Translator and Editor: Gina and Clisely

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Chapter 13

While Lexion was busy with his work, I stayed at the Sparrow’s family villa and was treated with utmost respect.

The servants were really kind to me.

“Is the food to your liking, Miss Tiarozetti?”

“I’ve prepared a warm bath for you. You’ll be able to sleep well after relaxing.”

“If there is a place you would like to see, please feel free to tell me. I’ll accompany you.”

It was a completely different reaction from my previous life.

In the past, everyone treated me like someone who would stay only for a while…

Even in this peaceful daily life, my role was to wait for him to come home.

Just as Tiarozetti did in the novel.

In fact, I could go outside with my ring on, but somehow I didn’t feel like it.

I was feeling really frustrated.

I couldn’t go back to my original world; the longer I stayed here, the more despondent I felt.

Time passed without meaning, and I was anxious since the book still didn’t appear.

I fell asleep every night after hearing the sound of Lexion coming home.

Even if it was meaningless, I knowingly waited impatiently.

It was a habit I had developed after entering the book to fall asleep only after hearing him coming back.

It’s because I was trained by Tiarozetti’s habits from the original novel.

But there was another difference.

The sound of his footsteps passed my room.

As if announcing his arrival.

It wasn’t like I was trying to run away, but he came to me every night and I pretend not to know.

But thanks to that, I was able to sleep and have a pleasant dream.

An intermittent pat, like something as warm and cozy as a fluffy bed.

A soft touch that felt like a comfortable breeze.

It felt like a dream I would forget after waking up.

I’ve spent a long time being her, which made me the perfect Tiarozetti.

It was easy to act like her even without the book.

By the time I was able to get used to the exhausting routine, I released all the tension that had been building up before.

It was purely my mistake to fall into that ridiculous trap.

It happened during Daisy’s brief absence.

The maid, who was usually behind Daisy, handed me a letter.

“Miss Tiarozetti, the Duke dental letter.”

“The Duke?”

“Yes. The messenger asked that you read it and send an immediate response.”

When I opened the letter the maid gave me, the content wrote about not staying alone in the mansion and going out for a walk together.

“Hasn’t the Duke been busy the last few days?”

“He must have made some time. Should we get ready?”

At her question, I nodded and prepared to go out.

I was excited thinking he was done with all his busy work.

I didn’t know it was a trap.

The maid led me somewhere.

And when I got to the place, I froze.

It wasn’t Lexion who was waiting for me.

“Did she come?”

A blue-haired man stared at me and grinned.

‘Kronos, why…’

He has never been nice to me, not in my previous life nor this one. I was in trouble.

When I looked back, the maid had already disappeared.

It was then that I realized that I had fallen into a trap, and I had to deal with Kronos alone.

As soon as I saw him, all I could think was ‘I’m screwed.’

No matter how quiet my daily life was, I shouldn’t have forgotten.

Lexion has too many enemies.

And to Kronos-who holds a high stake among his enemies-I forgot what a delicious prey I was.

I was mad at myself for being so stupid.

‘I assimilated the role of Tiarozetti so much that I fell into such an obvious trap?’

If you can learn, shouldn’t you absolutely avoid these traps?

However, blaming myself right wouldn’t change the situation.

I clasped the letter in my hand until it was crumpled.

I ran into him without Lexion so I can’t tell how harsh he would treat me.

But all I could do was straighten my back so I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.

“I see a little lion of the Empire.”

Kronos stretched out his hand gracefully and raised my head.

He looked down at me with an arrogant face.

Kronos Aden Werbel.

The Emperor’s biological son and Seirin’s older brother.

The member of the royal family was warier of Lexion than the Emperor himself.

He was one of those who wanted to bring down Lexion more than anyone else.

“You must be disappointed.”

Kronos muttered as if it was amusing.

I squeezed the letter in my hands.

Perhaps it wasn’t from Lexion but him.

All of a sudden I felt like a criminal, kneeling at his feet.

He asked arrogantly, crossing his legs.

“Gregory said you were a distant relative of Lexion. Where did you live before?”

I was aware of that information but it still dug into my chest bitterly.

I was-after all-a a distant relative of Lexion in this life.

Because I didn’t do anything other than that just to stay by his side.

A dark-haired, blue-eyed woman.

A peasant young girl who has never entered the capital’s socialite.

