“I’m counting on you, Simonetta.”

“Here’s your potion.”

Roen handed the box to Lucy.

Lucy carefully opened the black box she received and checked the purple bottle inside.

“Don’t forget that its effect lasts only 30 minutes. Oh, and our mistress will write the time and place to meet the Duke in the love letter. Then, Lady Lucy, you should apply the potion before going to the meeting place at the appointed time.”

Cecil spoke half-heartedly, unlike her usual self. She seemed displeased that the recipient was Duke Reushden.

Roen reprimanded Cecil with her eyes, but Cecil merely pouted.

“Would you like to suggest a place or time, Lady Lucy?”

“I think the Recluse’s Forest would be good.”

When Lucy suggested an unexpected place, Roen looked at her with fresh eyes.

“Is there a special reason for choosing that location?”

“The reason is that it seems like a place where we won’t be seen by others. No one would go there late at night either. So there won’t be any rumors…”

Lucy bit her lip and trailed off. She seemed terrified of being caught in a scandal.

“I understand, Lady Lucy. Let’s make that the meeting place. However, since it’s dangerous for a lady to go there alone, I’ll accompany you. Oh, don’t worry. I plan to watch from a distance so the Duke won’t notice me.”

“You would do that much for me? Thank you so much, Simonetta.”

Lucy stepped forward, took Roen’s hands, and expressed her joy.

Roen looked down at their joined hands and smiled awkwardly.

Honestly, given Duke Reushden’s personality, she didn’t think he would show up at the meeting place.

That’s why she wanted to accompany Lucy, who would be waiting there alone.

But seeing Lucy so happy and even holding her hands made her feel guilty.

“Then, let’s meet at the Recluse’s Forest at 11 PM, five days from now.”

When Roen specified the time and place, Lucy nodded.

Then she took out gold coins from her leather pouch and placed them on the display counter.

“This is for your services. I’ll see you in five days.”

Watching Lucy leave the shop with an excited expression, Cecil sighed deeply.

“Why did you make such a promise, ma’am? Duke Reushden is supposed to be your husband. Are you really okay with this?”

Cecil spoke as if marriage to Duke Reushden was already a settled fact.

“He hasn’t even responded to the public proposal yet. Besides, Lady Lucy’s intentions are admirable. Trying to protect someone she loves from the monster Duchess.”

“I don’t see what’s so admirable about it. Aren’t you angry at all, ma’am? Those nobles who visited earlier, and now Lady Lucy too. They all think of you as…”

She pressed her lips together, as if unwilling to say the next words.

“Cecil, what they say isn’t entirely wrong.”

“It is wrong. You’re absolutely not a monster. It’s just rumors. The real you is so beautiful. You have a lovely heart, you’re intelligent, and also…”

“For them, rumors are the truth. So it doesn’t matter.”

“Then at least reveal your secret to Duke Reushden. I’m sure he would marry you then.”

Cecil gazed at Roen’s beautiful face.

Her wavy golden hair, reaching down to her waist, framed her ivory face like a halo.

Though she had been seeing it since childhood, she still couldn’t get used to her mistress’s stunning beauty.

That’s why it was all the more heartbreaking.

‘Surely our mistress must be the greatest beauty in the Adrian Empire, no, on the entire Taran continent…’

But sadly, she always had to hide this appearance behind a black veil in front of the nobility.

“Cecil, you seem to misunderstand something. Even if I marry the Duke, I don’t plan to tell him my secret for the time being.”

“But you’ll have to remove your veil for the wedding night.”

Roen frowned at Cecil’s words.

If it were up to her, even if she married him, she wouldn’t want to spend a wedding night with him.

But until the curse was lifted, she needed the bodily fluids of someone who had swallowed a dragon’s heart to purify the deadly poison flowing through her body.

According to ancient texts, after coming of age, one must purify the poison with the bodily fluids of someone who had swallowed a dragon’s heart.

She had managed with peacock tears until now, but as the poison’s potency grew stronger, peacock tears alone were no longer sufficient.

Come to think of it, bodily fluids included saliva, but the most effective method to purify the poison was to spend the night with a man.

And if a child were conceived to continue the family line, that would be the greatest fortune.

So if she were to marry him, she would have to seduce him and definitely spend their wedding night together.

‘I need to find a way to spend the night with him without revealing my secret.’

But would there be a way to avoid discovery? Perhaps if she drugged him…

“Ma’am, I think differently.”

“About what?”

“I think you should actively seduce the Duke. After all, it would be good if Duke Reushden fell for you. Even if he has a reputation as a bloodthirsty beast, men don’t bare their fangs to women they love. If he becomes your captive, he’ll surely lie flat at your feet, wagging his tail. So do as I say. Use your fatal charm to win over the Duke.”

