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Chapter 5
click.
I set the teacup down and looked at the woman sitting across from me.
Her wide-brim hat and flashy fan hid her face, but even so, the expensive-looking dress, lace-trimmed elegant gloves, and polished shoes made my heart flutter.
A noble client right from the start.
A “capitalism smile” naturally appeared on my lips.
“How did you hear about this place?”
The woman, who hadn’t even touched the tea I offered, fluttered her fan as she replied.
“I heard servants whispering like they were plotting something, so I looked into it—and saw someone secretly handing out flyers.”
Oh. The flyers are working better than I thought.
I should tell Wit to distribute them even more aggressively.
“I was also curious about what the Red Thread Information Guild does… and just in case, I came by. But, shopkeeper.”
Her lazy tone suddenly stopped as her fan froze mid-air.
“Don’t you think you lack basic manners for greeting a guest? A shabby hood, a mask… and what’s with that voice?”
As she pointed out, I was wearing a brown hood and a gray mask.
On top of that, I was using a voice-masking magical tool to sound like a child before puberty.
It was understandable she found it suspicious.
“I apologize for any discomfort, but please understand. I have personal reasons I cannot reveal my identity.”
The woman stared at me as if measuring my worth.
She wasn’t going to just leave, was she?
“It doesn’t really matter. As long as you do your job properly, I don’t care what you are.”
Relief washed over me as she resumed fanning herself.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I’ll get straight to the point. I don’t want to stay in a place like this long. My request is this: I want Marquis Berto to fall deeply in love with me.”
“Yes, I understand. Marquis Berto… what?”
My hand froze on the notebook.
What did she just say?
“You didn’t hear me? I said I want Marquis Berto. I hate repeating myself.”
No, I heard her perfectly.
That was exactly the problem.
Lucian Berto, the marquis.
He was the older brother of the female protagonist.
“There’s something I should mention… As far as I know, Marquis Berto has rather unusual tastes.”
He had a specific setting in the story.
A sadistic personality.
It didn’t matter who it was—family, friend, lover, or even a random stranger.
The woman scoffed.
“You’re worrying about nothing. Do you think I came here without knowing those rumors?”
Then she muttered something under her breath.
“You think I’m some naive Rosemary?”
Rosemary? Why is she suddenly mentioning me?
Do they know each other?
I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t.
“So what if people’s personalities change? I’m different from other women. I can change him with my love. And even if he doesn’t change, it doesn’t matter. He’s perfect from head to toe. I can tolerate a little personality flaw.”
I listened attentively on the surface, but internally shook my head.
Crazy. Everyone’s crazy.
That woman and Rosemary both had clearly lost their minds over a man’s face.
I thought for a moment while looking at the woman praising Berto’s appearance.
If I accepted this request and somehow got involved with Marquis Berto…
One thing was certain—nothing good would come from catching his attention.
So absolutely. Absolutely, I should not take this request.
After deciding, I answered firmly.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot accept this request.”
“What? Why not?”
“I’m concerned it may bring harm to you, miss.”
“Concern? Hah. How dare a commoner like you—”
Her tone turned openly mocking and irritated.
“Fine. Enough talking. You just don’t want my request, right?”
I silently nodded.
“As I said, our guild prioritizes client safety above all—”
shrrrk—
I froze.
Gold coins suddenly poured onto the table like rain.
“What are you doing? Why did you stop talking?”
“W-we….”
My mouth moved on its own, glitching like it had broken.
“So….”
“Go on. Say it.”
Ah… right…
“We will serve you wholeheartedly. Please tell us the details of your request.”
“Ugh! Ughhh!”
“Wit. Let the knight go now.”
“Kikik. Alright, boss.”
snap.
Wit snapped his fingers, releasing Adriel from his restraints.
Finally freed, Adriel gasped for air and growled.
“Damn it. Rosemary Perial, what is the meaning of this?!”
I avoided his sharp gaze and glanced out the window.
The sun was already setting.
“I had no choice. A client was here, and it would’ve been a problem if you started shouting.”
“No matter what, treating me like an animal—!”
Just from his expanding chest, it was obvious how hard he was trying to suppress his anger.
