastian let out a deep sigh and then spoke in a much gentler tone.
“As you know, without a new identity, I can’t even enter the Kingdom of Arcadia. I might die.”
“Can’t we just live in the Empire?”
“No! I must return to the Kingdom of Arcadia no matter what.”
“Hmm. Then I’ll bring it back once my father returns from the count’s estate.”
“No!”
Sebastian jumped to his feet as if in a fit.
“Why? Is there a reason it can’t wait until after Father comes back?”
Of course there was.
It would be easy to deceive me and run away while I was alone in the capital, but far more difficult if the count were present. That was why he seemed intent on finishing everything now, while the count was away.
“There’s no time. I have to return immediately.”
“Then there’s only one solution. I’ll go to the count’s estate myself.”
“Would you really do that?”
Sebastian’s face smoothed out instantly, as if ironed flat.
“Yes. But… there’s a problem.”
“What problem?”
