<CHAPTER 6>

Alosha widened her eyes fiercely as she spoke, throwing in dramatic groans like, “Oh, my aching back,” and, “I’m dying over here!” every few sentences to completely overwhelm the other side.

“We’re terribly sorry.”

“Don’t you know that when a carriage turns a corner, it’s supposed to slow down? And isn’t the driver responsible for watching the road and protecting pedestrians?”

She had no idea whether traffic laws like that even existed in this world, but people were people no matter where they lived. If this world had been created by someone, surely the same common-sense rules applied.

So Alosha pressed her advantage without hesitation.

“Regrettably, your carriage was also stopped right in the middle of the road, so—”

“So what? You’re saying that after nearly turning one carriage and four innocent people into corpses, you did absolutely nothing wrong?”

“W-What are you talking about? Corpses? It was only a slight collision between two carriages. You’re exaggerating.”

“Exaggerating? Can’t you see my people writhing in agony?”

As Alosha shouted and pointed toward her carriage, the maid and coachman—who had been standing perfectly fine just moments earlier—suddenly collapsed to the ground and began rolling around dramatically.

“Heidi! Are you all right?”

“Aah… Sir Knight… this is so unfair! My parents died when I was young, and I have five younger siblings depending on me! Am I… am I going to die like this?”

“Agh! I’m finished! I’ve got a wife and children to feed! The carriage is broken, my body’s shattered—whatever am I supposed to do now?!”

The servants of House Nocturne were astonishingly loyal.

At a single word from Alosha, they launched into Oscar-worthy method acting, behaving as though they were moments away from death.

“Weren’t all of you standing perfectly fine just a second ago?!”

“So what are you going to do? What are you going to do about this?!”

“…”

Faced with Alosha’s murderous glare—as though she might rip his head off at any second—the man broke into a cold sweat.

Why did I have to crash into a bunch of lunatics of all people…?

He had occasionally heard stories about swindlers within the Empire who deliberately threw themselves in front of carriages or pretended to be grievously injured after accidents.

After coughing awkwardly a few times, the man glanced toward the black carriage behind him.

The thing he feared most wasn’t the woman before him.

Nor was it the accident itself.

It was the person waiting inside that carriage.

Damn it… if this drags on any longer, I’ll lose my head.

Arwen couldn’t help thinking this truly was the unluckiest day of his life.

That morning, he’d stepped outside to grab the newspaper, only for a black cat to cross his path, stare him directly in the eyes, and let out a loud meow.

Then, while heading to work, a crow had cawed so ominously that he’d looked up—

Only for bird droppings to splatter onto him.

He’d rushed home to change, accidentally put on mismatched socks, and even forgotten important documents before leaving again.

Those were all bad omens…

If his superior hadn’t needed to visit the Imperial Knights today, he would’ve taken a vacation. Nothing had gone right from the moment he’d woken up.

And now this disaster.

Worse still, the people in the other carriage looked ready to milk the accident for every coin they could.

Sweating profusely, Arwen bowed repeatedly before the group of apparent con artists.

“We… actually have an urgent matter to attend to…”

“What?! You think you’re the only ones in a hurry? We were in a huuuuge hurry too! Are you trying to run away?”

“Run away? O-Of course not! I simply meant that you should receive treatment first and send us the bill afterward.”

“…”

“F-First… please accept my business card.”

Arwen handed Alosha one of his personal cards—a card he almost never gave to anyone.

“Baron Arwen Swiler?”

“Yes. Surely you’ve heard of me? I’m a man of credibility.”

Who?

Perhaps he was someone famous in this world if he expected his name alone to settle everything.

Unfortunately for him…

It meant absolutely nothing to Alosha.

“So you’re asking me to let this slide just because I know your name?”

“I’d certainly appreciate it. Later, simply send the invoice to House Swiler. I’m escorting someone of great importance and can’t afford to waste time on the roadside.”

Even as he spoke, Arwen kept stealing nervous glances toward the black carriage behind him.

Hold on.

They caused the accident, didn’t even bother getting out of the carriage, didn’t apologize once, and now they’re just planning to leave?

She could end up with aching bones for the rest of her life every time it rained because of this accident!

She had no idea just how important the person inside was…

But Alosha wasn’t about to let it go.

“Aah… so we’re not important people?”

“M-My Lady, please! Why are you doing this? W-Wait! Where are you going?!”

“Where else? You said someone’s inside, didn’t you? I’d like to see just how precious this person’s face really is!”

“My Lady! Please calm down!”

