Chapter 10.3

In truth, Helion’s issues weren’t limited to his relationships with women. He was also addicted to gambling.  

Duke Radner, upon discovering Helion’s gambling habit, had harshly reprimanded him and believed he had forced him to quit. However, that wasn’t the case—Helion was still deeply addicted to gambling.  

Unable to access funds from the Radner household, where else could Helion turn for money? The answer was the imperial treasury.  

Rexion, who had been working as the top secretary at the Ministry of State under the Emperor, transferred to the Ministry of Finance, not only due to his upright nature but also to uncover embezzlers.  

Of course, he hadn’t imagined that Helion would be among them. While Helion couldn’t conceal his relationships with women, he had managed to hide his embezzlement well—likely with the help of an accomplice.  

Even after learning that the previous treasurer had been caught embezzling funds, Helion and his group boldly continued to siphon money. One of the employees at the Ministry of Finance had assisted them in this endeavor.  

Naturally, when Rexion became treasurer, he immediately blocked their illegal access to imperial funds, though he had already collected evidence of their crimes.  

‘Since this is tied to the honor of the family, punishment will be difficult. I’ll leave the decision to you.’  

While he could have punished them immediately, Rexion chose not to. The Emperor, mindful of the Radner family’s influential position in the Empire, followed Rexion’s lead.  

For the time being, Rexion covered the embezzled funds with his own money and refrained from informing Duke Radner, waiting for the right moment to expose the situation.  

And now, that moment had arrived.  

***

Claire returned to the mansion and lay on her bed, reflecting on everything that had happened.  

From the near-death experience at the banquet hall to the shocking events at the villa, the most jarring realization was that she had mistaken the man she loved at first sight.  

She couldn’t believe it. How could she have confused the man who had saved her life? It was absurd no matter how much she thought about it. She had believed his outward appearance to be indicative of his personality, but it was all a lie….  

Her heart was in turmoil. The feelings she had once cherished now seemed false, and she felt ashamed of herself for liking someone based solely on their exterior.  

Why did I do that?  

Thinking back, Helion had always spoken poorly of Rexion, while Rexion had never directly disparaged his brother. That alone should have been enough to discern their personalities, but Claire hadn’t been able to see it. She had viewed them through the lens of her own biases.  

Rexion must have been so frustrated that he had shown her Helion’s true nature directly.  

Oddly enough, even after witnessing Helion’s disgraceful behavior, Claire wasn’t particularly upset. She was shocked, of course, and disappointed to find that he wasn’t the man she had thought he was, but that was all.  

Why am I so indifferent?  

She was surprised by how little she was hurt. Perhaps she had already sorted out her feelings when she realized she liked Rexion more than Helion.  

Or maybe it had happened even earlier than that.  

When had her feelings for Helion started to fade?  

She wasn’t sure, but it seemed to have begun when she grew closer to Rexion. She had tried to suppress her feelings, believing the rumors that he was a promiscuous man.  

‘If you’re having a hard time, please tell me anytime. For example, if he makes any unwelcome physical contact.’  

Now that she thought about it, Helion’s slander had played a role. She had been swayed by his words, believing the rumors about Rexion to be true.  

What a despicable man!  

She felt regretful for suppressing her growing affection for Rexion and ashamed of herself for so easily believing Helion’s words.  

Could it be that Celia, the mage, had known all of this from the start?  

Suddenly, she thought of Celia. She remembered how Celia had said she hadn’t granted her wish incorrectly. 

Could it be that Celia had known everything from the beginning and had listened to my wish with that knowledge?  

She had almost wished to end up with a liar and a womanizer. Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine, and she felt embarrassed for having blamed and cursed Celia.  

“No, let’s not dwell on the past.”  

The thought was so unpleasant that Claire waved her hand dismissively, deciding to put Helion out of her mind. The person she wanted to think about now wasn’t Helion—it was Rexion.  

Claire began to seriously reconsider her feelings for Rexion.  

“I never imagined he’d been harboring feelings for me since that day.”  

As her thoughts shifted from Helion to Rexion, her heart began to pound fiercely—just from imagining him.  

“The spell was broken a while ago, so everything he said and did was genuine, wasn’t it?”  

He had been jealous, possessive, and even tried to monopolize her. And he had sought her out physically—only her.  

After hearing his confession, every time Claire thought of Rexion’s face and actions, her cheeks flushed red.  

She felt shy and wanted to see him immediately. She wanted to run to him and tell him she felt the same way.  

So this is what love feels like.  

She finally understood why her feelings had shifted from Helion to Rexion.  

Unlike Helion, who always seemed to be hiding something, Rexion expressed his emotions honestly.  

And… their physical connection had also felt right. There was no reason not to like Rexion.  

As the idea of mutual love settled in her mind, Claire’s feelings for Rexion grew stronger.  

She couldn’t just lie there any longer. If she didn’t do something to release her excitement, she felt like her heart might burst.  

Should I go outside and take a lap around the garden to calm my mind and steady my racing heart?  

“Oh, should I call Crow?”  

Then she suddenly thought about expressing her gratitude to Celia first. After all, Celia had saved her life, and Claire wanted to thank her.  

Claire approached the window and blew the flute Celia had given her. She didn’t have high hopes, but as expected, no matter how much she played, Crow didn’t appear.  

Was it because everything had been resolved?  

She felt disappointed, but she also thought her connection with Celia might have ended here. Of course, if they ever crossed paths again, she planned to express her gratitude.  

Playing the flute helped her excitement gradually subside. After a long day filled with many events, Claire’s fatigue caught up with her, and she decided to go to bed early.  

But as she lay back down, her thoughts were once again filled with Rexion. The thought of seeing him tomorrow kept her awake.  

Just thinking about it made her feel shy, excited, and embarrassed all at once. She didn’t know how she would face him, and her swirling emotions left her tossing and turning all night.