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Chapter 8
The Empire’s commercial world had long since moved past stability and into stagnation, so it wasn’t easy for newcomers to break into it.
I only chose this path because I knew information about the future and could use the Lewin family’s capital.
Which meant that no matter how much I thought about it, that man’s target had to be me.
‘What a pain. Though… strangely enough, I don’t hate it.’
After being treated like trash ever since coming here, this kind of attention felt surprisingly satisfying.
Maybe it was because my previous profession thrived on attention.
‘Should I just go home at this point?’
I hadn’t managed to buy as many things as I’d planned, which left me conflicted.
I could still move forward with only the information I already had.
But I wasn’t the type to settle for what was merely given to me. I was diligent and ambitious—someone who constantly challenged herself, forged new paths, and turned them into even greater success.
‘Too bad. I guess I’ll check out a mid-sized merchant guild instead. And if that man shows up there too, then he’s definitely stalking me.’
After a long internal debate, I cautiously reached that conclusion and headed toward one of the larger mid-sized guilds.
Unlike the large guilds that handled all sorts of products, mid-sized guilds usually specialized in specific categories.
Among them, I chose one that mainly sold imported interior decorations popular among noblewomen.
Since I was already here, I figured I might as well redecorate my room too.
Partly because I disliked the duchess’s taste—
—but mostly because the room itself made me uncomfortable.
‘It feels like standing in enemy territory while trapped in the enemy’s grasp.’
Every night, my sleep was restless, and the strange unease left a bad taste in my mouth.
As I browsed through decorations while considering how to redesign the room, I suddenly spotted the man entering the guild hall.
‘So his target really was me!’
The mixture of irritation and boosted self-esteem left me conflicted.
Seriously, with a face like that, why was he acting like this? It was such a waste of good looks.
But what was even more unbelievable was that the man frowned the moment he saw me.
‘What’s with that reaction? If anyone should be angry, it’s me. Why is he making that face?’
The sheer audacity of his reaction sent fury surging through my entire body.
I wanted to dump a bucket of water over that shamelessly handsome face right away, but unfortunately I couldn’t use my powers recklessly.
Watching him ignore me and walk toward the opposite side of the store made me hesitate.
Was he actually being careful? Or trying to avoid suspicion?
Confused, I turned and headed the other direction as well.
And yet somehow—
—we ended up in front of the exact same item again.
At this point, I was less annoyed about him following me and more furious that he kept taking the things I wanted.
“Excuse me. Why exactly do you keep following me?”
“Hm?”
The man looked genuinely startled, which only made me think he was an excellent actor.
‘Trashy people are always good at wearing masks.’
I didn’t have to look far for examples. The people of the Lewin Ducal House were proof enough.
“You’ve been following me this whole time.”
“I believe you’re mistaken. I’ve only been shopping for things I need. Though admittedly, we have coincidentally crossed paths several times.”
“Hah!”
I snorted in disbelief.
“For shopping, your purchases are incredibly inconsistent. None of them match in gender, status, or even purpose. Ah! Don’t tell me… you’re planning to start a merchant guild or something?”
It lasted only a brief moment, but I clearly saw the man’s eyes waver.
“How did you…?”
“Huh?”
This time, it was me who froze at the sharp glint in his eyes.
‘What? He really was planning to start a merchant guild? No, get a grip. Starting a guild in the Empire isn’t easy. Damn it, what is this? This is getting confusing.’
Of course, it wasn’t easy—
—but it wasn’t illegal either.
I could try picking a fight by asking how someone like him intended to start a guild, but I didn’t know anything about him. If I pushed recklessly, I might just embarrass myself instead.
Under his cold gaze, I slowly backed away with steps that almost looked like dancing.
Then I slipped out of the shop like smoke.
Partly because I was embarrassed.
Partly because escaping from a stalker was the right thing to do.
Either way, the conclusion was the same:
I needed to get away from that man.
Once outside, I hurried toward where the carriage was waiting.
But then someone suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me away.
“Ah!”
Dragged by sheer force, I stumbled into a narrow alley and found myself trapped between the wall and a man’s body.
