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chapter 8
The next morning.
Natalie was quietly staying in her room, obeying her confinement order while planning what to do that night.
Bang—
“Natalie Ailsden!”
Anatole strode into the room with his hair in disarray. It looked like he had just returned from the imperial palace.
“I hear you went out again. I’m pretty sure I told you to stay confined, didn’t I?”
So someone had run their mouth again. Natalie nodded, as if she had expected this.
“Yeah. Just went out for some air.”
At that, Anatole’s face twisted in anger.
“Why are you so selfish?! Father is doing everything he can to keep you from getting entangled in charges of treason, and you go out for something like that…!”
He was clearly worried about the Ailsden family’s reputation, yet he spoke as if it were for her sake. Natalie replied coldly,
“Sorry.”
“…What?”
Anatole looked stunned, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
Natalie, whose stubbornness rivaled a raging bull and whose temper was sharper than a venomous spider, had never once apologized before. In the past, she would have chosen punishment over saying sorry.
But now, she had no intention of wasting time protecting her pride or seeking others’ approval.
I need to get him out quickly and finish my plan.
She spoke calmly, as if it were none of her concern.
“I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”
“You…”
Anatole frowned, his lips moving as if searching for words. Before the conversation could drag on, Natalie cut in first.
“But I didn’t step outside even once today. As a sign of reflection, I’ll eat in my room too. Oh, and since it’d look bad to eat three full meals after messing up, I’ll just have two.”
“What are you even saying…?”
“Don’t like that? Then I’ll just eat one.”
“So now you’re mocking me.”
It seemed he thought she was making fun of him. Snapping back to himself, Anatole approached her with a stiff expression.
“Listen carefully. Not just the imperial family, but all the nobles of the empire are watching this situation. Until your confinement is lifted, you are to stay inside the house no matter what. If you go out and cause trouble again—!”
Though she had been listening quietly, his voice rose as he got worked up on his own. Natalie cut him off again, sounding indifferent.
“I’m not mocking you. I’m sorry—I really am reflecting on it.”
“Natal—”
“I know Father and you have worked hard cleaning up after me. It wasn’t even worth it, and I was foolish enough to take it all for granted.”
At her sudden confession, Anatole looked both angry and confused, as if he couldn’t make sense of the situation.
As his red eyes narrowed, Natalie smiled faintly and concluded,
“From now on, I’ll know my place and live accordingly. Quietly, obediently, and submissively.”
“You… what are you—”
She thought this would satisfy him, but Anatole still didn’t leave.
Why isn’t he going?
What was missing? Natalie asked seriously,
“Is just saying I’m sorry not sincere enough? Oh, should I take a whipping? If you’re okay with it, I don’t mind.”
It would hurt a bit, but it was just a body inside a game anyway. As long as she didn’t die, a few injuries didn’t matter.
She quickly stood up and grabbed a decorative riding whip hanging on the wall.
Anatole’s expression as he watched her changed, like he was looking at a rabid hunting dog.
“Here.”
Wanting to get it over with and be alone, Natalie offered him the whip as if doing him a favor. But Anatole avoided it.
Thud—the leather whip fell onto the carpet.
“You’re telling me… to discipline you with that?”
“Yeah. Isn’t that what people use when hitting calves?”
She had once heard it in passing from a baron’s daughter—that as a child, she’d been hit a few times by her tutor to correct bad habits.
“….”
But Anatole’s face only twisted further.
He seemed about to say something, then stopped abruptly, taking a few breaths.
“‘People use’? ‘Originally’? Who the hell would dare…?”
Muttering to himself like a madman, he suddenly interrogated her.
“You—who have you been seeing the most? Who have you been associating with?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
What now? Natalie tilted her head in confusion when—
Click.
“Brother, I heard you were back!”
Sharon burst in cheerfully and rushed over, hugging Anatole around the waist.
“Are you home for good? It’s all over now, right?”