Someone with the blood of Duke Sparrow but no direct line.

Though, Lexion’s cute younger sister.

That was Tiarozetti Isol, no, Tiarozetti Sparrow.

“I was living in the South.”

I barely opened my mouth to answer.

Each word was as difficult and tiring as stepping on thin ice.

Memories of the past were overlapping on Kronos.

Before returning-after learning that I was of the Isol tribe-Lexion was hated by the imperial family.

All the blame fell on Lexion.

Lexion was often sent into difficult monster subjugations as if he had been degraded. Each time he did one, the wounds on his body increased.

Despite imperial pressure to hand over Isol’s descendant, he stubbornly refused to send her to the Imperial Family, claiming that he wouldn’t do it if Tiarozetti didn’t want to go.

But he never said anything, and after belatedly hearing the whole story, Tiarozetti went on her own to the Imperial Family and claimed that she no longer wanted to be a bother to Lexion.

She went to them knowing they would take advantage of her, but the reality was disastrous.

Tiarozetti went through all sorts of hardships she had never experienced before.

Still, she didn’t want to show weakness, so she laughed brightly whenever she ran into Lexion. He didn’t know until later what she was going through.

I experienced the same things as Tiarozetti did.

Then, when Lexion said that he would form an evil dragon subjugation group, I joined, waiting for my ending.

Only to die on his behalf.

Tiarozetti’s life was a thorny path.

And as a traveler, I just kept walking on it.

But the thought of having to do it again made my blood run cold.

I didn’t want to go back to the Royal Family.

I didn’t want to repeat the hardships I went through there.

‘Why is Tiarozetti having such a hard time? She deserves to be happy…’

My body trembled as I remembered the past.

Then Kronos asked bluntly.

“What did I do to make you tremble like that?”

He seemed to think I was frightened.

Actually, I was angry.

As I didn’t answer, he continued speaking.

“You know, I think it’s a very unusual situation, don’t you think so?”

“I…”

He grabbed my jaw roughly before I could answer anything.

He falsely accused me.

“You should use your right to remain silent.”

Kronos spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Startled, I tried to protest but I closed my mouth.

I was afraid of making a mistake by recklessly saying something, not knowing what to say next.

However, Kronos was a worse man than I thought.

A moment later, his hand slapped my cheek.

In the silence, a fricative sound rumbled.

My cheek was burning.

The escort knights standing next to him were vigilant about their surroundings.

They didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping Kronos’ actions.

I put my hand on the slapped cheek. The heat was rising.

But without giving me a moment to feel pain, he again held me by my jaw and spoke as if growling.

“Do you want to be around Duke Sparrow with that mixed blood? How arrogant!”

“This…what the…”

Slap!

“Are you talking back to me? This treacherous thing!”

“Uukk.”

Both cheeks were sore.

This time I bit my tongue and could feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

Kronos let go of my jaw roughly and nodded at the knights next to him.

Two knights held me from both sides.

I guess he didn’t mean to send me back, no matter what my reaction was.

I glared at him but he had already turned around.

“She dares to despise the Imperial Family, take her to the imperial prison now!”

With those words, Kronos flapped his cloak and left.

“Yes! We will heed your orders!”

The knights replied stiffly and dragged me somewhere.

* * *

“That damn Kronos.”

I mumbled low, patting my throbbing cheek.

In a dark prison-unable to tell whether it was day or night- I cursed Kronos without hesitation.

Even after being imprisoned, I didn’t have any uninjured spots on my body due to the continuous beatings.

After being left unattended for a long time and being beaten, I had almost completely lost my mind.

They treated me like an animal.

A damp musty smell filled the dark prison.

Every time I opened my mouth, the hardened crusts around my lips ripped and ached.

The shackles on my legs tightened on my ankles, making them tingle.

The chains were so heavy that it was difficult to move, even iron beads were attached to them.

I grinded my teeth.

My situation was too clear.

Kronos had the power to wield me at will, and I wasn’t.

The difference was bitterly unfair.

I held up the shackles once. As soon as I let go, a noise rang.

Clank.

In the darkness without a single light, only a gloomy sound filled everything.

Lying on the cold ground, I quietly stroked my cheek.

A cold, heavy silence.

A place with no people around was the kind of place Tiarozetti couldn’t bear.

‘But not me.’

I wouldn’t let my mind be swayed.

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