Startled by the sudden situation, I looked up at the person who had pulled me there.
It was the same man I had repeatedly encountered while shopping.
He glared at me with murderous eyes.
Until now I had only thought he was handsome—
—but faced with that icy stare, my knees nearly gave out.
In a low voice, he asked,
“Who are you?”
“What exactly are you doing right now? Isn’t it rude to suddenly drag someone around like this? If you want to know who I am, shouldn’t you reveal your own identity first?”
He nodded as if he understood, then curled one corner of his lips into a mocking smile.
“Let me rephrase the question. Who sent you?”
The terrifying pressure pouring from him made every hair on my body stand on end, but I clenched my teeth.
I had survived ten years in the entertainment industry.
I’d dealt with every type of situation and every kind of human imaginable.
And in situations like this, if you got intimidated—or even let it show—you lost.
And I was better at acting than anyone.
In an instant, I changed my expression and tone completely.
“What the hell are you talking about, you psycho stalker? You’re the one who kept tailing me, and now that you think you’ll get caught, you’re trying to pin it on me?”
The man said nothing and merely stared at me.
The murderous aura radiating from him made my whole body numb.
My head spun, but I refused to back down and glared right back.
Though, judging by his expression, it seemed to have absolutely no effect on him.
To keep from being overwhelmed, I forced my trembling lips to move and snapped at him.
“Why would I chase after you? I’m Arabella Lewin. The daughter of the Lewin Ducal House. Why would I follow some nobody I’ve never even heard of? You don’t even know who you are, yet your ego’s massive. Picking on weak women too? Hey! Stop living your life like a loser!”
After boldly declaring that, I tried to push aside the arm blocking my path.
It didn’t budge.
Frustrated, I used both hands.
Still nothing.
It was embarrassing, but that didn’t mean I was out of options.
I ducked my head slightly and slipped neatly under his arm.
Fortunately, the man was tall enough that escaping his grasp wasn’t difficult.
After putting some distance between us, I lifted my chin proudly.
“If you’ve got more to say, then come visit the Lewin Ducal House.”
With a haughty expression, I turned and quickly escaped the alley.
I didn’t look back once as I practically ran all the way to the carriage.
Only after climbing inside did the tension finally leave my body, letting me release the ragged breaths I’d been holding.
“My lady, were you running? You’re sweating. I went into a shop earlier and—”
Eva chattered away while wiping my forehead with a handkerchief.
But I couldn’t hear a single word she said.
All I could hear was the frantic pounding of my own heart, tangled with fear and curiosity.
‘Who was that man?’
I didn’t know every single character in the story, but after arriving here I had memorized the imperial and noble family trees thoroughly.
My life depended on it.
‘His eyes, speech, and mannerisms all screamed nobility though… No. That’s just prejudice. He could simply be a refined commoner.’
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure out who he was.
And so, my first shopping trip ended in utter confusion, without revealing the truth.
After that, I went shopping several more times, but I never encountered the man again.
I felt both relieved and oddly disappointed.
Still, I had too much to do to dwell on it for long.
“Arabella, come with me.”
Cecilia turned sharply, cold as winter wind, and headed toward her drawing room.
‘So this is finally her limit? The scale of this ducal house is surprisingly small-minded.’
The duchess had clearly reached the end of her patience after watching the endless bills pile up every day from all the dresses, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and shopping I’d been doing.
Pretending not to notice, I sat across from her and smiled sweetly.
“What did you need me for?”
Cecilia threw a stack of receipts from various shops at me.
“Do you think you’ve become something important? Did you really believe I was frightened by your threats? I showed mercy because you were pitiful, yet you’ve become completely insolent.”
I ignored her words entirely and calmly gathered the scattered receipts around my dress before placing them neatly beside me.
“A pearl necklace on a pig—that expression suits you perfectly. Do you really think expensive luxury goods suit an illegitimate child? Your vulgar blood is matched only by your vulgar greed.”
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
‘I was only planning to tease her a little, but… no, this won’t do.’
I wiped the smile off my face and met Cecilia’s eyes directly.
