WHSM 48

“Wait, isn’t this man a con artist?! I reincarnated as the wicked stepmother who, after being widowed just one month into her marriage, abused the heroine and was eventually killed by Duke Rakan—the hidden mastermind. The only fortunate thing is that I haven’t accumulated any bad karma yet! I just need to take the abused heroine and get out of this awful house as quickly as possible! Or so I thought. ‘You’re penniless, homeless, and have no connections.’ According to imperial law, there is only one way to take my adopted daughter with me: remarry a man of higher status than mine. Then, right on cue, a handsome marquis starts trying to woo me. ‘I’m confident enough to hand Asha all 32 bankbooks containing my entire fortune, along with the deeds to roughly five houses. Compared to that, this is nothing.’ Wait, isn’t this man a con artist?! *** Meanwhile, Karcel—Duke Rakan and Marquis Rivandel, who has been single his entire life and has just fallen in love with Asha at first sight—thinks to himself: ‘That natural display of wealth. Perfect.’ He vows to win Asha’s heart no matter what. Just as he is finally about to reveal the true identity he has hidden behind his marquis title— ‘Actually, Asha, I’m Karcel Ra—’ ‘Thank goodness you only share a name with Duke Rakan! Ugh, if you were that terrifying man, I’d already have died of a heart attack.’ ‘Definitely not Rakan.’ He makes a firm decision. ‘I absolutely can’t let her find out before this marriage happens.’ Thus begins a tangled springtime romance filled with misunderstandings and awkward attempts at seduction between two people who have both been single their entire lives. Will their love ultimately blossom?”