DCEB | CH 25

Chapter 25: Misfortune Comes Across the Sea

A luxurious cruise ship.

A very small woman stood there, looking out at the dark ocean.

Whenever the sea breeze, filled with salt, blew by, her red hair shined like pearls.

Her eyes, just slightly open, were also a clear red color, inherited from her mother.

Her small, pale face had cute and delicate features.

If others knew who her father was, they would be shocked by how little she resembled him.

Just then—

With loud commotion, a message from the Magic Tower was delivered to the nobles sitting inside the cruise ship.

White birds flew across the night sea, bringing the messages—it was quite a sight.

The woman received the paper with a bored look as it landed in front of her.

“Tsk. Why did Father suddenly ask me to return?”

As she clicked her tongue quietly, the nobles who were reading the news suddenly began whispering excitedly.

Marriage.

Carniel.

And Grace.

‘Grace?’

The woman’s eyes lit up with interest.

As she opened the message, she saw news she already knew written there in bold words.

A humiliating marriage.

A shocking wedding between two families full of hatred.

The blood-covered worst wedding ever!

“Ah.”

Her eyes quickly scanned the page.

Then she let out a mocking laugh.

It was about that fake.

“Eleanor.”

So she said she wouldn’t marry no matter what—what made her change her mind?

The woman didn’t like it.

As a flash of annoyance appeared in her red eyes—

Tap.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“……”

A nobleman passing through the narrow path accidentally bumped into her shoulder.

Because of that, the message paper in her hand fell to the ground.

The woman, still smiling, grabbed the man’s collar as he tried to walk away.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Huh?”

“You dropped my paper, didn’t you?”

Looking at her arrogant voice and sharp eyes, the nobleman’s face also filled with annoyance.

“I already apologized. Do you even know who I am?”

The woman laughed softly.

Did he know who she was?

She had lived under many names.

Like a plant without roots, she used her mother’s name, moved from place to place, and lived hidden under different names.

‘Remember this. You are your father’s most precious gem.’

It was all because of her abilities. Her weak, unstable powers made her father feel inferior. But when he found a girl with the same—but much stronger—power than himself, he was thrilled.

‘Sadly, I have many enemies. If I raise you in the Empire, you’ll be discovered. That must not happen.’

She somewhat agreed with him.

But living in hiding all the time didn’t suit her nature.

And while she was away, a fake was brought in to “protect” her, and that fake took all her rights and power.

To a woman used to having everything she wanted, it was beyond annoying.

That fake.

That was why she had decided—when she returned, she would make that fake suffer.

But now…

Did she really slip out of her hands?

“Hey, why aren’t you saying—”

Her hand touched the man.

The moment it did, the strong perfume on him hit her nose, and his eyes instantly went hazy.

“Look at me closely.”

“Uhh… I, I…”

“Were you trying to get angry at me just now?”

“Well…”

“No, right?”

The woman smiled seductively and poured her power into him.

Someone with no mental strength was easy to crush.

He looked like someone about to experience the greatest pleasure in the world. His soul wavered.

She watched his changing face like a drunk man, with interest.

“No… I wasn’t.”

Humans were so easy.

Just a smile, a touch, and a sprinkle of her power—anyone with weak minds became hers.

“Then what were you trying to say to me? You dropped my paper—so what should you do?”

The man immediately knelt on one knee.

For an arrogant noble who would never kneel before anyone but the emperor, this was shameful.

He handed her the message, just a piece of paper.

“Here it is. I must’ve gone mad. How could I be rude to someone as beautiful as you?”

Her face showed a bit of interest at first, but soon turned bored again.

Humans are really this easy.

Snatching the paper from him, she ignored the man still kneeling and walked away.

On the back of the message, there was a picture titled “The Bloody Wedding.”

A woman in a white dress, which could’ve been hers.

And the man standing next to her.

Next to the wedding image, there was another drawing of the man with details about who he was.

“Carniel.”

That was the family name her father had always been obsessed with.

Even when she was far away, she had seen that name over and over in her father’s letters.

‘Maybe… if it’s this person.’

Wasn’t he known as the strongest sword in the Empire? The undefeated knight?

Strong people usually had strong minds too.

How satisfying would it be to break a mind that didn’t easily fall?

She licked her lips like she was starving.

“So unfortunate.”

Now that she had seen his face, her desire boiled over.

Her red-painted nails slowly scratched the man’s handsome face in the drawing.

“Kylus.”

How sad. Really sad.

If only the wedding had happened after she arrived in the Empire.

“So many things could’ve been different.”

What if she had stood beside that man first, before the fake became his wife?

What if she could watch him ignore the fake woman with the Grace name, after she ruined his strong will?

That would’ve been so satisfying.

“To think I had to learn about this exciting news at sea! How much farther to the Empire, darling?”

“Hmm, at least another month to go, sadly.”

The woman clicked her tongue after eavesdropping on a random couple’s conversation.

Still, it should be fine.

Still, it should be fine.

Surely that righteous Carniel wouldn’t give his heart so easily to the daughter of an enemy.

If so, then there was still room to sneak in. Or rather, her father would make it happen.

‘Father always gave me whatever I wanted.’

If she wanted something, she got it.

Even if that “something” was a living person.

“Until I arrive, go ahead and enjoy your time thinking he’s yours, my dear Eleanor. My shadow.”

The woman—Katrina Blanche—looked out at the sea getting rough again and smiled seductively.

* * *

A clear sign that things were different from the past appeared again.

That man standing in the doorway.

“…Eleanor.”

Just like he promised, he didn’t call her “Grace.” But he said her name coldly, like it made him uncomfortable.

Eleanor looked at him.

From head to toe, his slightly messy appearance was still handsome.

His hair was still wet, probably because he had just washed and didn’t dry it yet.

His indoor clothes were thin, showing the outline of his well-trained muscles.

As his wide sleeves moved, the muscles and veins on his arms flexed in a sensual way.

If this were the past, when she still saw him as her first love, her heart might’ve exploded from happiness.

But now—

‘I’m not that girl anymore.’

Not anymore.

Eleanor’s face turned cold.

“You came later than I expected.”

At her slightly scolding tone, Kylus’ eyes narrowed.

“We didn’t make any promises.”

“Oh? So you wanted to become trash—the kind of husband who doesn’t show up on the wedding night?”

“Trash…”

Their eyes met, and Kylus glared sharply, as if he had to do so.

“Are you calling me trash?”

“Why are you so defensive? Did you actually think about ditching me?”

“……”

His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a shadow passed over his face. If she were anyone else, it might’ve scared her.

Eleanor calmly stood up from the bed.

Even now, that man glared at her like he didn’t want to lose.

‘You’re really not like the Kylus I knew.’

He looked so young, unable to hide his emotions—it almost made her laugh.

‘Also… why didn’t you dry your hair? Did you rush here or something?’