Chapter 6 - 6

In fact, the young lady in front of me was busy encouraging Charlize while behind her back, exaggerating and mocking her evil deeds.

It seems Charlize knew but just ignored it.

I need to end this scene.

I coldly watched them hurriedly get up and leave until everyone was gone, then let out a groan and collapsed onto the sofa.

"Ah... I thought I was going to die from dizziness...!"

What is the alcohol content of this drink? I barely held onto my sanity and checked the alcohol percentage, then almost fainted. What is this? It's stronger than whiskey? Insane.

Even during company dinners with the CEO present, I never drank this much.

"Ugh, I'm dying. This is ridiculous..."

Charlize apparently drank eight bottles of that stuff and was still fine...

But why am I like this after less than two bottles...?

No, only my soul changed, so how can my alcohol tolerance change...

Actually, even the remark I made to that Baron's daughter earlier was influenced by the alcohol.

Of course, I intended to end it from the start.

First, I've learned very well about the reputation of my fiance.

"...Amazing."

I stared at the ceiling and blinked.

'Does that mean my fiance's handsome looks aren't known?'

The Duke of Lemut. I remember that man clearly.

Because, though a supporting character, he was a character I really liked.

Even though the male lead is that bastard who's my brother, my fiance was such a handsome man that I wondered why the female lead didn't put Lemut in her harem.

Refined, cool, ascetic... And what else?

'Ah, he believes in premarital celibacy.'

Is that why he was excluded from the harem? Because this novel was an R-rated angsty novel.

Maybe they don't include men who can't go to bed in the harem.

Though I remember fervently shouting in the comments to include him.

Anyway, for some reason, that man rarely appears in public, and I now understand that people barely know his face.

"Ugh..."

The ceiling was spinning wildly.

Oh, with this level of drunkenness... tomorrow's hangover is going to be no joke.

I closed my eyes slightly.

* * *

Late at night.

The Duke of Lemut's study was so shabby it was hard to believe it belonged to a duke.

Of course, compared to what ordinary nobles use, it could be considered average, but it was indeed lacking compared to the reputation of the Duke of Lemut.

"Your Excellency."

The man who just opened the door and entered was Ben, the Duke of Lemut's aide-de-camp and a knight.

He was one of the people who knew well why the office of someone of ducal rank was so shabbily mismatched with his status.

He held back a sigh and walked over.

"What is it?"

Although it was late, the Duke of Lemut was busy with work.

Most of the documents he handled were related to his territory or his debts.

That was it. The Dukedom of Lemut had an enormous amount of debt.

"..."

As Ben did not open his mouth easily, the Duke of Lemut slowly raised his head.

Askin Lemut.

The strongest sword in the Empire, nicknamed the Guardian of the West.

He was a strikingly handsome man, as if the moon had incarnated.

Borrowing the words of Ben's close associate and the nanny close to the Duke, Martha, it was a beauty that deserved the praise that no such handsome man had existed in the Empire's 500-year history.

Compared to his sturdy physique, typical of a westerner, his face alone was so devout and holy, you'd think he was a clergyman.

Martha would often gush about his beauty, saying 'beautiful' suited him better than 'handsome'.

Ben wasn't someone who was greatly impressed by people's appearances, but he thought his master would be considered an exception by anyone.

'That's why... even that vicious woman covets him.'

But reality was that due to the massive debt, he had no choice but to sell his abilities for money.

"A letter has arrived from the Countess Altsbeit..."

"Throw it away."

At the extremely cold voice, Ben held his breath.

"Are you aware? This is the 30th we're returning."

"...I never said to return them."

"I did it. Returning them intact is less insulting than throwing them away, and it won't cause unnecessary trouble."

Ben spoke rapidly without taking a breath.

Indeed, Ben had already returned 30 invitations from his master's fiancee, that wicked Countess.

Strangely, the invitations had become excessively frequent lately.

Also, the fact that she didn't accept the rejection was strange.

"This is strange. Wasn't it unusual for her to contact this often before?"

"Having returned from her trip, she's probably playing some wicked prank again."

