🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 27
The flames lunged straight at the count.
“Eek…!”
The count’s eyes rolled back as his body trembled violently.
When he rushed toward the door, fire blocked his way.
“How disappointing. I was going to warm you up.”
Edwin said in a voice that sounded petulant.
The flames kept chasing after the count.
Unable to escape, he had to spin around and around inside the changing room.
Eventually, his strength gave out and he collapsed onto the floor.
The flames paid no heed and rushed at him again.
“Ugh… mmph!!”
With a wig clenched in his mouth, the count began to flee on all fours.
He had to run dozens of circles around the center of the changing room.
He was so out of breath he felt like he was going insane.
The scorching flames gaped wide, as if they were about to swallow him whole.
No—what was even more terrifying than that was the man leaning against the wall.
With a radiant smile, he looked at the count with an angelic face.
His expression was peaceful, as if he were playing with a small child.
Then, flames ignited on the count’s fallen backside.
Behind the horrified count, a calm voice spoke.
“A heart would be nice.”
Tearfully, the count looked at the man.
A heart—what on earth did that mean…?
His buttocks burned.
Through his tear-blurred vision, a clear voice rang out.
“That’s enough for today. Look forward to next time.”
He blinked away the tears, and his vision cleared.
The count’s expression went blank.
The man who had been tormenting him was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, only a large window stood open, its curtains billowing.
Just then, there was a knock.
“Count, are you in there? We’ll be sending the staff inside now.”
At those words, Count Hembern turned toward the door with a relieved expression.
His face was soaked with sweat, tears, and snot.
As soon as the door opened, he bolted out.
Clad only in his underwear over a pale body, running on all fours, he was stared at in shock by the wardrobe staff.
At that moment, the door to the wardrobe room opened.
“Oh my, how indecent!”
Baron Noer—famous for his loose tongue—had entered the wardrobe room with his wife.
He hurriedly covered his beloved wife’s eyes.
Even so, he couldn’t take his own eyes off the count.
“Count Hembern, you have quite the strange hobby!”
“This is because I was ambushed—!”
“Who gets ambushed like that?!”
Baron Noer pointed at Count Hembern’s lower underwear.
On his buttocks was a heart-shaped burn mark.
Meanwhile, loud laughter rang out from the mansion Dana had entered.
“Bwahahahaha!”
“Oh ho ho, our Jamie is quite something.”
As expected, the count’s family was drinking in the dining room.
Whether Dana had come home from work or not, they poured drinks and chatted noisily.
Dana glanced at the video-recording magic tool she had hidden.
Concealed behind a dish, it wasn’t visible at all.
The family didn’t seem to have noticed either.
What, exactly, had it recorded…?
Before leaving the house, there was no need to provoke the family any further.
“Jamie, I have something to ask.”
When Dana entered the dining room instead of trudging upstairs as usual, Jamie’s eyes widened.
He was drunk, and his vision wasn’t very clear.
“What is it? You’re ruining the mood.”
What happened to his drinking mood was none of her concern.
With a blank expression, she asked Jamie,
“What kind of person is Count Hembern?”
“Why are you curious about that now?”
“You said he’d take me as a bride in exchange for your debt. I’m a bit upset that you two decided it without even asking my opinion.”
Dana cast her bait.
She needed proof that they had traded a person for debt without the person involved even knowing.
Go on—ask… ask….
Jamie snorted as if it were ridiculous.
“Fine, I sold you without asking! A younger sister should help her older brother—are you really going to nitpick about that?”
He said it!
Dana suppressed a smile and pushed him even further.
“Why are you getting so worked up? Sounds like you know what you’re doing is illegal.”
Jamie had always been coddled.
He couldn’t endure criticism directed at him.
Especially from Dana, whom he had always looked down on.
Jamie stepped toward Dana.
Then he pushed her head with his finger.
“Don’t overstep your place. All you have to do is keep paying off our debt like always, then get married.”
He took a deep breath, trying to rein in his anger.