I checked the sandwich he hadn’t touched and took it to the kitchen.
“You don’t even appreciate food. I’ll eat it then.”
Leaning against the kitchen table, I took a bite of the sandwich.
Adriel, still on his knees on the floor, glared at me with disgust.
“I thought I couldn’t be more disappointed in you, but you keep proving me wrong.”
growl.
“Even knowing what kind of man Marquis Berto is, you still accepted the request.”
growl—
“You’ll do anything for money?”
growl.
“…Sigh. Where is that thunder coming from?”
“Kik. Kikikikik!”
Wit burst into laughter, trying to hold it in but failing.
Maybe it was too obvious I was ignoring it.
Adriel’s neck turned red with anger.
I signaled Wit to stop laughing and said,
“Why don’t you eat something? You’ll starve at this rate.”
“…No. I won’t eat until you release me.”
“Haa….”
Stubborn. Extremely stubborn.
Unable to watch anymore, I walked over with a plate.
“Seriously, stop being so difficult. I don’t want to see someone starve to death in front of me.”
I grabbed both of Adriel’s cheeks and forced his mouth open.
“Open properly.”
“Ugh….”
“……”
“P-please… stop…”
But why was this man’s face turning red?
It was making me feel strange just feeding him.
I frowned deeply and shoved the sandwich into his mouth.
Thankfully, he didn’t spit it out.
“Miss.”
I flinched when I heard the voice of my first client who knew my secret identity—Serena Winter.
Looking up slightly, I saw a staff member smiling awkwardly.
“Um, how did you get permission to enter…?”
“Hey!”
A higher-ranking employee quickly stepped in and stopped the other staff member.
“This is someone Lady Winter personally allowed inside. What were you doing?”
“Ah! I’m sorry. I didn’t know that happened while I was away.”
I nodded slightly.
This was a noble-only restaurant run by the Winter Count family.
Normally, I wouldn’t be allowed in with a hood like this, but Serena had granted me permission.
“Boss, that human has a terrible personality. Kikikik.”
“Why? What do you see?”
I looked at Wit, who had taken the form of a young servant boy.
He said he could see “choices” above people’s heads—options that showed how to gain someone’s favor.
But those options didn’t always appear. They only showed when someone trying to gain affection made eye contact with their target.
In other words, Serena Winter and Lucian Berto had to be facing each other.
That’s why we were here—Serena arranged this meeting.
“Kikik. The only option Lucian Berto wants right now is simple, boss. He wants Serena Winter to suffer and cry in pain.”
I looked at Serena and Lucian.
A refined noble dinner scene, like a painting.
It was hard to believe something so peaceful could hide such thoughts.
“……”
Tired, I rubbed my eyes.
I already explained the danger. I should just focus on the payment.
I wrote down only the useful parts of Wit’s information in my notes.
…though there wasn’t much useful at all.
Still, Serena said she would do anything, so this should be enough advice.
“This is your payment for the consultation.”
“Thank you.”
I accepted the money pouch Serena handed me.
It felt satisfyingly heavy.
I can’t trust you completely. Not even a newly opened guild. I’ll only pay when you prove your worth. 10% at a time. No complaints, right?
I had worried she might disappear after saying that, but Serena was surprisingly diligent.
She had already paid 50% of the full amount.
“Well, I have to admit it now. Your ability. How do you read Marquis Berto’s feelings so well?”
At first, she had doubted my advice, but now she followed it blindly.
“It’s a trade secret.”
I smiled slightly, and Serena narrowed her eyes.
But she soon shrugged it off and started enthusiastically talking about her meetings with Marquis Berto.
“Oh right. I have one more request.”
It was just as she was preparing to leave.
As I stood up to see her off, something caught my eye.
“…?”
The door to the bedroom behind Serena—one that should never have been opened—was opening.
And…
What—?!
I saw it. Through the crack in the door, Adriel was crawling out.
My eyes widened in shock.
Wit, why can’t I see Wit?
I instinctively turned toward the window.
Wit was in the garden, planting tomatoes.
I was stunned.
At that moment, Serena spoke.
“I want to make Holy Knight Adriel my lover. Is that possible?”