It was famous in the capital that Charlize Altsbeit had been temporarily kicked out under the guise of a trip to clean up a mess she had caused.

Famous enough to reach Askin, who rarely appears in public.

Of course, it was hard not to know, thanks to the annoyingly frequent letters arriving from another country.

"...That could be, but wouldn't she usually lose interest quickly after you rejected her five times?"

Charlize Altsbeit had a flashy appearance and a love for luxury.

As fickle as her love for treasure.

She would sometimes target Askin and torment him terribly, but generally, if Askin refused, she would let him be, finding it amusing that he was the only one who ever refused her.

Askin didn't answer.

Ben felt a cold refusal from his master: 'Who knows.'

"It doesn't matter what happens now."

Askin said in a cool voice.

"I'll handle it myself, so pretend you don't know for now."

It was a voice filled with unprecedented firm resolve, as if he had a plan.

Ben quietly bowed his head.

'Is there really no way to break up with that woman?'

Ben suppressed his anxious feelings.

* * *

I had a dream.

"Gasp, what is it. This money?"

There was a mountain of cash piled up before my eyes. I tried counting it hard but gave up.

Just by a quick glance... this was the money I was supposed to receive.

'My coin earnings are back!'

I was swimming hard in the waves of money when I suddenly lifted my head.

Coming to my senses and looking around, I was wearing a neat luxury suit.

And an amount even greater than the mountain of cash before my eyes was glowing within the numbers in my phone's mobile banking app.

This was the money I had left after buying a house.

After contentedly looking at the long string of numbers, I entered a luxury store that I had once only admired in magazines, swallowing enviously.

Seeing the clerk greeting me politely, I eloquently recited the lines I'd always wanted to say at least once in my life.

"Who is my VIP manager?"

I recited lines I'd seen in luxury review videos or dramas, and spun around excitedly.

"I'll buy everything from here to there."

And so I spent money like water.

Seeing the numbers not decreasing, I knew I had become a wealthy unemployed person I'd only dreamed of.

I was so happy.

'Oh God, please let me live this life as a YOLO forever...!'

Amazingly, as I made this wish, I opened my eyes.

Meaning I woke up from the dream.

"Oh, my head..."

As soon as I opened my eyes, I had a headache that felt like it might split, as if to remind me that this was reality.

This was unmistakably... a hangover.

As if always prepared, the maid immediately brought warm honey water and cool ice water as soon as I woke up.

'Even Charlize, the heavy drinker, must have had hangovers.'

I felt wronged once again.

'Why did my alcohol tolerance have to change!'

But it's already happened. I held my head and got up from my seat, feeling groggy.

I looked at my hand. The amount I saw in the dream was vivid.

...My coin. My money.

Maybe because I've lived a long life without it? My vanished money was regrettable, and at the same time, I felt anew the regret of dying without even getting to use it.

"This won't do."

I walked out briskly.

Soon after, the maids summoned to me were busy attending to my appearance, all looking somewhat nervous.

"...Countess, your hair is complete. For the decoration..."

"That's enough."

The maids looked at me moving since morning with surprise, and seeing me pressing my head, they were busy getting scared.

Some even seemed reluctant to let me go.

They are nice people... Some actually worried about Charlize.

"Um, Countess, what should I tell the coachman regarding our destination?"

"The Lemut Ducal residence."

"...Pardon?"

The maid stuttered but quickly bowed her head.

For a moment, deep wonder and pity flickered in the maids' eyes.

I was curious whether that pity was directed at me or my fiance, but.

'My head hurts too much to ask.'

"Do you perhaps have any good hangover remedies?"

"Pardon? Yes, I'll have them brought immediately!"

While one maid scurried off, the maids who had finished preparing me bowed and stepped back.

Looking in the mirror, surprisingly, even amidst the haggardness of the hangover, a beautiful woman was looking back at me.

'...Her beauty is truly to die for.'

She was indeed beautiful.

It's just a pity she used that beauty only for evil deeds.

I sighed softly and pressed my head.

Through the mirror, I saw a maid glancing at me secretly, gauging my mood.

"You, do you have something to say?"