Unfazed, Dana scraped at his nerves again.
“Debt? Oh, you mean those piles of loans the three of you took out without me knowing?”
This time, the countess sprang to her feet.
“Parents can borrow a little money in their child’s name! Why are you making such a fuss?”
She mocked Dana openly.
“We haven’t beaten you lately, so you’re getting bold!”
Oh, that was unexpected.
Until Dana started earning money, the countess made her do housework and beat her whenever she was dissatisfied.
‘I should get compensation for emotional damages too.’
Damages plus emotional compensation…
Plenty of testimony was being neatly recorded in the video magic tool.
Not missing the chance, Dana said,
“Going to hit me again? Go ahead—just like you’ve done my whole life.”
“Fine, let’s relive the old memories!”
Following Jamie, the countess also admitted to her crimes.
Then Count Hartwin opened his mouth.
“Stop it. Don’t you know damaged goods won’t fetch a good price? What if Count Hembern refuses to take her then?”
With that, she had also secured her father’s testimony that he knew about the contract.
There was no need to exert herself any further.
Dana deliberately let out a big sigh and said,
“I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been tired lately with all the overtime. I’ll go up now.”
At her sudden change in attitude, the three blinked slowly.
They were so drunk they couldn’t judge the situation properly.
Taking advantage of the moment, Dana quietly went up to her room.
After that, slanderous talk about Dana continued noisily.
Unaware that the video recorder was running, they spoke carelessly.
Not knowing what kind of repercussions it would bring.
The next day, as Dana left the mansion to go to work, she smiled brightly.
That was because Edwin had been waiting for her since early morning.
“Why did you come out? We’re going to meet later anyway.”
“I wanted to see you even a little earlier.”
At his answer, Dana smiled.
Taking her bag, Edwin said,
“Shouldn’t we start living together now?”
“Right—we’re husband and wife.”
Seemingly pleased with her answer, Edwin looked satisfied.
Waking up every morning to see Dana’s face, and spending the whole day together…
It was a life he had long dreamed of.
Dana thought for a moment, then spoke.
“First, we should check if there’s official housing the Empire can provide. Since we’re both officials of the Ministry of Magic, it might be easy.”
“Do you want to live in official housing?”
“It’s not that I especially want to. It just seems clean and close to work.”
Edwin smiled leisurely.
“If you think that way, there’s no place better than the Imperial Palace.”
At that, Dana burst out laughing.
“So, are you saying we should live in the Imperial Palace together?”
“If that’s what you want, Senior.”
It was an absurd, fanciful joke.
Seeing him joke like that made her feel good—it seemed Edwin felt comfortable with her.
Still smiling, Dana suddenly turned serious.
“Edwin, it’s fine when it’s just us… but you must never joke like that inside the Imperial Palace. Never.”
Since I’m your senior, I’m telling you this, she continued.
“Inside the Imperial Palace, there are eyes and ears of the imperial family everywhere. What if His Majesty the Emperor or His Highness the Prince hears us joking like that?”
We’d be finished that very day, Dana whispered.
Edwin mirrored her serious expression.
“I’ll watch what I say.”
“Good. Anytime, anywhere.”
Dana smiled with satisfaction.
She felt proud, as if she had given valuable guidance as a senior.
“By the way, Edwin, shouldn’t we greet your family?”
“…They’re busy right now.”
“Do you live separately from your family?”
“Yes. I’ve lived alone for a long time.”
What Edwin said was true.
At the age of three, he had already been assigned his own prince’s palace and lived with attendants.
Unlike his two older brothers, who longed for their mother, he adapted quickly to an independent life.
In fact, it was more comfortable without a doting father hovering over him.
Later, unable to control his overflowing abilities, he was sent to the north.
Meanwhile, at Edwin’s words about having lived alone, Dana’s face darkened.
‘What kind of story is there…?’
Come to think of it, he had once mentioned that his parents didn’t welcome him.
Dana carefully opened her mouth.