Anyone who refused to step outside after such a major accident had to be someone of incredibly high status.

Without another thought, Alosha yanked open the tightly shut carriage door and shouted at a volume that could probably drown out a fighter jet taking off.

“Hey! Get out here right now!”

The rebellious spirit buried deep inside every Korean citizen refused to disappear, even after she’d transmigrated into the body of another character inside a novel.

Instead, it had awakened the moment she faced one of those insufferable nobles.

“…Who?”

She had boldly flung open the carriage door…

But the instant she saw the man inside—

She completely lost the ability to speak.

Silver hair that shimmered even in the darkness.

Piercing violet eyes cold enough to freeze the soul.

A face so breathtakingly beautiful it almost felt inhuman.

She couldn’t look away.

His skin was as white as polished marble, reflecting every trace of light.

His crimson lips seemed made to be kissed.

And those broad shoulders…

Even through his clothes, his powerful, wild physique was impossible to miss.

Damn it… I can’t stay angry.

People always said handsome men seemed to glow.

If that was true, then this man must have contained xenon itself—the fifty-fourth element, famous for producing one of the brightest lights known to mankind.

A face capable of blinding people with a hundred thousand lux.

There was only one title worthy of someone like him.

“…The Northern Duke.”

“What?”

In nearly eighty-seven percent of romance fantasy novels, the male lead was a Northern Duke.

Most of them had black hair.

But once in a while…

There was an impossibly beautiful silver-haired version like this.

As Alosha stared blankly at his face, utterly captivated, the man frowned.

Even that expression was ridiculously handsome.

“You barged into my carriage, opened the door without permission, and started saying incomprehensible things. Did you hit your head in the accident?”

If someone was blessed with both that face and that body, surely it would’ve been fair if his voice were lacking.

Instead…

His deep, rich voice resonated through her heart like echoes rolling through a vast cavern.

“Say… say something else.”

“What?”

Even his baffled expression made her heart race.

Her pulse thundered.

Bells rang in her ears.

Her eyes stung with tears she couldn’t explain.

I’m done for! I’ve fallen completely! I never imagined I’d encounter destiny here!

Not even the most handsome celebrities in Korea—or anywhere else in the world—had ever managed to steal her heart.

Yet someone from an entirely different dimension had captured it in a single glance.

This…

Was exactly the kind of life-changing bias-wrecker accident every devoted fangirl experienced at least once.

“My Lady! What in the world are you doing?!”

Arwen finally lost his patience, grabbed Alosha, and dragged her out of the carriage.

Only then did she snap back to reality, desperately reaching toward the man.

“W-Wait! At least tell me your name!”

Ignoring her heartfelt plea, Arwen slammed the carriage door shut.

His face twisted into a scowl.

“…In any case, if there are any issues, contact us using that card. We’ll be taking our leave now.”

As the carriage hurried away, Alosha stared after it and screamed with all her might.

“Don’t go! Stay and talk to me a little longer!!”

Their meeting had been brief.

The circumstances couldn’t have been worse.

Yet in that fleeting moment…

Alosha’s heart had burned with genuine passion.

Spring had arrived.

“Don’t leave me, my husband!!!!!”

—

Meanwhile, inside the carriage that had unknowingly ignited a spark in Alosha’s heart…

A heavy silence filled the air.

Even as the carriage rolled away, her voice—

“Don’t leave me, my husband!!!!!”

—could still be heard echoing after them.

Arwen swallowed hard.

She’s definitely insane.

“My deepest apologies for subjecting you to such an unpleasant incident, Duke Whisler.”

Covered in cold sweat, Arwen bowed deeply to the man seated across from him.

“…”

“You weren’t injured anywhere, were you? O-Of course, someone as mighty as Duke Whisler wouldn’t possibly be harmed by a mere carriage collision… but I thought I should ask just in case.”

Receiving no response, Arwen nervously watched Duke Whisler, who rested his chin on one hand while gazing silently out the window.

“Shall I continue the report from earlier?”

“…Continue.”

“Our spy within the Imperial Palace reports that Count Targi recently made contact with one of the Emperor’s men.”

“That filthy little rat.”

As expected…

A man willing to embezzle money was also willing to betray his allies.

“How shall we deal with him?”

“Wasn’t the Oaklaire Merchant Guild the one that lent Count Targi his money?”

“Yes.”

“Contact the guild master. Demand immediate repayment. If he fails to pay, charge him forty-five percent interest for every day he’s overdue.”

His icy voice continued without the slightest hesitation.