“…No. Father told me to check on things at home. I have to head back out soon.”
A moment later, he gently patted Sharon’s head. She smiled brightly, then suddenly froze when her eyes met Natalie’s.
“S-sorry for barging in! I was worried you might be hurt, Brother. I forgot this was your room…”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
Perfect!
Natalie answered gently, hoping Sharon would take Anatole with her like usual.
She picked up a book and sat on the couch, but Anatole still stood there, frowning.
“Brother, let’s go. Before Natalie gets upset again, okay?”
Sharon whispered, tugging his hand. Natalie gave the close siblings a bright smile.
A few seconds later, Anatole was finally dragged out by Sharon, and Natalie regained her quiet room.
“Finally, I can breathe.”
She didn’t want to waste energy on anything except capturing the male leads. Filling affection meters was already exhausting enough—no need to waste time or stamina.
Still, Anatole’s earlier reaction lingered in her mind.
But Natalie quickly brushed it off.
He’s not even a male lead—why should I care?
He was probably just shocked because she suddenly stopped acting like a tyrant.
Anyway, after years of scolding her to behave, he’d soon be satisfied and get used to it. He had always treated his troublesome younger sister like a thorn in his side.
Left alone, Natalie resumed carefully planning.
“Miss, what about your meal…?”
So deeply focused, she didn’t hear the servant calling from outside.
By late afternoon, she finally realized she hadn’t eaten all day.
“I’m not really hungry.”
Her stomach was empty, but her mind was full—so she didn’t feel hunger. Even knowing the future, the tension remained.
She considered calling a maid for food but decided against it out of laziness.
After washing up, she prepared for bed as usual.
As night deepened, lights in the Ailsden mansion went out one by one, and the servants finished their duties and returned to their quarters.
Midnight.
Dong—
In the silent room, Natalie, lying in bed, snapped her eyes open. Throwing off the fluffy white blanket, she rushed to the window.
Bang!
She flung open the arched window wide.
Confirming the sky was still dark and quiet, she lifted her nightgown slightly.
The handkerchiefs tightly wrapped around her fragile knees were still secure.
Injury prevention—check.
She quickly changed into the shoes hidden under her bed.
They were leather boots she only wore once a year for the hunting competition.
Not ideal, but far better than running through a burning mansion in heels.
“Alright.”
Fully prepared, Natalie inhaled the night air.
About five minutes passed.
Ssssk… creak—
An eerie sound drifted on the wind.
Natalie’s eyes sparkled. Soon, a faint stench filled the air—
Whooosh! Screeech!
With a monstrous shriek, crimson flames shot up into the black night sky.
Moments later, the once-sleeping mansion erupted into chaos as lights flared on and screams filled the air.
“Fire!”
“Aaaah!”
“Water! Bring water!”
Natalie looked down outside.
Six-legged spider monsters were spewing flames from their mouths, setting the mansion ablaze.
The Ailsden knights drew their swords and charged at the creatures, while servants frantically threw water everywhere.
But the flames only grew stronger.
In the dead of night, fire raged, and the stench of sulfur filled the air—it was hell on earth.
What a waste.
One of the empire’s most beautiful mansions was turning to ashes.
Of course, with Ailsden’s wealth, restoring it would be easy—but still, it was a shame.
Anyway, so far, everything was going as expected.
“Alright, time to get going—”
Just as Natalie casually reached for the door—
Boom—
She looked up at the ceiling as dust fell.
“Huh?”
Was it because of the fire below? As she narrowed her eyes—
The ceiling began to tremble.
Then—
Screeeech!
A piercing noise tore through the air.
Reflexively covering her ears, Natalie looked up—and her eyes widened.
The ceiling was burning bright red.
Why is the ceiling on fire?
The marble and gemstones decorating the walls and ceiling melted under the intense heat, dripping down like lava.
In an instant, the doorframe warped—
And Natalie was trapped inside the room.
