UDBL~15

CHAPTER 15

Sophia now flung the window wide open.

Cool autumn air rushed into the room.

“There are guests walking around outside! I think they’re merchants from the desert!”

Sophia peeked her head out and got all excited.

“I’ve never seen a desert person before. Their skin is that beautiful sandy color, just like I heard! Don’t you want to get up and look out the window too, Riana?”

“Not really.”

Riana was from the 21st century, where globalization was normal—so foreigners didn’t surprise her.
But Sophia was truly fascinated.

“Wow… That must be the mine owner. This whole banquet is basically for him.”

“I said I don’t care…”

“His merchant group is passing through the kingdom on their way back to the desert nation. Our Duke is hosting them and letting them stay here.”

Riana shook her head under the blanket.

Ugh. She’s just like Bastian. Talks way too much!

“I heard he’s a very important partner of the Duke’s company. I don’t know much about business stuff, but he really has an impressive aura—”

Sophia clearly didn’t know much, but Riana did.

The mine owner she was talking about was a key supplier of magic ores for the Droche Company.

“I did some background checks on the guests.”

She poked around a bit and got Bastian, the walking encyclopedia of the estate, to spill the info.
Thanks to that, she found out the Duke of Veloci would be attending today’s luncheon.

“Which means I absolutely must avoid it!”

As the desert guests moved out of sight, Sophia turned back to Riana.

“Aw, they’re leaving. Too bad you missed it, Riana. Don’t you feel a little regret?”

“Oh, I’m just heartbroken.”

Her voice had zero emotion, but Sophia beamed.

“Then you can greet them at the luncheon!”

“….”

Riana made a deadpan face under the blanket.

She’s kind of scary now.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

“Miss Riana?”

It was Kim. Sophia opened the door and answered for her.

“She won’t get up.”

“…You can go now, Sophia. Thanks for your help.”

Kim dismissed her politely. Sophia sighed and muttered as she left,

“Yeah, yeah, thanks.”

Despite feeling like a difficult, spoiled child, Riana stayed firmly wrapped in her blanket.

The outside world is dangerous. And not in a metaphorical way—literally.

“Miss Riana.”

Kim’s voice came from the doorway. Riana didn’t respond.

She’d already fended off a side character. Now it was time to defeat the mini-boss.

Instead of replying, she moaned dramatically.

“Kim, I feel really sick…”

Kim asked politely,

“…Where does it hurt?”

“It must be a terrible cold. I’m freezing, shaking all over… even my heart valves and capillaries are trembling. Cough, cough! I’m really sorry, but I don’t think I can go to the banquet today.”

Her face peeked out from under the blanket—pale, shivering, and convincingly sick. A true performance.

“……”

Kim didn’t even step into the room and silently left.

Did I win?

Riana was just about to smile—

—but then she heard footsteps and voices getting closer.

“She said she’s sick?”

“Yes. Shaking from her diaphragm to her lungs…”

Damn it. The final boss showed up.

Who brings the Duke himself just to wake up a maid?!

Riana glared at Kim through the blanket. But he simply smiled calmly.

He had the almighty Duke backing him up, after all.

“I heard Miss Riana is sick,” Killian said.

Riana quickly forced a few more coughs.

“Yes… very sick…”

Killian and Kim exchanged a silent look.

Obviously faking it, right?
Yep.
Should I handle it?
Go ahead.

Killian then pulled out the ultimate solution—a small medicine bottle.

He walked over to Riana and held it out.

“Here’s some medicine.”

Oops. Riana had forgotten one important thing before pretending to be sick:

This was the Droche Magic Company.
And their main product? Magical medicine.

I’m doomed.

Still, she made one last attempt.

“Are you sure it’s safe to take without a prescription? Any side effects?”

Killian replied confidently.

“Of course. You know who made it?”

Then Kim added,

“There are no side effects with officially registered magical potions. According to the Magic Association, ‘miracle potions’ must only work for the user’s happiness.”

Killian nodded in agreement and pointed to the label—right next to the company logo was a seal: Certified Miracle Potion by the Magic Association.

“There’s no side effect for taking it while pretending to be sick, so don’t worry.”

Killian’s extra comment made Riana’s cocoon twist violently.

“Uuugh!” she groaned in frustration.

To the two men, that was a great sign.
It was the dramatic surrender of a grumpy loser.

“See you at the luncheon.”

Killian smiled and left. Kim followed with a satisfied look.

Riana, left alone with the glowing potion, sat up with a defeated pout.

“…I tried my best.”

She lost—but she fought well.

After waking up, Riana was dragged by the maids to a room in the mansion.
It was full of mirrors and makeup tools.

They dressed her in the gown Killian gave her, sat her in front of the mirror, and began doing her makeup.

“Um, maybe you can stop touching my hair now…”

“You’re the Duke’s partner. We can’t let you look outdated.”

The maid snapped back but continued grooming Riana with soft—but still slightly aggressive—hands.

This is awkward.

She may have a different title and salary, but she was still a maid.

It felt weird being dressed up by someone else.

She’d experienced this in her past life—back when she was in stage plays or web dramas.

But she hadn’t touched makeup in over ten years.

So feeling nervous under someone else’s hands made sense.

Which meant her next move wasn’t entirely unreasonable:

“Did I win? Wait—shut up, Riana.”

She caught her breath in the hallway, making sure no one was chasing her.

Though she had run away, she was already fully dressed—hair up, makeup done, in the glittering dress.

The Duke wouldn’t even notice how fancy she looked. He always looked perfect, no matter what.

“The banquet is in the glass greenhouse next to the mansion.”

All she had to do was go down there and act like the Duke’s partner.

But the truth was, she didn’t just run away because she was uncomfortable.

She had something to do before the banquet started.

“I’m not going to face the Duke of Veloci that easily!”

Riana crept toward the first-floor parlor of the mansion.
That’s where her survival tool was.

On a small table beneath a decorative vase sat a silk tablecloth—
light and airy, and the perfect shade of blue to match her dress.

“I saw this before and remembered it—go me!”

Riana stepped forward confidently—

—but stopped suddenly.

“I thought it’d be hard, but you actually convinced that pink-haired maid.”

“I said it’d be hard, not impossible.”

Two male voices were coming from the parlor.
One of them was definitely Killian.

And “pink-haired maid”…

They’re talking about me?!

Riana pressed herself against the wall and perked her ears.

The archway didn’t have a door, so their voices leaked out clearly.

“So, I lost this bet too?”

“Not yet.”

Riana was sure the other man was the Prince.

Only someone like a prince could speak so casually with Duke Killian Droche.

“Anyway, I’d better get Father’s seal ready. You’re probably going to make me pay up again.”

“You started the bet.”

“I didn’t expect you to actually drive out all the Isolation Tower staff.”

“Want to stop?”

Riana held her breath, scared even her breathing might be heard.

“Stop? This might be expensive, but it’s great entertainment.”

Riana bit her lip hard. Then she quickly left.

She’d heard enough.

She didn’t want to stick around and be caught eavesdropping on a royal.

“So everything he did to me was just part of some bet?”

She hadn’t expected anything—but it still felt awful.