Roen chuckled at Cecil’s words. It reminded her of Emma, her nanny, who had said the exact same thing a few days ago.

‘Is it because they’re family? How can their thoughts be so alike?’

But listening to it, there seemed to be some truth to it. Though it seemed unlikely.

Above all, Duke Reushden didn’t seem like the type to become a loyal dog just because he fell in love.

“I can’t imagine it. Him falling for a woman…”

“This is why you’re bad at romance, ma’am. Did you know? Count Gerard, one of the nobles who visited today, is interested in you.”

Count Gerard—the only man who had shown concern for the Duchess of Roxburgh.

“You’re mistaken. He…”

Roen trailed off, recalling Count Rubin Gerard, who had seemed honest.

He often smiled at her, but it didn’t seem to hold any special meaning.

“Definitely not.”

Cecil sighed and shook her head, as if she had expected this response.

“Fine, if you say so. But I still think you need to learn the art of seduction. Especially now that you’re thinking about marriage.”

The art of seducing a man…

“Like the high-class courtesans in the social clubs?”

“That would help. Oh, speaking of which, why don’t we visit a social club? We could check what rumors are circulating among the nobility, and also learn some seduction techniques by watching.”

Roen slightly furrowed her brow at Cecil’s suggestion.

Since establishing her shop as the merchant Simonetta, she and Cecil had visited men-only social clubs a few times, disguised as men.

At first, she had been so tense about being discovered as a woman that nothing registered, but after frequent visits, she now blended naturally with the nobility, even exchanging jokes with them.

Moreover, after subtly spreading rumors that she was a relative of Paella, the owner of the newspaper “Great Moment,” some places even issued her exclusive membership cards.

“Later. If really necessary, I think it might be better to call someone to the mansion through Paella.”

Cecil’s eyes widened at Roen’s words.

“You mean invite a high-class courtesan to the Duchess’s residence?”

“Hmm? Yes. Don’t you think that would be better? Calling them to the mansion like a dance instructor to learn techniques and bedroom skills in detail would be more effective.”

“That would be great. Actually, I thought those skills are too private and intimate to just observe casually. When, when are you going to call them?”

“A bit later. When I feel it’s really necessary. That’s when I’ll call.”

Roen brushed it off and averted her gaze.

In truth, she had no intention of calling an instructor to learn seduction techniques as Cecil suggested. But from experience, if she didn’t at least pretend to agree, Cecil would continue trying to persuade her with unnecessary arguments.

“I hope you call them soon. I’m already excited. I’d like to learn bedroom skills too.”

Cecil grinned shamelessly.

Come to think of it, Cecil’s gaze toward Tom, the stable keeper, had been quite suspicious lately.

Pfft, so there was another reason for her sudden enthusiasm.

“Aren’t bedroom skills something men should learn?”

For the first time, Cecil shook her head as if her mistress was naive.

“You shouldn’t have such prejudice. There’s no reason why a woman can’t be more skilled in bed than a man. It doesn’t matter who learns, as long as both people enjoy it.”

Roen was newly surprised by Cecil’s boldness.

In aristocratic society, female chastity was considered a virtue.

Although romance between men and women was relatively free in the Adrian Empire, that only applied to ordinary citizens.

In aristocratic society, where bloodlines and honor were paramount, they preferred free-spirited women for romance but applied conservative standards when it came to marriage.

It was truly contradictory and disgustingly hypocritical behavior.

Roen, who normally despised such attitudes from the nobility, was shocked to find herself unconsciously thinking the same way.

“You’re right. It doesn’t matter who learns.”

Between people in love.

During the ten years she had endured while evading assassins, she had never thought about fluffy emotions like romance.

Moreover, for someone born with deadly poison in her body due to a family curse, such emotions were unnecessary.

“Come to think of it, the new moon is in five days. I set the time without thinking much about it.”

The new moon by the lunar calendar. It was when the moon’s power was strongest.

And during that time, the efficacy of peacock tears was also at its peak.

She planned to collect peacock tears that she couldn’t get last time while visiting the Recluse’s Forest.

“Are you going to collect peacock tears when you go to the forest?”

“Yes. That works out well.”

“I’ll go with you. While I watch over Lady Lucy, you can go to Argus Cliff.”

“No, there’s no need. I prefer going there alone. There’s less chance of being discovered.”

Above all, she was concerned about having seen Duke Reushden at the waterfall flowing below Argus Cliff a month ago.

Roen silently prayed.

Please, let him not be standing beneath the silver waterfall on the night of the new moon.

* * *