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Chapter 5
“You’ve been reading too many novels. Stop reading those. You should read something more realistic.”
“Something realistic?”
“Like possession, reincarnation… you know, those kinds of things.”
“Aren’t those even more unrealistic?”
That is my reality, Emma.
You really don’t know anything.
I smirked and shook my head, changing the subject.
“Anyway, I’m never going to regain my memories. So what exactly is in that room that makes you so scared?”
Honestly, I had assumed Emma was so terrified because there was something like the Crown Prince locked up in there.
As if Agatha had gone completely off the deep end, committed some irreversible crime, and dumped the consequences onto me.
But the moment we arrived at the secret room, led by Emma—
Thud.
“What… what is all this?”
The letter in my hand dropped to the floor.
“You didn’t regain your memories, right? You didn’t start loving His Highness the Crown Prince again, did you?!”
“…I told you to stop reading novels.”
The secret room was filled with portraits of Nael.
Not just portraits—there were also personal belongings that seemed to have belonged to Nael scattered around.
You… you creepy stalker… this is a crime, you know.
And to think all of this was kept in the mansion, right next to my room, without anyone noticing.
If Nael had known about this, he might have burned the entire estate down.
Since it wasn’t mentioned in the novel, even Nael probably didn’t know. And he must never find out. If he did, he’d probably be so disgusted he’d want to kill me.
This… this insane woman.
“Burn everything. Don’t leave a single thing. Not even a speck of dust. Burn it all.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
While Emma added that it was a relief, I thought this was the most horrifying thing I had ever seen in my life.
If it had been this extreme, it was no wonder Nael hated Agatha.
Forcing unwanted feelings onto someone only hurt both sides.
But at the same time, another thought crossed my mind.
What made Agatha so lonely that she became this obsessed with a Crown Prince who didn’t even love her?
The servants moved quickly, carrying everything to the incinerator.
Then a small portrait of the Crown Prince’s smiling face slipped and fell at my feet.
It was about the size of my palm.
He looked like a child.
I quietly picked it up.
‘I can keep this much, right?’
It was originally meant to comfort Agatha’s heart.
She probably really did love the Crown Prince.
Poor Agatha.
What kind of person were you really?
I wrote Agatha’s full name on the back of the portrait and placed it inside my diary—as if preserving it as hers.
* * *
At the same time—
A man sat in a room built of dark brown wood, perfectly blending into the shadows.
He pushed up his glasses with long fingers. Behind the lenses, his red eyes glowed deeply.
In his hand was a thick file.
After finishing the last page, he closed the folder and set it down.
Agatha Lucy Stadion
The document detailed not only the relationship between the Stadion family and the Imperial Family, but also the connection between Agatha and Nael.
Their history was as thick as the file itself.
And yet, Nael could not find any reason why he should marry Agatha.
Only one thing was certain.
Agatha would never be a suitable Empress for him.
Breaking off the engagement two years ago had clearly been the right decision.
The man beside him spoke carefully.
“Your Highness, you called for me?”
“Agatha has been quiet lately. What is she doing?”
Nael frowned slightly, as if even thinking about her was troublesome.
Agatha was like a thorn embedded in his fingers.
Their connection had existed since childhood. It was natural for high-ranking nobles and royals to interact, and engagements between noble ladies and the Crown Prince were not unusual.
But such engagements rarely lasted.
And indeed, his engagement with Agatha had been broken off naturally—though she had not accepted it.
Agatha, who used to visit him two or three times a week, had recently become strangely quiet.
“She hasn’t left the mansion. She seems to be communicating with David, though.”
The subordinate reporting the situation brightened slightly.
“And she burned everything in the secret room.”
Nael paused.
He knew about the secret room.
And about what was inside it.
Agatha was a woman who clung to objects excessively, assigning meaning to everything involving Nael.
The secret room was a collection of those things—handkerchiefs Nael had used, dolls from exhibitions they had visited together, and more.
Nael called it a trash dump.
“…Has she finally come to her senses? I wonder what kind of wind blew through her.”
He pressed his brow.
Recently, the empire had been dealing with monster invasions. In the past, divine beasts had protected humanity, but now humans had to defend the empire themselves.
He didn’t have time for distractions, so Agatha not bothering him should have been a relief.
“Keep watching her. Report if she does anything strange again.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The subordinate left.
Nael appeared to be alone.
But he wasn’t.
A small bundle curled up at his feet lifted its head.
“Yip?”
Nael looked down coldly and tossed a treat from his desk onto the floor.
“Hisha.”
He spoke the name in a low voice, as if the puppy could understand everything.
* * *
After the secret room incident, I erased every trace of the Crown Prince from the mansion.
Honestly, I wanted to perform an exorcism. This felt like it was bad luck for my new life.
Anyway, first: avoid the Crown Prince.
Second: avoid the Crown Prince.
And I also learned something else about David.
David was extremely—no, incredibly—competent.
Just three days after I mentioned my business plan, workers arrived at the ducal estate.
He really gets things done properly.
“I hope it’s finished soon. Right, Mary? Ttori?”
“Yip!”
“Grrk!”
The two dogs answered in their own languages, circling around me.
Hehe. Wait for it, my babies. I’ll build you a paradise.
The gardener ran up to me later that afternoon, his face pale.
“Do you know what those people are doing right now, Your Grace?”
“Hmm.”
What’s the problem? Everything looks fine.
Construction was going smoothly.
One area was a resting space, another was a marble-floored pool area—there were even plans for a larger swimming pool.
Emma was constantly checking the site.
“The Stadion family is very old and prestigious. We have always maintained our dignity and reputation. I believed I contributed to that as well.”
The gardener spoke rapidly, his hands shaking as he clutched his hat.
So basically… he was devastated watching his carefully tended garden being destroyed.
Ah… was I supposed to consult him about this?
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance.”
I cleared my throat.
The gardener froze.
“W-what did you just say?”
Oops.
I almost forgot my role.
I’m the villainess. I shouldn’t be apologizing.
“Of course, I also appreciate your work. Not sorry—grateful. You understand, right?”
The gardener nodded slowly, still confused.
“I understand this may be rude to say, but I cannot bear to watch what I have cultivated for so long be destroyed, Your Grace.”
My chest tightened.
“I will resign.”
He was resigning because of me.
That hit hard.
Resignation… I knew how serious that was. Losing stable income meant losing savings, insurance, loans…
No, wait, that’s not the point.
In any case, this would affect Gardener Lordgo’s life.
I didn’t want that.
“I understand you’re upset, Lordgo. But this won’t harm the dignity of the duchy. There is still plenty of garden left for you to care for.”
“No, Your Grace. I’ve cared for this garden like it was my own child…”
“I know you’ve worked hard. That’s why I’ve prepared compensation.”
Lordgo hesitantly opened the envelope I handed him.
Inside were paper bills.
“T-this…!”
Don’t underestimate a thin envelope.
Have you ever heard of a blank cheque?
