On the table, refreshments prepared by Hannah were neatly arranged.

“My cook has done unnecessary work again.”

Her thoughtfulness in preparing a light meal before he drank was truly touching. Kaisel nudged a prettily arranged pink macaron.

Mila, who was placing cutlery and small plates in front of him, frowned slightly. The medicine and alcohol he was supposed to take were nowhere to be seen.

“Master, it seems there was a mistake in the preparation.”

A sardonic smile spread across Kaisel’s lips.

This must be the work of the new toy. Removing the medicine—did they think they could k*ll him? Somehow, it was an amusing thought.

Mila checked the scent and taste of the tea leaves in the canister. The tea leaves were divided into single-serving pouches, and fortunately, they contained no poison.

“I apologize. I’ll remove this and bring it again right away.”

Mila bowed quickly, her face showing dismay.

It was a blunder caused by arriving late at the mansion while handling the task Kaisel had assigned. Though it wasn’t poison, the failure to properly look after the master’s well-being was entirely her mistake.

“That won’t be necessary.”

Kaisel leaned deeply against the sofa and turned his gaze toward the window. Outside, heavy rain continued to fall.

“Today I’ll just drink this tea. I’m curious what kind of prank they’ve played.”

“But Master…!”

“Mila.”

Despite his toneless voice, his eyes emitted a chillingly cold aura.

“…I’ll pour the tea and leave.”

“Yes.”

Kaisel narrowed his eyes as if nothing had happened.

Thanks to the magic stone’s heating device, the water in the teapot maintained its temperature and was still warm. Mila steeped the tea and carefully placed the cup in front of Kaisel.

“Master, rest well.”

Click.

As the door closed, Kaisel quietly looked at the steaming tea.

It was an unfamiliar tea he had never seen before.

What kind of person had sent a toy to k*ll him this time?

The Empress’s Palace? Or the Kingdom of Baera?

He couldn’t understand why they would go to the trouble of sending assassins after someone already destined to die, but it was beyond his comprehension.

‘How tedious.’

Whether he drank alcohol or poison, this cursed body wouldn’t die until ‘that day’ anyway.

“The goddess is truly cruel. Making it so I can’t even k*ll myself.”

Kaisel took a sip of the tea, hoping it would be a poison potent and sweet enough to k*ll him.

❀❀❀

“…Hey, Cynthia!”

Her eyes snapped open at the urgent voice. Sunlight pouring through the curtain gap reminded her it was morning.

It seemed she had fallen asleep while waiting for Kaisel to return.

Cynthia carefully examined Hannah’s face. Her expressionless face was shadowed. It seemed the luck she had been given ended with the old hut.

“Get up now. The head maid is waiting for you.”

Cynthia nodded and hurried to the bathroom. As she splashed water on her face, her heart sank at the thought of being thrown out.

After quickly changing clothes and stepping outside, she found a youthful-looking woman waiting in front of the door.

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Cynthia. I am Mila, the head maid of the grand ducal residence.”

Cynthia almost screamed when she recognized who she was.

‘Black Ear, Mila.’

Mila, who looked like a cute girl on the outside, was a caracal beastkin and an assassin working for the villain.

In the original work, she was known as a formidable fighter who, despite losing one hand in an accident, could infiltrate the imperial palace alone and kidnap Iris.

Cynthia glanced at Mila’s hands. Both hands, covered in gloves, fortunately looked intact.

She felt dizzy with realization. The fact that Kaisel had sent Mila meant he had already figured out who she was.

“This way, please.”

She felt an inexplicable discomfort from the emotionless tone. Would she be quietly disposed of in some hidden place? The mere thought was terrifying.

‘No. If they wanted to k*ll me, they would have done it already.’

Cynthia followed behind Mila as she moved forward. Her footsteps felt heavier than usual today.

Inside the reception room was a maze-like long corridor. She glanced around, newly impressed by the enormous mansion.

Mila stopped in place to announce their arrival and extended her hand, gesturing for Cynthia to enter.

Well, here goes nothing.

Just as Cynthia was steeling herself, beautiful piano notes drifted from somewhere.

The sunlight gently streaming through the large arched windows sparkled like stage lighting.

