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chapter 07
“1 billion?”
Iona paused, tilting her head slightly.
The Seongjwa usually gave about 10 or 100 Diana. How much would one have to collect to make 1 billion Diana?
[Seongjwa ‘<Urgent> My husband has 14 pieces, what should I do?’ mentions the Hourglass of Helheim.]
For a moment, Iona recalled the blurry words she had seen before she died.
[An unknown contractor has used the <Hourglass of Helheim> on you!]
It seemed certain she had seen that…
[Seongjwa ‘Master of Lies’ mutters.]
[I don’t have 1 billion Diana either.]
[Seongjwa ‘Cat-head Enthusiast’ scolds him, saying that’s because he keeps gambling.]
Iona skimmed the Seongjwa’s conversation and focused on the key point.
“Could it be that information about the Hourglass of Helheim is also in this booklet?”
[Seongjwa ‘Master of Lies’ replies that it is.]
“Excuse me… but when asking something like this, could someone other than Master of Lies answer? I just can’t trust it.”
[Seongjwa ‘Master of Lies’ complains that he sometimes tells the truth too.]
[Opened ten 1-billion premium random boxes at once! Somehow got the Hourglass of Helheim, and even though it wasn’t for him, he used it for you.]
“Who exactly?”
The words slipped out honestly.
No matter how she thought about it, there was no one she could imagine doing such a thing, which made it even more mysterious.
[So you went back in time while keeping your memory. We, feeling the world’s distortion, looked into you… some were interested in the ‘genre’ you had.]
Money was extremely important. She had felt that painfully in her past life.
If it was Diana, which would give anything—including money—then it must be even more precious.
‘Who revived me at such a cost?’
She looked down at her notebook and added one more line.
Seventh. Find the benefactor who revived me and repay their kindness.
Her heart leapt with a pleasant rhythm.
It was the first time in her life.
Someone had given her something—for her, and of enormous value at that.
It was both overwhelming and heartwarming. She wondered if she was even worthy of it, but it also meant she could take revenge.
In truth, her misfortune was probably just one of many typical human tragedies.
The Seongjwa, beings of the highest hierarchy, were likely interested in her because of the Hourglass of Helheim.
‘If I ever find them, I definitely want to grant their wish. And I want to ask—why did they bestow something so great on me? Maybe they won’t even remember using it for me.’
A random box is literally “random.”
Buying ten of them without knowing what would come out, and then using it on her…
She wanted to ask what kind of heart and reason made them do it.
‘It’s strange. There’s someone in this world cheering for me. And the moment I realized that…’
Her chest burned.
Somehow, she felt courage.
At that moment, the door creaked open slightly, and someone shamelessly poked their face in.
“New sister! I’ve come to rescue Sugar, new sister!”
It was Blanche Teresia.
“Why are you here?”
“Hurry! The knights temporarily sent Shushu elsewhere.”
Blanche had barged in, cheerfully urging her along.
Her silver hair and pink-diamond-like eyes, a hallmark of the Teresia family. Now an adult, yet still unwrinkled and youthful.
Blanche was a lady admired not just by the Teresia family, but also among the paladins.
No wonder even Felix Teresia, who was so stern he seemed born without facial muscles, would faintly smile when he saw his younger sister.
To Iona, Blanche was, to put it kindly, childish.
Honestly, she was a spoiled brat who grew up pampered.
“Come on out. It’s fine. Shushu will tell your brother all about the new sister!”
How many times had Iona been tricked by that face?
In the end, if something went wrong, it always fell on her to deal with, and Blanche would cry.
Iona sighed, put down her quill, and faced Blanche quietly. Blanche flinched and rolled her eyes.
“No. I’m fine. It’s comfortable to rest quietly alone.”
“That’s nonsense! You can’t even enjoy tea! The weather is so nice these days!”
When Iona didn’t move, Blanche threw the door wide open and ran over, holding her hands tightly.
Even though Iona had never given permission to be so casual.
“Are you afraid your brother will get angry? Nothing will happen if you just say you had tea with Shushu. Just trust Shushu!”
Such pure, radiant innocence.
If it were done without intent, she might even look cute.
But Iona already knew.
She knew why Blanche had come here today.
“Don’t think you can just brush off the painting.”
When she spoke quietly, Blanche’s eyes widened.
“I don’t care how you heard it, I won’t let it slide this time. What you did was theft.”
“New sister, why are you saying this all of a sudden? Did Shushu do something wrong…?”
Blanche’s smile stiffened for a moment, then she returned to her charm.
‘Life must be easy for her. Just by acting cute, everything gets solved.’
She genuinely envied that belief—believing everyone would listen to her words.
‘I could never have that, no matter how hard I tried.’
She had helped with family affairs while enduring Griselda’s scolding and the butler’s coldness.
She had spent nights reviewing documents, some detailing paladin expenses.
Even though it wasn’t her duty, she worked diligently. She tried to earn her place in the family.
If she did well, maybe she’d have a spot here.
“I’m not going to listen to anything you say. Leave.”
Breaking off her thoughts, Iona firmly pulled her hands back.
“Don’t forget. There isn’t much time left.”
“W-what do you mean…?”
“This year-end royal banquet. You’d better think carefully if you don’t want to be embarrassed.”
“New sister… you suddenly feel like a completely different person. Scary.”
Blanche was completely flustered.
Usually, she could hide her embarrassment, but today it was impossible.
‘I thought she’d give in if I pushed! What’s gotten into her? Until yesterday, she couldn’t even raise her head in front of me.’
Iona had trashed the whole house.
When she returned from shopping, the hallway was a mess.
Even when she heard her mother was ill, Blanche wasn’t particularly worried.
Desperate times make even a mouse bite, they say.
Blanche had always seen Iona as stiff and dumb as a wooden plank.
‘Her brother loves charm so much. If she acts cute, he’ll give her anything. And yet she couldn’t do it, so they always fought.’
To Blanche, men were like that.
A little crying, a little cute behavior, and they hand over everything needed.
But Iona wasn’t clever like that… there was nothing she could do.
“New sister, honestly, it’s a painting that would have been buried at home. Shushu hung it in the gallery so it could be seen.”
“I don’t recall asking for that.”
“Goodness, why are you making things difficult for Shushu?”
If she had said she came to rescue her cutely, she would have gladly accepted it!
But now, Iona was cold as if not a needle could enter.
Her usually bowed head was stiff.
The gloomy atmosphere vanished, leaving a faint aura of dignity.
Feeling it hard to approach, Blanche’s pride was hurt.
“Have nothing more to say and leave. Never come here unannounced again.”
