ISFU 02

Chapter 2

Just moments ago, Lisitsa had been lying face down in front of the stairs, begging for mercy.

His opponent was the young imperial enforcer, Grand Duke Assad Ulliel. Behind him stood thirty fierce guards.

“Y-Your Grace, please extend the deadline.”

Assad walked toward Lisitsa with the lightness of a swift leopard. He drew a sharp sword from his waist. Valentina, who was barely standing on the stairs, let out a shrill scream.

“Extend the deadline? Unfortunately, I’ve been in a very bad mood these past few days.”

Ignoring everything else, Assad lifted Lisitsa’s chin with the tip of his elegant blade. The thick flesh of Lisitsa’s chin—proof of a life of comfort—was slightly cut. Dark red blood ran down the blade before dripping onto the floor.

“N-No, anything but confiscation. This mansion is like my life!”

“Your life, you say.”

Valentina, who had been biting her nails as she watched, collapsed to the floor in tears. As expected of the most beautiful woman in the empire, her crying was enough to stir any man’s heart. Even some of Assad’s knights looked at her with pity.

The sound of a woman on the verge of fainting, drops of blood, and the frightened faces of the servants filled the mansion.

Amid this hellish scene, Assad spoke indifferently.

“You should have thought about that before you rolled the dice at the gambling table.”

“Th-that’s…”

Lisitsa’s eyes darted around anxiously.

“M-My daughter… how about using her as a maid? You don’t even have to pay her. Just until I can gather the money…”

At the mention of his daughter, everyone’s gaze turned to Valentina. Realizing this, Lisitsa hurriedly added—

“I mean my eldest daughter! Mia… Valentina cannot. Valentina is—”

“Lisitsa, you truly are…”

“I raised her very well… If things go right, she could marry into one of the four great families!”

“One of them is already impossible. The Ulliel family has no intention of associating with a man like you.”

There was not a trace of responsibility in the man lying before him. Not even worth reconsidering—just trash. That was Assad’s conclusion.

“You forged the mining ownership documents you used as collateral for an imperial loan, and gambled away the money? And now you offer your eldest daughter as an unpaid maid? And the deadline—until you win big again?”

Assad withdrew his sword from Lisitsa’s chin.

He took a handkerchief from one of his knights and wiped the blood from the blade. After sheathing it, he began reciting the emperor’s decree in a flat tone.

“By the order of His Majesty, the mansion and financial records of the Lisitsa family will be confiscated—”

At that moment—

Someone suddenly lunged at him from behind.

Everyone was shocked. But the attacker went even further.

Her first words were—

“Wow… this is insane.”

Then she smiled brightly.

Watching this, Assad came to only one conclusion.

“Is this woman an idiot?”

The woman’s cheeks flushed instantly.

But what truly caught his attention was the locket around her neck.

Black strands of hair were sticking out from the heart-shaped locket—and they looked very familiar.

Assad recalled something that had happened earlier in his office.

“Your Grace, it’s time to depart for the Lisitsa mansion.”

Shuri, his aide, entered the office and frowned. Assad was holding a familiar cream-colored letter.

“Another one of those strange letters? The ones asking to remove the ugly aide from your side?”

“No. Surprisingly, this one is different.”

Assad handed the letter to Shuri.

Shuri read it quickly, his expression turning serious.

“This is… a threat letter. The handwriting looks the same.”

“If I don’t leave the capital and go to my territory, they’ll make an example of me?”

Assad smirked slightly as he leaned back.

Whoever it was—they were clearly insane.

The Ulliel family was part of the imperial family and one of the most powerful noble houses in the empire. There was nowhere Assad’s influence didn’t reach.

And yet, someone dared to threaten him.

It was laughable—like a mosquito trying to intimidate someone before biting.

But Shuri didn’t think so.

“I’ll issue a warrant immediately.”

“Leave it. They’ll give up on their own. This isn’t the first time.”

“But Your Grace! This is going too far. This is obsession.”

Shuri clenched his fist.

Recently, Assad had been bothered by an unknown mad person.

At first, it was just lingering stares in the street—nothing unusual for him.

But then things started disappearing.

Pen nibs, handkerchiefs… even napkins from cafés or pamphlets from theaters would vanish the moment he looked away.

“Obsession…”

Assad fell into thought.

“Yesterday’s incident at the plaza was especially strange.”

Shuri continued angrily.

“In the middle of a crowded festival, someone pulled out Your Grace’s hair.”

Assad shrugged.

“That was a baby.”

“We couldn’t catch them. It could still be the culprit. Someone fast could have done it.”

Assad sighed lightly.

“When my aide pulls a sword in front of a woman holding a baby, it only fuels rumors that I’m cruel.”

Shuri lowered his eyes awkwardly.

On the desk lay a pile of similar cream-colored letters.

Then Shuri suddenly froze.

“Your Grace, look at this.”

He picked up the envelope from today’s letter.

“It looks ordinary.”

“There was something else inside.”

He tapped the envelope, and something fell out.

Several strands of black hair tied with a thin golden thread.

Assad’s expression turned cold.

“This… has gone too far.”

“Just give the order. I’ll cut off the culprit’s head.”

Overly loyal as always.

Assad’s lips curved faintly.

“Before that, we have something else to do.”

As Assad stared at the locket, Shuri quickly pressed a sword against Mia’s neck.

“Shall I cut it?”

At Assad’s nod—

The sword moved.

Snap.

The thin chain broke, and the cheap locket flew into the air. Assad caught it and twisted it open.

Black strands of hair spilled out.

“It seems we’ve found the one who pulled my hair yesterday at the plaza.”

All eyes turned in shock—

To Mia Lisitsa.

Of course, the most shocked person was Mia herself.

You crazy… woman… Mia Lisitsa!!

So she had followed Assad last night.

Now it made sense. From the moment she became his secretary so easily in the original story, it was obvious—she was obsessed with him.

There was no way someone who knew all his habits and preferences could be normal.

But there was no turning back now.

I can’t be labeled a psycho the moment I possess this body! Deny it first.

This was no longer about getting a job.

It was about survival.

Mia completely wiped the smile off her face.

“Your Grace, are you perhaps… overly self-conscious?”

“What?”

Assad let out a disbelieving laugh.

Mia continued desperately.

“That’s fur from a black dog I used to have.”

“Is that so?”

Assad narrowed his eyes.

Taking it as a good sign, Mia brightened.

“He was very smart. He could fetch sticks well—”

“A very handsome dog, it seems. Such neat features.”

“Yes, of course. His ears stood up, and his snout was sharp—”

Mia, who had been lying nonstop, suddenly froze.

Assad was holding up the open locket with a mocking expression.

Inside was a portrait—

One that looked exactly like him.

With the upper hand, he pointed to the ground.

“And I suppose you liked that dog so much, you even embroidered its initials on your handkerchief?”

The handkerchief Mia had dropped while falling lay at her feet.

It was made of fine fabric—far too luxurious for the Lisitsa family.

On its edge were Assad’s initials and the Ulliel family crest.

“Your Grace, this was found in the suspect’s room.”

As if things weren’t bad enough, a knight came down holding an old box decorated with lace. A pink heart-shaped paper was attached to the lid.

“Ah… please…”

Mia let out a low groan.

There was no doubt something embarrassing was inside.

Holding the box, Assad raised an eyebrow as he looked at her.

Then—

He slowly opened it and poured the contents onto the floor.

Mia tightly shut her eyes.