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chapter 04
‘Is this the once-in-a-lifetime chance for a hopeless idiot?!’
Siena’s lips curled into a small smile.
She had no idea what novel this was or who the male lead was. But she had already decided what kind of life she would live here.
Yesterday’s Iroha, born in South Korea and forced to live as a Confucian girl, was gone. The decadent life of Siena was about to begin.
‘In this novel… I will definitely fall in love with some handsome someone—or rather, with several someones.’
A smile appeared on her face at an unexpected moment.
“What are you smirking about with that filthy look on your face!”
At that moment, someone tapped her shoulder roughly and made a harsh sound as they passed.
Siena snapped back to reality.
Come to think of it, decadent life and love talk aside, she first needed to escape this wretched beggar’s existence.
‘If I have the dagger and sheath the Duke gave me… I should be able to protect my body for the time being. I wonder how much it would fetch at a pawnshop?’
With an expectant expression, Siena reached inside her rough robe where she had tucked the dagger.
And… her face turned pale.
The Bledel Duke was in a rare good mood. He was anticipating meeting the newly chosen saintess.
He walked through the temple corridor with his knights, following the priest.
The priest, who had already taken a bribe, fussed as he guided the Duke.
“This time, there’s no mistake, right?”
“Of course, Your Grace! She is the daughter of a baron who has been a saintess candidate in the temple since she was ten. She has never spoken a single bad word in her life and bathes daily in cow’s milk and rose water.”
“Where is the girl now?”
“She is praying with the deputy priest at the altar in the temple. After the prayer at dawn tomorrow, they will put on a bracelet with the ‘Tear of Dawn’ to confirm if she is a true saintess.”
The Duke recalled the thin, chain-like gold bracelet. The dark gray gem attached to it, too.
The ‘Tear of Dawn’ was said to glow a dazzling red on the arm of a true saintess. But as far as he knew, it had never turned red on any girl’s arm.
“A bracelet isn’t needed. One touch of her hand and I’ll know whether she’s a saintess or not.”
Before he could finish speaking, a soft “tsk” sound of a tongue click reached his ears.
The Duke immediately recognized the annoying source.
He muttered lowly,
“Howlanner van Astrello, arriving quickly, I see.”
The Duke’s knights dropped to the floor, lowering their bodies. The clinking of weapons echoed.
The Duke, reluctantly, turned his body slowly.
At the beginning of the corridor, a white uniform approached slowly, leading knights—Crown Prince Howlanner.
“Your Highness.”
The Duke kneeled, black cloak sweeping the stone floor.
Howlanner accepted the Duke’s greeting in a kind voice.
“We always meet in the temple, Duke Bledel.”
“I am deeply faithful, after all.”
Howlanner gave a benevolent smile and glanced around.
“From here on, I’ll go with Duke Bledel alone.”
“But, Your Highness!”
A sturdy guard accompanying the Crown Prince looked unsettled.
“One guard is enough for the Duke. Or is there anyone here who could defeat him in swordsmanship?”
The other knights hesitated, unable to step forward.
Ignoring the flustered group, Howlanner and the Duke began moving forward. Even the observant priest stepped aside.
They were both used to moving through the temple as if it were their own home. No guide was needed.
As soon as they turned a corner, Howlanner’s expression became mischievous like a little devil.
“Duke, grabbing any woman’s hand without thought—there’s no dignity there. No wonder you earned such a disgraceful nickname.”
His tone was casual, not that of a ruler speaking to a subordinate.
Hearing the jibe, the Duke furrowed one eyebrow. His reply was somewhat rough.
“A disgraceful nickname? You mean me?”
“First time hearing it? ‘Capital’s Playboy Commander.’”
The Duke shot a sharp look at Howlanner.
“What does that mean?”
“You should know the words. Capital means the city, commander means top, and playboy…”
Howlanner’s golden eyes swept over the Duke’s solid frame, then returned to his face.
The Duke twisted his lips in a sneer.
“Ah, so I’m the biggest playboy in the capital, is that it?”
Howlanner turned his head, suppressing a laugh, focusing on walking.
“I hear when you appear, nobles hide their grown-up daughters behind them.”
The Crown Prince’s usual perfect smile was gone, replaced with a mischievous, boyish expression.
“When the Duke grabs a lady’s hand, they blush, fall into lovesickness, and sigh while waiting for a marriage proposal from the Duke.”
Howlanner teased the Duke’s face gently.
Other nobles would have blushed or left, but the Duke was different. Jokes like this didn’t bother him. It was just the playful teasing that close friends and relatives often do.
Compared to their mothers, who were cousins, the two could almost be called affectionate.
“The bigger problem is, that proposal will never come. Because Duke Bledel is…”
The Duke didn’t react. Howlanner continued, smirking.
“…a man who only holds hands! Never intending anything more.”
“Nonsense.”
The Duke dismissed it, showing it wasn’t worth responding to.
“Ha ha ha!”
Howlanner’s laughter echoed through the temple courtyard.
The Duke, as if used to such banter, paid no mind.
After a while, Howlanner’s laughter faded. The Duke pursed his lips and spoke.
“Do you think I could ever send a marriage proposal? My body suffers from a curse due to someone who defied the dark magician.”
The Crown Prince responded to the Duke’s childlike pout.
“Can you really say the Duke bears no responsibility? Recklessly defying the dark magician…”
“Haah.”
“Haah—.”
Their eyes met, and as if by agreement, they sighed. It was a childhood event neither could change.
The Duke spoke again.
“I hope this time it’s really a saintess.”
“If that’s the case, restoring the curse should be the Crown Prince’s duty first.”
“I arrived at the temple first, Your Highness.”
“You have no respect for the royal family. Did the late Duke Bledel not warn you?”
“Oh, he told me to claim the saintess before the Crown Prince.”
Howlanner stopped and looked at the Duke.
The Duke chuckled.
“That’s a lie, Your Highness. You know my father’s loyalty to the royal family is absolute.”
Howlanner, embarrassed, continued walking.
They walked in silence for a while.
“Duke, do you remember? What the dark magician said.”
The Crown Prince’s golden eyes and the Duke’s dark eyes met.
Together, they recited the dark magician’s prophecy:
“My curse will begin when you enjoy glory. A saintess will appear, ease your suffering, and bring new suffering.”
Walking side by side, they stopped.
Neither spoke aloud, but the prophecy had one more line:
“Because of the saintess, only one of you will be freed from the curse.”
He looked at the central building of the temple before them.
“I hope a saintess appears immediately to ease our current suffering, even if it brings new pain.”
Howlanner also looked at the temple, now darkened.
The grand hall towered before them. Both hoped salvation lay inside.
Even if that salvation was only for one of them.
After a moment of silent prayer, they continued forward with heavy steps.
