TMOHI 23

Chapter : 23

I looked at the ring on my finger.

It looked like an ordinary ring, but in fact, it was enchanted with various kinds of magic.

“For example, if I meet another man, it would notify Harton. Or if I remove the ring for a certain period, it would alert him?”

Normally, on this island of Tadibna, a magic circle is drawn so that Harton is immediately notified if I leave the island.

Yet, this man still didn’t seem reassured.

“I didn’t expect him to play such tricks with a ring I bought on a whim.”

Obsessive male leads really are obsessive male leads, huh?

Still, maybe out of some last shred of conscience, Harton sent the ring and soon after followed it with a long letter explaining the situation in detail.

“Apparently, as soon as the Duke and Duchess returned to the capital, they both collapsed at the same time, and Harton ended up handling their affairs too?”

Because of that, his plans to visit Tadibna were indefinitely delayed.

Unable to calm his anxiety, the man had made that choice.

“And I, unsuspecting, just put it on since it was a ring from my lover…”

Once I learned the whole story, I initially felt a little annoyed.

It wasn’t just that Harton had tricked me—it was also that I was disappointed in myself for trusting something sent by someone else without a second thought.

“People shouldn’t trust recklessly… I learned that painfully in my past life.”

I had nearly made the same mistake again.

No matter how peaceful and leisurely this resort island was, I couldn’t let myself get careless.

Still, once I reflected on my mistake and rationalized my thoughts, my discomfort quickly faded.

“For now, the additional controls Harton placed on me are things I’ve already been following, so it’s not too inconvenient.”

Besides, Harton’s obsession with me is probably skyrocketing endlessly. If this one ring could suppress that obsession, then ultimately it was beneficial for me.

As for the illness of the Duke and Duchess who collapsed—it’s apparently “ulhwa-byeong” (anger-related illness)…

“Somehow, I feel like it’s my fault~.”

Unintentionally, I had contributed a bit to Harton’s increased workload, so I decided to overlook this little prank.

But if he acted unpredictably like this again, it would be a problem.

“From now on, I’ll need to train Harton a little more carefully.”

Anyway, due to various circumstances, I ended up communicating with Meno’s husband through Bellin.

Thankfully, as long as he stayed away from the villa area, the man could still come to this island.

So Meno’s husband and the workers would commute to the outskirts of the island where I had designated.

Just now, I had sent them the blueprints of the building I was planning to construct through Bellin.

“I was worried they might find it too unfamiliar since the building’s design and interior structure were inspired by modern full villas.”

“Especially the technology called ‘folding doors,’ where all the balcony glass can be opened—they responded very positively! Thanks to your detailed descriptions, they felt it was worth attempting!”

“That’s good~.”

“Also, they were fascinated by the request to install lights inside the pool! They had wanted to try it before, but waterproof lighting was too expensive for them to even dream about!”

“I see~.”

“They all praised Eani as a genius who came to leave a mark on the lazy construction industry! You have no idea how proud I felt watching that.”

“Oh my, that’s an over-the-top compliment~.”

Bellin continued enthusiastically praising me. Judging by their reactions, it seemed the workers really liked some of the detailed touches I had added.

“I once briefly studied architecture to acquire a construction company, and I never thought that experience would be this useful.”

Of course, these were probably technologies unavailable at this time. In the future, someone might develop them…

“But there’s no reason to wait that long.”

“How did they react to the house’s design?”

“Oh! About the design… the responses were slightly mixed. Some liked its simplicity, while others felt it was too plain.”

“What was the ratio like?”

“Most thought the simplicity was good!”

“That’s enough.”

Those looking to build private houses here were generally newly rich people who had made a fortune.

Their preferred designs were usually old-fashioned mansions inherited by noble families—houses with history and character.

“But I’m not trying to build a house people want to live in.”

I needed rooms that satisfied as many guests as possible for short stays.

Such rooms had to be clean and neutral in taste, while still showing the luxury that my money provided.

“And if I add modern practicality, that’s perfect.”

I shifted slightly in my seat and asked lightly,

“If the workers liked the technologies I suggested, the final result should come out perfectly, right?”

Bellin nodded with a slightly nervous expression.

“Thanks to you providing the best materials, everyone is full of enthusiasm! The result will definitely be excellent!”

Of course. I had poured an unimaginable amount into the Mage Tower for this purpose. Probably, the mage at the tower who had connections with Birt earned a nice commission thanks to me.

“Good~. Bellin, go check on progress regularly and report back. You don’t need to do maid duties in the meantime.”

“Oh, but with Celine gone… is that okay?”

I smiled at Bellin’s words. I had also assigned separate tasks to Celine.

“That girl seems to have an extraordinary sense for interiors.”

When reviewing the Quend Hotel reports, I noticed Celine’s drawing skills were quite advanced. She had almost drawn the house exterior I had only imagined in my mind.

So I asked Celine to handle not just the exterior, but also the interior design of the house. I had set the major structure and overall mood—now she could showcase her skills within that framework.

“I happily let her go on a business trip to Wayna for that.”

With Bellin also assigned to construction, Elin was left as the only maid in this large villa.

“If I’m gone too, I feel like you’ll struggle alone—”

“How considerate of you.”

“No, compared to how much you care for us, it’s nothing.”

“That’s true.”

Bellin’s eyes widened at my words, and I quietly chuckled, easing her worries.

“Practically, I don’t use many rooms here. Plus, Meno and the kitchen staff have been staying at this villa since yesterday, right?”

Meno, who had fallen head over heels for Redive, resigned from his post with his juniors and came down to the island.

– We will have a grueling training here! We will make this marvelous fruit, Redive, the king of fruits, no—the emperor of fruits! Is everyone ready?!

– Uoooo! We’re fully prepared!

– We’ll sleep after we die!

The restaurant staff, almost like a military unit, threw their luggage in the guest rooms and rushed to the kitchen.

As a result, cooking naturally became their responsibility.

“Also, since chores like laundry and other tasks are shared, Elin’s workload won’t increase much. So you should focus on your work.”

Hearing that, Bellin finally relaxed and smiled brightly, bowing her head enthusiastically.

“I will make sure that while overseeing the construction site on your behalf, I never cause any trouble!”

“Yes. Bellin, you know how much I expect from you, right?”

“Thank you! I will live up to your expectations!”

“Hehe, why is everyone around me so passionate?”

I smiled as I sent Bellin off outside.

Left alone in the bedroom, I let out a small sigh.

“Thanks to that, I almost got caught.”

I had been so focused that I almost forgot about Bellin’s visit.

“It’s too early to show this to anyone else.”

I slowly walked over and retrieved something hidden in a corner of the bedroom.

Inside a small glass bottle, a deep red liquid swirled against the backdrop of the blue sea.