In front of it, a man playing a black grand piano could be seen, producing clear sounds.

The wind blowing through the slightly open window gently ruffled the ends of his black hair, and his long fingers struck the keys as if sliding across them.

The calm and warm lullaby melody flowed into her ears like soft whipped cream.

Even knowing it was against etiquette, she couldn’t take her eyes off the man playing the piano.

His leisurely eyes met Cynthia’s. They were as beautiful as the blue sea she had wanted to visit as a child.

“…!”

The corners of his mouth, which had broken into a smile, curved upward.

Finishing his performance, he slowly approached. Her gaze rose high to meet his tall stature, and a fresh, elegant scent wafted toward her.

The man, with gently curved eye corners, gave her a picture-perfect smile.

“It’s nice to meet you, Lady Blewitt.”

Cynthia stood frozen like a stone, gazing at him endlessly. Her heart kept pounding wildly on its own.

❀❀❀

Cynthia glanced at Kaisel sitting across from her and swallowed hard.

After formally greeting him, she had no recollection of how she had made it to the reception room. Though she tried to act normal, she felt greatly flustered.

‘This is Kaisel.’

He was completely different from the novel’s description of someone always wearing a mask due to curse-induced scales, appearing monster-like.

His black hair, a symbol of those blessed with dragon power, looked incredibly soft. His white, smooth skin showed no trace of any curse.

“The tea will get cold. Please drink.”

“What? Oh… yes.”

His movements were elegant and natural, as if he had stepped out of an etiquette textbook. Though the atmosphere was cool, his sophisticated consideration perfectly embodied the imperial family’s inherent nature.

He was a charming man with both striking handsomeness and beauty.

Cynthia found it hard to calm her startled heart, as this was the first time she had seen such a handsome man.

They said imperial family members were generally outstanding beauties, but to this extent? It seemed she was helplessly drawn to his looks.

‘Get a grip. I came here to make a deal, not to admire Kaisel’s face.’

Cynthia took a deep breath and straightened her back.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke. I apologize for coming to your mansion without sending a letter of visit and barging in.”

“The grand ducal residence is open to anyone, so don’t worry about it.”

Unlike his pleasant voice, his blue eyes gleamed coldly like a predator surveying its prey.

Of course.

Open to anyone, but he didn’t say they would leave alive.

A villain is a villain.

She needed to hold onto her sanity and remain vigilant.

Cynthia held out her kunzite ring to Kaisel.

“I am an apothecary. I know a formula that can suppress Your Highness the Grand Duke’s curse. I will make that medicine for you if you protect me from my parents for just three months. I don’t need any compensation.”

“Hmm. By medicine, do you mean the tea I drank yesterday?”

“Yes. I’m sorry for intercepting your alcohol and medicine without permission. But taking them together is really dangerous. That medicine contains retan flower.”

Kaisel looked at Cynthia with an expression that seemed to ask what the problem was.

“Retan is a flower used as an herb to alleviate headaches and provide pain relief, but when it meets the components in alcohol, it can cause serious side effects.”

Could he not have known that? Kaisel laughed again.

Meanwhile, Cynthia’s eyes trembled slightly.

He knew about the toxicity and still consumed it? Why on earth?

“I’m curious. Why would you suddenly appear and do something like this?”

Kaisel leaned his upper body toward her with an intrigued expression.

“We should be meeting for the first time. Were you perhaps curious about the person who might become your brother-in-law?”

The atmosphere changed in an instant.

The comfortable energy disappeared, and black magical power emanating killing intent from his body rippled as if they were standing on a taut rope.

Her skin tingled and her throat tightened at the suddenly released magical power. The tension increased under his penetrating gaze, which seemed to know everything.

The herb that suppressed the curse wouldn’t move his heart. Cynthia finally looked at him with a desperate expression.

“…I want to live.”

Kaisel’s eyebrow raised at what seemed to be an unexpected statement, and his magical power subsided.

“His Majesty the Emperor wants my sister Iris and Your Highness the Grand Duke to be married… But as you know, my sister fled to the temple monastery.”

“And?”

“My parents want to return the groom’s dowry sent by His Majesty the Emperor for my sister’s happiness. Instead, they’re trying to arrange funds by marrying me to Baron Reka.”